It takes lots of people to bring this event together! We'd love a few more helpful hands. Click the green button to the right to visit our Sign Up Genius. Volunteer for 1 hour, 3 hours or all day! This is a great way to earn some Community Service hours for CPS and CCHS students! |
Here's how it works...
Clear out all those garage, basement and attic items you no longer use/want. (No junk and nothing broken or hazardous.) Bring them to the Swap Meet, 8:00 am to noon on June 11, 2022, under the solar panels at the Carlisle Public Schools on Church Street (see map here). After meeting with our screeners, you will proceed to designated areas to distribute your items. Gently used games or garden tools should be placed at the designated areas. Leave that bike under the sports sign and place those old dishes at the small household goods area, etc.
Then come back after lunch to 'shop'! Walk through the areas and take what you want!
Please take a look at our partners for this Swap Meet, Ascentria Care Alliance, perhaps you would like your items to help them out...
Then come back after lunch to 'shop'! Walk through the areas and take what you want!
Please take a look at our partners for this Swap Meet, Ascentria Care Alliance, perhaps you would like your items to help them out...
Drop Off - 8:00 am to Noon
Items for the Swap Meet can only be dropped off in the morning, before noon. We have limited time to share your left overs with our charitable organizations and your friends and neighbors. Items brought in the afternoon will likely be sent back home with you. Be sure to bring items that others would actually want to take home. Help us prevent the need to transport truckloads of items, that might really trash, to the Transfer Station at the end of the day. This will save an immense amount of work for volunteers and staff from the Department of Public Works. Our screeners will check your items as you drop them off to make sure that the items at the Swap Meet are of potential use to someone else. We will ask you to take items that cannot be reused to the Transfer Station. It would be most helpful to us and easier for you if you sorted your donations from trash prior to dropping off your donations at the Swap Meet. There are limits for some items:
Good reasons to take it to the Transfer Station instead:
Free Shopping - 1:00 to 4:00 pm Visit the Swap Meet between 1:00 and 4:00, with a bag to "shop" for any treasures to take home. No need to ask, just take what you see, it's all free. (Unless someone else is holding it!). Parking will be at FRS, the faculty lot near the Plaza, in front of Spalding Field, along Church and School Streets, etc. Please observe disabled spaces near the school so everyone can enjoy the Swap Meet! Only charitable organizations collecting useful items will park in the parking lot. Folks collecting larger items will be permitted to drive in to load their treasure! More Swap Meet Donation Partners
The following organizations have been invited to collect items for their clients after drop off at noon. It's great to know that your clean-out can make a difference in someone's life!
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Our 2022 PartnersThis year we are partnering with Ascentria Care Alliance; an innovative human-centered care model to help individuals and families move forward and thrive - physically, intellectually, socially, spiritually and economically. Throughout the day we will package up items that refugees will need to be on hand when ACA helps a new family. You can request that your items go directly to this cause by packing and labeling your items before you bring them to the Swap Meet. Representatives from ACA will be on hand to accept your items. Here is what they are looking for: Sets of items (packaged in single sets, labeled with count and contents, 'plates, bowls and coffee cups for four'.)
Other items that do not need to be individually packaged:
For the kids
Collecting clothes for free boutique!The folks in Harvard, AM have set up a lovely clothing boutique for their refugee clients. If you'd like to donate clothing, please follow these guidelines:
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Then what happens?
The Carlisle Cheer Project has arrangements with several charitable organizations: Habitat for Humanity, More than Words, the Bike Connector, Staples and Cradles to Crayons, among others. Please let us know if you are aware of an organization that might want to take some items for their use! Left over items will be boxed up for these organizations. Items that are not taken by 'shoppers' or charitable organizations will, sadly, be added to the town's solid waste at the Transfer Station.
How can you help?
There are a couple ways you can help us out at the Swap Meet:
The Carlisle Cheer Project has arrangements with several charitable organizations: Habitat for Humanity, More than Words, the Bike Connector, Staples and Cradles to Crayons, among others. Please let us know if you are aware of an organization that might want to take some items for their use! Left over items will be boxed up for these organizations. Items that are not taken by 'shoppers' or charitable organizations will, sadly, be added to the town's solid waste at the Transfer Station.
How can you help?
