Susan Rosenberg had a problem many Newton homeowners know well: 4,400 square feet of accumulated life, and a 1,900-square-foot Boston apartment waiting on the other end of a move. Sheets, towels, pots, pans, vases, rugs. All still useful. All needing somewhere to go.
She found Welcome Home.
The West Newton nonprofit, which marked its 10th anniversary on July 4, has grown from a two-person idea into a 134-volunteer operation that redistributes gently used household goods to people in need each month, with no fees, no forms, and no eligibility requirements. The organization's website says it serves hundreds of people monthly.
"You feel good about it … you have things that still have life to them," Rosenberg said of donating her belongings.
Co-founders Julie Plaut Mahoney and Mindy Peckler launched Welcome Home in 2016 after Plaut Mahoney, who worked with older adults who were downsizing, noticed how many still-useful items were being discarded. She called Peckler, and the two started collecting and redistributing goods from their homes. The volunteer corps grew from two to eight before the pandemic and has since reached 134.
The program works both directions. Donors get a responsible path for belongings they can't take with them. Recipients get household essentials at no cost and with dignity built into the process. Half the space at 29 Dunstan Street in West Newton is set up like a home-goods store where clients can browse and choose up to five decorative items for themselves.
Newton resident Michelle Fineberg donated everything in her late father's kitchen to Welcome Home about three and a half years ago. Peckler said the emotional weight of parting with a loved one's possessions is something volunteers encounter regularly, and that knowing items will be used again helps donors let go.
On the receiving end, a client identified only as Brianna, who was homeless for six years in Rhode Island and Massachusetts before transitioning to independent living, described the experience of choosing items that made her new place feel like her own. Her caseworker at a shelter connected her to the program.
Welcome Home also maintains a table outside the Newton Food Pantry, making items available to pantry visitors. The organization deliberately does not track the people it serves, a choice that means it cannot qualify for federal funding. It relies entirely on individual and corporate donations.
Plaut Mahoney serves as executive director. Peckler remains on the board.
How to donate
Welcome Home accepts new and gently used kitchenware, bedding, bath items, rugs, lamps, and curtains. It does not accept furniture, clothing, baby items, or books.
Drop-off hours at 29 Dunstan Street, West Newton:
- Mondays, 1–2 p.m.
- Wednesdays, 1–2 p.m.
- Thursdays, 10:30–11:30 a.m.
A reservation is required via SignUpGenius. Current urgent needs include warm blankets, pots and pans, sheets (king, queen, and full sizes), towels, coffee pots, and blenders.
More information: welcomehomemass.org or (617) 454-4795.
