VCU news

By Mike Porter and Corey Byers

Virginia Commonwealth University students and graduates who are moving out of homes in neighborhoods near campus will have another opportunity to arrange for removal of their unwanted furniture and household items.

VCU, the Richmond Department of Public Works and area civic associations are working together to keep the community, as well as VCU’s Monroe Park Campus, clean and green as students move out this summer.

“Project Clean & Green Move” is being implemented where VCU students primarily live in off-campus apartments, particularly Jackson Ward, Carver, Oregon Hill, Randolph and the Fan. The initiative involves multiple neighborhood cleanups throughout the summer to coincide with lease expirations in the five neighborhoods. Remaining cleanups will take place from 8 a.m. to noon on Aug. 2 and Aug. 23.

Recycling organizations will circulate through these communities on these dates to gather reusable items left at the curbside and tagged “for recycling.”

“Students have several options for getting rid of unwanted items,” said Tito Luna, neighborhood outreach coordinator at the VCU Division of Community Engagement. “Calling the city’s 3-1-1 will get them into the city’s systems for picking up bulk items. If the items are usable, there are a number of nonprofit groups that will pick them up – some for a small fee and some for free.”

A Goodwill truck will be stationed on Morris Street at the intersection with Grove Avenue from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 1 and Aug. 2 to accept furniture, electronics, appliances and small refrigerators, household items and gently used clothing.

Students can donate items prior to moving by calling the following agencies in Richmond:

·       Diversity Thrift at 353-8890
·       Caritas at 343-5008
·       Fantastic Thrift at 358-7164
·       Vietnam Veterans Of America at 358-8287
·       Goodwill at 254-7623
·       Salvation Army at 359-5554
·       Habitat for Humanity at 232-7001

To dispose of items that are no longer usable, four dumpsters will be available from now through Sept. 3. Dumpsters within the Fan neighborhood at:

·      Ryland and Grace on Ryland
·      Morris and Grove on Morris
·      Morris and Cary on Morris
·      Floyd Avenue and Plum Street beside 1501 Floyd Ave

Dumpsters were positioned in those locations from April 25 to May 26 for students moving away from campus at the end of the spring semester and 22 tons of unwanted furniture and household items were collected.

“Representatives from the neighborhoods are very pleased with this effort,” Luna said. “The results are noticeable.”

The effort was launched by VCU’s Neighborhood Team, which consists of university faculty, students and staff who work to develop and maintain positive relationships between VCU and the surrounding communities.

VCU students who have questions about the “Project Clean & Green Move” can contact Tito Luna at taluna@vcu.edu or VCU Police Department External Relations Ofc. Greg Felton at gfelton@vcu.edu.

Additional information is available online at: http://www.community.vcu.edu/2014/07/17/may-aug-project-clean-green-move/.

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