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.  

Items sold at the Dump & Run Sale come from generous departing Cornell students (and community members) who choose to forego the dumpster and instead donate their unneeded clothes and other dorm and apartment household goods. 

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

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. Find a donation bin here.  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. 

Bag Sale Day, which takes place on Sunday, August 24, 2025,  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.

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. 

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 2024, Cops, Kids and Toys supported over 310 families and over 756 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. 

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

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.  

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!

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.