Carolina Thrift is partnering with Vintage Blue and SEAC to encourage sustainability while raising money for Hurricane Florence relief with Party for a Purpose, a fundraising dance party.
Party for a Purpose, hosted at Current ArtSpace + Studio on Nov. 30, will include dancing and snacks. Carolina Thrift is encouraging students to sign up by giving away UNC-themed socks to the first 150 people who purchase tickets.
Members of UNC’s Greek Sustainability Council, Epsilon Eta and Student Government’s Environmental Affairs Committee developed Carolina Thrift in 2018 after observing successful environmentally-sustainable initiatives on other college campuses and noticing the number of items being prematurely disposed of on UNC’s campus.
Isabel Whelchel, co-director of business for Carolina Thrift, said the mission of the group is two-fold.
“One goal is to expand the lifespan of items that are typically disposed of during move-out," Whelchel said. "There is so much that comes out of dorm living that people don’t have a place for it and throw it out."
These items can include lamps, rugs, refrigerators, sofas, appliances, clothing that is still in good condition and sporting equipment.
Carolina Thrift's second goal is to make UNC a sustainable campus by educating students and the community on conscious consumerism.
“I think it is easy for us to like look at stuff in our closet and think, ‘Oh I’ve had this for a while and I don’t want it, so nobody else will want it either.' The lifespan of things is much longer than just one of us,” Whelchel said.
The team at Carolina Thrift takes donated items that students no longer want or need throughout campus and the community and sells them to incoming students at the beginning of the academic school year.
