Every year, UNR students move out of their dorms, leaving behind enormous amounts of furniture, small appliances and house wares they don’t need anymore. These happen to be many of the same items people need when they’re moving into permanent housing after receiving housing and homeless services from the County.
This year, UNR’s Department of Residential Life, Housing, and Food Services and the County’s Human Services Agency partnered to connect items needing a home with people moving into theirs. Between May 4 and 15, UNR created donation drop-off spaces in eight on-campus residential halls. HSA staff made the rounds with trucks every couple days to pick the stuff up.
“It was a big success and way more than I think anyone anticipated,” said Aaron Mullins, Program Assistant for Housing and Homeless Services. “Thank you for all the donations. It is exactly the kind of stuff that our participants need when they transition into housing.”
“My colleagues and I are thrilled that we were able to keep so many items out of the landfill and get them into the hands of the communities that you serve,” said Lee Tyson, Coordinator for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Residential Life at UNR.
Here is a tally of items received:
Kitchen
Microwaves: 66
Mini Fridges: 19
Full Size trash cans: 15
Small trash cans: 20 – 30
Small appliance 20 -25
3 kerrig coffee machines
10 – 15 dishracks
Living room/Bedroom
Fans: 25 – 30 big and small
Lamps: 15 – 20
Plastic Drawers: 75
5 -10 tables and end tables
10 desk organizers
Shelving units 25-28 – Some for bathrooms
2 computer monitors
2 TVs
5 air mattress
10 hanging Closet organizers
Twin size mattress
Vacuum: 8
Lots of hangers
1 foldable chair
15 – 20 plastic laundry baskets
8 laundry baskets
8 laundry bags
30 – 40 organizing bins
20 mirrors
2 full boxes of throw pillows
2 suitcases
1 ironing board
5 foot stool organizers
Misc.
3 Swiffer’s
2 brooms
Household cleaning supplies
Bathroom
25 – 30 portable shower caddy
13 – 15 bathroom shelf organizers
15 – 18 hanging bathroom shower organizers
This project resulted in numerous benefits:
• Cost savings for UNR not having to pay hauling and landfill fees; and for HSA or new residents not having to buy these items.
• Better-supported HSA clients having the items they need when finding places to live
• Avoided waste and emissions from items that would have otherwise ended up in the landfill.
UNR and the County will meet in the near future to see how this can be a regular partnership efforts between the two organizations.