United War Veterans Council (UWVC) Recycling, the largest recycling program of its kind in the greater New York area, announced that it collected more than 12.5 million pounds of clothing and household goods in 2015, keeping a record-breaking 6,250-plus tons of waste out of landfills and significantly reducing the burden on metro area collection systems, while raising revenue for veterans programs. 

All it takes for the public to make an impact is clearing out a closet and donating the items through the program, which provides multiple benefits:
 • It helps veterans by providing revenue for UWVC programs;
 • It helps the environment by keeping material out of landfills;
 • It saves taxpayers and municipalities money in disposal costs;
 • It allows people to take a tax deduction for donations of clothing and household goods.
 
The 2015 collection figures resulted in earnings of approximately $740,000, representing a 22 percent increase over last year. Since launching in 2008, the program has collected more than 37.5 million lbs. of clothing and household goods, diverting more than 18,750 tons from the waste system and earning nearly $3 million for veterans.
 
Last year the program, which does not use collection bins, made pick-ups from more than 478,000 individual households in New York City, Long Island and New Jersey.
 
“Year after year our recycling program continues to prove itself as an effective social business model. The revenue generated by the goods picked-up from 478,000 households last year provided aid to initiatives supporting veterans in the greater New York area,” said Debra Menich who has led UWVC Recycling since it began. “And while 12.5 million pounds in 2015 may sound like a lot, it only scratches the surface of showing how items can be reused and repurposed to benefit Veteran causes. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
 
“UWVC Recycling is the flagship program of our Veterans Sustainability initiative, to which we will also add a veterans training workshop this year,” said UWVC President Dan McSweeney. “The recycling program is an easy way for the public to honor its debt to veterans for their service.  While we are thankful to the community for its enduring support, we call on them to tell a friend to tell a friend about the program so we can continue to meet the needs of our veteran community.”
 
UWVC Recycling picks up gently used clothing and household goods from homes and apartment buildings, providing residents with a convenient, effective way to give to veterans. It provides a premium service by allowing residents or building managers to log on to uwvcpickup.org or call 888-821-UWVC (8982) to arrange a convenient pickup for clothing, textiles and household items.
 
Proceeds support programs that provide a wide range of services to local veterans. With over 40,000 new veterans projected to arrive in the greater New York area over the next decade, UWVC Recycling will play an important role in ensuring that these men and women receive the care and assistance they deserve.