Bekki Utley (pictured) and her friend, Renee Wujek, average 30 to 40 hours a week picking up, sorting, washing, and distributing clothes, furniture, and supplies to those in need. Photo by Adela Crandell Durkee

Bekki Utley of Crystal Lake knew there had to be a better way to repurpose used items.It all started when Utley, a mother of four, needed things to help a friend. She tried Freecycle, but items got snatched up so fast, it seemed pointless to Utley. She decided to take matters into her own hands. Utley started a Facebook page.

She considers what she does as rehoming.

Utley began rehoming her baby clothes and furniture when she decided four children were enough for her. That was a little more than two years ago when she still lived in the affordable housing on Congress Parkway, Crystal Lake.

Now, she and her friend, Renee Wujek, 33, from McHenry, average 30 to 40 hours a week picking up, sorting, washing, and distributing clothes, furniture, and supplies to those in need.

Wujek has five children. The women also provide resource referrals for people who need assistance.

They both administer three different Facebook pages:

• A Helping Hand for McHenry County;
• McHenry county Illinois Give Away;
• McHenry and Lake County Single Parents ISO Donate and Giveaway.

Each Facebook page announces items to rehome. Members can post ISO (In Search Of) items. Members are on their honor to use the items themselves or give them to someone in need, rather than re-sell them. Wujek and Utley do spend some time policing various sites to assure no one profits from their efforts.

“When we find someone selling items, we block them from the page,” said Utley. “We don’t want drama. We’re just trying to help people.”

Utley’s husband works as a computer-assisted design/computer-assisted manufacturing (Cad/Cam) programmer; Wujek’s works for Comcast.

Each of the women makes and markets handmade items at craft fairs throughout the year. Utley crochets and Wujek makes laundry soap. Still, they consider themselves working class or lower-middle class Stay-at-Home Mothers. Every penny counts. Thrift is a necessity, not a hobby. They understand, from first-hand experience the importance of helping each other.

Utley and Wujek store as many items as they can. If the item is too big, like a recent over-stuffed sofa, one of them will go to the site and take photos to post on a page.

Sometimes Utley and Wujek find they have an overabundance of donations. That’s when they visit Sparrow’s Nest, 1st Way Pregnancy Center, On Angels’ Wings, or Informed Choices. These are resources the pair often recommends to families who ask for help. If clothing is in disrepair, they take it to Goodwill to be made into rags.

Utley is recovering from carpal tunnel syndrome surgery, and in the process of moving to a new home, a rent-to-own house on the other side of Crystal Lake. Those two life-experiences slowed her down a bit, but she’s not stopping.

“I like helping people,” she said. “I’m in a place where I can help. It’s the right thing to do.”

— Women rehome items for those in need —