Area charities collecting goods during UW moving days

Every August, thousands of students move in and out of downtown apartments and houses. To minimize the mess and maximize donations to local charities, UW–Madison and a broad coalition of local partners are working together to hold “Moving Days.”

Goodwill Industries and St. Vincent de Paul will staff three sites in the campus area to collect donations from students who are moving out of apartments. The groups seek donations of clean clothes, good-quality furniture, unopened nonperishable food and other household items. Donations of ripped, dirty, rusty or broken materials will not be accepted.

In addition, several downtown high-rise apartment buildings will host collection sites for St. Vincent de Paul. La Ville, La Ciel and The Embassy on University Avenue, Henry Gilman Apartments, and Steve Brown Apartments at 625 Langdon St. also plan to participate.

St. Vincent de Paul donations enable the organization to provide furniture, clothing, food and household items for low-income residents. Money raised from store sales also helps with transitional-housing operations, emergency shelter and prescription drugs for low-income families.

“St. Vincent de Paul can turn your gently used clothing, household items and re-usable furniture items into valuable assistance to low-income community members in Dane County,” says St. Vincent de Paul Coordinator Holly Ring.

The sale of items donated during Moving Days helps Goodwill Industries fund services that help people with developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injuries find jobs. The TechWorks program helps people with disabilities enter the information technology (IT) world and Goodwill’s housing options allow senior citizens and individuals with mental illness, or on limited incomes, to live in safe, supervised and affordable places of their own. Revenue earned in Goodwill’s five Madison-area retail stores supports these much-needed services.

“We are really excited to participate in Moving Days again this year,” says Maureen Roche, spokesperson for Goodwill Industries. “We’re always grateful for the quality donations we receive.”

Moving Days is organized by a broad coalition, including UW–Madison’s Morgridge Center for Public Service, University Health Services (UHS), WSUM Radio, the city of Madison, Goodwill Industries, St. Paul’s University Catholic Center, St. Vincent de Paul and the Tenant Resource Center.

For more information on Moving Days, visit the Moving Days Web site or call the city of Madison recycling coordinator at (608) 267-2626.

The following is a list of donation sites and times:

Broom & Mifflin
Near Capitol Centre Foods
Goodwill truck
Aug. 11-13, 10 a.m-8 p.m.
Aug. 14, 10 a.m.-noon

Gorham & Henry
Behind Holy Redeemer Church
St. Vincent de Paul truck
Aug. 9-15, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Regent & Mills
Behind McDonalds in UW Lot 51
St. Vincent de Paul truck
Aug. 9-15, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.