WOONSOCKET – The Wildflower Misfit Collective exists, says Renee Gomes, because she knows what it feels like to fall through every crack a system has.
“I grew up in the state’s care, survived homelessness, addiction, and young motherhood, and learned firsthand how hard it is to get what you need when the world decides you’re not worth the effort,” she says. “This work is my way of making sure other people don’t have to fight that same battle alone.”
Also known as Wildflower Misfit Thrift and Threads since Gomes started it in April, the effort centers on a a one-woman free mobile thrift pop-up, meant to redistribute clothing, essentials, “and a little bit of everything” to people who need the items.
“Wildflower Misfit is a free, barrier‑free redistribution project built on dignity, autonomy, and community care, according to Gomes.
“I give away clothing, essentials, and comfort without paperwork, judgment, or hoops to jump through,” she said. “No one has to prove their struggle to deserve help. If you show up, you’re welcome. If you need something, you take it. That’s the whole model.”
Gomes who previously lived in Central Falls, moved two years ago to Woonsocket, where she noticed that organizations often don’t focus on the community as a whole, including people in varying degrees of need.
She takes an active interest in all aspects of the community she operates from, frequently commenting on and organizing around local issues.
She says she runs the collective the same way she survived her childhood: with organized chaos, stubborn hope, humor, and heart.
Gomes said the collaborative is a big part of what she does, but isn’t the whole picture. She’s a substance-use counselor, and is working on her master’s degree in mental health counseling and addiction treatment.
“I was a kid who grew up in the system, fell through the cracks at 17, and ended up homeless and in addiction,” she said. “I’ve been sober for 9 years now.”
The work she does now isn’t theoretical, it’s personal, she said.
“Wildflower Misfit is the part of my life that’s mine, she said, and the name has weight.
“‘Wildflower’ and ‘Misfit’ are absolutely ways I see myself,” she said. “I grew in places I wasn’t supposed to, I never fit neatly into the boxes people tried to put me in, and I learned to turn all of that into strength instead of shame. That’s the energy behind the project, making beauty out of hard places and creating space for people who don’t fit the mold.”
Donations to the collaborative come in waves by other community members and out of her own pocket.
“I sort, clean, fold, and haul until they become something someone can use,” she said. “Every pop‑up is designed to feel human, warm, and shame‑free, because I remember what it felt like to have nothing that fit or made me feel like myself.”
Wildflower Misfit is more than a pop‑up, says Gomes.
“It’s a soft rebellion against the charity mindset that makes people feel small. It’s a community space built by someone who’s lived the hard parts and refuses to replicate the harm. It’s mutual aid with backbone, out of pocket and rooted in survival and care,” she said.
“My mission is simple: make care unavoidable, make dignity non negotiable, and make sure no one gets left behind the way I was.
Find regular updates about the Wildflower Misfit Collective here.
The upcoming schedule:
