New Planet Aid Donation Centers Help Sterling, VA Reduce Textile Waste and Fund Community Development
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New, solar-powered, 24-hour monitored donation centers make it easy to reuse and recycle clothes and shoes
Sterling, Virginia - [APR. 24, 2024] - Planet Aid, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit specializing in textile reuse to fund community development, has installed two, state-of-the-art clothing donation centers in Sterling, VA. These new donation centers replace Planet Aid's signature yellow bins and feature solar powered lighting and 24-hour monitoring to make donating safe, convenient and efficient.
Residents can donate their used clothes and shoes at these new donation centers:
- 45575 Dulles Eastern Plaza Sterling, VA 20166
- 46301 Potomac Run Plaza, Sterling, VA 20164
- OR find the nearest donation center at: planetaid.org/find-a-bin
Planet Aid's new donation center at Dulles Eastern Plaza
Planet Aid has been collecting donations at the Potomac Run Plaza location since 2008 and from the Dulles Eastern Plaza location since 2016. Sterling residents donate an average of more than 6,300 pounds of used clothes and shoes every month at these locations.
Reducing Waste, Strengthening Communities
When Sterling residents donate clothes and shoes to Planet Aid, it has several positive impacts. First, it reduces U.S. textile waste. It's estimated that less than 15 percent of textiles are recycled in the U.S. Instead of ending up in a landfill or incinerator, donated clothes and shoes are given a new life, fueling a secondhand clothing industry that provides livelihoods to millions and helps reduce the need to manufacture new clothes which is resource intensive and generates significant pollution.
Money raised from donated clothes and shoes provides critical funding to locally run organizations in the U.S., Latin America, Africa and Asia that are working to strengthen their communities by promoting education, health and wellness, and environmental and agricultural sustainability.
Convenience, Safety and Efficiency
Planet Aid donation centers are the latest innovation in textile reuse and recycling, helping to keep used clothes and shoes out of landfills at no cost to the community.
The donation centers’ lighting and 24-hour video monitoring are solar-powered and provide safety and security for donors. They are made from refurbished, steel shipping containers and are designed to be weather and tamper resistant.
The donation center and surrounding area are regularly serviced and cleaned by Planet Aid's experienced team to ensure a welcoming environment and positive experience for all donors.
"The donation centers are the latest effort by Planet Aid to provide cleaner, safer, more efficient and more convenient collection methods in order to generate more funds to support crucial community development programs," said Planet Aid President and CEO Fred Olsson.
About Planet Aid
Planet Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1997 and specializing in textile reuse to fund community development projects in the U.S. and around the world. Through its commitment to sustainability and innovation, Planet Aid has collected over 1.8 billion pounds of shoes and clothes in its more than 25 years of operation and raising more than $100 million for local organizations working to strengthen their community through education, health and wellness, and environmental and agricultural sustainability. Planet Aid operates 8 textile reuse facilities serving 17 states in the Mid Atlantic, Midwest and Northeast. More at planetaid.org
Media contact
Haley Chitty
Planet Aid Communications Manager
443-401-6939
media@planetaid.org