"We generally receive 9-10 tons of donations. Last year, our total was 9.7 tons, and we haven't totaled this year, but I would 3estimate to be around the same."
All of the items that come in are weighed 4prior to 5sorting. So where does it go?
"We are currently working with six 6nonprofit community organizations that use these donations to be a 7resource to the community. And then the 8nonperishable food and personal care items go to the Maize and Blue cupboard, which is our U-M campus food pantry, which is available to anyone in the campus community who needs it."
Student intern Samuel Kocurek says this type of work 9hits very close to home.
"My mom actually runs a 10thrift store and food bank, so this is right up how I was raised, so it's really nice to be able to do this for a different community since I'm not from Michigan."
One of the local organizations that accepts donations from the university is volunteer-run nonprofit House N2 Home. We 11caught up with them taking 12unwanted items from a 13sorority house.
"We take things from students that would otherwise go to the 14landfill, and we are so happy to have a truck full of things to take back and clean and get ready for our next client."
House N2 Home has also been busy collecting items from off-campus housing.