Facebook post inspires generosity of strangers
What’s one thing you need but can’t afford right now?
That’s the question Danielle Morgan posed to members of the Stow/munroe Falls, Ohio Talk of the Towns Facebook page in the middle of November that has now received close to 700 responses of people asking for help – and strangers freely offering what they can.
“Honestly I’m not surprised because people are genuinely good – and if you give them a platform to do good, they usually do,” said Morgan, who moved to the area three months ago.
Morgan copied her post from a similar Facebook page for people in her West Virginia hometown, and the post also has popped up across the country, including in Columbus, Texas and Pennsylvania as well as on other social media platforms, including Reddit.
The post has a similar philosophy to the Buy Nothing Project, which has over 2,000 associated Facebook groups – including ones in Hudson and Cuyahoga Falls.
“2020’s been awful for everyone. It’s ugliness and chaos and people are feeling alone,” Morgan said. “I think they’re afraid to come out and say ‘I need help,’ but when you give them a platform they’re more comfortable and people are willing to step up and say ‘Hey, I got you.’ ”
In response to Morgan’s post, local residents have offered and requested items like a sewing machine, a deep freezer, children’s clothes, books and even Goldfish crackers – as well as services like fixing a broken garage door.
Morgan herself has given a recliner and a couch to a young woman who recently moved, just got into college and had a new job.
And on Nov. 23, her boyfriend, Lenny Sydenstricker, went over to Angela Moran’s house to fix her leaky bath faucet the day after he drove to Ohio from Florida. The three had never met before.
“I just happened to be online and saw Danielle’s post. I don’t ask for help. I’m a figure-it-out-yourself type of person. But I thought, ‘I wonder what would happen. Would someone actually help me?’ ” said Moran, who has resealed her own roof, waterproofed her basement and dug a French drain in her backyard over the summer.
However, due to a recent surgery, Moran cannot rotate her hand and has been unable to fix the faucet.
“It started to leak right at the beginning of the pandemic and I’ve tried fixing it. A week ago, it got to a point where I turned the water off to the tub,” Moran said.
Morgan saw the post and mentioned it to Sydenstricker, who immediately offered help.
Less than 15 minutes after arriving at Moran’s home, Sydenstricker stopped the drip, drip, drip that had been haunting her for months. He did note that the fix was likely temporary as the fixture was cracked and needed to be replaced.
Still, Moran was thrilled.
“It’s not dripping!” she said. “It’s the littlest things but I’m so happy right now!”
Reporter Krista S. Kano can be reached at 330-541-9416, kkano@ thebeaconjournal.com or on Twitter @Kristakanoabj.