Binghamton’s Move-out Project Connects Students And Neighbors

In 2018, the Susquehanna Group of the Sierra Club partnered with several Binghamton University organizations to create a volunteer-run initiative, dubbed MOP - the Move Out Project.

The Purpose of the Move Out Project

Its purpose is to divert waste from the landfill and give back to the community during the Binghamton University students' end-of-semester move-out. Each May, volunteers have collected unwanted but usable items from students moving out of their college housing both on and off campus, according to the organizers.

Items are sorted and donated to organizations in the greater Binghamton area. Those organizations then disperse them to community members at no cost. Organizers note that since 2021, this effort has diverted over 120,000 pounds of items from the landfill back into the community.

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2026 Move Out Project Results

This year (2026), over 100 volunteers gathered during May for the Move Out Project and collected over 46,000 pounds of donations from Binghamton University students as they cleaned out their college housing. In 2025, 34,236 pounds were collected.

On June 2, 2026, the Move Out Project held the first of its annual two-day “Shopping Days” event, where community organizations “shop” for donations for free. As a result, over 50 area nonprofits, schools, and churches were invited to participate, including the Jewish Community Center, the Broome County Office for Aging, and Broome Tioga BOCES Community Schools.

Items of all kinds were donated, including clothing, non-perishable food items, furniture, books, housewares, cleaning supplies, holiday decorations, and even items from a stocked sports, toys, and games section.

Organizers expected that almost every item would be taken by over 50 local organizations and given to the people they serve at no cost.

Hundreds of volunteer hours have been put in this year's cycle. We're all looking forward to seeing our hard work pay off during Shopping Days, when the organizations find items to better their operations and provide for their clients' needs. We've heard for years how much of an impact this has had for our community. Times are tough for nonprofits right now, and we’re glad we can provide some much needed assistance. - Kate Harasta, MOP Shopping Days Coordinator

 

Does Your Organization Want To Participate in 2027?

Organizers of the Move Out Project noted that any local organization that is interested in participating next year should fill out the MOP Form.