From Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling

There has been some recent misunderstanding about the purpose of the New Lebanon Free Store, and I’d like to take a moment to clarify its mission, especially as questions have been raised about whether access should be limited only to those who are “in need.”

The Free Store was founded nine years ago, during my time as Town Clerk, as part of the Clean Energy Communities program. It was created as a reduce, reuse, recycle initiative, an environmental effort designed to keep useful items out of the landfill and in circulation. It is not, and was never intended to be, a charity program.

The idea is simple and powerful: give what you can, take what you need, no questions asked. Whether someone chooses to “shop” the Free Store out of financial necessity, environmental values, personal belief in sharing economies, or just for fun, everyone is welcome. And by making everything free, we remove stigma, create a sense of community, and reduce waste all at once.

This model works, so well, in fact, that the Town of Chatham has recently launched their own Free Store inspired by ours in New Lebanon. This movement is growing, and for good reason. It reflects modern thinking about sustainability, dignity, and community care.

Attempts to create a system that screens or assesses whether someone “needs” access to the Free Store not only miss the point, they risk undoing what makes it work. Imposing income-based qualifications would undermine the inclusive, environmentally focused mission we’ve built together over nearly a decade.

Historically, free stores are not a new idea. They originated as part of grassroots movements aimed at reducing waste, fostering equality, and challenging the culture of consumerism. They’ve always been open to all, rooted in mutual aid and environmental stewardship, not charity or judgment.

So let me be clear:

• The Free Store is not a thrift store.
• The Free Store is not only for those in financial need.
• The Free Store is a sustainability project and a community resource.

We currently receive more donations than we can display, and there’s always something for everyone. So please, come by, donate what you can, take what you can use, and be part of a beautiful, dignified, waste-free community tradition.

Let’s protect what makes the Free Store special: it’s free, it’s open to all, and it works.

The free store opened at the New Community Center in December of 2023, but it has been around since May of 2017.

The Free Store can be accessed when the Community Center is open – see hours under Community Center – to the left of this block.

Come check out all of the free clothing, footwear, children’s items and more! The free store is not just for families in need, but for everyone. It is a green initiative to keep things out of the landfill. Reduce, reuse, recycle!  Come check it out and get amazing things that are new to you completely free.

There are not very many rules, but the most important is that you are not allowed to sell any of the items that you get from the free store. We don’t accept books except for children’s books. And we don’t have space for larger furniture and household items.