Watch the video: Elizabeth Ochs helps turn ‘trash’ into creative treasures
Elizabeth Ochs, 39, never expected to become the founder of the Creative Reuse Center of Rhode Island. But her new nonprofit, in East Providence, has already become a destination for artists and crafters in search of raw materials: the warehouse is full of buttons and rope, cardboard tubes, wire, wooden cigar boxes and much more, all meticulously organized and economically priced.
A native of Charlottesville, Virginia, Ochs came to Rhode Island to attend the Urban Studies program at Brown University. A seasoned consultant for nonprofit and educational institutions, Ochs was a regular visitor at Recycling for RI Education, along with her 7-year-old son, Isaiah Ellowitz. When RRIE was forced to shut down last year, Ochs and Isaiah took matters into their own hands, moving much of its stock before RRIE’s doors closed forever in December 2022.
Ochs, her husband, Taylor Ellowitz, and Isaiah live in Providence. We caught up with Ochs at the Creative Reuse Center, where she is the director and Isaiah spends a great deal of time and is honorary co-director.
The following Q-and-A is from a recent interview, and Ochs’ answers have been lightly edited for clarity.
What is the Creative Reuse Center?
This is a place where you can come and find reusable treasures and create new worlds with them. We believe that kids and their creativity is expansive. We believe that material shouldn’t be wasted. We believe in creating a community outside of the horror of this world – instead of being around destruction, actually be in a space of creation.
How did you put all this together?
RRIE, which is the former and beloved reuse center of Rhode Island, existed for 30 years in this massive space off of Elmwood Avenue [in Cranston], and especially educators and artists have been going there forever. So when they closed in December, we all felt sad. We felt, “This is a community treasure, and we need to retain it.”
So then we went on a bit of an adventure: We got a moving truck, we filled it up with lots of things from RRIE, and we moved it to RIMOSA, the Rhode Island Museum of Science and Art, got all set up – and then a month later, they closed.
Then we thought: We have too many treasures on our hands; we can’t let go of this. So we found a spot in South Providence that was really beautiful, we got all set up, but we realized very quickly that we would grow out of that space. So we got another moving truck – this is the third moving truck – and we came all the way to East Providence. We found an affordable space here that has an overhead door; it’s accessible for trucks and cars. And we opened in October.
How has your son gotten involved?
Every step of the way, Isaiah really has been the co-director. He has helped make all major decisions. Even though he’s seven, I feel like he knows a lot about nonprofit development, fundraising. He gives advice about volunteer training. He’s been here every step of the way.
Where do you find the materials?
Our materials come from local businesses [that] have surplus from their manufacturing presses, as well as individuals who are cleaning out their attic and are lifetime artists and want their supplies to go to future artists. So, really a little bit of everyone.
In the beginning, we were doing a lot of calling and outreach, and now people are coming to us. So we have a backlog of donations that we need to sort through, which is a really great problem to have.
What has your career been like leading up to this?
I’ve had a winding professional path here in Rhode Island. This work as a director of the Reuse Center is volunteer. My paid work is as the mentoring and leadership development program officer at the Bronfman Fellowship, which is a leadership program for Jewish high school students, and I serve as their coordinator for alumni leadership programs.
I’m also the quality adviser for 21st Century [Community Learning Center] programming, through the Rhode Island Department of Education; a technical assistant for summer learning in Central Falls and Woonsocket, funded through the United Way.
I think in all the work that I’ve ever done, whether it was organizing with the Coalition for the Homeless or creating project-based learning in Central Falls, it’s always about people-driven, community-based work. And so, to me, it’s all connected. How do we bring people together, to find the best in themselves, to nurture community? Here [at the Reuse Center], it’s objects that are the source of that community-building, but that’s really just the beginning.
How does the Reuse Center fit into the larger world of recycling?
If we don’t find a way to reuse and remake materials, we will run out of space. We will run out of materials. So, I don’t think it’s really an option anymore, and I think more and more people are realizing that. Artists are realizing that. Companies are realizing that. Kids are realizing that.
Any object needs to have more than one life, and it’s really cool to see people walk in here and get rope and tubes and wire, and then send us a picture of the most incredible creations. It’s an all-ages process of turning waste into treasure.
How have things been during this first half-year or so?
We’re open two days a week, and I wish we could be open every day of the week. We’re completely volunteer-run, so it’s totally based on volunteer availability, and eventually we [will] find a way to hire an actual staff person to be here.
When people come in, they just light up, and that feels so good. We have had birthday parties and field trips. Sometimes people just come and see what the space is like. It’s often, especially lately, really busy. It’s so cool. It’s like, “Where are all these people coming from?”
We haven’t had that much availability in terms of outreach, so our main outreach is through social media and word of mouth, and we’re so grateful to people who are helping along the way.
Who comes to the Reuse Center? What are they looking for?
We have art teachers who are looking for cheap supplies for their students. Many art teachers from local public schools barely have any school funding to get materials, and they’re so excited when we pack up their cars.
We have artists coming in, artists who use recycled materials in their work. Lots of home-school families, individuals who are creative, kids. We have several synagogues who are members, in Rhode Island and Boston, who are often coming in for their Hebrew school programs.
Oftentimes people come to donate, and we have a barter system, so if you donate, you can take things home in exchange. And some people don’t want that, because they were trying to get rid of things, but other people are excited. They’re like, “I’m no longer a quilter, but those are some really cool beads. Maybe I’ll start up a new hobby!”
For you, does the Reuse Center reflect Jewish traditions or values?
I think when Jewish identity is a core part of a person’s identity, everything we do is influenced and inspired by our community, our upbringing, our text. We really want this space to be accessible, to be safe, to be anti-racist, to work toward social justice – to me, that is my Judaism.
The Creative Reuse Center of Rhode Island is located at 991 Waterman Ave., East Providence. Hours are Sundays, 1-5 p.m., and Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information about the Reuse Center, go to CreativeReuseCenterRI.org. To watch a short video featuring Elizabeth and Isaiah, go to JewishRhody.com.
ROBERT ISENBERG (risenberg@jewishallianceri.org) is the multimedia producer for the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and a writer for Jewish Rhode Island.
Keywords
Elizabeth Ochs, Creative Reuse Center
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