My Nonprofit Reviews
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Review for The Freecycle Network, Tucson, AZ, USA
the Freecycle Network is chaired by a maniacal dictator that thinks nothing about spending money to do what can be done without cost. He created the Freecycle network to take control of the grassroots program that was founded on Yahoo and is still running, without costs, and created a network that now requires a 50K a year salary and money paid out to programmers and others to duplicate what he had on Yahoo for free. He now has the expense of programmers, servers and support staff as well as his salary not to mention the thousands of dollars spent on a legal action in a weak attempt to take away the name Freecycle and close down the groups on Yahoo doing exactly what he does. The 'network' is run with a dictatorial hand and anyone asking questions and pushing for answers is generally censored or removed from the network. This so-called charity drains money from other deserving charities by taking money to duplicate what others are doing just as successfully, if not more successfully on Yahoo for free. Deron Beal turned what was Freecycle into a cash cow for himself, it has nothing to do with charity or saving the planet. When Deron can't turn a buck the Freecycle network will shut down.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
I was on the recieving end of Mr. Beal's lawsuit. I was forced to change the name of my group until he finally lost the action and we were allowed to once again call ourselves Freecycle. I've been on the receiving end of his threats, attacks and harassment.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Get rid of Deron Beal and take the group back to Yahoo where it works just as well and does not take money from deserving charities
Would you volunteer for this group again?
No
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Life-changing
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Badly
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
No
What one change could this group make that would improve your volunteer experience?
Get rid of Deron Beal and the expenses he has CREATED so he can line his pockets.
Did your volunteer experience have an effect on you? (teaching you a new skill, or introducing new friends, etc.)
I've met lots of new friends and been able to make a difference in my community.
How did this volunteer experience make you feel?
Running my group helps me to make a difference in my community and do so without draining the pockets of deserving charities.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
Review for The Freecycle Network, Tucson, AZ, USA
I was with FC when it began as a grassroots movement, when it was truly what might be considered charitable. That was before Deron Beal the would-be king decided to change all the rules and turn it into a charity for him and his family. Most of the money donated to FC is laundered and placed in the personal bank accounts of Deron, his family and friends. Very little of it ever gets to the community. Right now he is trying to scam Pepsi out of $250,000 by having members of the FC community in the UK and others out side the U.S. vote for his bank account. He has encouraged them to create false email accounts and use their dogs, cats, birds and anything else they can think of to rig the contest in his favor. FC is not about community, it is about a man and his quest for riches.
More Feedback
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
make Deron Beal rich.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
