Bring out your good: Un-Dumpster Day launches Saturday with mission to de-clutter

As residents across Kansas City prep for the final weekend garage sales of the spring, a locally-launched website is offering an easier — and more environmentally sustainable solution: connecting those who have personal items to donate to the people, pets and nonprofits that need them.

Leslie Scott, Re.Use.Full

“What we thought was, ‘Why not make a one-stop drop for people with multiple kinds of items, bring in some of our charity partners, in real life, together at one location so that people can just come in and drop their items off?” said Leslie Scott, founder of Re.Use.Full. “It’s really more about trying to make it more convenient for people to give their donations.” 

Un-Dumpster Day — Re.Use.Full’s first-of-its-kind decluttering event — is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 4 at South-Broadland Presbyterian Church, 7850 Holmes Road, Kansas City. The event takes the organization’s mission to the next level, featuring more than 60 charity partners that will be accepting gently used clothing, furniture, toys, books and other household items.

People frequently throw away belongings they no longer need, Scott said, indicating the opportunity presented by the event. And for what doesn’t sell at the end of someone’s garage sale, there are better options than the trash can.

“There are clean-ups, neighborhood clean-ups, and council district cleans-ups that involve dumpsters and people will come and put their stuff in the dumpster,” Scott said. “So, we decided to have an Un-Dumpster Day where people could actually bring their still-good stuff so they can help more people in the community.”

Participating organizations include:

• Band of Angels
• Creative Emajinations
• Flourish Furnishings
• Healing House Inc.
• Newhouse
• Regal Health and Wellness
• Scraps KC
• Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity

Click here a full list of the items and guidelines for giving.

Un-Dumpster Day is a definite need from a number of standpoints, said Michael Liimatta, chief operating officer of Healing House.

“It is sad how many decent, useful things end up in the landfill or the dumpster,” Liimatta said. “I think mostly it’s a win-win because people are able to help the environment as well as provide things for people who really need them.”

Healing House plans to accept clothes, furniture and household items at the event, he said. 

Shredding services, computer recycling and upcycling, and upcycled art workshops for kids also will be available at Un-Dumpster Day with PCs for People on site to accept electronics and computers.

When people buy items, they should consider how they can be reused when they may no longer need them, Scott said.

“I think that spotlighting the benefits of reusing and how easy it can actually be is going to be something that helps our area residents to live a more sustainable lifestyle,” Scott said.

This story is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.

For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect at www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn