Ten Tons of Love drive adds winter collection

Eileen Jevis
(315) 443-3527

The Ten Tons of Love donation drive is adding a winter collection to its annual spring effort to assist those in need with clothing, household items, nonperishable food, books and school supplies. Syracuse University students, both on and off campus- as well as faculty, staff and community members-are asked to donate used items in good condition to those in need in Central New York. The drive begins Friday, Nov. 21, and runs through Monday, Dec. 15.

The spring 2008 effort collected 38 tons of food, clothing, housewares, shoes and books. Additionally, 12 truckloads of furniture were collected. Recipients of the donated items include Bethesda Temple Pentecostal Church Transitional Living Services, First English Food Pantry, Interfaith Works of CNY’s Center for New Americans, Mary Nelson’s Backpack Program, Northside Clothes Closet, the Practical Assistance Program and the Refugee Resettlement Program. The items will be sorted at First English Lutheran Church before delivery to these not-for-profits, which will then share donated goods with members of the Central New York community.

This year’s Ten Tons of Love Winter is possible because of the support of the following organizations: SU’s Department of Athletics, Commissary, Office of Human Resources, Materials Distribution, Office of Orientation and Off-Campus Programs, Physical Plant, Office of Prevention Services, Printing Services, Office of Residence Life, Residence Hall Association, Student Centers and Programming Services, University College; the Office of Community Engagement at Hendricks Chapel; Ala Mode Café; First English Lutheran Church; James Smiley Catering; Logo Incentives; Lutheran Campus Ministry; Nichols Supermarket; The Step Center; the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry; the Syracuse Department of Public Works, University Villages on Colvin and ZJs Pizza and Wings.

The drive depends on the work of volunteers to gather, transport and sort donated goods. Community members who wish to volunteer can do so by registering at http://tentons.syr.edu.

SU and SUNY-ESF drop-off locations include all residence halls, Moon Library, Archbold Gymnasium, Hendricks Chapel, the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center, the Goldstein Student Center on South Campus and the Office of Orientation and Off-Campus Programs. Donation boxes will also be located at P&C Foods on Nottingham Road for food donations. Off-campus pickup of large items can be arranged by calling 443-1012.

Darya Rotblat, interim director of the Office of Orientation and Off-Campus Programs, chairs the drive. For more information or to register to volunteer, visit http://tentons.syr.edu.

Ten Tons of Love will return in late April 2009 for end-of-academic-year donations.