SUNY Cortland Partners With Cortland ReUse to Encourage Students to Donate Leftover Items During End of Semester

SUNY Cortland says less is more and with the end of the Spring semester quickly approaching, SUNY Cortland’s Sustainability Office has again partnered with Cortland ReUse, a local nonprofit organization, to encourage students to donate leftover items that can be used by others and also kept out of landfills.

This year will mark the third year of SUNY Cortland and Cortland ReUse partnering. SUNY Cortland added that students coming for move-in weekend in August for the Fall 2025 semester will also be able to shop at a pop-up shop hosted by Cortland ReUse at the Student Life Center.

“Many of the donated items are specific to college life,” said Matt Brubaker, campus energy manager and co-creator of the partnership with Beth Klein, SUNY distinguished service professor of science education and the university’s sustainability coordinator. “It only makes sense for these items to go back to Red Dragons instead of students buying all new items, introducing them into the supply chain.”

Donation totes and bins were placed in every residence hall on campus. In addition to students donating unwanted items, there will also be a bin specifically set aside for un-opened and non-perishable food students may donate to the Cortland Cupboard. A donation collection area will also be set-up on campus in the lobby of the Student Life Center beginning on May 12th.

“In a true spirit of reuse, we built a new set of collection bins out of old doors and other items donated,” said Carrie Narrow, executive director of Cortland ReUse. “We are really excited to have these in the Residence Halls to show students there is no limit to the power and creativity when giving an item a second life.”

SUNY Cortland says almost all items that students may leave behind are welcome to be donated.

Carrie Narrow, Executive Director of Cortland Reuse spoke with X101 on the 3rd annual event.

We are beyond thrilled for our 3rd Annual Red Dragon Reuse event this year, as each year we get more donations as our partnership with the college grows along with word to more students and off campus populations.

Cortland Reuse say that for the month of May that that obtain the items from campus, off campus and other students, they sell back approximately 98% – as some items are too soiled or broken to repurpose.
That saves over 200,000 pounds of garbage from our Cortland County Landfill just from our campus.
Items used to set up a typical dorm or bedroom for the semester.

Items include Mattress Foam Pads, lamps, trash cans, organizational units and shelves, pillows, rugs, and clothing.

Cortland ReUse will process the items as soon as they start, and after cleaning and organizing they start a In Store Red Dragon Reuse Sale within a few days. The sale is set to begin May 14th.