In January, 2017, the Seattle University Recycling Department, with the help of Campion Tower custodial staff, donated
200 bunk beds to local non-profits, Union Gospel Mission and the NW Furniture Bank. According to staff at the Union Gospel Mission, 
several beds were given to families displaced from their homes in a West Seattle apartment fire this September. Additionally, a local charity is working with the Recycling Department and NW Furniture Bank to ship about 80 of the donated beds to communities in Africa through a separate donation service.
The donated beds are avoiding a long train ride to the landfill, and are getting a second life with people around the world who need them—all part of Seattle University’s on-going steps toward waste minimization, and the University’s commitment to helping communities in need wherever they are.
The donated bed frames were from wooden bunk beds that had been used in the Campion residence hall for years until the university moved to replace them with new, metal, tool-less beds. According to the head of Campion Custodial Services, Don Kustus, the replacement process has taken place over the last three years, and donating excess bed frames was a necessary step to start wrapping up the process: “now we can make sure we have enough beds in storage to use as backup, and assess how many more [beds] we can donate.”
If more beds are deemed excess, they will be scheduled for donation to the NW Furniture Bank over this winter break.
For more information, contact the SU Recycling Coordinator, Eric Elliott.