Our mission at The Free Store project is to provide for, unite, and empower our neighbors relieving the immediate impact COVID-19 has had on individuals, households, and small businesses. We do this by building beautiful accessible pop-up markets – where there is no catch and EVERYTHING IS FREE. Free Stores are an extension of the care and kindness New Yorkers have for one another. They give us opportunities to rebuild, restore, and nourish the futures of our communities. The Free Store Project launched in October 2020. The founder, Myles, was inspired to create this project after noticing the increasing number of storefront vacancies amid the pandemic. After seeing a similar project popup in her native Chicago, she decided to take action. “There are people who want to do something in this time…They want to take care of each other. A Free Store is exactly what it sounds like: a store, but EVERYTHING IN IT IS FREE! Open, and accessible to the public 24/7 – no one is turned away. All are welcome, and encouraged to take whatever they need and contribute if they can.