What happens when three non-profit organizations team up to help parents with low to moderate income? A free shopping experience!

The Macy May Foundation collects gently used adult clothing, shoes, and jewelry for those in need. When they were looking for help distributing the donated apparel in the city of Waltham, Family ACCESS jumped in to help.

“In the last six months alone, our free programs have supported 343 Waltham families. We knew that a boutique shopping experience would be welcomed by those parents,” says Debra Brush, LICSW, Director of Early Literary Services at Family ACCESS. “What we didn’t have was a place in Waltham to hold the event.”

The Family ACCESS team approached The Waltham Family School, (WFS) a Family Literacy Program, which serves Waltham families with free preschool for children 3-5 and English Language Learning for their parents, to host this event.  WFS is a strong, long-term partner of Family ACCESS.

WFS was happy to help.

“Volunteers from the Macy May Foundation set up the room at WFS just like a clothing store and parents came in to browse and shop, taking as many items as they could carry,” Debra notes. “They were so grateful.”