Give & Go
Give & Go is Pacific's end-of-year donation event. At the end of each academic year, the McCall Center for Civic Engagement and the Center for a Sustainable Society invites students to donate usable clothing, furniture, toiletries, electronics, books, and more that they no longer need as they are moving out of the residence halls. We partner with campus partners and nonprofit organizations in Washington and Multnomah counties to keep those items out of the landfill and in the hands of people in need. In 2023 and 2024 there will be multiple opportunities for folks at Pacific and from surrounding communities to both donate and collect items:
TO DONATE:
There will be multiple Give & Go pop-up events throughout the year (e.g. right after Halloween, during fall exams, and right after Spring Break), please look for announcements about these events from your RAs and on university communications platforms.
Give & Go will take place from May 11-15 from 11am-5pm daily (except on the 15th, when the dorms close at 12 noon, as will our donation window). There are four drop-off locations:
- Lot G between McCormick and Walter Hall
- Lot K between Gilbert and Vandervelden
- Cascade Lobby
- Burlingham Lobby
Senior and late check-out Give & Go will take place on May 19 from 10am-2pm. There are three drop-off locations:
- Lot G between McCormick and Walter Hall
- Gilbert Lobby
- Vandervelden Path
Items we can accept:
- clothing
- hangers
- books
- unopened toiletries
- unopened, non-perishable food
- electronics (both working and broken)
- kitchen utensils and small appliances
- shoes
- towels
- bedding
- school, office, and crafting supplies
- small dorm decorations
Items we typically can not accept:
- used undergarments (bras, underwear, socks)
- opened or perishable food
- mattress pads
- large furniture (Contact the Forest Grove Habitat for Humanity Restore at 503-357-1201, to arrange a campus pick-up)
Please make plans now to set aside items for donation at Give & Go instead of sending them to the landfill!
TO COLLECT DONATIONS:
Community Partner Collections
Community Partners can schedule time to visit campus during the May 11-15 Give & Go program to select the items they need for clients and program operations. We are currently accepting community partners for Give & Go, and encourage local nonprofits to learn more and sign-up.
Finders Keepers: Free Yard Sale
A 100% free "yard sale" will take place on Sunday, May 19 from 2pm - 4pm. The event is open to all community members who would like to come. Our goal is to have 100% of our collected donations distributed by the end of the event. Save the date!
"Come & Take" Events
Come & Take opportunities will be scheduled during Give & Go for Pacific University staff/faculty, and in Fall 2025 for incoming students. Please watch your Pacific email for announcements.
WHY DOES THIS EVENT MATTER?
In 2023, the Give & Go program accepted 7,553 items from 318 students. All of these items ran the risk of entering the waste stream without efforts of the Give & Go staff and the collaboration of all event sponsors. We deeply appreciate everyone who helps make these events possible!
We know a sustainable move-out will be most effective if it is preceded by a sustainable move-in, and education and action throughout the year pertaining to sustainability. Our overarching goal is to promote reducing, reusing, and recycling, and supporting overall cultural shift away from over consumption and toward conservation and good stewardship of our resources.
We partner closely with the Boxer Food Share and Finders Keepers Free Store to return as many donated items as possible to our campus community to reduce consumption and ensure that student's basic needs are met. If you are interested in helping with this important work, please contact us to learn more.
OUR PARTNERS:
Give & Go is co-sponsored by the McCall Center for Civic Engagement, Center for a Sustainable Society, Housing, Residence Life, and Facilities Management and managed by the MCCE's Civic Action Team. Past community partners of Give & Go have included organizations such as Adelante Mujeres, CREATE, Forest Grove Family Resource Center, Foster Closet Inc, HomePlate, St. Vincent de Paul, and New Avenues for Youth. We are always accepting new partners, and welcome local organizations to contact us to learn more.