There are a couple ways you can help us out at the Swap Meet:
- Volunteer! Find our volunteer sign up here www.signupgenius.com/go/508094DABAC28A20-swap1.
- Only bring items people would actually want to have in their home - please don't bring junk.
- Don't drop off your items to the Swap Meet after noon.
- Shop! (1-4pm) Come and take treasures home with you!
- Come back at 4:00 to help us sort and pack up what is left.
- Visit this page again before you venture out to the Swap Meet, we are adding details as they are developed!
- Spread the word and help us make sure every usable item finds a new home!
Carlisle Mosquito 25 May 2022
Partnering with a purpose: Carlisle Swap Meet to support Afghan
It’s time to clear out closets, tidy up the garage, and empty the attic—the popular Carlisle Swap Meet is back. The Swap Meet will take place on Saturday, June 11, and will operate much like the previous meets: donors can drop off items under the solar panels at Carlisle Public School between 8 a.m. and noon, then come back to hunt for treasures from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
For this event, the Carlisle Cheer Project is partnering with Ascentria Care Alliance, an innovative care agency that helps vulnerable individuals and families in transition adapt and thrive in their new communities. Throughout the day, volunteers will sort and reserve items that Ascentria needs to help local refugee families. Donors can request their items go directly to this cause by packing and labeling merchandise prior to dropping it off at the Swap Meet.
Partnering for greater impact
Carlisle Cheer Project member Christine Lear said that Ascentria was a natural choice to partner in 2022. “The Cheer Project has always collaborated with local non-profits, inviting them to take what they need for their clients at each Swap Meet. But we were looking for more direct impact at a time when so many local folks are eager to help with the Afghan and now Ukrainian refugee situations.”
Lear said the Cheer Project reached out to Ascentria when they posted appeals for goods on City in the Woods. “A few phone calls later, we learned a bit more about Ascentria and asked them if they would like to partner with us for the June 11 Swap Meet,” Lear said. “This organization is large enough to handle the sudden volume that we hope the Swap Meet will generate, yet is still a local organization that benefits people settling into this area. It’s really a great match!”
Assisting refugee families in need
Neighborhood Support Team (NST) organizer and Harvard resident Terry Symula said that she first got involved with refugee assistance five or six years ago, when she read in her church bulletin that Ascentria was seeking aid for a Rwandan family placed in the area. When Afghan families began to arrive in the US last September, Symula once again felt compelled to help. She and some friends learned about NSTs, groups dedicated to meeting the needs of refugee families by providing housing, clothing, language support, education. “I thought forming an NST would be a great way to help, so I threw the idea out to the community and I received an overwhelming response.”
Each NST is composed of 20 to 30 volunteers who welcome and support one Afghan family in their community under the guidance of an Ascentria case manager. “We signed up for one family, but we got 24 people,” Symula recalled. “First there was a family of nine, then another family of ten, and then a third small family.” Symula said they are currently housing 15 children, 12 of whom are in the public schools in Harvard and three are preschool age. “We are not exactly sure how old the children are since most of them come to the US with credentials listing their birthday as January 1.” Symula said the two large families both have a set of twins around 16, with children as young as two and one with an infant.
While many families arrive in the US with a number of children, one family in resettlement in Harvard is just a father and son. “The father had a valuable skill that could be used against him, so the government wanted him to leave immediately before the Taliban could find and kill him,” Symula explained. “We learned later that he left behind a wife and six other children, the youngest of which is only three years old.”
Housing struggles
When the first Afghan families arrived, they were initially housed at the Friendly Crossways Inn, an old youth hostel in Harvard. When the contract for the Inn expired, the families were moved to rectories at St. Theresa’s in Harvard and St. Francis’ in Bolton while awaiting a more permanent solution. Symula said Harvard has given temporary permission for some families to be moved to the Bromfield House in Harvard, a municipal building willed to the town by Blanchard Bromfield. “During school vacation in April we were able to clean out the space, get it furnished, and move one family in by Friday of that week.” The NST continues to look for longer-term housing options in the area, actively seeking homes that are affordable and within walking distance of school.
