Saving the world with laundry, one sweater at a time

Author: Annabelle Fowler

The weekend is a perfect time to do laundry. On Saturdays at around noon, the laundry room in Forest fills with piles upon piles of freshly washed clothes, students loading and unloading washing machines and a slew of others waiting - sometimes impatiently - for dryers. Although we all gripe about doing laundry, inevitably we all spend some time in the laundry rooms at least once or twice every couple of weeks.
And that simple fact of college life is what led Mithra Harivandi '09 to launch a New-Used Clothes Drive and making the laundry room a clothes collection headquaters for people in need in Addison County. "When I went back home over winter break," said Harivandi, "I opened my closet and saw lots of clothes I don't wear very often. I thought that many Middlebury students were probably in the same situation and have clothes that are in good condition that they would like to donate."
Harivandi's project will start off in Forest, as the laundry room is used by students who live in all the adjacent residence halls. Her plan is to put bins in the laundry room before Spring Break. Students will be able to make a contribution to her drive by placing their gently used clothes in the bins. She plans to expand to more laundry rooms and other Commons in time.
Harivandi will be working together with the Addison County Community Action Group (ACCAG), an organization that seeks to eliminate poverty in the county. Every few months, the clothes donated to Harivandi's Clothes Drive will be taken to the ACCAG Community Services Center in town. The ACCAG will then distribute the clothes accordingly, to those who need them the most. The better shape the clothes are in, the better for the drive, stresses Harivandi.
By placing clothing bins in various laundry rooms around campus, Harivandi aims to make the drive as accessible as possible to students. She is sure that many people have something they would like to donate, but do not have time to walk all the way to the ACCAG offices to do so. Focusing the drive in a frequently visited space will encourage donations and participation on the part of students, she reasons. If students see bins when they are loading washing machines and dryers, they will be encouraged to contribute.
Joen Moen '10 thinks Harivandi's drive is a good idea. "I definitely have a few T-Shirts that I brought to school that I never wear and would be willing to donate," he said.
Nathalie Michiels '10 agrees. "Students are so busy here," she said. "We all have things we would like to donate, but don't necessarily have the time to walk into town to do so. This drive would make it easier for students to be charitable and involved in community service."
So, while you're home over the break, take some time to sift through the depths of your bottom drawer, and for once heed your mother's pestering regarding spring-cleaning. That way, next time you're doing laundry, you can hit up the bins in between cycles.