December 2010 marked the launch of Bentley Give 'N Go, The Sustainable Move-Out Project. Organized by a group of Bentley students, the two-week program aims to reduce the amount of useable goods that are thrown away by residential students moving out at the end of each semester. 

"The program was extremely well executed by the student team and I was really impressed with their work ethic and organization," says Amanda King, Bentley manager of sustainability.

Student organizers include: MBA candidate Elaine Carroll; seniors Dominique Miles and Apoorva Goel; and juniors Hima Chilakalapudi and Charles Tiu. 

"As resident assistants, we see all of the items students leave behind after move out in the fall and especially in the spring," says Carroll, who serves as vice president of the SWOP (Sustainable Move Out Project) Committee. "Dumpsters piled with clothes, couches, microwaves, fridges, and electronics - all headed for landfills - impassioned us to take action. We knew that there were several local organizations that could benefit from donations."

Give 'N Go drop boxes were placed in the lobby of each residence hall for donations of non-perishable food, usable clothing, electronics, furniture and books. A POD located between the Student Center and the Boylston Apartments provided an opportunity for students to both drop off donations and exchange for items donated by others. A one-day "SWOP & SHOP" event was also held to display and exchange donated items.

At the conclusion of the program, remaining items were donated to local organizations: 

• Approximately 20 bags of clothing to Bristol Lodge Shelters
• Three boxes of home appliances to the Salvation Army
• One box of school and art supplies to Waltham House, a group home program designed to provide a safe and supportive living environment for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) youth
• Fifty books to More Than Words, a nonprofit social enterprise that empowers youth who are in the foster care system, court involved, homeless, or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business
• Eight bags of bedding, towels, and winter jackets to Father Bill's Place, an emergency shelter

"This collection far exceeded our expectations, and I could not have been more pleased with the outcome," King says. "We hope to repeat this program at the end of the spring semester."