At the end of the spring semester, thousands of American college students move out of university housing and leave items they cannot or do not want to take with them. As a result, many college communities find dumpsters overflowed and neighborhood sidewalks filled with bags and boxes of usable, but unwanted items. Lehigh’s annual Move Out Collection Drive in May and Great Southside Sale on June 2 helped combat this issue.
The 2018 Move Out Collection Drive provided an avenue for students, faculty, staff, and community members to donate unwanted goods in designated areas in residential halls, Greek houses, and in Lamberton Hall. During this period in May, the Great Room of Lamberton Hall was transformed into a donation sorting center. Volunteers busily sorted through and organized all the items that were collected and donated by students, faculty, staff, and community members each day. Carolina Hernandez, Assistant Dean & Director, Community Service Office said she is most proud of “the incredible support from our volunteers! From Residential Services to Dean of Students and South Bethlehem community members --- we could NOT do this without all of them!” By the end of the collection drive, the Great Room was filled with boxes of organized donations that were transported to the Great Southside Sale and sold to members of the community.
The Great Southside Sale was once again a huge success! It raised approximately $20,018 for the South Bethlehem community. This is pretty remarkable, especially given the fact that MOST items are under two dollars! All of the proceeds from the sale go directly back into the community to benefit children and youth programs such as after school homework clubs, field trips, and more for South Bethlehem families. “The Great South Side Sale is the BEST DAY OF THE YEAR!,” says Hernandez. “It is a culmination of a month long of generous donations, quality time with incredible volunteers preparing for the Sale, and an incredible day with our friends across the community. Seeing our homework club kids buy gifts for their whole family in a way that is with integrity is the highlight of the sale!”
This sale not only directly benefited the South Bethlehem community through the money raised for youth programs and by redirecting items into the homes of our community at affordable prices, but it also saved thousands of items from going into the waste stream. It’s a win, win, win for sustainability, Lehigh, and the community!