Lansdowne is the local home of a national campaign that’s catching fire—the Buy Nothing Project, writes Kenny Cooper for WHYY.

Buy Nothing Lansdowne has only one rule for its 1,400 Facebook group: If you live in Lansdowne, you can give, receive, lend and borrow. There’s no money involved, no selling, buying, or trading.

Everything agreed to between the members—objects, acts of service, even time, are all free.

Anna Gavin, an administrator of the group, recently picked up some scarves and pencils from Diane Echternach.

Echternach was using the Facebook group to help clear out her deceased mother-in-law’s home.

“I love my Buy Nothing community and wanted to see some of her items remain in Lansdowne, so that was definitely helpful for me to be able to go over,” Echternach said.

Buy Nothing serves another critical purpose—it connects people.

Gavin is now part of a close group on her block. She’s made friends with other parents in the school district and sees familiar faces at the grocery store, all thanks to Buy Nothing.

The Buy Nothing Project has spread to 44 countries and has more than 4.27 million members in about 6,800 Buy Nothing-affiliated groups.

Read more at WHYY about Buy Nothing in Lansdowne.

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Here’s an ABC News report on the Buy Nothing Project from Nov. 24.