Newton Rotary To Host Final Summer Clothing Drive On Sept. 11

NEWTON, MA — The Rotary Club of Newton is hosting its fourth and final clothing drive of the summer on Saturday, September 11 from 8 a.m. to noon in the back parking lot of The Shops at Chestnut Hill.

Since June 5, Newton Rotary has collected nearly 15,000 pounds of clothing from its recycling fundraisers, diverting these items from being sent to the local landfill. The money raised from all four clothing drives will go toward the Rotary’s scholarship fund.

“The Rotary Club of Newton is so very pleased with the successful monthly clothing drives held over the summer and the great support we have received from the residents of Newton," said the Rotary's Executive Team in a statement. "We are targeting a collection drive total of 20,000 pounds of clothing... and with our next collection drive scheduled for September, that goal is within reach."

"This is another big chance to empty out the closets, bins and storage spaces of unwanted clothing while helping the environment," they continued.

This recycling effort is made possible through a partnership with HELPSY, the largest clothing recycling collector in the Northeast. Each year, HELPSY diverts nearly 30 million pounds of textiles from landfills through a combination of clothing drives, collection bins, thrift store partners, and curbside pickups.

"HELPSY is dedicated to change the way people think about clothing recycling while adhering to the highest level of social and environmental performance," said Dan Greene, CEO and Co-Founder of HELPSY, in a statement.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that nearly 100 pounds of clothing gets thrown away by the average person every year. Of that amount, approximately 95% can be reused or recycled.

The Rotary’s previous clothing drives were held in June, July, and August. Each drive collected nearly 5,000 pounds of clothing. Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller showed her support for the effort in August by visiting the collection site and helping with donation bags.

For more information about this upcoming drive or the Newton Rotary Club, click here.