Red Dragon Reuse initiative continues across campus

05/05/2026

Red Dragon Reuse, the annual donation collection program, is back for its fourth year.

Through a partnership with the SUNY Cortland Sustainability Office and Cortland ReUse, donation totes have been on campus since May 1. While packing up to move out for the summer, students are encouraged to donate their leftover things to be used by others and kept out of Cortland's landfill.

During the Red Dragon Reuse collection, industrial laundry bins placed in residence halls welcome almost all items that students may leave behind when the school year ends, even if they don't fit into the nonprofit's normal operations, including:

• Nonperishable food. ReUse uses the food to first help restock the SUNY Cortland Cupboard food pantry, then gives the remainder to Seven Valleys Food Rescue and Cortland County Mutual Aid
• Clothing, linen and textiles. Through the donations, Cortland ReUse will start regularly selling clothes. Linens, bedding and pillows will go to Thrifty Shopper, Mutual Aid and other groups that help serve the local homeless population
• Foam bed toppers. This item is a uniquely common one at SUNY Cortland compared to other places where ReUse collects
• Other items including, but not limited to, kitchenware, office and school supplies, lamps, small furniture and other household items, electronics and sporting equipment

"This has become a wonderful tradition on campus," said Megan Swing, Cortland's energy and sustainability engagement coordinator. "I love seeing campus transform into a more circular economy. We have some ideas in the works to have a year-round donation and reuse program that I hope we can have live in the fall."

In the various donation totes and bins located in residence hall lounges or lobbies, students can donate any gently used items and unopened and unperishable food to benefit the SUNY Cortland Cupboard.

Students living off campus can drop off items to Cortland ReUse at their new location at 113 Port Watson St. in Cortland.

All the items collected will be part of the Red Dragon Reuse sale. The community sale will start after Memorial Day at the new Cortland ReUse store. The on-campus sale of college specific items will take place in the Outdoor Pursuits garage during move-in weekend, Aug. 27 and 28. Students will be able to shop for low-price items to get them ready for the academic year.

To help reduce emissions and costs associated with the donation collection, a trailer will be on campus for the collection week. Donations will be unloaded into the trailer and then taken to be sorted at the Cortland ReUse store, decreasing the number of trips that will need to be taken across town.

"We are super excited about this continued partnership with Cortland ReUse, and glad we are working out ways to make it more efficient," said Matthew Brubaker, the university's chief sustainability officer and energy manager.

Graduating seniors have another opportunity to donate items to help future Red Dragons. After Commencement ceremonies, there will be donation bins in Park Center and the Lusk Field House for newly minted alumni to donate their gowns to the SUNY Cortland Cupboard if they'd like.

Those who aren't quite ready to part with their gown right after the ceremony can mail their gown to Megan Swing at Facilities Management, SUNY Cortland, P.O. Box 2000, Cortland, NY 13045.

The graduation gowns donation program got its start last year.

"Through generous donations from our alums and Cortland Auxiliary Services, we are able to help over 20 graduating seniors this semester," said Lauren Scagnelli, health and wellness program coordinator and chair of the SUNY Cortland Cupboard. "We encourage the Class of 2026 to keep this new tradition going.

"The idea for this program came last year when an alum reached out who had benefited from the cupboard in the past and wanted to give back," said Scagnelli. "They wanted to donate their cap and gown to a student in need. It was so thoughtful and sparked further conversation around sustainability and circularity."