Saskatoon Buy & Sell posting connects people in need with those who can provide — for free

She got the idea from a similar post in Lloydminster that became extremely popular, so Saskatoon’s Gina Marie Musty thought it might work here as well.

She was right.

A posting late Tuesday on the Saskatoon Buy & Sell Facebook page, which has nearly 60,000 members, now has more than 1,000 comments and dozens of shares.

The post reads in part: “FREE!!!!! What is 1 thing that you cannot afford but need right now. Let’s see what others say, maybe you have it & you don’t need it, can pass it on to them or have a connection to get it. I saw this on another community group and it was absolutely amazing to see the kindness and generosity especially this time of the year so let’s carry it on. Perhaps we can help each other again, together we can get through this.”

There isn’t any money exchanged.

Musty says the morning after she posted the ad, she was shocked to see what happened.

“I went to bed and woke up and there was like messages and messages and comments — and I was like, ‘Oooh,’ ” she said. “This is so nice. It just warms my heart.”

Those in need ask for everything from winter coats to food items to beds to small appliances to Christmas trees and decorations; just about anything you can think of.

She says some of the donations have been incredibly generous.

“A gentleman gave away a living room set — a whole living room set — to the women’s shelter,” Musty said. “There’s a woman who is giving birth next month and she has kind of fallen on hard times. I know that she’s now pretty much got the whole newborn outfit set, an ‘Exersaucer’ … she’s pretty much ready to have the baby now.”

Another woman said she needed some food.

“Boom, boom, boom. I’m pretty sure her shelves must be stocked to the max right now,” Musty said.

And when parents post the need for warm clothing for their children, others who may have the needed items immediately offer help.

Musty explains that there’s also the “Saskatoon and Area Freecycle” Facebook page, but the buy and sell ad gives her post a much bigger audience.

“I know that a lot of people that are a little bit more fortunate than others aren’t necessarily on there, so by posting it to the other site, the people that have a little bit more are going to see that,” she said.

When an exchange does take place, Musty encourages people to do so at a safe distance, to sanitize their items or to bag them if possible.

Many people who receive a needed item also in turn pay it forward to someone else. It’s something she says warms her heart and is appreciated, but not required.

She hopes to continue to manage the Facebook posting throughout the holidays, and encourages donations as well to the Friendship Inn local food bank and other charities.

“Knowing we have each other’s back is a beautiful thing to see,” Musty said.