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Projects Updates for Dump and Run

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  3. Town and gown volunteer partners

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    As of February 7, Champaign County Forest Preserve, Champaign County Master Naturalists, and the Rotary Club of Champaign have expressed support for the initiative and will advertise the volunteer opportunity to their respective communities come April/May.

  4. Meetings with Merci's Refuge + Goodwill Land of Lincoln + Salt & Light

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    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.

  5. Donation partners

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    As of February 6, Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, Merci's Refuge, Salt & Light, Goodwill, and Habitat for Humanity ReStore have all expressed interest in exploring a donation partnership for Dump & Run.

  6. Zero Waste Coordinator meeting with Kasey Umland

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    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

  7. Zero Waste Coordinator meeting with Marc Alexander, YMCA

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    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.

  9. F&S Zero Waste Coordinator succeeding as primary coordinator for Dump and Run

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    Daphne Hulse and Morgan White met on 1/9/23 to discuss the history of UIUC-University YMCA Dump and Run events. Daphne will succeed as the primary coordinator for these future events. Daphne will meet with Marc Alexander (YMCA's Dir of Development and Membership), one of the previous UIUC Dump and Run coordinators, on 1/19/23 to discuss best practices for event coordination.

  10. Scope Change and Extension request approved

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    From: Student Sustainability Committee 
    Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2022 2:31 PM
    To: White, Morgan
    Cc: recycling@illinois.edu; Varney, Peter W 
    Subject: Re: Extension request for Dump and Run

     

    Hi All,

     

    This Scope Change was approved! Sorry for the late response!

     

    Please let us know if any additional information is needed on our end!

     

    Best,

     

    SSC

  13. SSC Extension Request for Dump and Run

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    An extension request was submitted for Dump and Run, an SSC-funded project. This request addressed a change in the project's scope, including ending a partnership with the University YMCA, potential rebranding, and new initiatives for UIUC-led collection programs.

    See the scope change in the attached files.

    Attached Files: 

  14. Dump and Run for Spring 2022 is Cancelled

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

     

    Below is an email from Morgan White describing that the University YMCA plans to only conduct Dump and Run in the fall.

    This led Morgan, F&S, & Housing leadership to decide to delay their version of spring collections until the full-time Zero Waste Coordinator has been hired.

     

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: White, Morgan

    Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2022 8:24 AM

    To: Johnson, Bryan Lloyd; Kuehl, Mark A; Hiser, Daniel William; Patterson, Shawn L 

    Cc: Boehm, David ; McKay, James; Sealine, Alma R; Varney, Peter W; Kamarah, Ehab 

    Subject: RE: Dump and Run - arranging a meeting

     

    Hello everyone,

     

    Thank you for your patience and willingness regarding the UIUC collaboration with the University YMCA on the Dump and Run. 

     

    This year, the Board and Leadership of the University Y made the decision to only do Dump and Run in the fall.  In 2021, they had arranged a fall-only collection, followed immediately by a sale in August at the Stock Pavilion.  As they reviewed the impacts of that fall-only sale compared to the collection efforts and impacts for the spring collection and fall sale, they decided to focus solely on the fall sale from now on. 

     

    Following that news, I spoke with F&S and Housing leadership, and we agreed that it would be best to delay our own version of spring collections until the full time Zero Waste Coordinator has been hired.  This search is approved, and we hope to have a new employee who will report to Pete Varney (and try to fill Shantanu Pai’s shoes) in the next few months.  That person will then work with us to develop an appropriate solution for keeping gently used materials (clothes, books, etc.) out of the landfill during move-out week.

     

    Thank you all very much, and we will be in touch as plans develop for a spring 2023 collection.

     

    All my best,

    Morgan

    ======================================

    MORGAN B. WHITE

    Acting Director of Capital Programs

    Associate Director of F&S for Sustainability

    Facilities & Services | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  15. Dump and Run held this August!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    Dump and Run is BACK! After a 1-year hiatus, the University YMCA is thrilled to once again hold community collections and the Big Sale this August. All collections and the sale will be held at the U of I Stock Pavilion, in cooperation with the College of ACES and Dept. of Animal Sciences.

    Dump and Run keeps over 30 tons of used, quality goods out of Champaign-Urbana’s dumpsters and landfills each year. This project reduces litter and consumer waste, saves space in landfills, lowers dumping costs for certified housing and apartments and provides inexpensive items for folks to purchase in the fall.

    While we were unable to hold our normal spring collections this past May, we look forward to collecting as many great items as we can from our community and hope that you will join us in helping find usable goods a new home. Thanks to the community and the University of Illinois for making Dump & Run a success each year, and we will see you this August!

    (From the YMCA Dump and Run website) More information here

    August 2021 Collection Days:

    All collections will be held at the UI Stock Pavilion, located at 1402 W. Pennsylvania Ave, Urbana IL, beginning on Monday, August 2.

    Monday Aug. 2: noon - 4:00pm

    Tuesday Aug. 3 - Friday Aug. 6: 9:00am - 4:00pm. Late collection on Wednesday Aug. 4 until 7:00pm

    Saturday, Aug. 7: 10:00am - 2:00pm

    Monday Aug. 9 - Friday August 13: 9:00am - 4:00pm. Late collection on Wednesday Aug. 11 until 7:00pm

    Saturday, Aug. 14: 10:00am - 2:00pm

    FINAL collection day, Monday Aug. 16: 9:00am - 4:00pm

     

    Check out the YMCA Dump and Run website for more information. 

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