Aloha Friday, friends! Thank you for joining us today. It is good that you are here! Today, like every Friday, we have the special privilege of featuring someone else here on This Darling Adventure. Fridays are my favorite day of the week for this very reason! That being said, today’s Featured Friday is going to throw the spotlight on a group of individuals living in my town here in northern Canada who have joined together to create a community called Helping One Another.
Just to give a little bit of a context, Helping One Another is a Facebook group that grew out of the Buy Nothing Project, an experimental hyper-local gift economy that has become a worldwide social movement. Motivations for joining the group vary from person to person. Some people join because they are trying to give things away that have been cluttering their lives and houses. Others join because they would like to save some money by getting things for free. Still others join because they want to be able to more readily lend a hand to the needs within our community. Whatever the case may be, nothing is for sale. This group lends, borrows, gifts, asks and even trades with one another. Pretty cool, hey?
Helping One Another is about more than just the “getting/giving cool stuff for free” aspect. Although this is definitely true and plays a large part, the group is also about strengthening the community, developing friendships, giving graciously to one another, and just doing life in general together as you will soon discover as well. So, without further adieu, here are some of the incredible stories that have been birthed out of this beautiful community of people:
“My list can go on and on, but to keep it short my favourite part of this group is waking up each morning and knowing when I come on this page it’s all goodness that I see. Each one of us work hard to encourage and help our neighbours regardless who or where they live. I have personally met so many wonderful people i probably wouldn’t have before this group and the best part is I now get to call them friends and it has brought me closer to ones I already knew. I used to sell items on Facebook, even if it was a $5 item. Now I don’t think twice and to this group it goes. The joy of giving is indescribable, the smile you receive is heartwarming, and the friendship created is priceless.”
“This group has shown me that there really are good people out there. The best moment for me was in December. I kept seeing a wonderful woman ask for things and she never got picked or answered. It bothered me and stuck to my mind for a week straight so I gathered up all the train toys my nephews stopped playing with and brought them to her and her son. That very day I was feeling a little sick and sad, but going to visit and drop off the toys brightened my night made my heart filled with joy and fuzzy feeling. It felt good to do something. Needless to say I met a wonderful woman and her cute son. I ended up crying in my car on the way home. I felt so thankful! That day will stick with me forever!”
“I’m very grateful for the Helping One Another group… I like the idea of people sharing and letting go of things they no longer need instead of hoarding or throwing things away. You never know what someone would like that isn’t useful to you anymore. Being generous to give things away to someone or for an ask that someone posted into the group, is just really helpful in so many ways. It’s really amazing to know that this group and others like this group is out there. Finding out about Buy Nothing and being apart of that group lifted me up and made me feel like wow, there’s soooo many good people out there. I, myself have received a few things and it’s pretty awesome to get free things but mainly, it’s wonderful to know and see how giving people are and that’s good. My family recently lost everything and people in these groups helped me and I also gave away a lot of clothes that my family didn’t need to the homeless shelter and Sally Anne’s in Giant Tiger. I will most definitely post things that I no longer need in the future to this group. Thanks for reading.”
“I am so grateful for this group. Not only for the help and gifts I have received but more so of the friends I have made and became close too. I have lived here for 13 years and never had or made any “REAL” friends. But with this site I have a few real good friends that I can totally confide in about anything and vice versa. And they have helped me through a lot.
I found myself alone with no one to talk to. Yes I have my spouse and my baby. But it still gets lonely not having any friends. And now I have a few ladies that I haven’t known very long and haven’t met in person but they showed me how to trust people again. Just when I was losing all hope in our city this site showed me that there is SOOOO many amazing people in our city. In my eyes all the people on this site that are so kind, thoughtful, generous and caring overcomes a lot of the bad people do. I am amazed at how we all have come together. Not only materialistic but companionship.
I met [one of my good friends] on this site. I have become very close to her. She was there for me when I received devastating news from my doctor. She brang me a bouquet of roses and to top her generosity off she also brought my little guy donut holes. I can name a few people who have been there for me to talk to and helped me, but we would be here forever. This site has not only helped me but my daughter as well and my little man.
I must say that this site changed my outlook on [our city] and people for the best. I hope it stays around for a long time. And that we keep giving and I hope we continue to.be grateful and thankful and kind to each other in any situation. And most importantly to LOVE everyone. Last but not least I am proud that there is no RACISM on here like the other sites. Or remarks!!! This site has brought us closer and the privelage to meet some awesome people and make some really good friends!!!!”
“I love how this group is just positive! I was giving up on humanity because of [other] groups, comments on news stories always had some bullying, and the Internet didn’t seem worth my time anymore. I joined buy nothing now this great group and because of it joined others such as HONN and The Northern Birthday Box Project, and it restored my faith in people and especially [in our city]! I truly believe it’s groups of people like this who can inspire the greatest change! Peace in 2017 for you all!”
“I’ll tell you what happened to me. I saved a dog. Gave love, got love. Made lifelong friends I wouldn’t have ever met otherwise. I go to sleep with a smile on my face now.”
Well, there you have it! In a world that is full of divisiveness, how refreshing it is to be a witness of something different. These are real stories from beautiful people that speak to the hope we can have for all of our communities. Sure, there is a long way to go, but may this movement towards kindness and generosity be an encouragement to you, wherever you may be, that this sort of a community is not just possible, but really quite beautiful. It just takes a group of people saying “yes” to doing life together and choosing to help one another out. After all, we all need somebody to lean on.
If you would like more information on or are interested in getting involved with the Buy Nothing Project in your own community, please click here.
Thoughts? Feel free to share in the comments below! Once again, thanks for stopping by today. As always, it is good for you to be here. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
This Darling Adventure 