Community group repurposes school and office supplies so they don't end up in landfills

DEVENS - At The Great Exchange in Devens you can get school and office supplies at a deep discount. The reason -  they're being repurposed so they don't end up in a landfill.

Dona Neely, the executive director, is all about preserving the environment.

"I can sometime push people a little too far with my obsessiveness about protecting the environment," she told WBZ-TV.

Neely runs the program to repurpose supplies. Instead of being thrown away, these items are put to good use in the community.

"We have an incredible, diverse array of all kinds of supplies and we have a second facility that's also filled with all kinds of furniture and fixtures and shelving units and janitorial equipment," Neely said.

"I love talking to people about, especially with the creative materials, what they plan on doing with them, whether it's a day care, or STEM teacher, kindergarten teacher. They are always so creative," program administrator Amanda Lansing told WBZ.

And the supplies are plenty and, at most, they cost half off.

"For me, as a small business owner, to be able to come in here and buy labels or staplers or supplies or craft items. It's great," said book shop owner Debra Rivera.

"It's so rewarding, every day just to see all the materials that we have prevented from going to the landfill. All of the teachers that we've been able to provide value for, they are always so grateful," Neely said.