KANSAS CITY, Mo. — People all over the Kansas City metro are exchanging goods and services with their neighbors without exchanging money or bartering. They’re using the "Buy Nothing Project."
The organization uses Facebook to create groups for individual neighborhoods or cities. Elaine Jardon launched the Overland Park Central group in April 2020. It has more than 500 members.
Jardon explained members can do one of three things in the group:
- Ask for something. It can be an object or ask for someone to walk their dog.
- Give something. Again, members can give an item, lend an object like a carpet cleaner, or offer a service like to help someone move.
- Members can share how the help they received made a difference.
Jardon said members are not limited to ask for things they need; they’re allowed to simply ask for things they want. If someone has what the other member is looking for and they’re willing to give it away for free, they connect on Facebook to facilitate the exchange.
The group is not first-come, first-served. People giving away an item can choose to give the item to any of the interested respondents, not necessarily the first person to reply to the post.
“There’s one member with an ice cream machine that’s very popular around birthday times,” Jardon said. “I can never predict where it’s going to go, and that’s what makes it kind of cool.”
One post led to an unlikely match. Jardon said one member asked for rabbit manure to fertilize his garden. Other members replied, and soon the original poster was collecting chinchilla manure for his garden.
Jardon said people are more willing to part with sentimental objects when they know they’re going to a neighbor who will cherish them.
“It was just nice to give it to somebody and I was like, ‘You’re going to love this just as much as my son did,’” Jardon described of one exchange.
Maureen Goddard’s friend told her about the Facebook group. Since joining, the Overland Park woman has participated in several exchanges.
"I’ve gotten some great things that I mostly wanted, not really needed, but that’s been kind of fun, like, ‘I’m going to get something I really like,’” she said.
The Buy Nothing Project has a tool on its website to help you find a group closest to your address.
