Volunteers and donated items are what make up the annual Ten Tons of Love Charity Drive, which collected over 50 tons of usable items last year that served 3,000 families in the Syracuse area. Clothing and household items are donated to the First English Lutheran Church on James Street in Syracuse, and are given out to members of the larger Syracuse community. This year’s drive is from April 30-May 12. Students, faculty and staff are all encouraged to donate items and to volunteer.
“Ten Tons of Love is another example of the Syracuse University community coming together to assist others in need,” says Elin Riggs, director of the Office of Off-Campus and Commuter Services. “Being an active giver to the cause comes in many forms. Whether you’re able to donate an old suit to help someone going on a job interview, or gently used toys and books your children have outgrown, there are people in the community who are grateful for the donation. Plus, volunteering to help pick up items in the residence halls can be an eye-opening experience when you see the generosity of the students. No donation is too small and no amount of time too little. We hope Ten Tons of Love will be an even bigger success this year.”
Volunteers will meet each day in the Chaplain’s Suite at Hendricks Chapel, either for their morning or afternoon shift, and are encouraged to have lunch at the church afterward to meet their volunteers. Team captains are needed as well. They are responsible for organizing the volunteers for one or two routes around campus. They will also work with the driver of the truck to make sure that donations are collected from each of their assigned sites. Team captains would ideally be able to drive volunteers in their car to the assigned sites on their route.
Campus members are invited to sign up for a volunteer shift here.
Everyone is encouraged to donate items to the charity drive. Clothing for adults and children, toys, books and accessories are always in need. Donations can be dropped off at the following campus locations during regular business hours:
• Schine Student Center
• Goldstein Student Center
• Noble Room, Hendricks Chapel
• Archbold Gym
• Off Campus and Commuter Services Office
For questions, please contact Riggs at eriggs@syr.edu, or visit http://tentons.syr.edu.
