Our mission is...
To promote re-use within the Washington University community through the free exchange and affordable sale of donated goods. By giving these items another life, we're actively combatting waste and diverting items away from the landfill as well as providing an affordable and accessible resource for students.
SWAP began with a simple idea:
People often throw away useful items because it’s easier than finding them a new home. WashU alone generates millions of pounds of waste every year, much of it still reusable. A group of students asked, What if we could change that? By collecting items during move-out and making them available again at move-in, they created a cycle of reuse that saves money, reduces waste, and strengthens community.
What started as a small student effort has grown into a nonprofit with long-term impact through four storefront. Since our founding, we have distributed about $116,042 worth of merchandise diverting 5 tons of waste from landfills. Today, SWAP connects students and the St. Louis community through sustainable practices, proving that small changes can add up to something much bigger.
“We strive to create interconnected networks of mutual solidarity and support. Our collective efforts make possible a future in which all people have access to the resources needed to thrive.”
Student Entrepreneurial Program (StEP)
SWAP is part of the Washington University Student Entrepreneurial Program (StEP), which provides a unique opportunity for students to own a business on campus. Student leaders can supplement their valuable business and entrepreneurial skills they learn in the classroom while gaining real world experience as they manage and lead their own businesses. Benefits include:
Subsidized on-campus storefront space in Gregg House
On-campus solicitation of business
Organized speaker series and owner roundtable meetings
Leadership opportunities within the StEP Executive Board
Campus mailbox
Card access to residence halls
Access to mailing labels for student mailing
StEP website and virtual mall
StEP Loan Fund
What we try to accomplish on a larger scale
The broader mission of Sharing With A Purpose (SWAP) is to bridge the gap between social justice and sustainability by empowering people to share resources. We aim to meet the needs identified by diverse communities through modes of collaborative consumption such as free markets, borrowing and barter networks, skill shares, and other efforts that reduce waste by making existing resources available for new use. We advocate for shared power and decision-making in all actions, the open exchange of knowledge-based resources, and personal accountability for the well-being of others and of the earth.
To become a part of SWAP
Get in touch with us, either in person or online, to become a volunteer, intern or even an owner of a student-run business! We need your help and only with WashU students' continuous effort can we work towards a better future together.
