Early problem solvers

Pop-up solution

Students Olivia Paxson, Jasmine Haraburda and Johana Guci staff the Free Store in Uptown.

At the “Free Store,” Case students help struggling

classmates resupply in trying times

Think of the many items you forgot to bring to college. Now imagine not being able to go home to get them.

That’s a dilemma many students faced this past semester, with travel discouraged in the time of Covid. Meanwhile, a poor economy vanquished the part-time jobs that generated spending money. What’s a struggling college student to do?

At Case Western Reserve University, they could drop into the Student Resource Center, better known as the “Free Store,” next door to Mitchell’s Ice Cream in the Uptown district. There, they found free clothing, kitchen supplies and volunteers eager to help them get through a school year like none other.

“A lot of students are in a position where school is much different than they expected,” said Olivia Paxson, a co-founder and manager of the store, which plans to resume operations for spring semester.

Paxson, a senior majoring in civil engineering, leads a volunteer corps teeming with STEM majors — early problem solvers. They could use a little alumni help.

Demand for sweaters and jackets are high. The shop needs gently-used warm clothing, even spirit wear — yes, your old Case sweaters that no longer fit.

“I think a lot of times students don’t realize how much they’re going to need” when they go away to college, Paxson observed. Others misjudged what it takes to furnish an off-campus apartment, which they were forced to find after Covid precautions bounced them from the dorms. Sophomores and juniors learned two weeks before fall semester began that they could not live on campus.

Looking across a small, hastilyarranged thrift shop on a wintry afternoon, Paxson noted, “A lot of these things are expensive.” Second-hand shoes and boots were lined under a table stacked with sweaters and sweatshirts. Slacks and skirts hung from clothing racks, which even held some formal-wear for job interviews. Around the corner was a mini food pantry.

Nearby, ready to help, stood Jasmine Haraburda, a fourth-year biology major, and Johana Guci, a first-year biochemistry major. Like Paxson, they are part of a confederacy of student groups that mustered to launch and run the shop. Since it opened September 19, hundreds of students have come through.

The Free Store is an initiative of Undergraduate Student Government, the Undergraduate Diversity Collaborative, Student Activities & Leadership and the Office for Energy and Sustainability, which saw a way to foster a culture of reuse and sharing. The team includes the university’s Office of Real Estate, which provided the 1,300 square-foot storefront.

Paxson is co-chair of the store’s steering committee, along with Sharan Mehta, a third-year computer science major. They partner with campus groups, including the Center for Civic Engagement and Scholarship, to recruit and train volunteers.

It's coincidence that so many of the clerks are STEM majors, Paxson laughed. She reached out to friends in engineering to help, and they did the same.

Shortly before 1 p.m., a knock on the door brought in a quiet young man. He was early for his time slot but the volunteers beckoned him inside. To assure social distancing, students must schedule their visits via the website of CampusGroups. Once inside, they are allowed to choose five items, free.

“A lot of them come looking for winter jackets, warm sweaters, hats and gloves,” Paxson said. “Some are stocking their own kitchen for the first time. We have a lot of students who are struggling to find things.”

And a lot of students who are trying to help.

Donations to the Free Store can be made during store hours — 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday — at 11440 Uptown Avenue (next to Mitchell’s Ice Cream), or by appointment. Email cwruprc-exec@case.edu.