Elaina Rivais
Written and Photographed by Nancy Clover
Elaina Rivais, a passionate advocate for sustainability, is the founder and owner of Lend and Mend, which recently relocated to the Workerly on Main Street.
Lend and Mend operates on a “library of things” model, allowing people to rent items instead of buying new ones. The collection includes a variety of household essentials, such as kitchen appliances — an induction burner, handheld and KitchenAid mixers, a quesadilla maker, a vegetable spiralizer, and a steam iron.
For DIY enthusiasts, the library offers tools like a tile cutter, wallpaper steamer, stud finder, grinder, and sawhorses. My personal favorite? A soprano ukulele!
Beyond lending, Elaina provides repair services to extend the life of everyday items and reduce waste.
She also organizes Repair Cafés—free community events where volunteers help fix broken household items, from lamps and small appliances to furniture. These events foster a collaborative spirit and provide practical solutions to extend the life of belongings, minimize unnecessary purchases, and reduce waste in landfills. The next Repair Café will be held in April at the Milano Center.
At the heart of Elaina’s work is a simple yet powerful philosophy: Before buying new, can we borrow, rent, or buy used? Before discarding, can we repair or repurpose?
She collaborates with like-minded organizations, including SUS and Black Earth Composting, to further sustainability efforts.
Since moving to Melrose in 2018 with her husband and son, Elaina has been an active member of Zero Waste Melrose, championing initiatives that encourage reuse, repair, and conscious consumption within the community.
Before founding Lend and Mend, Elaina had a career in technology. She studied Computer Science and Mathematics at UMass Amherst and worked for nearly a decade as a software engineer and product manager. Her growing passion for sustainability inspired her to shift her focus toward environmental advocacy.
In addition to running Lend and Mend, Elaina is an associate at the SDM Foundation, a Melrose-based organization that provides free technology assistance. Once a week, she offers guidance at the Milano Center, helping individuals navigate digital challenges.
Her bucket List includes applying for nonprofit status for Lend & Mend.
Through her work in sustainability, community engagement, and technology, Elaina embodies a deep commitment to innovation, environmental responsibility, and collective action—making a lasting impact in Melrose and beyond.
