Local Social Service Agencies Gear Up for Surge in Donations

It may look like old sweaters, shirts and jeans but to local social service agencies, they are diamonds in the rough.  Every year, University of Oregon students leave for the summer and when they leave, they  leave behind clothes, appliances, books, furniture, even electronics. 

Kelly Bell of the Lane County Master Recycler Program wants to encourage students to make use of convenient donation drop sites before leaving for the summer.  Kelly notes, “Students can only take home the items that fit in a car or on an airplane. Everything else is left behind. The sooner students start donating usable items the better for all concerned. Donating directly to non-profits is a much better alternative than abandoning items on the sidewalk or throwing them in the trash as some busy folks will be tempted to do.”

Gloria Griffiths of the Springfield Family Centers believes that college students are much more aware of her program that gives to needy families.  She says, that college students have become much more conscientious about donating rather than throwing items away.

Here is a list of non-profit organizations that accept donations:

On-Campus Students

UO Campus Recycling is collecting goods until Friday, June 15, 2012.

Contact: Robyn Hathcock, UO Campus Recycling (541) 346-0929

rjhath@uoregon.edu

Springfield Family Centers

Springfield Family Centers is collecting donations in barrels located inside the dorms, until Saturday, June 16, 2012.

The goods collected are used in the Family Resource Center’s Clothing Exchange and other support programs.  For more information contact Janet Beckman at 744-2581 or leave a message at 744-6769.

http://www.sps.lane.edu/site/Default.aspx?PageID=45  (great link to use)

Off Campus Students

Goodwill Industries has parked a temporary trailer at 1535 Franklin Blvd, by the Chicken Shack.  That trailer has an attendant working  8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week (through June 30).   According to Rufina Saiz, spokeswoman for Goodwill Industries, the advantage of having the trailer near campus is students can easily walk to the drop-site  and make a donation.  Another trailer, this one set up by St. Vincent de Paul is located to the west of the University of Oregon, behind Louie’s Village Restaurant, 947 Franklin Blvd., Eugene.