1 min readCommunity & Culture

‘Give & Go’ keeps items out of landfills by making donating easy

Since its inception, the annual R&DE program has collected more than 600 tons of clothes, furniture, and other items to be donated after students move out for the summer. The program runs June 4-17.

Student at swap meet checks out a blouse in the mirror
The first-ever Big Swap was held in April and allowed students to donate items they no longer needed and pick out things they did need or want. A second Big Swap will take place Friday, June 6, aligning with the peak of move-out season. | Courtesy R&DE

Beginning this week, students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to donate gently used personal and household items through Residential & Dining Enterprises’ annual Summer Give & Go donation program, which aims to make sustainability simple and impactful.

Donate your bike

Bikes are one of the most requested items. Your donation can provide someone with reliable transportation, exercise, access to work or school, and a greener way to travel. Learn how to donate your bike.

Now in its 11th year, the R&DE annual Give & Go program, running June 4-17, blends environmental responsibility with community support in pursuit of Stanford’s zero waste goals. Donations are distributed to local nonprofit organizations including Goodwill and Recycle for Change as well as Stanford’s First-Generation and/or Low-Income (FLI) Student Program.

Then, in the fall, R&DE will partner with Students for a Sustainable Stanford (SSS) and the First-Generation/Low Income Partnership (FLIP) to host FLI Drive, which aims to provide high-need items such as bikes, microwaves, and other useful household goods to students who might not otherwise have access to them.

How to participate in Give & Go

  • Gather usable items you no longer need.

  • Locate an Alpaca donation station near your residence.

  • Drop off your items from June 4 through June 17.

Over the last 10 years, R&DE’s Summer Give & Go program has successfully redirected some 612 tons of usable items from landfills to individuals and organizations in need. Last year, this included

  • 3 tons of non-perishable food, a 40% increase over the previous year

  • 2.8 tons of mattress toppers

  • 197 bikes

  • 5 tons of other donations

“We understand that every donation is more than just an item, it’s a gesture of hope, sustainability, and community care. Through R&DE’s Give & Go program, we remind each other that simple acts can have the power to uplift lives and protect our planet,” said Shirley J. Everett, senior associate vice provost, Residential & Dining Enterprises.

Usable items to donate

Give & Go accepts items in good condition, including:

  • Clothing and shoes

  • Bikes and books

  • Mattresses and mattress toppers

  • Furniture and small appliances

  • Electronics and sporting equipment

  • Non-perishable food

This year, the program is amplifying student involvement and education around sustainable practices.

Student intern Izabella Smolnicka-Dos Santos and Living Lab fellow Julia Lecana Hok organized the first-ever Big Swap event on April 18 during the Stanford Aspen Sustainability Festival, which invited students to exchange clothing and household items. Hundreds of students participated and more than 2,500 pounds of items were donated.

A second Big Swap is planned for Friday, June 6.

Writer

Emily Marie Blackwell

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