A second chance for drink cans helps Simon Youth Foundation give a second chance to at-risk students

Shoppers at the Briarwood Mall, a Simon Property Group mall, in Ann Arbor, Mich., are turning their trash into opportunities for at-risk students who are served by Simon Youth Foundation.

In late May, the mall started a recycling campaign, opening a center inside one of its vacant storefronts. Located next to Zales: The Diamond Store, the recycling center is decorated with a large mural that explains how all proceeds from the carbonated-drink cans and bottles dropped off at the site will benefit SYF and the local Humane Society of Huron Valley. Mall customers simply use slots cut into the mural to drop of their recyclables.

Briarwood Mall Marketing Director Denise Murray says the mall sells nearly 3,000 cases of carbonated drinks each year, and recycling all of those cans and bottles could generate more than $6,000 a year for SYF and the Humane Society (proceeds would be split with 30% of revenue donated to SYF).

While Murray says the intention of the program is not for Ann Arbor residents to bring their recycable bottles from home to the mall, but the practice is not discouraged either. She says a recent news report on AnnArbor.com about the recycling program has already led to some residents bringing items from home to the mall for recycling.

The mall has posted stickers on all of its trash cans that encourage customers to take their bottles to the recycling center and turn their trash into treasure for SYF and its programs that ignite hope in at-risk students that they can earn their high school diplomas.