Since the first collection, with the help of our partners, sponsors and volunteers, YTOSS has:

  • Diverted more than 100 tons of gently used household items from the waste stream
  • Engaged over 1300 community volunteers in service to students and families
  • Generated over $60,000 to support student-led programs that nurture the potential of youth and teens, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families, and inspire social responsibility throughout the New River Valley.
  • Contributed to Virginia Tech’s ranking as a Silver member of the Association of the Advancement of Sustain ability in Higher Education in 2008.

Y-TOSS

 

How to Donate to Y-TOSS

1.Gather gently used items you no longer need. If it’s clean and still usable, we’ll take it! See acceptable donations list. 

2. Look for Y-TOSS donation PODS near your residence hall. See POD map.

3. Leave your items inside the PODS during Y-TOSS operating hours and we’ll handle the rest!

 

 

Y-TOSS Timeline 

Y-TOSS PODS: During move-out for VT freshmen, students and families donate items that they don’t need/want.

  • 8-10 PODs are placed all around the residential side of campus.
  • Volunteers run the PODs. 

 

Summer Sorting: Volunteers over the summer sort through all of the PODs to get ready for our sale.

 

Y-TOSS Sale: Students have the ability to purchase the sorted-through items that were donated!
This is an amazing opportunity for incoming VT freshmen!

 

Program Leaders Hard at Work: During the academic year, our PL’s work hard on planning for move-out week to make sure it runs surely and smoothly!

  • Contact us for more information about being a PL!

Volunteer!

Sign-up Link

What do volunteers do?

  • Monitor the PODs while students donate
  • Organize the PODs with student donations
  • Make sure the PODs stay tidy and clean
  • Coordinate with Y-TOSS Program Leaders about other tasks
  • May need to walk between locations to manage multiple PODs
    • Note: all PODs are located on the residential side of VT campus

Volunteer Benefits

  • Free Y-TOSS Volunteer t-shirt
  • Early access into the sale at the beginning of the next school year

 

 

What else do Y-TOSS PL's do?

Even when the Y-TOSS PL's (Program Leaders) aren't planning for the collection or sale, they are busy working on other initiatives like Thrift Pop-Ups and Trail Clean Ups! The PL's just love promoting sustainability on campus whenever they can. 

 

Thrift Pop-Ups

These pop-ups consist of picking out clothes from the YMCA Thrift Store and selling them at a pop-up on Virginia Tech campus at discounted rates for students! These are normally huge successes and the PL's have so much fun planning and picking out clothes for these events! They are normally held 2 to 3 times per semester. 

Trail Cleanups 

Occasionally the PL's also host trail cleanups! These are so much fun and the PL's love interacting with other volunteers as they help keep campus clean! 

 

Live Sustainably Year Round

Stop by the YMCA Thrift Shop on 1000 N. Main St. in Blacksburg to find great deals throughout the year. The YMCA Thrift Shop in Blacksburg provide new life for tons of clothing, electronics, furniture, holiday items, and more – including the area’s largest selection of used books! We also recycle nearly 200 tons of batteries, broken electronics, and textiles for the community.

 

Continue the cycle of volunteerism and sustainability by contributing to this year’s Y-TOSS collection! Volunteers will free t-shirts and early access into the sale at the beginning of the next school year.

Be sure to Like the YMCA at Virginia Tech and Ytoss on facebook, sign up for our newsletter, or call 540-552-2633 to stay up-to-date on monthly Thrift Shop sales and specials!

 

VT Y-TOSS Facebook Page www.facebook.com/vtytoss

Call 540-961-9622 or email ytoss@vtymca.org with questions or to get involved!