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The Freecycle Network
February 16, 2010

The Freecycle Network (TFN) was a good idea back in 2003 before it was corrupted by its founder. What was supposed to be an individually owned and operated grassroots community groups, was discarded for an ED owned and operated corporate entity. An entity taken back by the ED through non-profiting something that was not his to non-profit. Before the non-profit occurred, there were hundreds of individually owned groups, which with no vote by the people who worked so hard to start it, lost ownership of them through a claw back by TFN's owner under the auspices of Founders Rights. The ED, has wife and best friend own the BOD and refuse to open it up to the members the non-profit is supposed to have, nor are they willing to expand the board. This non-profit has received hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past 5 years for a website that is still in Beta and is NOT what was promised to the people. He promised commercial free, but it has a Google ad bar. He promised that it would host our community owned groups and instead it reverts ownership of them over to TFN. This non-profit has many serious issues which many of us are working to get changed; however, until dramatic changes are realized, I can not offer my support for this non-profit any more.

The Great!

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

failure to produce what was promised over and over. Unfortunately there is a pattern in this organization of promises that are not kept, lies that are exposed, and good people that are discarded.

Ways to make it better...

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

take it back to grassroots, where each group could be run according to the desires of each community - allow the communtiy to have what it truly needs.

More feedback

What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...

the local group only. The corporate is riddled with problems, paranoia, power hungry folks, inexperienced managers and a BOD that is non-transparent.

The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...

A random few were true gems and they have all left the organization or were forced out of the organization under Deron Beal's directive. The ones who are left are power hungry and paranoid.

If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...

loose all the volunteers that started it and be run solely by Deron Beal and a few select folks whom he wants to make happy. It wouldn't solve the problems this organization has - it would make it worse.

Ways to make it better...

the organization had stayed truly grassroots and individually owned and operated. It is a shame that what could have been a worldwide phenomenum will slow die out due to poor management.

In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...

Management from the BOD to the Hub to the GOAs. There's too many inexperienced management folks who come from the place of paranoia and everyone is out to get them.

One thing I'd also say is that...

Deron Beal took an idea that already existed and put it on a new platform. That was a great idea, but that was where the great ended.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

2010

MY ROLE:
Volunteer & Community Group Owner.