Adapting to life in the US
Symula explained that while food, clothing, and housing are immediate needs, the end goal is to help each family become independent. “We try to help the family stand on solid ground for a while as they try to get their lives back together,” she said. Many of the refugees speak little or no English, so the children learn English at the same time they take other subjects in school. “The children are wonderful, loving, so enthusiastic about going to school and making friends,” said Symula. “The core teachers have said these are some of the happiest children they have ever had in class.” Many of the children work with private tutors after school to stay on track with their new peers.
Shopping for clothing and other essential items is tricky for large families, so the NST has set up a store called The Shop at the Congregational Church in Harvard. The Shop is styled after a modern retail boutique and is stocked with new and lightly used items for shoppers of all ages. “We can take families there to shop for everyone and have opened it up to other NSTs as well,” said Symula. “We hope to add many new items from the Carlisle Swap Meet in June.”
Symula said the Harvard NST tries to connect their refugee families to other families living in nearby communities. “To celebrate the end of Ramadan, we hosted a party for the kids. They invited their friends, some of the teachers came, as well as an Afghan family from Team Hope in Lowell.” She said there are a number of Afghan families in the Worcester area as well, and noted that Carlisle also currently supports one family in town.
Long road to independence
The end goal for the Harvard NST is to help families adapt to their new life in the US. “We help them learn the language so they can find a job, then find their own housing, maybe in Ayer or at Devens,” explained Symula. “Eventually we hope they can save enough money to buy a car. We will take them as far as they need to be independent.”
“Refugee families only have a two-year permit to stay in the US,” she said. “They can keep reapplying, but what they really need is a pathway to citizenship and a direct route to a green card.” Given the recent war in Ukraine, Symula feels like the Afghan crisis has been nearly forgotten by government officials.
Symula said she believes the father/son family in Harvard is going to reach self-sufficiency earlier than some of the others. “They speak English, have gotten their drivers’ licenses, and are currently living in a team member’s condo while they save money for first and last month’s rent and security deposit.” Despite their success in adapting to life in the US, she said there is no way to know when they might be reunited with the rest of their family.
On June 11, representatives from Ascentria will be on hand at the Carlisle Swap Meet to accept items to aid Afghan refugee families. Complete sets of new or gently used household items are encouraged, including dishes, beverage glasses, pots and pans, sheets, blankets, towels, and like-new clothing. Dolls, trucks, puzzles and games and small toys suitable for ages 0-12 and in excellent, like-new condition are also encouraged. For a complete list of what to bring and what not to bring, visit carlislecheerproject.weebly.com/carlisle-swap-meet.html. ∆
by Mary-Lynne Bohn
Partnering with a purpose: Carlisle Swap Meet to support Afghan
It’s time to clear out closets, tidy up the garage, and empty the attic—the popular Carlisle Swap Meet is back. The Swap Meet will take place on Saturday, June 11, and will operate much like the previous meets: donors can drop off items under the solar panels at Carlisle Public School between 8 a.m. and noon, then come back to hunt for treasures from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
For this event, the Carlisle Cheer Project is partnering with Ascentria Care Alliance, an innovative care agency that helps vulnerable individuals and families in transition adapt and thrive in their new communities. Throughout the day, volunteers will sort and reserve items that Ascentria needs to help local refugee families. Donors can request their items go directly to this cause by packing and labeling merchandise prior to dropping it off at the Swap Meet.
Partnering for greater impact
Carlisle Cheer Project member Christine Lear said that Ascentria was a natural choice to partner in 2022. “The Cheer Project has always collaborated with local non-profits, inviting them to take what they need for their clients at each Swap Meet. But we were looking for more direct impact at a time when so many local folks are eager to help with the Afghan and now Ukrainian refugee situations.”
Lear said the Cheer Project reached out to Ascentria when they posted appeals for goods on City in the Woods. “A few phone calls later, we learned a bit more about Ascentria and asked them if they would like to partner with us for the June 11 Swap Meet,” Lear said. “This organization is large enough to handle the sudden volume that we hope the Swap Meet will generate, yet is still a local organization that benefits people settling into this area. It’s really a great match!”
Assisting refugee families in need
Neighborhood Support Team (NST) organizer and Harvard resident Terry Symula said that she first got involved with refugee assistance five or six years ago, when she read in her church bulletin that Ascentria was seeking aid for a Rwandan family placed in the area. When Afghan families began to arrive in the US last September, Symula once again felt compelled to help. She and some friends learned about NSTs, groups dedicated to meeting the needs of refugee families by providing housing, clothing, language support, education. “I thought forming an NST would be a great way to help, so I threw the idea out to the community and I received an overwhelming response.”
