Students, staff, and faculty gathered at Humber Polytechnic’s North campus on April 7 for the Free Store event focused on redistributing donated items rather than sending them to landfill.
The event was organized by Humber Office of Sustainability as part of its broader efforts to reduce campus waste and promote reuse, while also addressing affordability challenges faced by students.
The Free Store operates as a pop-up, donation-based space where students can take items for free. Donated goods include household items, school supplies, kitchenware, board games, and electronics.
“We’ve been wanting to do this at Humber for a while,” said Gabi Hentschke, sustainability communications and engagement coordinator. “With affordability challenges increasing, it felt like the right time to create a space where people can take items for free.”
Hentschke said the idea builds on reuse models already seen at other institutions but required extensive planning and coordination to bring to campus.
“Logistically, it’s a lot of work,” she said. “But seeing everything come together makes it worth it, especially when you know these items are going directly to students who need them.”
Everything available in the Free Store has been donated by members of the Humber community, including students, staff, faculty, and friends of the institution.
“We had donations coming in daily,” Hentschke said. “People were dropping off carloads of items because they genuinely wanted to help students.”
Students who attended the event said the Free Store provided meaningful support, especially amid rising living costs.
“A lot of these things are really helpful for students,” Amandeep Kaur, a business student in her final year, said. “There were stationery items, home essentials, and board games. There were also electronics, but I came late, so most of them were already gone since it was first-come, first served.”
She said that the experience shows both the value and popularity of the event.
“It was actually really busy,” Kaur said. “I didn’t expect so many people to show up, but it shows how much students need something like this. I’m thankful to sustainability for organizing it.”
Hetvi Patel, a student at Humber, said affordability is a major reason the event stood out.
“Being a student, everything adds up quickly,” Patel said. “Even simple things like notebooks or kitchen items can be expensive, so having access to them for free really helps.”
The Free Store also includes a structured system where attendees check in, sign waivers, and receive reusable bags before browsing items in a store-like setup.
Most items can be taken without limit, while certain high-demand categories are restricted to ensure fair access.
Collected items over the past month include notebooks, folders, mugs, plates, water bottles, electronics and many more. Donations were gathered over approximately one month, from March 11 to April 6.
Student volunteers, known as sustainability ambassadors, play a key role in sorting, organizing, and preparing donations for the event.
“We’re trying to show that sustainability isn’t just theory,” Hentschke said. “It’s something practical that students can be part of in real ways.”
Hentschke said student engagement has been strong, with growing awareness of the initiative across campus and social media.
“We started a bit slowly with donations, but over time the community really came through,” Hentschke said. “It’s been amazing to see how much support we’ve received from staff, faculty, and students alike.”
Organizers hope the Free Store will not just be a one-time event but will become an annual event and may also expand to other campuses like Lakeshore in the future.
The Free Store promotes a simple message: things one person no longer needs can still be useful to someone else, helping reduce waste and support students in practical ways.
As affordability concerns continue to rise, events like the Free Store show how sustainability initiatives can also address everyday student needs, one donated item at a time.
