Meet safely
When you arrange a handoff, choose a public, well-lit place such as a police department safe-exchange zone. Meet during the day, bring someone with you when you can, and trust your instincts. If a situation feels off, walk away.
Protect your privacy
Do not share your home address, your child's school, financial details, or other sensitive information in messages. Share only what you need to arrange a pickup, and keep the first meeting in public. We never show your exact address to anyone.
Be kind and honest
Treat people the way you would want a stranger to treat your family. Describe items honestly. Show up when you say you will, or send a quick message if plans change. This is a community built on goodwill.
What to list, and what happens if an item arrives damaged
List things you would be glad to receive. Clean, whole, and working. Worn or imperfect items are welcome here, because a used coat that still keeps a child warm is worth passing on. The rule is simply that the listing has to match the item: if there is a stain, a tear, a missing piece, or something that no longer works, say so in the details. A family may drive an hour to pick it up.
After a giver marks an item picked up, the family who claimed it has 48 hours to tell us if it arrived damaged or was not what the listing described. A report has to include a photo, so no one can be penalized on someone's word alone, and a real person reviews every one. Reports that do not hold up are dismissed, and dismissing a report clears it from the giver's record right away.
- Three upheld reports pause posting for one month
- Six pause posting for six months
- Nine close the account
Being paused from posting does not stop you from claiming items your family needs. If you think a report was unfair, reply to the email we send you and a person will look at it with you.
Car seats and cribs
Two things do not pass family to family on this board, because a mistake with either one can hurt a baby and nobody can see the mistake by looking.
- Car seats and booster seats are not listed here. A used seat can have been in a crash that left no visible mark, can be past the expiration date stamped into the plastic, or can be under a recall. If your family needs a car seat, call your county health department or a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. Many will check a seat and show you how to install it for free, and some can provide one. Your county page lists what we know near you.
- Cribs, bassinets, and play yards can be listed only if they are safe to use as they are. That means the crib meets the federal crib standard that took effect in June 2011 (no drop-side rails), every screw and bolt is present, no slat is missing, cracked, or more than a few fingers apart, and there is no recall on it. Put the brand and model in the listing so the family can check. If you are not sure, do not list it. A family who needs a safe place for a baby to sleep can ask their county health department about crib and safe sleep programs.
- Inclined sleepers and padded crib bumpers are banned products and cannot be listed at all.
Agency requests
Schools, churches, health departments, shelters, and other local agencies we have verified can post what a family they serve needs. A request shows the organization's name and the need, never the family. Agencies agree to leave out names, addresses, children's schools, and anything else that could point to a household. A neighbor who offers to fill a request drops it off with the agency, and the agency gets it to the family. If a request names or describes a family in a way that could identify them, we take it down and talk with the agency.
What is not allowed
- Harassment, threats, hate speech, or bullying of any kind
- Selling, reselling, trading for money, or soliciting
- Asking for money, donations, or personal financial information
- Sharing anything illegal, unsafe, or inappropriate
- Car seats, booster seats, inclined sleepers, or padded crib bumpers (see Car seats and cribs)
- Contacting anyone for reasons unrelated to sharing a posted item
- Sharing or requesting contact with or about minors
Reporting and blocking
Every conversation has a Report and a Block button. Blocking stops someone from messaging you. Reporting sends the conversation to our team to review. If you ever feel unsafe, block first, then report.
How we respond
A real person reviews reports. We may remove content, close conversations, and suspend or permanently remove accounts that break these rules, at our discretion and without notice, to keep families safe. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.