My Passion Project: Community Giving Bench

Together we can make a difference.

Picture this: you’ve got some stuff you no longer need—books, clothes, household items, or even those extra knick-knacks taking up space. Instead of tossing them out, why not share them with your neighbors? That’s the magic of the Free Community Giving Bench! Drop off what you don’t need and take whatever catches your eye, all for free. It’s like the world’s best swap meet, but without the price tags—and it’s happening right in your neighborhood!

It’s the perfect way to declutter, refresh your space, and support your community, all while being kind to the planet. And the best part? Everything that’s dropped off gets a new home, and nothing goes to waste. It’s a win-win-win!

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So, how did this all come about? Well, it all started with my favorite thing to do—throwing Trash to Treasure parties with my girlfriends! We go through our closets and homes, gathering up all the things that no longer serve us, and then we do some free shopping to take home new treasures. It’s fun, it’s refreshing, and it’s always a blast.

But here’s where it gets interesting: On my morning e-bike rides, I started noticing some seriously cool stuff being tossed in the trash. Perfectly good items—books, clothes, even furniture—that someone no longer needed but that could totally make someone else’s day. That’s when I had my “aha” moment: why not rescue these treasures and create a place where people could share what they no longer need and pick up something new? And boom, the Free Book Library & Community Giving Bench was born!

What started as a small idea quickly took off like gang busters! The local newspaper even did an article about it (read it here), and the neighbors have been absolutely LOVING it. People drop off items several times a day, and I get to watch everything find its new home. It makes my heart swell with joy when I hear stories and get thank you notes of how it’s helped someone or how a new item has sparked happiness in a household.

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Here’s the big ask: I want to see Free Community Giving Benches popping up all over the place! If you’re inspired to start your own in your neighborhood, I would LOVE to hear from you! Email me the address of your bench, and once we have enough benches, we’ll create an interactive map to connect all of our efforts and make this movement bigger than ever.

So, let’s do this! Let’s spread the 💗 love, reduce ♻️ waste, and create communities that 🥰 care. One bench at a time, we can change the world, share some smiles, and have a lot of fun while we’re at it.