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“This group is for people who need things,” reads the About info on the Facebook page of Barter Group — Southern NV.
Veronica Coon, a hairdresser in Henderson, Nevada, started the group back in March to help people find hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies and other products in high demand. But as the pandemic drags on, the things that people need have changed.
Early on in the pandemic, Coon said hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes and toilet paper were the most requested items. Later in the year, she said many people traded or gave away personal home goods like patio furniture.
In December, she said many people came to the group looking for holiday gifts for their kids. Others shared information on rental assistance, unemployment benefits and food banks. “It’s turned from one need to another,” said Coon.
When she first started the group, Coon said she didn’t know how long it would be active. She soon realized however, that it could serve a vital purpose in her community, even after the pandemic ends.
“I don’t plan on ever closing the group down just because COVID stops,” she said. “Because there’s always going to be people [who don’t have] the cash to meet their needs.”
Coon said she’s also been happy to see more barter groups pop up around the country. “It helps the whole community when you have more than one place for people to turn,” she said. “That’s necessary, even not in a pandemic.”
