Housing Teams Up With Habitat for Humanity for Leave Green Initiative

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Residential students are encouraged to "Leave Green" and donate unneeded items to Habitat for Humanity's ReStore in south Fayetteville.

You probably noticed large cardboard boxes in the halls during these last weeks of class.

Those are part of the Leave Green initiative. During move out, University Housing works with an area nonprofit to make it easier for you to donate items to a worthy cause.

In collaboration with the Center for Community Engagement and Resident Inter-Hall Congress, University Housing selected Habitat for Humanity this year after an application process earlier this spring.

Habitat for Humanity operates the ReStore, a home improvement discount store in south Fayetteville. Proceeds from that store go toward the organization's efforts to provide hard-working families in Northwest Arkansas the opportunity to move out of substandard housing by purchasing safe, affordable homes.

It's also a win for the university, said Jeff Vinger, Housing's director of residential facilities.

"Diverting all the great things students leave behind away from our landfills and into the hands of those who can use these items is good stewardship toward our community and good for the university's efforts to become a zero-waste campus," said Vinger.

More than 25 tons of materials were donated last year, he said.

Please consider passing on your unwanted items to Habitat for Humanity by dropping them in the cardboard boxes.

Suggested donation items:

• Clothing
• Furniture
• Ironing boards
• Shower caddies
• Electronics
• Dishes
• Miscellaneous household items