I felt slightly nervous
as I parked at a house in Dewitt. I’ve given and received plenty of items through Facebook, but face-to-face meetings were rare since most people leave stuff on porches or in mailboxes. As I walked up to the door, a woman with soft, white hair came out, along with a black dog who greeted me with a wagging tail. After a minute of small talk, she invited me inside.
“I’m sad to see these go,” she said, gesturing to a set of eight collectible plates spread across her dining room table. Each one had a painted scene from a nursery rhyme and a certificate of authenticity. She pointed lovingly to them, naming each nursery rhyme and explaining that the plates had decorated her dining room for more than 30 years. They were there for every holiday meal and family milestone.
Now, it was time to downsize. Her adult children didn’t want the plates, so she posted them on a Facebook Buy Nothing group. These groups allow members to post items that they want to give away, and then other members can comment if they’re interested in them. My plate-giving neighbor told me that after posting her treasures on Facebook, she viewed the profile of each person who indicated an interest in them. She selected me because my profile is packed with family photos.
“I didn’t want them to go to a dealer who would turn around and sell them,” she explained. “I wanted the plates to go to someone with kids who would appreciate them.”
After meeting this generous gift-giving stranger, I thought about the other families and stories hidden within Buy Nothing posts. Who are the people behind these gifting groups, and why are they giving away valuable items for free?
Buy Nothing groups started popping up on Facebook in Central New York around 2015 and gained popularity during the pandemic. The local trend was part of a worldwide uptick in Buy Nothing membership, which grew from 1.5 million members in 2020 to 7.5 million members in 2024 that are spread across 128 countries. The pandemic accelerated local gifting because people felt safer getting items from a neighbor’s porch than a grocery store. This, combined with economic uncertainty, supply chain issues, and sustainability concerns, created the perfect formula for a revolutionary approach to recycling.
Group of shoppers showing off their treasures | Photo courtesy of Fayetteville Library
Women make up the vast majority of Buy Nothing members. The trend has energized many local moms, which has led to the formation of new gifting programs. Local mom Leah Kraus decided to organize outdoor Buy Nothing events at the Fayetteville Free Library, where she works as the assistant director. At each event, gifters park their cars, pop their trunks, and display items for others to take.
“I thought it might be the best use of everyone’s time,” Kraus told me. “Gifters can give a bunch of things all at once, and those in need can get a bunch of things all at once.”
Since 2023, Kraus has organized six giveaway events, and the program is gaining popularity. One recent event received about 3,500 RSVPs on Facebook.
To find out why the library’s event was getting so much attention, I drove over to explore her November event. As I walked through the aisle of cars, I saw piles of toys, clothes, and household items, which also tend to be the most commonly posted goods in the online groups. All of the gifters were welcoming and eager to talk with visitors. One person even brought homemade apple muffins to share.
Kraus told me that the shoppers range from parents browsing for toys to refugees or newly resettled families who need to stock their homes. She gave the example of one woman who had recently moved to Central New York and needed gear to support her family. After shopping at the event, the woman approached Kraus with a cart that was overflowing with home furnishings, school supplies, and other necessities. She offered her heartfelt thanks to Kraus for creating the event.
Maria Barbieri and her free holiday market.
In addition to the Fayetteville Free Library event, there are plenty of other giveaways happening around town including food giveaways, church dinners, car seat exchanges, and community baby showers. Over the holidays, there were even free markets where families could find presents for their loved ones.
Maria Barbieri, another local mom, organized a free holiday market last year on Black Friday weekend. People contributed new or gently used items, which she set up on shelves in her garage. On opening day of the market, her space was transformed into a festive boutique complete with coffee, cookies, Christmas music, and a gift wrapping station. She even offered face painting.
As a busy single mom and climate activist, Barbieri believes that the Buy Nothing movement can ease financial challenges while reducing waste. But people need convenient ways to share with others, and her market proved to be a successful approach.
“I had hundreds of things dropped off, and I saw so many people excited to come in and thrift through everything that was brought to this one communal location,” Barbieri said.
Vendors displaying free items for shoppers.
Throughout the two-day event, neighbors could be found chatting and wrapping gifts together. After the event, some who participated volunteered to help Barbieri donate leftover goods.
This altruistic energy is stretching beyond free stuff, according to Liz Hradil, founder of the Eastwood Buy Nothing group. She told me that neighbors are stepping up in other creative ways.
“It’s so bizarre and interesting to see what is being spared from the waste stream,” Hradil said.
Along with the typical toys, toiletries, food, and clothing, she’ll see more unusual requests. Art teachers might need milk cartons and paper towel tubes, or gardeners might ask for plastic jugs.
From small things to large, Hradil witnesses a lot of goodwill, even when high-level trust is required.
“I’ve seen people borrow things from one another, and I have a lot of respect for people who trust others with their expensive items,” she said.
Shoppers searching for treasures at Fayetteville Library | Photo courtesy of Fayetteville Library
If someone has a one-time need for tools like a power washer, they might ask to borrow instead of buying one. Hradil said people have been generous and respectful with borrowed equipment. She has never received any reports of gear ending up broken or stolen.
A more common issue is people not showing up to claim their gifts. When this happens, those gifts might end up in the garbage can. Nevertheless, the Buy Nothing administrators I spoke with said that issues are rare. The vast majority of members end up feeling inspired by the kindness that’s happening around them, and they want to pay it forward.
Those good intentions are at the soul of the gift economy that is spreading across our region. My quest to meet the people behind the Buy Nothing groups left me feeling proud of our community. Some people might not have much to give, while others might have a multitude. Either way, everyone finds valuable and important ways to get involved. That might mean saving paper towel tubes for an art teacher or sharing a lifetime of memories through a set of decorative plates. Whatever the case may be, it’s clear that most people who participate in the Central New York gift network are getting back just as much as they are giving.
How to Get Involved
Join Giving Groups on Facebook
In the search bar on Facebook, type the name of your town plus “buy nothing.” For example, “Cicero Buy Nothing.” You can also look for “free groups near me.”
Ask Your Local Library
Your local library might host or know about community exchanges. In our area, there are library collections and distributions for clothing, sports equipment, glasses, costumes, puzzles, and more.
Engage with Local Churches
Many churches have clothing closets, holiday gift collections, family-style meals, and other programs that aim to unite the community and help those in need.