A Group of Boone locals came together under the grassroots organization, High Country Mutual Aid, to open an appointment-based free store to give material goods to anyone who applies.
The organization is donation based and volunteer operated. The group currently has around 10 members that fluctuate with people coming and going from the organization, said Red Eloranta, one of the founders of HCMA.
“Me and a couple of friends decided to start a mutual aid group to try to start filling in the gaps that we noticed in the community,” Eloranta said.
The store accepts a range of donations from personal hygiene products to winter coats and blankets.
“The free store is more than just a food pantry. In fact, it’s focusing more on material goods and less on food,” Eloranta said. “I think the vision behind that, when we were conceptualizing it, was specifically around how we can do something like Goodwill but for free.”
The group also works to spread awareness of other resources available to people in need by posting on their Instagram and organizing meetings. They are currently building a resource database that is intended to be a list of resources with ranging topics, like legal help, food pantries, healthcare and more.
“Boone has resources, a lot of them; they’re just not in collaboration with one another in the way that they could be,” Eloranta said.
One of the main points of the free store is that it is accessible to anyone who requests an appointment. There are no limitations on what or how much people can take, regardless of their background.
“Being able to make this something that is accessible without having those questions asked, I think is crucial and critical,” said Ella Chamberlain, an App State alum and member of HCMA. “A lot of people will just go without if they have to do all these things between them to get these resources.”
The free store is in its beginning stages and is operating out of a small space. However, HCMA is working toward collecting more donations of material goods in order to better support their community, according to their website.
“I want to see my hometown be a place where everybody has their needs met. No questions asked,” Eloranta said. “I really aspire to see this be a tool and catalyst for a more connected, local community.”
