Howard University Donates Used Dorm Furniture to Schools in Central America

Last summer Howard University in Washington, D.C., mounted a major campaign to spruce up its residence halls. Walls were painted, new carpet installed, and bathroom fixtures renovated. In addition, the university replaced more than 2,000 mattresses and added new room and lounge furniture in the residence halls.

As a result of these upgrades, Howard donated 184,000 pounds of bed frames, book cases, desks, chairs, dressers, and other furniture to schools in the United States and Central America. Working with the Institution Recycling Network and the international charity Food for the Poor, Howard packed up nearly 2,300 pieces of furniture for shipments to 12 different sites. Most of the furniture was shipped to schools in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.