Sustainable spring cleaning with a little Helpsy
Hudson Valley municipalities are teaming up to reuse, recycle old textiles
As we spring forward in time and temperature this week (hello, 70-degree weather, however brief!), you may be itching to do some deep cleaning around the house, including tackling that closet full long-unworn items in your wardrobe, quickly out-grown shoes, and old, unwanted stuffed animals.
But instead of black-bagging and trashing those old textiles, municipalities around the Hudson Valley have teamed up with Helpsy to offer a free, at-home pick-up clothing recycling service.
“Textile waste is one of the fastest-growing components of our waste stream, and most of it doesn’t belong in the trash,” noted Kerry Russell, Deputy Commissioner of Dutchess County’s Division of Solid Waste Management.
In 2023 alone, Helpsy diverted nearly 30 million pounds of textiles from the trash, according to co-founder Dan Green.
There is no cost to arrange a pick-up with Helpsy. Crews collect bagged textiles directly from homes, making donations simple and accessible. Drop-off bins and local businesses have also joined the program to help keep textiles out of landfills.
Dutchess County recently expanded its Helpsy at-home pick-up program to 11 municipalities, including Amenia, Clinton, Dover, Hyde Park, Poughkeepsie, Red Hook, Rhinebeck, Tivoli and Wappinger.
Residents in participating municipalities can schedule no-cost curbside appointments, from 7am to 7pm, on designated service days online at helpsy.com/pick-up. Three or more bags are requested for pick-up service to help minimize emissions impact. Clothing must be left in a clearly-labeled plastic bag near your front door or as directed in when scheduling your appointment; Helpsy drivers cannot enter buildings.
Additionally, Helpsy drop-off bins are located throughout Dutchess County for residents of any municipality to drop off textiles. In Dutchess County, bins are currently located in the Town of East Fishkill, City of Poughkeepsie, Town of Poughkeepsie, Village of Rhinebeck, Town of Red Hook and the hamlet of Wingdale (Town of Dover); bins will soon also be available in the Town of Rhinebeck and Town of Milan.
Helpsy bins have also been dropped at SUNY New Paltz, Mitchell’s Auto Repair in Newburgh, the Putnam Diner in Patterson, Lifting Up Westchester in White Plains. Additional locations are expected throughout the year. Find a bin near you
There is no cost for towns, villages or cities to participate; municipalities receive $0.07/per pound for collections received, or $50 for each filled bin. Helpsy, a for-profit certified Benefit Corporation, does not provide tax receipts for donations, but provides all of the equipment and services as part of this partnership.
Accepted: Clean, dry, odorless items
The Helpsy program accepts clothing, shoes, linens and accessories, in any condition for all ages and genders, as long as items are clean, dry, and odorless. In addition to clothing, the program also accepts accessories including hats, bags, even luggage, as well as footwear and stuffed animals. (No glass, furniture, books, wet or stained items).
More than 95-percent of items received are reused or recycled. Usable items will be repurposed for resale and donation markets; damaged textiles are responsibly recycled into secondary products, including insulation, wiping cloths or industrial materials
“Reducing waste was a top concern among our residents according to a recent poll we conducted about our climate priorities,” said Vanessa Bertozzi, Village of Rhinebeck Board Trustee.
The next community pick-up for Rhinebeck is scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
Schedule a pick-up: https://www.helpsy.com/pickup
Find a Helpsy bin: https://www.helpsy.com/find-a-bin
