Patriot Packout (PPO) is Mason’s annual end-of-the year donation initiative. PPO provides on-campus donation resources for all students, faculty, and staff affected by move-out. PPO diverts usable items from trash and redistributes them to Mason students, faculty/staff, and community members who can benefit from them.
All Mason Patriots can donate to PPO 2024 from April 15 - May 10.
VOLUNTEER FOR PATRIOT PACKOUT
PPO is made possible with the support of volunteers and Mason partners! Join us and make this year's move-out even more sustainable!
All Patriot Packout volunteer opportunities are featured on our University Sustainability Volunteer Portal. You can create a free account, browse the volunteer opportunities, and sign up for as many as you would like! Mason employees can learn more about how to volunteer by visiting our volunteer page. Mason-affiliated folks are encouraged to create an account with their @gmu.edu email address.
DONATION DROP-OFF LOCATIONS (APRIL 15 - MAY 10)
RESIDENCE HALL LOBBY DROP-OFF:
- Northern Neck
- Commonwealth
- Dominion
- Hampton Roads
- Eastern Shore
- Tidewater
- Piedmont
- Blueridge
- Sandbridge
- Taylor Hall
OUTDOOR DROP-OFF (Bike Donations Accepted):
- Hanover Hall (patio)
- Rogers and Whitetop (center patio)
- Liberty Square (courtyard)
- Harrison Hall, President Park (pathway)
- Truman/Kennedy (courtyard/breezeway)
- Potomac Heights (breezeway)
- The Globe (parking deck behind building)
PATRIOT PANTRY FOOD DRIVE: April 15– May 15 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Monday - Friday)
- Hosted by Parking and Transportation, visit their PPO Donation Drive webpage here! (placement in image below).
- Parking Services Offices at Fairfax, Mason Square (Arlington), and SciTech Campuses
BIKE DONATIONS: April 23 –April 25 at Bike to Mason
- SciTech Bike to Mason: April 23rd from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Colgan Hall (Front Patio)
- Fairfax Bike to Mason: April 24th from 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Merten Lawn
- Mason Square Bike to Mason: April 25th from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Van Metre Plaza
OUTDOOR DROP-OFF:
- Beacon Hall (parking lot)
If you are commuting or traveling to the Fairfax Campus, we encourage folks to utilize Fairfax donation drop-off points as well.
FAIRFAX RESIDENCE HALL LOBBY DROP-OFF:
- Northern Neck
- Commonwealth
- Dominion
- Hampton Roads
- Eastern Shore
- Tidewater
- Piedmont
- Blueridge
- Sandbridge
- Taylor Hall
FAIRFAX OUTDOOR DROP-OFF:
- Hanover Hall (patio)
- Rogers and Whitetop (center patio)
- Liberty Square (courtyard)
- Harrison Hall, President Park (pathway)
- Truman/Kennedy (courtyard/breezeway)
- Potomac Heights (breezeway)
- The Globe (parking deck behind building)
PATRIOT PANTRY FOOD DRIVE: April 15– May 15 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Monday - Friday)
- Hosted by Parking and Transportation
- Parking Services Offices at Fairfax, Mason Square (Arlington), and SciTech Campuses
BIKE DONATIONS: April 23 –April 25 at Bike to Mason
- SciTech Bike to Mason: April 23rd from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Colgan Hall (Front Patio)
- Fairfax Bike to Mason: April 24th from 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Merten Lawn
- Mason Square Bike to Mason: April 25th from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Van Metre Plaza
RESIDENCE HALL LOBBY DROP-OFF:
- G.T. Halpin Family Living and Learning Community
ACCEPTED DONATIONS
Gently Used, Like-New, or New Items
“If you wouldn’t give it to a friend, don’t give it to PPO.”
Bikes, Scooters, and Skateboards
- If you can’t bring your bike to a PPO donation drop-off point, email transpo@gmu.edu a photo of your bike and its bike rack location.
- Bike donations can also be brought to Mason Parking and Transportation's Bike to Mason events (April 23 - April 25)
Clothing, Shoes, and Accessories
- All items must be clean and bagged separately.
- NO used undergarments, socks, or unwashed clothing.
Unopened, Unexpired Non-Perishable Food and Toiletry Supplies
- Food and toiletry supplies must be unused/unopened and not expired or close to expiration.
Textbooks, Testing Supplies, and Art Supplies
- See 'Art Supply Sharing Closet' list included below.
Small Appliances and Electronics
- Fragile items must be boxed separately. Bring e-waste to drop-off locations.
Small Furniture and Equipment
- Mirrors must be unbroken, and all furniture must be assembled.
Your donations benefit Mason’s Patriot Packout partners: Parking and Transportation, Trans Clothing Closet, LGBTQ+ Resources Center, Patriot Pantry, Art Supplies Sharing Closet, and Computing and Engineering Diversity Resource and Information Center (CEDRIC).
Select donations that Patriot Packout partners need to support Mason Patriots are included below.
All transportation-related donations benefit Mason Parking and Transportation's bike and scooter programs (e.g., Fall Bike Sale).
- Bicycles
- Scooters
- Skateboards/Longboards
All items must be clean and in like-new or gently used condition.
* Masculine coded clothing, as well as plus sizes, are particularly helpful!
