2025 Year In Review

We are winding down 2025 and it’s time to reflect on the year behind us! What a year it was! I’d like to share the work we did together supporting the communities that surround us.

In 2025 we held 37 free shopping events across the South Coast (there would have been more but 4 of them got cancelled due to weather!). These events supported 2,091 people with free clothing, shoes, toiletries and other supplies as we had them. They include Walt’s annual events, The Essential Women’s Event and our Back-to-School Event. Our annual attendance at NB Connect supporting the homeless population in the New Bedford area. And two new events – Project Connect/Summer Kindness in Fall River supporting the homeless population there and Unity Connect – support and safety to our LGBTQ+ community. Thank you to our collaborators who put on these events.

The other half of our work is supporting the individual needs of our community partners – throughout the year our partners reached out to Walt’s for clothing and other assistance for their members/clients. In 2025 we assisted (23) social service and other community resource agencies along the South Coast helping (513) individuals. In 2024 that number was (395). These individual support requests cover folks who are homeless, transitioning from incarceration, in addiction recovery programs, fleeing domestic violence, looking for (or starting a new) job, or simply needing a lift up due to life circumstances. It was our honor and privilege to provide this assistance, and we offer our gratitude to these agencies that are on the front lines of this work in our communities.

None of this happened without our incredible team of volunteers who give their hearts….every time. Our continued partnerships with our local drop spot locations keeps this whole operation moving and we can’t thank them enough for standing by us. Thank you Gleason Family YMCA in Wareham, New Again in Carver and the Marion COA. And finally, to all of you that keep cheering us on, spreading the word, and stepping up when something is needed. Thank you for being our cheerleaders, our spirit and our voice out there in the communities…we see you.

As many of you know, we took a big step in May of 2025 by opening Walt’s Consignment. Funding to keep the lights on has been a struggle for us and it led us to “what if we give this a try?” We started off doing consignment selling just like the Closet…mobile at farmer’s markets and other pop-up shopping venues. People loved the idea of being able to buy something for themselves knowing they were also supporting Walt’s Mobile Closet. In September we made a leap of faith and consolidated all of Walt’s into one space at the Kilburn Mill in New Bedford. A dream to be in one space with heat and air conditioning! Thank you for your support in this new venture that helps us keep going! Consignment for a Cause.

At the heart of Walt’s is our fervent desire to restore human connection, spirit and kindness. Our work is providing free clothing, but the clothing is just the vessel that allows us to extend our hands and hearts in humanity – in love – in restoring dignity. Moments of human-to-human contact, open hearts, open minds, “what do you need”, “how can I help?”. As this new year starts, we ask all of you to embrace our shared humanity – connect with someone…anyone…and embrace them with your full attention. Our challenges today are great – hate, fear, distrust and anger flow freely. Let’s spread our wings of love and humanity for all and rise up together in a New Year of strength, love and unity.