SUNY Westchester Community College (SUNY WCC) and the non-profit Grad Bag, Inc., are partnering to provide local students on their way to residential colleges, including those moving to their next college destination after SUNY WCC, with free dorm room essentials at a “shopping” event on July 31. This initiative collects gently used items from college move-outs, diverts tons of materials from landfills, and eases a significant financial burden for students.
- What: Grad Bag Free Dorm Supply “Shopping” Event
- When: Thursday, July 31, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Where: SUNY Westchester Community College, 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, NY 10595
At the event, attendees can browse through arranged displays and select the items they need to create comfortable living spaces at no cost. The program is designed as a closed-loop operation, capturing discarded but perfectly good dorm items like desk lamps, storage containers, and bedding sets at the end of the academic year and redistributing them to incoming underclassmen.
By stepping in to cover dorm furnishings and other essentials, this initiative gives students transferring to four-year residential colleges a head start. It helps ensure that financial strain doesn’t get in the way of a smooth transition and a new beginning on campus.
“This program directly addresses a hidden cost of college that can be a major barrier for motivated students,” said Dr. Belinda Miles, President of SUNY WCC. “For our students, many of whom juggle jobs, family, and their studies, removing this financial worry as they transition to their four-year schools allows them to focus on what truly matters: their academic and career goals.”
For over a decade, Grad Bag has worked tirelessly to ensure that what students leave behind is reused instead of dumped in landfills. The items are available for immediate use after being meticulously cleaned, tested, and prepared for a new purpose by Grad Bag staff and volunteers.
“What we’re witnessing is the transformation of what was once called ‘scavenger’s Christmas’ into a planned model for student success,” stated Liz Gruber, Co-Founder of Grad Bag. “We’re replacing waste with opportunity.”
The joint effort between SUNY WCC and Grad Bag presents a practical model for how collaboration can address the challenges of college affordability and environmental sustainability.
