Annual Move Out Drive

The annual Move Out Drive at Georgetown University is a cornerstone event that embodies our commitment to community service and environmental sustainability. As the academic year concludes, we invite our campus community to participate in this meaningful initiative by donating gently-used items instead of discarding them. This drive not only supports local charities but also promotes a culture of reusing and recycling. 

Every May, more than 250,000 pounds of items are collected through the combined efforts of students, faculty, and staff. The Move Out Drive aims to significantly reduce landfill waste by redirecting usable goods to those in need in our community. This initiative highlights our dedication to environmental stewardship and encourages everyone to consider the impact of their consumption habits. 

By addressing the challenge of managing tons of surplus clothing, books, furniture, household goods, food, electronics, and other items, the Move Out Drive turns a potential waste problem into a valuable resource for our community. In alignment with Georgetown’s social justice mission, we partner with local charities to ensure that these donations, worth over $300,000, reach individuals and families who need them most. This collaboration not only meets essential needs but also strengthens the bonds within our community and supports the important work of our non-profit partners. 

Through the Move Out Drive, Georgetown University demonstrates that small actions can lead to significant positive changes, fostering a spirit of generosity, sustainability, and shared responsibility. Through the years, the Move Out Drive has grown to involve the entire Georgetown community, on- and off-campus, to become emblematic of the university’s quadruple bottom line approach to sustainability, serving people, the planet, and promoting prosperity for the common good. The annual Move Out Drive is a collaboration of the Office of Sustainability, Office of Neighborhood Life, Office of Residential Living, the Department of Planning & Facilities Management, and, beginning in 2024, the Capitol Campus. We would also like to thank our generous corporate sponsors, whose support helps make the Drive possible: Coca Cola and Mobile Mini Solutions.

Georgetown works with a network of over 15 non-profit organizations to collect and distribute collected goods. Read more about the Move Out Drive experience of our partners.

Any non-profit organizations in the DMV that are interested in receiving donations from Georgetown’s Move Out Drive can email us @sustainability@georgetown.edu

We would like to give a special thanks to Coca Cola Distributing and Mini Mobile Storage Solutions for Making the Move Out Drive possible!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2024 Move Out Drive! Through the partnership of 15 nonprofit organizations and 24 student and staff volunteers, we collected over 49,000 pounds of clothing, furniture, and household goods valued at $334,000 (including $136,000 worth of women’s clothing!).

In 2023, the Move Out Drive diverted 35,000 pounds of materials valued at $340,000. With the University’s students, faculty, staff, and community support of this initiative, we hope to give back even more this year while doing our best to keep our neighborhoods clean.