Is this the kind of stuff you have lying around your house -- extra items for which you'd love to find a new home?
- Dog and cat carriers
- Building materials
- Bikes and bike parts
- Supplies for arts and crafts, school and office
- Backpacks
- Tote bags
- Furniture and clothing that's still in good shape
These items and more can find another use thanks to eight area local nonprofits gathering under the name ReuseFest on Aug. 11 at South Side Works.
For several years, the
Pennsylvania Resources Council has been collecting hard-to-recycle items handled by some of these same nonprofits. Now the first
ReuseFest will help
Global Links send extra medical supplies to Latin American and Caribbean countries, assist
Construction Junction in reselling more building supplies in its nonprofit retail store and aid
Off The Floor Pittsburgh in its effort to give furniture and bedding to disadvantaged families.
Other nonprofits accepting items at the event are the Animal Rescue League, Free Ride, Goodwill, the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse and the Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project.
"They're utilizing items that are perfectly fine and finding downstream needs for them," says Sarah Alessio Shea, the Resources Council's environmental education coordinator. The ReuseFest is a pilot project funded by a seed award from the Sprout Fund. "Hopefully, we'll use this as a springboard for years to come," she says. The festival is still seeking volunteers to set up, unload vehicles, hand out educational materials and help with other duties.
The Resources Council is also glad the festival will give participating groups some helpful publicity. "Don't forget," says Shea, " these organizations collect material 365 days a year."
Writer:
Marty Levine
Source: Sarah Alessio Shea, Pennsylvania Resources Council