A logo for cops , kids and toys with a teddy bear wearing a police hat.

Rescue, Reuse, and Give Back

Dump & Run ITHACA is a campus- and community-wide waste-reduction and recycling program through which items are collected from students leaving in May, and resold in August to students moving in. Last year, the Dump & Run sale raised more than $60,000 — all donated to local nonprofit agencies to help Tompkins County families and children in need!

DONATE GOODS

About Dump & Run Ithaca

Dump & Run ITHACA, a project of Cops, Kids & Toys, was established to provide departing Cornell students with an easy way to donate their unneeded — yet still serviceable — dorm room and apartment supplies and clothing for resale and reuse, thereby saving thousands of pounds of quality goods from the dumpster and landfill.


Donated items are sorted and priced by volunteers, and then sold — first to Cornell students, and then to the broader community. Proceeds from the Dump & Run Sale support the purchase of holiday toys and gifts to families and children in need throughout Tompkins County.

The impact of your support last year

460

Families served through
Cops, Kids & Toys

960

Kids receiving toys through
Cops, Kids & Toys

Event Details 2025

Stay tuned for 2025 details as they become available!

Items Accepted

  • Clothing & shoes
  • Furniture & organizational units
  • Computers, laptops
  • Working appliances & electronics
  • Household items such as dishes, clothing hangers, cleaning products, etc.
  • Decorations & toys 
  • Sporting goods
  • New toiletries 
  • Books & textbooks
  • Nonperishable food
  • Bicycles

Please note: 

Dump & Run cannot accept donations of inkjet printers, mattresses, underwear, trash, broken items, or opened food packaging.

Donations accepted starting in May

Many Cornell Buildings have on Campus pick-up locations, see the alphabetical list here [add link].  


If you need an off campus pick-up or have any questions, please email dumpandrun@cornell.edu to schedule an off campus pick-up.  Building Care will answer your email. 


On-site donations will be accepted once we are in our space in the Shops at Ithaca Mall. Stay tuned for more information mid-to-late May. 

Dump & Run Sale Location

May - DONATE: Collection Box locations are all throughout the community and you can find a full list of locations here [add link}. Live off campus? We pick up (with at least 3 days notice)! Contact dumpandrun@cornell.edu. 


August - BUY: The Dump & Run Sale takes place at The Shops at Ithaca Mall. Stay tuned for more information on dates and times. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the Dump & Run ITHACA Sale?

    The Dump & Run Sale helps incoming and current Cornell students by giving them a way to purchase inexpensive pre-owned dorm room and apartment supplies.  This sale was established first and foremost for students of Cornell, however the broader community is also invited to attend.  


    The Dump & Run Sale is possible thanks to generous departing Cornell students who forego the dumpster and instead donate their unneeded clothes and other dorm and apartment household goods. 


    The Dump & Run Sale is made possible by volunteers, Cornell students, Cornell employees. There are many ways to get involved!  

  • How do you obtain the items sold at the Dump & Run Ithaca Sale?

    The majority of the items that make up the Dump & Run Sale come from Cornell University students. Community members also donate items to Dump & Run. You can feel good knowing that the funds raised from the Dump & Run Sale supports people in need in Tompkins County, New York, through Cops, Kids & Toys. 

  • How does Bag Sale Day work?

    Bag Sale Day – the last day of the sale – is a favorite day for volunteers and the customers alike! At Bag Sale Day, you can purchase large, heavy duty bags for $25 each and you can fill your bag(s) with whatever fits. Items that do not fit into bags are 50% off on that day only. Please pack your bag carefully and be sure you can carry it to your car. Feel free to bring a friend to help, as we cannot hold merchandise or bags.

  • Why aren't all days of the sale open to the public?

    The purpose of the Dump & Run Sale is to help Cornell and other area college students purchase nice quality household goods and clothing at inexpensive prices so they can save money. Since the goods are donated by other Cornell students and Ithaca College students, and the sale is not possible without their generosity, Dump & Run ITHACA offers priority purchasing opportunities to students first so they can get what they need without waiting in line for hours. 


    We receive massive amounts of donated goods and continuously restock clothing, bedding, and other areas of the store from our stockpile. Rest assured that there will be plenty of items available when the sale becomes open to the public. We continue to bring out new clothing and keep the racks full until we run out of items in the back of the store. Children's clothing will be out for Bag Sale Day, although there are a few coats that will be out prior and will likely go before Bag Sale Day takes place. 

  • How is the money raised by Dump & Run used?

    Dump & Run ITHACA is a project of Cops, Kids & Toys. Net proceeds are used to provide holiday gifts for children in need in Tompkins County, New York.  


    Cops, Kids and Toys, an organization that is over 40 years old, that provides children in Tompkins County with holiday gifts. In 2023, Cops, Kids and Toys supported over 450 families and over 1,000 children. Cops, Kids and Toys also helps families with car seat installation and donations. 


    Dump and Run also provides materials from the sale to local food banks, schools, Friends of the Library, animal shelters and rescues, child care centers, mental health facilities at the local hospital, as well as local churches that give clothing to families in our community. Our volunteers work hard to ensure that everything unsold that is usable and still has life left in it is donated back to the community. 

  • What forms of payment are taken during the sale?

    Dump & Run can take cash, credit cards, debit cards, and Apple Pay as payment during the sale.  

  • My local college student leaves for college prior to the sale. Is it possible to open the sale earlier?

    Unfortunately, we are not able to open the sale earlier to college students. We do hold a pre-sale for volunteers who have given 20 hours or more of their time, and this pre-sale occurs before we open the sale to students. If your student can volunteer 20 or more hours before the leave for their college, they can attend the volunteer pre-sale.  

  • Why aren't you open to all from day one of the sale?

    Dump & Run is made possible thanks to the generous students of Cornell who leave their belongings behind for volunteers to sort through and sell. Since students make Dump & Run possible, students should get "first dibs" on the the sale items. Trust us, there is plenty for all and we will be replenishing clothing and goods throughout the sale. The specials are mixed in throughout the batches of clothing and we will still have clothing to put out on for the weekend and for Bag Sale Day!

  • What happens to the items that do not sell?

    Items that do not sell after Bag Sale Day are offered to local nonprofits that give the items for free to individuals and families they support. 


    If you are involved with a nonprofit that would like to be considered to receive unsold items for the people you serve, please email us at info@dumpandrunithaca.com and we will set up an appointment for after the sale.  


    Appointments are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Only nonprofit representatives can attend this appointment, it is not for clients. 

2024 Price List

Volunteer for Dump & Run Ithaca

Dump & Run Ithaca would not be possible without the hundreds of hours contributed by our dedicated volunteer team. Volunteers sort, clean, organize and display merchandise, as well as run the sale.


Dump & Run volunteers who work 20 or more hours are invited to attend a pre-sale event. Items are not sold prior to the pre-sale.


Sign up to become a Dump & Run volunteers by emailing your availability and interests to: volunteer@dumpandrunithaca.com.


We regret that individuals who resell merchandise as a business cannot be volunteers.

VOLUNTEER
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"I have been volunteering for Dump & Run for years, and it makes me so happy to save perfectly good items from the landfill for re-use by students who can now furnish their dorms and apartments at a fraction of the cost of buying new. Even better, the proceeds from the Dump & Run Sale support individuals, families and children in need! "

A man with a beard and a beanie is sitting in the driver 's seat of a car.
Tyler Mix
Volunteer
Caroline, NY

Contact Us

Have a question? We are here to help. Send us a message and we’ll be in touch. 

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