Stuyvesant Students Have Donated Tons of Clothing
A student-led homeless coalition in New York City has redirected thousands of pounds of lost items from landfills.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Students at Stuyvesant High School have collected over 2,000 pounds of unclaimed clothing from school lost-and-found bins to aid local homeless populations. The initiative was created by students who sought to repurpose items that are typically discarded at the end of each school year.
Why it matters
The project addresses both textile waste and local homelessness by creating a formal system for reallocating misplaced goods. Students founded the effort after observing homelessness while commuting through New York City.
The student coalition has diverted a total of 2,000 pounds of clothing from landfills. This represents a significant increase from the 200 pounds and 250 pounds gathered during two salvage events held at the school last year.
The players
Skylar Aaron
Skylar Aaron is a student at Stuyvesant High School who co-founded the school homeless coalition.
Shayna Wilson
Shayna Wilson is a Stuyvesant High School student who co-founded the school homeless coalition in 2025.
Stuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School is a selective public high school in New York City with an estimated population of 3,000 students.
PS 77
PS 77 is a New York City public school located in the Upper East Side that partnered with the coalition.
East Middle School
East Middle School is an Upper East Side public school participating in the student-led donation program.
The details
Students Skylar Aaron and Shayna Wilson coordinate with school administration to sift through unclaimed items before they are thrown away. The coalition has since partnered with PS 77 and East Middle School to expand their collection reach across the city.
Timeline
The student homeless coalition was founded in March 2025.
Two collection events were conducted at Stuyvesant High School last year.
The program is expanding its partnerships throughout the current school year.
Market Landscape
This grassroots initiative mirrors the broader movement toward circular economy models within New York City public institutions. By formalizing the rescue of lost property, these students are competing with traditional disposal methods by demonstrating a more efficient way to manage school-generated textile waste.
Local families may see changes to how their schools handle lost-and-found property as the program expands to more locations. The initiative ensures that lost belongings are put to humanitarian use rather than being sent to city landfills.
The takeaway
This student-led model highlights how simple administrative changes can effectively repurpose thousands of pounds of goods. Residents can support similar local sustainability goals by donating gently used items directly to established community charities.
What happens next
The student club intends to conduct additional salvage events two or three times throughout the remainder of the current school year.
Further reading
Learn more about local efforts to support vulnerable populations in the New York City Philanthropy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by City Limits.
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