Who We Are

We support individuals, families & over 50 nonprofit programs in the Capital Region of New York.

Our Mission

Grassroot Givers creates opportunities for individuals and families who are experiencing poverty in the Albany, New York, area by providing access to books, clothing, and home essentials.

What We Believe

Every human being has value & worth.

Everyone deserves to have their basic needs met in a manner that treats people with dignity and respect. The way we give makes a difference; that's why we only collect and share like-new books, clothing, and home essentials to empower people who are experiencing poverty.

Connecting communities creates better outcomes for everyone.

We believe there is strength in making the connection between the specific needs in the community with those who have resources to share. When communities work together, decreasing poverty becomes a reality.

Reuse & redistribution helps to save our planet.

We believe in giving a second life to clothing, housewares, and books to help reduce the amount of waste in our landfills.

A Message From Our Co-Directors

Grassroot Givers has come a long way since we helped our very first family who lost everything in a house fire in 2009. The community not only answered the call, the outpouring of support was enormous. This sparked the idea to open a small store where people could choose the basic necessities they needed, all of which would be completely free. In 2011, Grassroot Givers added the Book Project, recognizing the need for books in the home to support literacy for all.

From these beginnings, our tiny venture has grown into a lifeline for thousands of our neighbors. Our philosophy remains the same: we provide people with the resources they need to start a new chapter in their lives—giving them the tools to stabilize their lives, to bolster literacy, to promote economic equity, and to support the dignity that every person deserves.

We are fortunate to witness the impact our work has on a very personal level: the joy of a child who holds a new book in her hands, perhaps the first she has been able to call her own; the smile of a mother setting the table for a family meal she has just prepared; the comfort a teenager feels, sleeping in their own bed with fresh linens after transitioning from a shelter; and the confidence of a man who is now wearing the professional clothing he needs for his job interview.

As our programs continue to grow, it allows us to give even more to all who need this simple helping hand. We are so thankful to our community for their dedicated support and spirit of sharing. We humbly ask you to join us as we plan for the future.

With gratitude,
Mary Partridge-Brown & Roberta Sandler

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Roberta Sandler & Mary Partridge Brown
Co-Directors

Leadership

Co-Founder, Co-Director

Mary Partridge-Brown

Co-Founder, Co-Director

Roberta Sandler

Staff

Kisha Gross

Clothing & Home Essentials Program Coordinator

Rosemary Leicht

Administrative Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator

Jonathan Colman

Book Project Assistant

Stacey Erwell

Development and Community Outreach Assistant

Board of Directors

Deborah Liebman

Board President

James Bilik

Vice President

Katherine Wentworth-Ping

Secretary

Bradley Smith

Treasurer

Natalie Mantey

Board Member

Yolanda Kirby

Board Member

Michael Johnson

Board Member

Carey Fusco

Board Member

Weekly Volunteers

Ruth C

Guy D

Marilyn F

Liza F

Mary G

John G

Ann K

Denise K

Judy K

Joyce L

David L

Diane M

Rich M

Judy P

Judy R

Kassandra R

Norma R

Cindy S

Lynne S

Michele S

Spiro S

Eileen S

Sharon T

Bea W

Chris W

Support literacy, dignity & well-being in our community.

Make a financial gift, or donate clothes, books, or household essentials.
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