Neighbors sing praises of Temple's TUmove trash removal program, which has been collecting students’ move-out trash from off-campus housing since 2023.
Mark Gottlieb, coordinator of the Tumove initiative, stands with the Tumove crew. Since launching in 2023, the program has removed nearly 800 tons of waste during the annual student move-out period.
Photo by Matt Petrillo
Crews unlock the back of a sanitation truck parked on N. 18th St. near Oxford in North Philadelphia andthen swing open its doors. Piece by piece, the four men start loading several big items into the truck: old bed frames, couches and other furniture that students who were living off campus left for collection.
“TUmove is all about being a cooperative and friendly neighbor to those who live off campus in our shared North Philadelphia community,” said Mark Gottlieb, coordinator of TUmove and senior associate director of operations and logistics.
Gottlieb created TUmove in 2023 after listening to neighbors who wanted something done about the largeritems that students leave behind for trash collection when moving out from their off-campus apartments.
“Listening to our neighbors and being proactive when it comes to our neighborhood creates a stronger sense of community,” Gottlieb said.
TUmove allows students to schedule the pickup of their discarded household items when moving out of their off-campus housing. After, Gottlieb’s crews remove the items to ensure cleaner sidewalks and streets across North Philadelphia.
The program runs between May and August each summer. This summer, the initiative reached a major milestone, removing 795 tons of waste since the program launched in 2023.
“That’s a big number. It represents a lot of collaboration and hard work, and we’re really proud of it,” Gottlieb said, adding it’s about the weight of 300 cars combined.
Old desks, chairs and even appliances are some of the items that would otherwise sit on the sidewalk for days or possibly longer, waiting for the city’s trash collection.
“Instead, Temple steps up to be a good neighbor,” Gottlieb said.
Neighbors are taking notice, including longtime resident Ternessa Huntley.
“Temple has made a big impact by collecting this trash and cleaning up the community. I give two thumbs up to Temple. Great job!” Huntley said.
Leah Paulson Dunmire, Temple’s associate director of student advocacy, said the program is constantly evolving based on feedback from both students and community members.
“We all call North Philadelphia home, and TUmove is about showing we care about our community,” Dunmire said.
Students who have items in good condition that they don’t want to take with them can also schedule a special donation pickup separately by visiting Habitat for Humanity’s booking portal and selecting ‘schedule a pickup,’ Dunmire said.
“Temple is committed to uplifting North Philadelphia and supporting everyone who shares this community, and TUmove is one example of that,” she said.
