PHOTO COURTESY PENNSYLVANIA RESOURCE COUNCIL

Whether you’ve got a surplus of garden equipment in the shed or a few bags of clothes you’ve been meaning to take to the Goodwill, The Pennsylvania Resources Council is once again hosting an event that will help you declutter while giving back to those in need.

ReuseFest will return on Oct. 16 in North Park, offering attendees a chance to offload their gently used bric-a-brac — art or office supplies, bedding or bath stuff, bikes, clothing, furniture, kitchen items, lawn and garden equipment, medical supplies, usable building materials and more.

All donated items are destined for reuse by numerous local nonprofits, including Brother’s Brother Foundation, Dress for Success, The Education Partnership, Free Ride, Goodwill of Southwestern PA, Grow Pittsburgh, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh and Off the Floor.

This event marks the 10th collection in the Greater Pittsburgh area, and according to Josh Schuneman, recycling operations specialist, PRC has collected and diverted tens of thousands of pounds of materials from local landfills since ReuseFest’s inception in 2012. Donated items have included everything from bikes and clothes to furniture and wheelchairs, he adds. 

“This one-of-a-kind collection event provides area residents with an opportunity to responsibly donate a variety of unwanted but still usable items to multiple local nonprofits at one convenient location,” Schuneman says in a press release. “All materials donated at ReuseFest will be reused in some fashion, whether resold, repurposed or given to those in need in our region.”

Things like plastic pots, liquids, televisions or computers are not accepted at the event. (For electronics, check out Pennsylvania Resource Council’s e-waste recycling pop-ups.) A more detailed list of acceptable ReuseFest donations can be found on its website, and includes things like toys, sports equipment, backpacks, unused lumber, appliances and more.

The collection will take place in the North Park Swimming Pool parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To both keep things moving and abide by all state and local health and safety guidelines, visitors should pack all donations in their car trunks or truck beds and stay in their vehicles while staff members unload the materials.

A similar event will be held in New Castle on Oct. 23 at Westgate Plaza, 2080 W. State St., 16101, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations received at the New Castle event will benefit DON (Disability Options Network) Services, Construction Junction, Lawrence County Humane Society and St. Vincent de Paul.