On the hunt for paint samples? A pair of roller skates, because your 6-year-old has been begging to try a new hobby? Or maybe your kids hated the Bluey-themed cereal you picked up in bulk (guilty as charged) and you hate the thought of throwing it away.

A quick post on Facebook’s Freebo page could unlock a world of treasure in your own backyard or a new home for the items you no longer need.

Pass-along groups are nothing new, but Mt. Lebanon’s Freebo has grown in popularity in recent years. As lead administrator Ed Rodgers, Pinoak Road, suggested, it’s about much more than getting free stuff. It’s about community.

“It really picked up during the pandemic as people were looking for things to do,” Rodgers said.

The group swelled from about 1,800 members in 2020 to more than 4,500 today.

“People want to give where they live,” Rodgers said. “It’s engaging and it’s fun.”

Rodgers, who took over the group in late 2019, says Freebo’s primary goal is to keep things out of landfills and reduce waste. The original page admin modeled Freebo after a similar group in Telluride, Colorado. Clear rules that aren’t confusing to members are key to Freebo’s success.

Rodgers said that while the group mostly polices itself, two other administrators keep things running smoothly.

One administrator, Selena Fosnaught, Washington Road, said the group builds trust in the community.

“We transact hundreds of items between community members each month with minimal, if any, concerns,” Fosnaught said. “This makes me feel a sense of safety and trust.”

The other administrator, Lindsey Schuty, Lindendale Drive, was introduced to Freebo by a neighbor after a failed yard sale several years ago. She has been in love with it ever since.

“Although moderating can be stressful, it’s the least I can do to give back to the page, which has given so much to many people,” Shuty said. “It’s wonderful to see items get a second, third or infinite chance, especially kids’ items that are barely used and outgrown so quickly.”

In fact, I’ve been getting hand-me-downs for my daughter from Schuty for more than a year before we bumped into each other in the community and made the Freebo connection. Not only do we live in the same neighborhood, but we also belong to the same gym. Proof that Freebo can even foster friendships.

Rodgers said the group also helped fulfill many of the needs of Hispanic and Russian immigrants in recent years, and he is proud that the group offers a sense of belonging. He even put out a limited run of Freebo stickers, which you may have seen attached to a bin during a porch pick-up.

“People went goo goo over them… I only had 20 of them to give out,” Rodgers said. “It was a way to bring some awareness.”

Rodgers noticed a shift in people donating to Freebo instead of posting items to sell on other pages.

“There’s an identity of ‘I’m a giver to my community,’” Rodgers said.

The admins ensure that members are, in fact, residents of Mt. Lebanon, with some exceptions made, such as district teachers looking to pick up materials specifically for their classrooms. They also field complaints regarding prompt pickup and issue suspension warnings if rules are not followed.

Even so, Rodgers reminds people that Freebo is truly a gift economy and fellow members should be treated with respect.

“My thoughts are that you never know what somebody is going through. If you boil it down, this is a group for free stuff; it’s the most low-stakes circumstance to be in,” Rodgers said.

In late February, a Mt. Lebanon mom took to Freebo when she learned that her son’s birthday party venue had to cancel, due to unforeseen circumstances. With less than 24 hours of notice, she posted on Freebo looking for home party ideas. In return, she received more than three dozen supportive and encouraging comments. Members offered age-appropriate party decor, craft supplies, games and even a cotton candy machine.

Members seek specific items on weekly Wish Wednesday posts, though Rodgers recommends creating individual “In Search Of” posts if you don’t want your wish to get lost in the shuffle.

The group often boasts big-ticket items. In the next few months, Rodgers anticipates you will see posts with patio furniture, unused gift cards, kitchen gadgets and more as spring cleaning gets underway.

Over the years, my purge posts have ranged from fried shrimp chips to excess yard mulch. In return, my most prized pick-up to date was a Barbie Dream House for my young daughters — a dream home for the dolls and a dream come true for me to live in such a giving community.