Ed BakerThe Taunton Daily Gazette
TAUNTON — Wooden lockers stocked with free hygiene supplies and personal care items for the needy will be sprouting up around the Taunton area as part of the Purpose Locker Foundation's vision.
Chairman Alex Crisman, 24, said the nonprofit will work with local businesses and organizations in Taunton and nearby communities to place wooden lockers containing these items inside their establishments. Crisman said his organization will manage the lockers and keep them stocked. Anyone can take items from the locker as needed, without judgement.
"The business and other locations would be an access point for homeless or needy people to go and grab what they need from the locker," Crisman said.
The lockers will contain bottled hygiene soap, deodorant, bathing wipes, hair hygiene, shampoo conditioner, hair brushes, and combs for people in need to receive free of charge.
"We will also have toothbrushes, dental floss, toothpaste, and feminine hygiene kits that will contain a week's worth of tampon pads," he said. "We will also stock the lockers with hats, gloves, rain ponchos, tin foil blankets, and cotton blankets."
How the Purpose Locker Foundation got started
Crisman said he and his brother Tony Orlo's concerns for needy people encouraged them and their family to create The Purpose Locker Foundation in July 2021 during the COVID pandemic.
"At the start of COVID, we noticed more people out of work," he said. "We saw people standing outside stores asking people for money. From there, we thought there was something we could do to help people."
Crisman said he and Orlo began giving needy people bags that contained soap, hygiene items, snacks, water, socks, and an occasional blanket.
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"We handed them to people standing near streets and holding signs that asked people for help," he added.
The duo also gave supply bags to homeless people encamped near railroad tracks that border the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority station on County Street.
"Some people accepted them, and some were territorial and would not accept them," he said.
Matthew Mission Food Pantry chairman Norman Grenier said Purpose Locker's efforts to help homeless people would ease the burden of the non-profit group he leads in Taunton that the First Parish Church's Thrift Shop assists.
"When people come into the food pantry, we ask them if they need something else, and if they do, we walk with them to the thrift shop," he said. "We then give them pants, a coat, and toiletries. If someone else wants to provide some combs, razors, and shaving cream, that is great."
Purpose Locker 'is a great fit' at Cameron Recovery Center
Crisman said his agency's first supply locker was placed at Cameron Recovery Center in Attleboro, and it has been assisting needy people since October 2022.
"Since that locker has been there, they have had an increase of people that come to get items," he said. "Some people then go to Alcohol, Narcotics, and Gamblers Anonymous meetings."
Cameron Recovery Center Director Stephen Rollings said the locker's presence "is a great fit" for people needing essential items.
Rollings said the locker has encouraged shy homeless people to come into Cameron Recovery Center to get supplies because "they know there are other people present that are trying to get help."
"They might not want to go to a place where they feel weird to get stuff," he said.
Rollings said the locker attracted some people who need supplies and are struggling with addiction to attend recovery meetings.
"There is a recovery meeting held in the morning, afternoon, and every night," he said. "Everyone is welcome to come."
Purpose Locker Foundation lockers include job listings
Crisman said their lockers would have a list of available jobs for needy people to review while they receive supplies at a designated location.
"We listed five or seven jobs on the locker at the Cameron Recovery Center that are in a five-mile radius of that place," he said. "The postings we do will be area specific. If a locker is placed in a Taunton location, we will list jobs within five miles of that site."
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Crisman said he gets the job listings from Indeed, an American worldwide employment website subsidiary of Japan's Recruit Co. Ltd.
"I look for jobs to post that require applicants to have a high school diploma," he said.
Taunton Area Chamber of Commerce president Kris Silva said the job listing plan is "fantastic," and the chamber recently welcomed Purpose Locker Foundation as a nonprofit member.
"First Citizens Federal Credit Union sponsored the Purpose Locker membership as part of the chamber's business-for-business program," she added.
Crisman said First Citizens Federal Credit Union paid his agency's annual membership fee "of just over $300."
"They donated $500 to us so we could buy different items to place in our lockers," he said.
Easton Church supplies Purpose Locker Foundation
Purpose Locker Foundation recently received supplies and non-perishable goods from New Hope Christian Chapel in Easton to distribute to needy people at the Cameron Recovery Center.
Michelle Stratton, wife of church pastor Rev. David Stratton said youngsters collected the donations in a "Mission's Kids" program.
"They collected hygiene items, hats, gloves, and toiletry items to fill the locker," she said.
Stratton said she learned about Purpose Locker Foundation's desire to help needy people as director of The Center on Main , which is a new community center that is under construction in downtown Taunton at the former Forman's Bridal Department store.
"Jesus said the homeless will always be with us, and we won't get rid of that problem easily," she said. "It's a great idea to provide for the homeless."
Crisman said people could contribute financially to Purpose Locker Foundation on the agency's website http://www.thepurposelockerfoundation.org.
"On the website, there are ways for people to know how to donate items," he said. "If a business or person wants to assist us, we have contact information on the website."
