UNION — Last summer, single mother and empty nester Shel McAfee took a look around her house at all the stuff that she and her kids had accumulated over the years and realized it had to go.

“They were wonderful things, but I didn’t need them anymore,” she said. Suddenly, an inspired thought came to her: Why not give it all away for free?

McAfee, who suffers from numerous ailments and illnesses, is disabled, so she enlisted the help of some friends to put everything in her driveway for one day. 

“I didn’t have the physical ability to bring four tires to the dump,” she said. “So, I advertised it so that people could come and take it all away. The only catch was, if you only needed two tires, you had to take all four. It was so much fun to let people take anything they wanted. People said to me, ‘Gosh, my grandmother had plates like these or my daughter would love this.’”

By the end of that day, neighbors and strangers had completely cleared out her driveway, leading her to a revelation. There were many people in Maine who struggle, just like her, and being able to give away a much-needed item to someone who deeply appreciated it became her new calling.

McAfee doesn’t have a website, nor does she operate a formal operation with a name. She simply collects inventory every day and stores it in her basement, then posts a photo and description of the items on the Facebook page, All Free Midcoast. Anyone who wants the items only has to mention it in a comment, or personal message McAfee.

“And if I don’t have it, chances are I can find it,” she said.

In less than a year, her free donations have spread word of mouth, all over Maine. 

“I’m open 24-7, 365 days a year to anyone who wants anything,” she said. “You message me at 2 a.m. because of an emergency, I’ll put the coffee on — come on over. For people who truly need the help, it makes their lives a lot easier.”

She recalls several times families have called her in the middle of the night after a house fire to ask if she could provide them with clothes, as well as victims of domestic abuse who had to get out during an emergency and didn’t even have a toothbrush. McAfee now works with organizations such as the Red Cross, Midcoast Mental Health, Maine Department of Health and Human Services and Waldo County Area Families Helping Families to find and give away specific things for their clients.

Additionally, she makes re-purposed gift baskets and emergency kits for people in crisis who find themselves temporarily homeless.

Her basement is a revolving inventory of furniture, dishware, pots and pans, adult and children’s clothing, toys and books. For McAfee, who used to be a professional auditor and can no longer work, her informal program serves a very real personal need: human contact. Not one day has gone by since her driveway giveaway that someone hasn’t dropped something off as inventory or come by to pick something up. Her favorite thing to do is to help women look through some of the clothing items in her basement and let her play fashion consultant.

“I know women’s body types and I tell them, ‘Trust me.’ Then, they’ll put what I’ve chosen on, look in the mirror and sometimes cry, because they look so good,” said McAfee.

Some people might find her open house policy unnerving, particularly for a single woman living alone, but not once has McAfee had any reservations about inviting strangers to her home to take what they need.

“I don’t require an application. I don’t need identification. I don’t even need to know what your story is, if you need it honey, it’s yours,” she said. Her only sticking point is to treat her and her children with respect. She said she has had absolutely no problems with anyone who has ever come to her home, which is a testament to the strength of Maine’s small town communities.

McAfee prefers electronic contact through the Facebook page when arranging for a pickup, rather than speaking over the phone, due to memory issues. She also has a dire need for volunteers to help her.

“I don’t ask for money, but I need people’s time,” she said. “I just can’t physically move everything by myself.”

Anyone who wants to donate items or browse items for pick up can go to All Free Midcoast.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com