Call for volunteers
The YMCA at Virginia Tech Y-TOSS program is a leading sustainability initiative on the Virginia Tech campus.
Annually, Y-TOSS gathers gently used dorm items during move-out week to repurpose them. These items are later sold at the YMCA Lancaster House sale during move-in week at the beginning of the next fall semester, conveniently located across from the Virginia Tech campus. To facilitate donations, Y-TOSS strategically places storage PODS near residence halls as collection points. Volunteers play a crucial role in organizing and promoting Y-TOSS to students and families during the move-out period, essential for the success of our initiative. The goal is to make it easier and more appealing to drop those items in the Y-TOSS POD instead of the dumpster.
From the last event, in 2023, YMCA helped divert 12 tons of waste out of the waste stream, including, for example, 1000 pounds of clothes, 100 pounds of food, and 40-plus pounds of linens. With about 50 volunteers who collected 150-plus community service hours, the event was successful in taking steps towards Virginia Tech’s Climate Action Commitment of becoming a zero-waste campus by 2030.
Y-TOSS’s operational period spans from May 3- 8, coinciding with finals week, which poses challenges in securing student volunteers due to their busy schedules. However, the success of the event relies heavily on a substantial amount of work and support. To address this, YMCA is actively engaging with local organizations and businesses to promote the event and recruit volunteers. YMCA needs help recruiting more volunteers and spreading the word of the event.
Y-TOSS is a YMCA program led by Y Student Program Leaders Vivian Peregrino, Abby Touchstone, Sydney Kehl and Ellie Hepp. Volunteer shifts last for two hours. During the shift volunteers will be assigned to a specific POD and responsible for grouping donated items within the POD and keeping the area organized while also encouraging students and families to donate the items instead of trashing them. It’s a great volunteer opportunity for individuals or groups to help with this huge sustainability initiative.
If you or a group you know of are interested in volunteering you can sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090449AFA929AAFA7-48241287-ytoss#/
YMCA at Virginia Tech
