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Lisa Kalner Williams claims some of Facebook’s Everything Is Free Winchester items, but not for herself. The Hillside Avenue resident picks up clothing and school supplies for MAMAS, a Somerville organization that has their Free Store twice a year.
Originally, they only had clothes, but Williams convinced them to do school supplies, especially since she needed to get rid of her own kids’ supplies. She not only believes in helping people, but Williams loves to know things are getting reused.
“I’m very passionate about clothing waste,” says Williams.
She used to teach ESL at one of the Somerville schools and says she has “a soft spot for those kids.”
Last year when helping get ready for their October free store, Williams decided she wanted to get more involved so she helps sort donations brought to the Connexion Church in Somerville each Saturday.
“I take clothes home to launder — I have a basement full of them! And I had to buy bigger storage boxes for them,” she says.
Williams emphasizes that “this is not a charity — it’s neighbors helping neighbors. It’s all about solidarity.”
Winchester residents can be generous in helping her efforts, she adds.
“One time I went to pick up one of five items on Everything Is Free [pencils] and the woman giving them away invited me to come back the next day and get tons of school supplies,” she says. “A Somerville store called Make & Mend carries second hand art supplies. They gave us tons of them!”
“Boston has a large immigrant population and I asked myself what they might need — we try not to buy anything,” she says, although she buys rubber bands to wrap around pencils.
The next Free Store is on Aug. 9, and anyone interested in donating school supplies or clothes can send an email to mamasfreestore@gmail.com for more information.
