On February 7, Daphne Hulse met with Nate Himes (Director of Counseling Ministries) at Merci's Refuge and Tom King (Director of Logistics) + Wally Proenza (VP Retail Operations) at Goodwill Land of Lincoln to discuss donation logistics. On February 13, Daphne will meet with Lisa Sheltra (Director of Community Engagement) + Mike Jenkins (Director of Retail Operations) at Salt & Light.

All, Last week we had some ominous weather that didn’t turn out to be much. Our visits were down but only barely—I expected a bit of a nosedive that didn’t materialize. Champaign Cycle donated some kids bikes and box store bikes, which is always appreciated. We had another person start a B-a-B.

This week I’ve got another interview, some new hires starting, and a staff meeting on Thursday night. I’ll also draft a B-a-B/Membership flyer to better explain those programs as there’s been some consistent misunderstanding/miscommunication on that front.

The numbers:

Visitors: 34
Sales: $933.50
Bike (refurb): 2 for $375
Memberships: 6 for $180
Tires/tubes: 5 for $50

Thanks!

Jacob Benjamin
Campus Bike Center Coordinator

On January 24, Daphne Hulse met with Kasey Umland, Director of the Women's Resources Center, formerly the Associate Director at University YMCA, to discuss the following:

1. What is the history of UIUC-YMCA Dump and Run events?

   1. Started with private certified housing, religious affiliated groups around 2012. 3 semi-trailers worth of stuff from campus and from the community. A lot of staff time went into the program.

   2. Previously had 2 boxes on every floor of Illini tower, which was a huge source of items. 26 boxes in this one building. Change in Illini tower management meant YMCA couldn’t do collections here anymore. It was great to have the materials, but hard to get everything out in time. the same year, University Housing came to YMCA about their Housing salvage drive (the person who ran it left). This was the first year YMCA collaborated with UIUC.

      1. Started doing some university housing dorms, but not all.

      2. Realized they couldn’t keep up with the overflow of materials.

      3. Big shift in kinds of items they received. Went from servicing mini apartments/suites (Illini Tower) versus university dormitories. 10x the amount of stuff as before with the Illini tower. 3/4 was clothing and bedding.

   3. Talked to Housing and needing more resources. It was too hard for YMCA to keep up. Majority of volunteers who did collections were students, but it was finals. Had a close relationship with them, but students would need to go right when things were picking up near the end of the move out week.

2. Based off a quick survey of other schools move-out programs, it seems most common for schools to work with local nonprofit(s) to immediately donate items following the move out program. As opposed to storing items over the summer and preparing for a fall move-in sale. Thoughts about these two different ways of operating?

   1. Donating most items straight away seems like it may be the only way it can work for the university, since there’s an immense quantity of items to deal with.

   2. Suggest talking with intended recipients of non-profits beforehand, to see if they can accept it all immediately, or if it will be too much.

   3. Even when YMCA was running it, their excess was too much for some places.

   4. Salt and light had capacity.

   5. Goodwill said to stop (no more clothes).

   6. Most places would say they would want at least some items.

   7. The value of selling these items in a sale near move in is that there are items unique the college experience: XL twin sheets, for example.

3. What are some best practices for event coordination?

   1. If you are dealing with multiple sites - think in advance about plotting out how to do collections.

   2. Thinking about when things will come in from certain places. Which were high donation spots? Some will only need checked every so often, some places needed checked 2 or 3 times a day.

   3. Capacity - Kasey always wanted something better than just putting items in a cardboard box.

      1. It is easier if items are placed directly into a bag. Otherwise, volunteers have to do this work.

   4. Try to be really clear about what people can and cannot donate. In a perfect world, check the boxes in the evening, that’s when students move out.

4. We will have to rely on the help of volunteers, but students will have their finals during this time, and be moving out. We want to strengthen town and gown relations through this program. Any suggestions for local groups/organizations who would be good to reach out to who you think would have an interest in volunteering?

   1. Rotary Clubs

   2. Church or high school youth groups

   3. If the university would consider half day leave, that could be an incentive

   4. during business hours means it increases the privilege needed to participate

   5. Honors societies

   6. Sierra Club

   7. Junior League

   8. Humane Society

   9. Court Diversion

On January 19, Daphne Hulse met with Marc Alexander, Director of Development and Membership at University YMCA, to discuss the following:

1. What is the history of UIUC-YMCA Dump and Run events?

   1. Started to 20ish years ago as a garage sale (2001) in front of the YMCA. Clearing stuff outside of the building. Grew to a community collection, private residential collection, Housing was doing some salvage operation, approached the Y about helping do a program. Through 2019, The YMCA would collect from Housing every May.

   2. 2019 Y started doing renovation in the building and streets so the YMCA couldn’t use the building for collections.

   3. Started conversations about the YMCA pulling back, and then COVID hit.

   4. Last year YMCA and UIUC had a very long conversation and decided YMCA couldn’t do any of the May period.

   5. Mostly was the YMCA running it, was done by the one coordinator. Staff from the YMCA helped here and there. Volunteers assisted. UIUC helped with getting access to the building.

