Alfred Drown is raising the bar for Barrington neighborhoods. 

In the last two years, the residents of Alfred Drown have donated more than 4,000 pounds of clothing and linens to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island. And at the center of the donation effort is Richard Staples. 

The longtime Barrington resident — he also serves as Town Moderator — plays a key role in organizing and coordinating the periodic pickups. 

Staples said he came up with the idea for a neighborhood effort a few years back, after spotting large donation boxes outside the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island office in Providence. 

“I was walking to the Leadership Rhode Island office one day and noticed this box sitting out in front of their (Big Brothers Big Sisters) office,” said Staples, who volunteers as a photographer for Leadership Rhode Island. “Wanting to help them, and knowing them, as I had for several years, I had this thought that if they were putting these things in places of work why could we not have one in a place of community? So I approached them and said ‘Could the driver drop off a box for me here in Barrington and I’ll ask my neighbors to fill it up and then the truck can come back and pick it up?’ 

“They were thrilled. They said no one had ever asked us to do anything like this before.”

The nonprofit organization recognized Staples recently, selecting him for the Bonney B. Sevellon Award for Creative Impact. Named after the former Big Sisters executive director who launched the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island Donation Center, the award honors individuals who bring new ideas to sustain the organization’s mission. 

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island CFO Jack Blatchford said Staples has shown how local efforts can play a pivotal role in funding mentorship programs and reducing waste.

“Folks like Richard, who rally their communities behind Big Brothers Big Sisters Rhode Island, are essential to our mission,” Blatchford said. “Richard’s leadership and commitment not only raise crucial funds for mentoring but also foster a culture of sustainability and giving back. His work shows how one person’s vision can make Rhode Island a stronger, more supportive community.”

Staples is happy to help. The longtime resident said he posts a message on his neighborhood’s list-serv when he is preparing to put the donation boxes out in his front yard.

“I try to keep it fun, obviously because that’s the way I am,” he said. “I give them a list of what’s accepted, and a little squib about where the money goes, because that’s important. And then I usually put some humorous stuff in there about the fact that your closet may not be bringing you joy or it’s time you do your spring cleaning… or other things like that.”

Then he totes the boxes to his front yard each day. 

“Typically we’ll put the box out for a week to nine days. They pick up on Tuesdays. We might have rain in between so I might send a little in-between notice out saying the box is going to stay in the garage today so it doesn’t melt. But I have people who bring stuff and leave it at the garage door. And I just drop it in the box in the garage. That’s happening off-cycle,” he said.

“Usually, by the time I start a drive, one box is full. I have two boxes.”

Staples said his neighbors deserve a lot of the credit. Time and again, they bring bags loaded with clothes and sheets. They also donate small kitchen appliances and other items that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island are seeking out. 

“One day a woman came and she had a bag perched on the canopy of her kid’s stroller. They were just pushing it down the street,” Staples said. “I’ve had people show up with wagons … It’s been a very happy thing to do. I think people appreciate it. And I know Big Brothers Big Sisters appreciates it.”

The nonprofit says that 70 percent of the mentorship program is funded through donations just like the one held in the Alfred Drown neighborhood. Staples has seen the positive impact the mentorship program has.

“One of the reasons that I was receptive to doing this, is that one of our good family friends, Sarah Buckley, she has been a Big Sister, and I saw firsthand the impact she was having on a Little Sister. She sort of showed me tangibly what the benefits are of the mentorship program,” Staples said.

In addition, the donations also help divert items that might otherwise end up in the landfill. 

“We’ve got a problem with the landfill, right? While we haven’t really done this in Rhode Island, there are other jurisdictions that have outlawed dumping textiles because there are recycling opportunities for textiles, much like compost,” Staples said. 

The Alfred Drown resident believes events like the neighborhood clothing donation effort help build community — in his neighborhood, in his town, and in his state. 

In addition, it also shares a great lesson for the younger residents.

“It has been a real learning experience for our grandchildren,” Staples said. “Just like we do volunteering at Audubon, we’re trying to teach our grandchildren at a young age, as we did with our own children, the importance of giving back and a little understanding of why we’re doing this.”

He said the grandkids love pitching in.

“When the truck shows up, it’s like the Fourth of July out there,” Staples said. “Everybody’s just so excited to see it show up, and the drivers are great. The kids are climbing all over the truck and dragging bags over to the thing …It’s been great.”

Staples’s neighbors Matt and Alli Mitchell said the donation boxes are a great example of what makes Alfred Drown a special neighborhood.

“We moved to the neighborhood two years ago and it is truly a magical place — it is a kind, welcoming, unique, social group of people of all ages who make collective efforts on a regular basis to reach out and help each other,” the Mitchells wrote in a note to the Barrington Times. “Richard’s Big Brother Big Sisters donation box embodies the vibe of the neighborhood. While helping to clear out closets and donating to a wonderful cause, the kids get to see the joy and importance of giving. Of course the big truck that comes for pick up is a huge bonus!”

Saundy Patrick lives in the Alfred Drown neighborhood and appreciates the effort put forth by Staples.

“Whenever Richard puts the Big Brothers and Sisters box out I think, maybe I can find more…and I do,” Patrick said. “I am grateful for Richard’s efforts. Not only is he helping needy folks but his efforts keep things out of landfills. He’s been doing this for years now and I always find more items!”