Opportunity House’s Reuse & Recycle Program is all about keeping items out of landfills.
The nonprofit organization, which runs a homeless shelter on North Second Street, collects all sorts of material through donations from the public. They collect clothing, furniture, books, shoes and small appliances.
Many of the items are resold at the organization’s OppShop retail store. And that means they stay out of the trash.
The program has been a roaring success. Opportunity House officials announced this week that in 2023 it diverted more than 1 million pounds of material from heading to landfills.
Jane Meeks, executive director of the Berks County Solid Waste Authority, said the amount diverted from landfills last year is larger than the amount recycled in some curbside programs offered throughout the county.
While diverting material from landfills is the main goal of the program, officials noted that it has many other benefits. Those benefits include providing clothing for those who stay at the shelter, creating job training for formerly homeless people, securing basic household needs for those who leave the shelter and generating revenue for the organization.
The organization is looking to keep the momentum of the program going into 2024. It is kicking the new year off with a Code Blue Donation Day on Saturday.
Donations will be accepted from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. behind the OppShop at 3045 Fifth Street Highway.
With the increase in requests for housing during the winter months, officials said Opportunity House has an immediate need for clothing and household items. Many families need everything from bedroom furniture and kitchen sets to cookware and small appliances.
Source: Berkshire mont
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