      1. 2019 Housing and F&S each provided a truck to help load and haul stuff. F&S provided two workers to collect things and load them and sort them. More partnership that year.

      2. Piece in August is the sale itself. F&S provided supplies, tables, dumpsters, F&S and Housing put out advertisements about the sale to students. Used UIUC networks.

2. Based off a quick survey of other schools move-out programs, it seems most common for schools to work with local nonprofit(s) to immediately donate items following the move out program. As opposed to storing items over the summer and preparing for a fall move-in sale. Thoughts about these two different ways of operating?

   1. Biggest lift was sorting and storing it. It could take a very long time. Stuck it in semis. Sifting out what is useful and what is not, was the hard part.

   2. If there is a way to get the stuff out in May and then repurpose it, that is most ideal. But this can be challenging.

   3. Michigan State established their own ReStore, and do this year around.

   4. Salt and Light, Habitat for Humanity, could be helpful with collection.

   5. If there way a way to sort and pull things for Y in August sale, is also possible.

3. What are some best practices for event coordination?

   1. Breakdown of varying roles to pull this off.

   2. In general, need to coordinate volunteer and staff schedules for the workload.

   3. Have to set up a defined schedule for each dorm, how often you’ll be there. 24 lobbies they would have to collect from (couple times a day). If you fall behind, what’s the contingencies?

   4. Tuesday - Monday and Tuesday following Move-Out Saturday. Heavy time period, make sure you have volunteers.

   5. Takes a very detail-oriented person to manage this and schedule it out for attack.

4. What are some best practices for volunteer coordination?

   1. Each volunteer is doing it for a different reason:

      1. Some love it, some they have to do community service, different levels of commitment, one person will not show up. Be aware of these motivations. Everyone’s physical capabilities, developmentally challenged (has to have certain tasks). Shift may never go the way you want it to. Be flexible at all times, have Plan B and Plan C at all time.

5. What were some of your biggest obstacles with this event? Things to watch out for?

   1. It’s not all usable items. Despite all of your communication efforts, it will happen. Maybe 1/6 or 1/5 of things will be unusable.

6. We will have to rely on the help of volunteers, but students will have their finals during this time, and be moving out. We want to strengthen town and gown relations through this program. Any suggestions for local groups/organizations who would be good to reach out to who you think would have an interest in volunteering?

   1. F&S ideas so far:

      1. Faith in Place

      2. Champaign County Environmental Stewards

   2. YMCA’s suggestions

      1. Rotary Clubs often do volunteer work

      2. Chambana Moms (not really volunteer base, but they could advertise the need for volunteers)

      3. Will ask staff for more suggestions

7. There was another YMCA member who helped with Dump and Run, Kasey Umland? Would she be good to reach out to? Would I be able to get her contact information?

   1. Director of Womens Resource Center.

   2. Was associate dir of the YMCA. Some years she supervised Dump and Run, some she ran it. Played a key role. Started in 2012.

Daphne will meet with Kasey Umland 1/24/23.

Hi Bumsoo, I had a call with Marc yesterday, and he mentioned that the MUP program can work on this project in the fall and spring semesters as a group project. I am still trying to figure out all that needs to be done for this project, and I think getting the help from your student might be beneficial.

How many hours can your student set aside for this project? In this semester, your student could help identify the stakeholders to reach out for the Campus Bike Plan update. He can help with determining a timeline and the planning process for next academic year. (If time permits) I will also ask the student to present some preliminary suggestions for the 2024 Bike Plan update at the end of this semester.

The first thing for your student would be to read the current 2014 Campus Bicycle Master Plan (https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/files/project/37/2014%20Campus%20Bicycle%20Plan.pdf). I have published two progress reports in the past few years. I am currently working on our progress report from the past year, which should be published in the next few weeks. Here is the 2022 report: Campus Bike Plan progress report FY22. Here is the 2019 report: 2019 Report for 2014 Campus Bicycle Plan

I would like to have weekly meetings with student. In the next 2-3 weeks, I would schedule a meeting with Morgan and Stacey to present what we think we should accomplish at the end of this semester. At the end of the semester, he will present the findings to F&S, SPO, Transportation iCAP Team, and possibly to the Campus Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC).

Please let me know if this sounds good to you. I would be very happy to meet your student and get started on this project. Thank you,
Sarthak

January 11, 2023

A University team consisting of Brodie Dunn and Lisa Merrifield (Extension), Linda Derhak (DURP student), and Stacy Gloss met with Lacey Rains Lowe and Jeff Marino from the City of Champaign to talk about working together to coordinate rainwater management efforts. Champaign sees a gap in resources for commercial developers related to innovative stormwater management applications. The team identified stormwater utility fee incentives as a possible leverage point for developers, but current incentives do not seem to be sufficient. Linda will begin to inventory cities with stormwater utility fees for innovative practices for engaging commercial developers. Brodie will propose revisions to the approved plant and tree list for Champaign to encourage use of native and more beneficial non-native plant species. Lisa will reach out to planners from Urbana and Savoy and will schedule a meeting for mid-February to discuss progress and identify next steps.