May 20, 2026
Demonstrating its continuing commitment to environmental stewardship and to the area’s needy, the St. John’s University community packed and distributed more than four metric tons of nonperishable food, clothing, household supplies, and more, donated as students vacated their residence halls at the end of the academic year.
The third annual St. John’s Saves campuswide sustainability and service initiative began April 27. It continued through May 15 when a truck brought the merchandise from the Donovan Hall collection point to the Bethpage, NY, headquarters of St. Vincent de Paul Long Island. The four metric tons were the highest total in the three-year history of the collection; St. John’s students have now donated more than 11 metric tons of residence hall items, repurposing them for needy people and keeping them out of landfills that can threaten the environment.
“St. John’s has a defined mission of eco-friendliness and sustainability,” sophomore actuarial sciences student Keziah Philip said. “Most of the items here would go to a landfill; it is very important that we repurpose them and give them to people in New York City who need them.”
Students contributed unwanted items to a series of collection bins located across the Residence Village beginning April 27. St. John’s volunteers sorted the items throughout the 19-day collection period. The effort climaxed on May 15 with the arrival of the St. Vincent de Paul truck.
St. John’s volunteers packed up the truck with help from the St. Vincent de Paul team. With scarcely any extra room, the volunteers sealed the rear door shut and applauded as the truck headed off.
“As students at a Vincentian university, we are taught from day one about the value of giving back to those in need,” said sophomore legal studies major Tiffany Chan as she wheeled a bin of household items to the waiting truck. “St. John’s has such a footprint in New York City, and the fact that these items will help local people is very important to us.”
The collection represents a partnership between Campus Facilities and Services, Campus Ministry, the Institute for Vincentian Impact, and the Office of Residence Life. The items were distributed to organizations that directly benefit communities locally and beyond, including
- Vincent’s Table, which provides food and support services to individuals experiencing food insecurity;
- St. John’s University Career Closet, which helps students access professional clothing for interviews, internships, and career opportunities;
- DePaul USA’s DAX Program, which supports students experiencing homelessness;
- Midnight Run, which provides food, clothing, blankets, and more to the homeless poor of New York City;
- The Bridge to Life, which supports mothers and families expecting a child;
- The shop at St. Vincent de Paul Long Island, supporting charitable outreach and community assistance programs; and
- Better World Books, a reseller and redistributor of books to support literacy initiatives worldwide.
“This is a significant undertaking at an already busy time of year,” said Jason T. Bartlett, Ph.D., Director, Office of Residence Life. “Our students are going through final exams and getting ready to pack up their belongings and head home. We have tried to create a mechanism to channel all these donated items to worthy and needy community organizations throughout the New York area.”
According to Dr. Bartlett, the initiative reflects the call of Pope Francis in Laudato Si’, which amplified Catholic teaching on the relationship between environmental and social issues.
“Laudato Si’ was a blueprint for how we can combat the culture of waste here in America,” Dr. Bartlett said. “It just takes a little bit of organization to come up with solutions to these problems.”
Watch a video of the St. John's Saves collection effort.