Each NST is composed of 20 to 30 volunteers who welcome and support one Afghan family in their community under the guidance of an Ascentria case manager. “We signed up for one family, but we got 24 people,” Symula recalled. “First there was a family of nine, then another family of ten, and then a third small family.” Symula said they are currently housing 15 children, 12 of whom are in the public schools in Harvard and three are preschool age. “We are not exactly sure how old the children are since most of them come to the US with credentials listing their birthday as January 1.” Symula said the two large families both have a set of twins around 16, with children as young as two and one with an infant.
While many families arrive in the US with a number of children, one family in resettlement in Harvard is just a father and son. “The father had a valuable skill that could be used against him, so the government wanted him to leave immediately before the Taliban could find and kill him,” Symula explained. “We learned later that he left behind a wife and six other children, the youngest of which is only three years old.”
Housing struggles
When the first Afghan families arrived, they were initially housed at the Friendly Crossways Inn, an old youth hostel in Harvard. When the contract for the Inn expired, the families were moved to rectories at St. Theresa’s in Harvard and St. Francis’ in Bolton while awaiting a more permanent solution. Symula said Harvard has given temporary permission for some families to be moved to the Bromfield House in Harvard, a municipal building willed to the town by Blanchard Bromfield. “During school vacation in April we were able to clean out the space, get it furnished, and move one family in by Friday of that week.” The NST continues to look for longer-term housing options in the area, actively seeking homes that are affordable and within walking distance of school.
Adapting to life in the US
Symula explained that while food, clothing, and housing are immediate needs, the end goal is to help each family become independent. “We try to help the family stand on solid ground for a while as they try to get their lives back together,” she said. Many of the refugees speak little or no English, so the children learn English at the same time they take other subjects in school. “The children are wonderful, loving, so enthusiastic about going to school and making friends,” said Symula. “The core teachers have said these are some of the happiest children they have ever had in class.” Many of the children work with private tutors after school to stay on track with their new peers.
Shopping for clothing and other essential items is tricky for large families, so the NST has set up a store called The Shop at the Congregational Church in Harvard. The Shop is styled after a modern retail boutique and is stocked with new and lightly used items for shoppers of all ages. “We can take families there to shop for everyone and have opened it up to other NSTs as well,” said Symula. “We hope to add many new items from the Carlisle Swap Meet in June.”
Symula said the Harvard NST tries to connect their refugee families to other families living in nearby communities. “To celebrate the end of Ramadan, we hosted a party for the kids. They invited their friends, some of the teachers came, as well as an Afghan family from Team Hope in Lowell.” She said there are a number of Afghan families in the Worcester area as well, and noted that Carlisle also currently supports one family in town.
Long road to independence
The end goal for the Harvard NST is to help families adapt to their new life in the US. “We help them learn the language so they can find a job, then find their own housing, maybe in Ayer or at Devens,” explained Symula. “Eventually we hope they can save enough money to buy a car. We will take them as far as they need to be independent.”
“Refugee families only have a two-year permit to stay in the US,” she said. “They can keep reapplying, but what they really need is a pathway to citizenship and a direct route to a green card.” Given the recent war in Ukraine, Symula feels like the Afghan crisis has been nearly forgotten by government officials.
Symula said she believes the father/son family in Harvard is going to reach self-sufficiency earlier than some of the others. “They speak English, have gotten their drivers’ licenses, and are currently living in a team member’s condo while they save money for first and last month’s rent and security deposit.” Despite their success in adapting to life in the US, she said there is no way to know when they might be reunited with the rest of their family.
On June 11, representatives from Ascentria will be on hand at the Carlisle Swap Meet to accept items to aid Afghan refugee families. Complete sets of new or gently used household items are encouraged, including dishes, beverage glasses, pots and pans, sheets, blankets, towels, and like-new clothing. Dolls, trucks, puzzles and games and small toys suitable for ages 0-12 and in excellent, like-new condition are also encouraged. For a complete list of what to bring and what not to bring, visit carlislecheerproject.weebly.com/carlisle-swap-meet.html. ∆
by Mary-Lynne Bohn