Magazine 2023-08 web

FRIEDA SCHWEKY Amie Sitton My friend, who was going to Israel for her son’s wedding, called me two nights before her flight saying she needed high-heeled wedding sneakers and a garment bag for her dress. So naturally, I thought to ask on the chat if anyone had what she needed to give away. I even specified shoe size. I got both the garment bag and the wedding shoes in her size from community members who had them sitting in their homes and were happy to give them away. Both items were located around the block from each other, which made picking up a breeze. My friend was so delighted. She felt like it was a sign from Hashem that everything was going to be good. It made her so calm and happy before she was set to leave on the long flight, which otherwise could have been stressful. She was grateful for the items but was especially grateful for the inner peace it brought her to know that Hashem was with her on this endeavor. Personally, I’ve gotten things on the chat that I’m thrilled with! I got a beautiful couch on the chat. The girl told me to come over and see it in person. She gave me her address, and it turns out she lives directly across the street from me! I wound up taking the couch with me to Jersey for the summer because the house that I rented was unfurnished. We then took the couch back to Brooklyn and still use it. I also got an awesome headboard that matches my room perfectly. The house it came from was right around the block from me, so the young man whom it previously belonged to walked it over to my house instead of loading it into my car.  In the past, when I had clothing or toys to donate, I’d drop them into bins that were placed around town by community organizations. I knew my donations were going to charities, but I really wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I wondered if my stuff would ever get to a fellow Jew like I wanted. Was it actually weighed and sold for pennies by the pound like I heard from a friend? Who knew?! Fortunately, there is now an alternative solution! Free Chats! WhatsApp community chats are designated for the sole purpose of giving and getting stuff from community members. Sometimes you have valuable things that you simply have no use for but you don’t want them to go to waste. Now, all you have to do is to join one of these chats, take a picture of what you want to donate, and post it. I’d say a good 95 percent of the stuff that gets put on the Free Chat that I’m a part of finds a new home. This reduces waste while saving community members money! In this economy, any and all shortcuts are encouraged. Thousands of dollars of merchandise are given away every week, sometimes daily, to families who will actually use it. I’ve seen stuff from every category imaginable, including bikes, furniture, technology, sporting goods, home organization, party goods, food, home decor, clothing, and baby gear - it’s truly endless. The condition ranges from used to brand new! On the receiving side, it’s very fun to see what you can ’score’ from these chats. It could be something you needed, were thinking of ordering, or never knew you wanted! Let’s hear from some community members. FREE CHAT GEMACHS- A WIN-WIN FOR GIVERS AND SEEKERS 28 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE