Category Archives: Borrow and Lend
Community treasure in Williston
Shared by Nancy on the Williston FPF today…
A few weeks ago I posted an ad for several like-new printer ink cartridges that did not match our new printer. We had no luck finding family or friend who needed the same type of cartridge. Since they were taking up space on the kitchen counter, we advertised them on FPF in exchange for a donation to the Williston Community Food Shelf. Well! A person not only wrote a generous check but also delivered a “matching grant’ form from her employer. As she said, “It’s a win-win for everybody involved.” Front Porch Forum is such a community treasure!
Neighbors and the sharing economy
Call it the sharing economy, sustainable living, or just old fashion Yankee frugality and neighborliness, but working with neighbors to save a buck and lighten your tread on our planet is hep! The survey below jibes with our ten-plus years of experience hosting Front Porch Forum across Vermont communities. Good stuff.
[Nextdoor is] excited to release the findings from a recent survey conducted with Harris Interactive that examines the growing role of neighborhoods in building a shared economy. The results are inspiring; they indicate that neighbors trust their neighbors, are willing to share with people who live nearby, and would share more frequently if they had an easier way to coordinate activities such as yard sales or carpools.
Here are a few highlights from the survey findings:
• Top 10 things people are willing to share with neighbors: food (78%), tools (71%), yard equipment (64%), a bike (36%), clothing (26%), shelter (26%), electronics (24%), kid’s toys (24%), childcare/babysitters (24%), a vehicle (15%).
• Reduce and reuse: 64% of Americans would be more likely to buy/sell an item if the buyer/seller lived close to their home.
• Garage sales: 52% of Americans would be more likely to host a garage sale in spring if they had an easy way to get the word out to their neighbors.
• Ride-share: 51% of Americans would engage in carpools with neighbors if they had an easy way to coordinate.
• Save money: 50% of Americans would work together with their neighbors to save money (e.g., group discounts on home services, split child care costs, shared meals) if they had a way to coordinate it.
Talk among neighbors leads to good things…
#VT – I have made several requests on Front Porch Forum lately and I just feel I should return here to say how heartening it is to feel the generosity and kindness of this community so palpably. Within minutes (literally, minutes) of posting these requests, more than a dozen folks reached out with ideas and offers. Wow.
Posted to the Richmond FPF by Amy today.
Please note that my family and I really appreciate FPF, my son found summer work when it was very hard to find a job around the area, please keep up the good work!
Posted on the Weybridge Cornwall FPF by Kelley today.
One Vermont bookstore blessing…
#BTV #VT – From Josie Leavitt of Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne… originally posted on the ShelfTalker blog:
I am blessed to live in Vermont for many reasons, but as a bookstore owner, one of them is access to an amazingly responsive free [service] called Front Porch Forum. FPF is an internet-based “regional network of online neighborhood forums.” It connects people with their neighbors.
It’s so simple, it’s brilliant. Make it easy for neighbors to talk to each other and they talk. You can only join the forum for your town, and this is great because then I’m reading about my town. I’ve gotten to know my neighbors from this. I’ve posted about a swarm of bees in my tree and what to do about them, asked for mechanic recommendations, and more importantly, used FPF as way to talk about the bookstore to people who live close enough to care.
This kind of targeted discussion is so beneficial to the bookstore. We can announce events, book talks, parties, etc. to just about every household in five towns because everyone on staff is a member of their neighborhood forum… There is something about the friendly nature of this type of free-ranging discussion with your neighbors that makes the FPF one of the [things] everyone reads daily. You can follow the saga of the missing Malamutes from the frantic posting that the dogs were lost on the coldest night of the year to the triumphant “they’re home!” posting three days later.
All of our events get posted to the forum and it generates a lot of attendance at events. The nature of the forum works best for spontaneous folks who only need three days notice to come to an event. What’s so great is the wide range of people who read the forum. Folks who’ve never been to the store will come to events because of a posting and then get on our mailing list to find out about future ones. This is a win-win.
Books, boxes and FPF help Williston neighbors connect
#VT – Janet posted the following on the Williston Front Porch Forum today…
The response to my offer of free packing materials was a bit overwhelming as my first outing on FPF. Apparently lots of people are moving around! I’m sorry I couldn’t respond to all of you personally, but want you to know that the boxes have now found new homes.
An interesting FPF connection story: one woman suggested I take some boxes to the Williston library to help with the transport of books for the July book sale. When I took a load over to the library, the very same neighbor was volunteering at sorting books! We met face-to-face and had a chance to chat and hope to see each other around the village again. Sounds like just what FPF is designed to do!
Chive blossoms flowing in Hinesburg
#VT – Nancy posted on the Hinesburg Front Porch Forum yesterday…
Making chive vinegar and need chive blossoms. If your chives are flowering and you would like to share, please contact me and I will come cut them. Thanks.
Followed today by…
Thank you to the over twenty people that responded. I have tried to answer everyone, but if I missed you, know that I really appreciated the generous offers. Planning to cut more in the next couple of days. Husband is off buying more vinegar.
Odd requests? No problem…
#BTV #VT – A few months back, my husband posted a request on the Five Sisters Front Porch Forum asking to borrow a skull. We had four offers by morning.
On Friday, I sent in a note asking for someone to adopt a few chickens. Two guys from Hayward took three of the hens today.
Only in Vermont.
Shared by Karen in the South End of Burlington.
Neighbor helping neighbor… but how about debate?
#VT – Most FPF postings are simple items among neighbors… lost dogs, babysitter tips, car break-in reports, free couches and the like. Many people find this very useful. Occasionally, neighbors will dive into a controversial local topic on their FPF and the tone will grow heated. Just as often, people will use their Front Porch Forum for wonderful ends, as demonstrated by this recent Underhill FPF posting from a couple whose house was demolished a few days ago by flash floods…
To all of our family, friends, neighbors, perfect strangers, and fellow community members: We want to take this opportunity to express our sincerest and most heartfelt thanks for the kindness, support, and pure generosity that you have expressed toward our family. From the tireless assistance of the Underhill/Jericho fire department, to the cupcakes, prayers, smiles, maple syrup, and donations provided by all of your caring hearts, we can honestly say that the past five days of picking through wreckage, shoveling muck, and breathing moldy air has been nothing short of amazing. Thanks to you all! May your generosity be returned ten-fold.
So, of those three classes of postings, most people appreciate the (1) neighborly exchange of announcements, tips, transactions, and stuff. And nearly everybody loves (2) a heart-warming tale of neighbor helping neighbor. But some folks are really turned off by (3) neighbors discussing or arguing about hot local topics. Lots of different perspectives out there!
Help by the truckload…
#VT – Just a quick thank you to all the awesome people I’ve met since moving to Plainfield less then a year ago, amazing to think that each time I ask FPFers for help, I get it by the truckload.
A quick thought as well, I have asked for help with flooring and cleaning, I received so many offers and then I received so many other folks asking if I would share the names/numbers of people who responded so they can call them. I am uncomfortable giving out info without the person’s permission and I don’t have enough time to contact each person to ask. I would say this, if you have a skill and are looking for new clients, POST IT HERE on Front Porch Forum!
Shared by Jill on the Marshfield-Plainfield FPF today.
Best neighborhood… don’t take it for granted
#VT – The other day I asked on Front Porch Forum if anyone had an old Apple keyboard that I could borrow for a few days. I received many, many responses, including one from a neighbor who is currently serving oversees. Wow, was I overwhelmed by these responses and offers to help. What a great community we live in.
I know we bicker about roads and taxes and other things that seem so important to us at the time. But what is really important about our community is that in spite of our political and social differences we all seem to care about one another as neighbors. I’ve lived in Alaska, NYC, Boston, western Mass… and I can’t begin to tell you how lucky I feel to be able to live in a community like Jericho.
Please don’t take what we have for granted. We are fortunate. We are all very fortunate to be able to live here, to be able to raise our families here… Jericho, VT.
Now, as to my Apple keyboard problem, thank you all for responding with your offers to help. I’ve tried to email each of you individually, but if I have been remiss and somehow failed to answer every post, I truly appreciate your kind offers. As it turns out, my next door neighbor had an extra key board so my problem has been solved. But that doesn’t diminish the kindness of the rest of my neighbors, and I thank you all very much.
Shared by Richard in Jericho yesterday… love it!
About Blog
Ghost of Midnight is an online journal about fostering community within neighborhoods, with a special focus on Front Porch Forum (FPF). My wife, Valerie, and I founded FPF in 2006... read more
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