A recent Goodwill donation drive held on Stetson University’s DeLand campus yielded 2,650 pounds of donations. The donations will be sold in Goodwill stores across the central Florida area and proceeds for the donations will eventually provide vocational assistance to individuals with barriers to employment. Students had the opportunity to donate for 10 days and donations consisted mostly of clothes. (Pictured, several overflowing bins from recent Chaudoin Hall residents.)

Stetson University Housing & Residential Life along with Goodwill Industries of Central Florida held a donation drive on campus from May 1 to May 10, and 12 large bins (68 x 62 in.) were placed in 10 residence halls. Students received email notification and signs were posted explaining the items would be donated to Goodwill. All of the bins were at least half full and the majority of bins were overflowing with items students wanted to donate.  Students donated several bins of clothes along with many other items including but not limited to clocks, sporting equipment, cleaning supplies, toys, storage containers and books. This donation drive was the first time in recent years that students had an easy option to help donate items when moving out of their residence halls and Housing & Residential Life hopes to continue the drive in the coming years.

Goodwill Industries of Central Florida’s mission is “Building Lives that Work” and they convert unneeded items in the Central Florida community into job opportunities. Goodwill Industries of Central Florida serves Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties and provides 26 retail stores where people can shop and donate. In addition, Goodwill Industries of Central Florida offers free job search assistance at their Job Connection Centers. Goodwill Industries estimates that it takes approximately 24 pounds of donated goods to help provide services to one individual. Stetson University donations will directly help 110 individuals in the central Florida community with vocational assistance.

by Barbara Hawkins

Stetson Residential Life Coordinator |Department of Housing and Residential Life