- Chest Binders
- Extra Small (XS) Clothing
- Extra Extra Small (XXS) Clothing
- Extra Large (XL) Clothing
- Extra Extra Large (2XL) Clothing
- Extra Extra Extra Large (3XL) Clothing
- Skirts (Medium, Large)
- T-Shirts (Medium, Large)
- Crop Tops (Medium, Large)
- Camisoles (Medium)
- Pullover Hoodies (Medium)
- Casual Women Shoes (Size 10)
- Chest Binders (Large, Extra Large)
- Men’s Pants (Small)
- Blazers/Suits
- Shoes
- Storage Bags/Bins
- Utility Carts
NO expired/near expired items will be accepted.
All toiletry and food supplies must be unopened/unused.
* Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and other dietary restriction options are particularly encouraged!
- Pasta and Sauce
- Rice (instant or regular)
- Canned Tuna, Chicken, Salmon
- Mac N Cheese
- Hormel Compleats
- Mixed Vegetables
- Soups
- Cereal and Other Breakfast Items
- Instant Oatmeal
- Healthy Snacks (crackers, nuts, granola bars)
- Peanut Butter/Jelly
- Toilet Paper
- Paper Towels
- Deodorant
- Shampoo/Conditioner
- Body Wash/Bar Soap
- Period Products
- Shaving Cream
- Lotion
- Hand Soap
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- Laundry Detergent
* Please box all small/fragile supplies before donating.
- Magazines/Scrap Paper
- Printer Paper
- Writing Utensils
- Journals/Notebooks
- Paperclips
- Binders
- Yarn and Needlework
- Fabric and sewing materials (not actual clothing, but raw materials)
- Jewelry and beading
- Sheets of Vinyl
- Epoxy Resin molds and Equipment (no resin, related materials only)
- Seasonal Decor
- Gift Wrapping & Other Storage
- Dried or Fake Floral
- Other supplies that can be repurposed for art
All testing supplies should be unopened/unused.
* Please box all small/fragile supplies before donating.
- Textbooks
- Scantrons
- Bluebooks
- Notebooks
- No. 2 Pencils
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Join the Patriot Packout Planning Committee – submit your interest form today!
Resources:
- Parking and Transportation’s PPO Donation Drive (April 15 - May 15)
- Bike to Mason Website (April 23 - April 25)
- University Sustainability Volunteer Portal
- Zero Waste Mason
Confused about Move-Out?
- Contact Housing and Residence Life’s Residential Service Desks at Eisenhower Hall, (703-993-2750) and Piedmont Hall (703-993-9880). Desks are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
PPO began in 2003, when Mason Facilities staff members collected clothing items and transported them to the Salvation Army to divert them away from move-out trash bins. It became a formal initiative in 2010, through a partnership between University Sustainability, Housing and Residence Life, Parking and Transportation, and Facilities Management.
Since 2010, PPO has diverted 123,208 pounds of reusable goods, electronics/appliances, non-perishable food supplies, and toiletries through not-for-profit donations!
Past donation partners included on-campus resources like Mason’s Patriot Pantry, the Trans Clothing Closet, and the Art Supply Sharing Closet. However, most PPO donations were typically distributed off-campus through partnerships with non-profit organizations like Food for Others, Goodwill, the Salvation Army, AmVets, and the Clock Tower Thrift Shop.
In 2023, University Sustainability launched the Patriot Packout Planning Committee to expand PPO’s impact on campus, with the goal of prioritizing the free redistribution of donated goods to the Mason community and those in need.
PPO Benefits:
- Reduces the waste disposal of usable items and transfers them to folks in need.
- Donates food and toiletry supplies to students through the Patriot Pantry and other Mason resources.
- Provides a safe donation and disposal alternative for hazardous and universal waste items.
- Reduces improper dumping of broken appliances and furniture and pollution, protecting Housing and Residence Life and Facilities staff members.
- Decreases waste hauling and disposal costs while reducing staff time spent on waste removal and monitoring.
- Streamlines the move-out process by providing students and families with a resource to donate items.
- Provides service-learning and civic engagement opportunities for all participants.
Specialty Waste Disposal Guidance:
For detailed information, visit our Zero Waste Mason page!
Patriot Packout Zero Waste Pilots (Available starting April 15):
PPO Drop-Off Locations:
- Liberty Square (breezeway facing Ike's)
- Potomac Heights (breezeway)
- Commonwealth (covered entrance)
Drop-Off:
- Household cleaning supplies waste
- Household aerosol cans
All cleaning supplies and aerosol cans waste MUST be lidded and sealed!
ONLY dispose of cleaning supplies and aerosol cans waste in separate, labeled drop-off bins.
PPO Drop-Off Locations:
- Potomac Heights (breezeway)
- Whitetop (side entrance near 30-yd. move out trash container)
- Harrison Hall, Presidents Park (beside 30-yd. move-out trash container)
- Commonwealth (beside 30-yd. move-out trash container)
Drop-Off:
- BROKEN electronics
- BROKEN small appliances
All e-waste items MUST be empty/clean (NO food waste)!
Please bag/box fragile e-waste items.
Please place BROKEN mini-fridges beside drop-off boxes at select pilot locations.