‘Ten Tons of Love’ drive to bring SU students, community together

‘Ten Tons of Love’ drive to bring SU students, community togetherApril 20, 2006SU News ServicesSUnews@syr.edu

Syracuse University’s annual year-end donation drive will invite on- and off-campus students to donate food and good used items to the Central New York community at the end of the school year rather than discard them. The 2005 drive collected seven tons of donated goods; the 2004 drive garnered more than five tons. This year, organizers have set their sights higher and named the drive “Ten Tons of Love.” The drive will be held May 4-19.

“Ten Tons of Love brings together several of the year-end donation projects that have grown over the years at Syracuse University and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry,” says Darya Rotblat, assistant director of the Office of Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) and chair of the event. “I am honored to be part of such a team effort to build stronger relationships and help needy people in the Central New York community.” According to Rotblat, several new collaborations for 2006 will help engage the entire University in this community-based effort.

This year, several donation efforts–including those in residence halls, those off-campus, those conducted by Hendricks Chapel and the “If the Shoe Fits” program, which encourages donations of used athletic shoes–are combined under the Ten Tons umbrella.

This year’s drive is organized by Hendricks Chapel’s Students Offering Service and Lutheran Campus Ministries, in collaboration with OCSS, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. Co-sponsors include the student group Motivating People for Peace; the Division of Student Affairs’ Department of Recreation Services, R.A.P.E. Center, Office of Residence Life and Office of Orientation and Transition Services; and the College of Law’s Class of 2008 Senate. SU’s Office of Food Services and the Housing Zone of SU’s Business and Facilities Maintenance Services have volunteered equipment and personnel in support of the drive, along with local businesses including Charette Brothers, U-Haul/Store America, Syracuse Banana, Nextel and the City of Syracuse Department of Public Works.

Donated goods will go to First English Lutheran Church, where they will be sorted and distributed to various not-for-profit agencies in Central New York, including Elmwood Presbyterian Church Food and Clothing Pantry, Assisi Center Food Pantry, Refugee Resettlement of CNY, Refugee Resettlement of Catholic Charities, Grace Church Food and Clothing Pantry, St. Lucy’s Pantry, First English Lutheran Clothes Closet, Northside Neighborhood Food Pantry and Bethesda Pentecostal Faith Deliverance Temple.

“Because so many partners have brought their energy and commitment to this project, we can offer a wide variety of ways for members of the SU community to participate,” says Rotblat. For example:

Students in each of SU’s North Campus residence halls will have access to drop boxes or should contact their resident advisors for more information on how to participate. Hendricks Chapel will also be a collection point.

• On South Campus, donated items can be dropped off in the Goldstein Student Center.
• SU’s Archbold Gymnasium will be the main collection point for the “If the Shoe Fits” program, in which athletic shoes that are no longer good for running or heavy workouts but are still suitable for wearing are collected for distribution to needy community members.
• Moon Library will be the main collection point for ESF.
• Off-campus students can drop items at OCSS, 754 Ostrom Ave., or call 443-5489 or e-mail ocsserv@syr.edu at least 24 hours in advance to schedule a pickup of large items.

Goods sought include nonperishable food items; all types of clothing; kitchen supplies such as silverware, dishes, small appliances and pots and pans; linens such as blankets, sheets, towels and pillows; furniture in good condition; and anything else needy families could use when setting up a home. Additionally, all donated cell phones will go to support Vera House, the result of a partnership between Vera House and the University R.A.P.E. Center.

For more information about donations, contact OCSS at (315) 443-5489. To volunteer, call Hendricks Chapel at (315) 443-2901.