Give It Up! is a program that enables students to donate their unwanted items at move-out time to local charities and non-profits, benefiting the local community and preventing waste. The campaign takes place from the beginning of Reading Period (prior to final exams) in mid-May through Commencement in early June. Large pods are placed in front of populated student dorms so students moving out can donate items instead of throwing them out. Student employees are vital to the success of this important program, as they sort, transport, deliver clothing, books, food and other items to local charities that would otherwise head to landfills.
GIU is led by the Center for Learning in Action (CLiA) and is supported by the Zilkha Center for Environmental Initiatives (paying for student labor) and Facilities (paying for the storage “pods”), and logistical support from Campus Safety & Security (CSS), the Office for Information Technology (OIT) and Alumni Reunions (assigning “Reunion Rangers” to assist with the intense move-out period on Commencement Day).
This campaign creates multiple “wins” for the college, students, community and environment by reducing the volume of items left in the dorms and the amount of waste generated during the move-out process, while giving students a convenient way to donate their belongings, all while financially benefiting small local nonprofits. The last “win” of this reuse/recycle program benefits incoming Williams students in the early fall, when the clothing and tag sales at the First Congregational Church offer students (and community members) access to needed items at very affordable prices.
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Books go to the Nyanam International (formerly Konyango CBO), which was started by Jackline Odhiambo ‘14, Bethany Dixon ‘15, Adriana Mendoza ‘12, and Sara Lyon ‘13 in January of 2012. It is based in Jackline’s home village, Konyango, in Kenya, and focuses on literacy and education of schoolchildren, as well as leadership and self-organizing training for widows in the area.
Clothing and fabrics are given to the ABC Clothing Sale, which donates its profits to local charitable and non-profit organizations, including the Berkshire Immigrant Center, Louison House, Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, and the Williamstown Food Pantry. Its mission is to benefit local charitable organizations that serve youth and families at risk and address hunger, poverty, and inequality in our communities, as well as the environment by recycling gently worn clothing. Look for the ABC Clothing Sale on campus in the spring!
Food is sent to the Williamstown Food Pantry, which is based out of St. Patrick’s Church in Williamstown. The pantry serves the local population in need.
Everything else is sent to the First Congregational Church of Williamstown for their beginning-of-the-school-year Tag Sale. The sale keeps used goods circulating in the community, and raises money for the church in its largest fundraiser of the year.
Donations from the GIU collection in 2018-19 contributed substantially to the late summer and early fall FCC Tag Sale and ABC Clothing Sales results. In Fall 2019, the ABC Clothing Sale donated $50,000 in sales proceeds to benefit a range of local charitable and non-profit organizations, including Barrington Stage Company (Playwright Mentoring Program), Berkshire Summer Youth Internship Program, Community Legal Aid, Elizabeth Freeman Center, Friendship Center Food Pantry, Kids 4 Harmony (Brayton Elementary School), Louison House, Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, Northern Berkshire YMCA, ROOTS Teen Center, Williamstown Farmers Market, Williamstown Food Pantry, and YMCA Summer Swim and 8th Grade Mentoring Programs. Sales proceeds from the FCC Tag Sale supported the church's Outreach Team and their projects, including the church's efforts to become a Level 2 Sanctuary, their Community Outreach Organizer's work with the Berkshire Immigrant Center, and financial support for a variety of local nonprofit and social service organizations and volunteer initiatives.
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