‘Ten Tons of Love’ drive creates variety of opportunities to support community agencies

‘Ten Tons of Love’ drive creates variety of opportunities to support community agenciesApril 19, 2007SU News ServicesSUnews@syr.edu

Syracuse University’s on- and off-campus students, as well as faculty, staff and community members, will once again donate nonperishable food, clothing and good used items for distribution to the needy in Central New York through the fourth annual “Ten Tons of Love” donation drive, April 30-May 18.

The 2006 effort raised nearly 12 tons of food, clothing, furniture and other donations, which were distributed to local charities rather than being discarded as students moved out of their residences at the end of the academic year. This year, organizers will distribute items to the First English Food Pantry, Northside Clothes Closet, Refugee Resettlement Program, Practical Assistance Program and Bethesda Temple Pentecostal Church. Donated goods will be sorted at First English Lutheran Church before delivery to these charities, which will then share donated goods with members of the Central New York community.

Members of the University and neighboring community who wish to participate can do so in several ways. The drive depends on the work of volunteers to gather, transport and sort donated goods. Businesses and SU units — including UHaul-Store America, ZJ’s Pizza, Eastwood Litho, Reasonable Tent, Syracuse Office Environments, SU Commissary, Quartier Printing, Syracuse Banana, Dunk & Bright Furniture, Teen Challenge, Syracuse Department of Public Works, National Grid and SU Housing Zone — have volunteered staff, equipment or food to support this year’s volunteer effort, and 10-15 additional volunteers are needed during each day of the drive to keep donated goods moving in an organized fashion. To volunteer, or for more information, visit http://tentons.syr.edu.

People may also choose one of several options for making a donation. Several SU 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. Items sought include clothing, bedding, sneakers, towels, kitchen supplies, backpacks, cell phones, furniture and nonperishable food items. Off-campus pickup of large items can be arranged by calling (315) 443-5489; drop-off locations on and near campus include all residence halls, Slocum Heights apartments, Moon Library, Archbold Gymnasium, Hendricks Chapel, the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center, the Ann and Alfred Goldstein Student Center, the Office of Off-Campus Student Services, Syracuse Stage and the Nottingham Road location of P&C (food only at this location).

Darya Rotblat, assistant director of the Office of Off-Campus Student Services, a principal unit of the Division of Student Affairs, chairs the drive. Co-sponsors of this year’s drive include Hendricks Chapel’s Students Offering Service, Lutheran Campus Ministries, the Department of Recreation Services, the Office of Prevention Services, the Office of Residence Life, Student Centers and Programming Services, and First English Lutheran Church.

The drive is one of three major year-end engagement opportunities supported by the Division of Student Affairs’ Civic Engagement Council. The others include The Big Event, April 20, and the neighborhood Earth Day Cleanup, April 28. For information, visit http://students.syr.edu.