Just Give… Novi Sad

Don't be discouraged if you don’t see immediate results for your projects, with time, things grow.

After I came back from Graz in November, I was feeling very inspired and active. Change is good for me, and I get very restless and discouraged if I have to do the same things every day. In Graz there was so many new things to do, so many new challenges and new people to talk to, I felt very revitalized and had plenty of new ideas and creative thoughts. Something I found very cool over there was that they had a page on Facebook called ‘Share and Care Graz’. I know this is not a unique idea and they do have it all over the world. The idea is to create a giving cycle for the things we have in our homes and closets that we no longer use. I thought it would be cool if Novi Sad could have a similar thing and I made the Facebook page.

Here is the description of what it is:

'Just give Novi Sad is a free page to give all the extra things that you don't need to people who might need them.
We all have so much useless stuff in our homes that we don't know what to do with, instead of throwing it away.... why not give it away it someone who will use it?
You can use the page for two purposes
1. Post pictures or descriptions of things that you are willing to give away
2. Post about something that you need to request if anyone in the group has it to give away.
The page is not to be used for selling anything, no money requests may be made
It is the responsibility of the person who recieves to pick up the item or items, unless you agree on it otherwise'

Here is a link to the page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1505455439720066/

After I put the page up, I didn't have much immediate response. My friends joined and we shared a few items on the page, but it felt slow. I sat one night and complained to my friend how no one wants to do anything here in Novi Sad. I was really frustrated and said that I didn't see the point in trying anything, as nothing was really appreciated or used.

The next week there was a drastic change in the reaction to the Just Give page, I got called by 4 reporters to do stories about it. Everyone showed much enthusiasm and support for the idea. In just one week we got 1000 members. I was so surprised and happy and it showed me how sometimes we underestimate each other and think that no one is really helping, when actually all it needs is some time and patience. The use of the just give page keeps growing, as people keep sharing more and more items, picking up things and also being very thankful and helpful. Novi Sad is such a lovely place to live, and to put ideas out, even though it sometimes feels hard to push the doors of opportunity open, when you do, there is a reaction. Action always creates reaction in some way, I am just waiting with great anticipation to see you all get involved in some of my other ideas (The ugly jumper competition to name one).

I hope you all enjoy using the page and continue to use it 

One article about the page: http://www.24sata.rs/novi-sad/vesti/vest/ne-bacajte-stare-stvari-javite-se-njima-mladi-organizovali-akciju-poklanjanja-nepotrebnih-stvari-preko-fejsa/160031.phtml

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