Crowded Closet's new location on Highway 6.
Mark your calendars for the grand opening of the new location of Crowded Closet, a local thrift shop operated by the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 25, 2019.
Crowded Closet supports the local community by sharing thousands of dollars of inventory with those in need each month, with the help of CommUnity (formerly the Crisis Center), and other service partners. For 40 years, Crowded Closet called Gilbert Court in Iowa City home. The operations are largely run by over 250 volunteers processing donations into items for sale, funding numerous relief, development, and peace projects put on around the world by MCC.
Crowded Closet has now moved to the old Kmart building at 851 Highway 6 E., a larger space with better access, providing an improved shopping experience. Donations can be brought to the new location, and doors will officially open for customers March 25.
Crowded Closet's old location on Gilbert Court.
Though Crowded Closet is a thrift shop, not a recycling center, goods that are not sold still have value. Leftover textiles, books, and other items are sold to recyclers, and some materials can be upcycled and given new purpose. Donors can be sure that textiles given are reused or recycled in some way.
“We try to practice the best stewardship we can with the donations that come in,” said Crowded Closet volunteer coordinator Christine Maust Beachy. “Everyone donates each item assuming it has value and can be turned into money that can do good for others.”
The EPA estimates that in 2015, over 5 percent of solid waste in the U.S. was textiles, and only 15 percent of textile waste is recycled. It takes an enormous amount of energy requiring fossil fuels to produce and transport new textiles, so reusing and recycling these goods can make a difference in reducing carbon emissions. Crowded Closet offers the community an opportunity to give purpose to used textiles.
Curbside compost pickup will resume on Monday, March 18. Until then, curbside organics will be collected by appointment only, in order to conserve fuel, as there is a lower volume of organic waste in the winter months.
To schedule an appointment for pick up, call 319-356-5151 at least 24 hours before your regular collection day.
To learn more about the curbside organics collection program, how to join, and how to reduce your food waste, visit www.icgov.org/foodwaste.
Do you have what it takes to turn everyday household items into something practical and creative?
The Upcycling Competition will bring together creative and resourceful minds to compete for the best invention made of recycled or upcycled materials. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. on March 13 at the East Side Recycling Center.
Winners will be determined from four different categories: Adult, Student, Most Creative, and Most Recycled Materials Used.
Participants must sign up prior to the convention to compete. Register by contacting Rachel Oswald at 319-339-5399 or rachel-oswald@iowa-city.org.
This event is hosted by Green Iowa AmeriCorps, City of Iowa City Parks and Recreation, and the Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center. For more information, visit https://www.icgov.org/recycling.
Applications are now open for local organizations to receive revenue from the annual Farm to Street dinner in August.
The dinner, hosted by Johnson County, Iowa City, and the Iowa City Downtown District, serves a meal of local foods to members of the community. The beneficiary of the event will be expected to have two members serve on the Farm to Street planning committee, recruit 20 volunteers to help clean after the event, provide an informational table at the event, and prepare to give a report at the 2020 Farm to Street dinner discussing what the funds were used for.
This organization should be working to enhance the local food system. Past organizations benefited have included Table to Table and the Iowa Valley Global Food Project.
Find more information and apply online by April 30.
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