New GreenDrop donation center opens on the Northside to help the environment and community

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — New GreenDrop donation centers are opening at 405 E Wetmore Road and 6383 E Grant Road, with a mission to keep items out of landfills and support local organizations while helping community members in need.

GreenDrop, a nationwide donation service, accepts used clothing, books, appliances and other items to prevent them from ending up in landfills. The organization works with the northside community to redistribute these items to people who need them most.

David Sanchez, who has lived in Tucson his entire life and comes from a family involved in the local thrifting scene, joined Green Drop as a site attendant when he learned about the opportunity.

"Like my sons are big thrifters and we thrift a lot," Sanchez said.

The new donation center holds special meaning for Sanchez, who sees its environmental and community benefits.

"I think it means a lot. It keeps a lot of clothes out of the garbage cans," Sanchez said. "I mean, a lot of people out here need clothes. Many people visit thrift stores because of the current state of the economy. So just reusing something just benefits everybody,"

GreenDrop's Tucson Manager Autumn Nevarez, says their mission aligns with helping the northside community through sustainable practices.

"Our services help the community by reducing, reusing, reducing waste and reusing items, keeping it out of the landfill, helping the community raise money for other programs," Nevarez said.

A portion of donations benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Arizona, providing funding for their youth programs.

"GreenDrop and Savers is offering a place for people to drop their items that they don't need, that they don't want anymore. That money gets back to Big Brother, Big Sister of Southern Arizona, and it helps fund our programs for the kids," said Big Brothers Big Sisters Partnerships Manager Christophe Valton.

Donated clothing will be moved to Savers thrift stores throughout the city and sold at reduced prices, making them accessible to more community members.

GreenDrop plans to have official grand openings for both locations in April. They say the expansion will create job opportunities for local residents.

"I will be looking for site attendants, employees who are going to be going out collecting donations. So the more we grow, the more employees we can hire," Autumn said.