MEMPHIS, Tennessee — What started as a way to rehome one's "junk" has turned into something so much more special: a community helping and supporting each other when times are tough.
Petya Grady started the "Buy Nothing - Midtown/Downtown" Facebook group just after Thanksgiving. She was looking to be more minimal and intentional with her possessions after a move when she discovered the concept of "Buy Nothing" groups in other communities.
She then started one with a group of friends and the purpose was simple, to create a space where people could give away items for free that they no longer needed.
Fast forward to the end of January and there are more than 3,200 members, and growing.
“Something about helping strangers creates a sense of goodwill all around," Grady said. “It has been so much more about helping your community and helping people that need you or anybody that it has kind of cracked my cold heart open. It has been so nice to watch.”
Each day, dozens and dozens of posts fill the group between people looking to give away various items to people in search of something specific. From a French horn to a doggy wheelchair and a child's ghillie suit being exchanged, nothing in the group seems to be to hard of a request to fill.
That got Marisa Mender-Franklin thinking.
“I was like, 'wow if the group can provide a French horn in a day, maybe there’s someone out there would let me grow flowers in their backyard', Mender-Franklin.
She had a dream of starting a flower farm after growing flowers for her own wedding but having land was a difficult barrier to get over.
“So I put the request out there and I was like, 'you know it seems like this group likes longshots, so I have the longest shot'," she said.
Immediately, she was hit with nerves. Fearful, that her request to grow flowers on someone's property would be laughed at. Instead, more than 35 people offered up their property for her use.
“People in the group have been amazing and the thing I love about the group the most is it’s a way of redistributing resources," she said. "In Memphis, we have people who have more than they need and then we have people who need access to things and for me, I didn’t have access to land.”
She's already been hard at work on one of the lots preparing it. She plans to start selling flowers this summer. Find more about her business here.
Grady said in a short time, the group has built a sense of community out of helping others when people are unable to meet in person.
"“We’ve helped families who are struggling right now because they’ve lost jobs and are having trouble putting food on the table," she said. "We’ve helped moms who are escaping domestic violence situations.”
They're also in the process of trying to find an apartment for a member currently living out of a hotel room due to credit issues.
Group members are also looking for local nonprofits to connect with to donate useful unclaimed items to.
Since it's growing popularity, Orange Mound has started its own local "Buy Nothing" group. Another Memphis group dedicated entirely to books was also stared.
Bartlett has its own group here.
Collierville and Germantown has had a group for awhile here.
