Poppin' Tags Free Store in West Deer stocked with Point Park students' discards

Dorm room trash at Point Park University has turned into treasure for the Poppin’ Tags Free Store in West Deer.

College police, tasked with clearing rooms after students leave for the summer, had a choice whether to toss leftover food, bedding and clothes into dumpsters or put the items to good use.

“We thought, ‘Why not do a move-out food and household goods drive so students don’t have to take everything home?’ ” Point Park Sgt. Matthew Mays said.

Police also spearheaded a collection called Hunger’s Heroes, in conjunction with the school’s Student Life Office, where students could drop off unwanted items into large red bins around campus.

Efforts yielded a box truck full of home goods, which officers transported from Fort Pitt Boulevard in Downtown Pittsburgh to the thrift store along Little Deer Creek Valley Road.

“They pulled up and just unloaded a ton of stuff,” store owner Sonya Dembowski said.

“Bedding is hard for us to keep in stock, so it’s really needed. They practically filled our entire store.”

The year-end drive followed efforts by Point Park police earlier this year to help with the school’s food pantry. Officers brought in loads of food from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and helped to distribute fresh fruits and veggies during monthly Produce Pop-Ups.

Heather Starr Fiedler, an Indiana Township resident who serves as chair of the University’s Department of Community Engagement and Leadership, said “it’s important to model the civic engagement we try to instill in our students.”

“The Poppin’ Tags Free Store serves vulnerable communities in our region, and Point Park is happy to support the mission by stocking their food pantry and providing clothing and household items to their clients,” Fiedler said.

Dembowski said the items were needed, especially the sheets, blankets and kitchen stock.

“It’s sad to think that stuff would’ve been thrown away when we can get it back into the community,” she said.

Dembowski started the second-hand store in 2020 and said it’s set up like Walmart or Target with aisles for clothing, furniture, kitchenware and food.

“Anything you can put in your house, we take,” she said.

“We serve anyone from anywhere with no registration and no income guidelines. If you have a need, we are here.”