Online Neighborhood

When Walker Johnson was seriously injured in a baseball game, members of the Memorial Information Trading Facebook group supported him and his mom Christy by filling their yard with baseballs covered in supportive messages. (Photo: lawellphoto.com)

This is the first in a series of articles on community Facebook groups.

Share, tag, tweet or follow, “Like” it or not our communities are formed more by our online activities than by our zip codes. Or, in some cases, by both.

I recently moved back to Houston after almost 20 years away. Everywhere I turned, Houstonians were directing me to online Facebook groups. So I decided to turn to the Internet instead of the country club to get reconnected. I had no clue what I was getting into.

In addition to “Friending” individuals, you can join various Facebook groups. There are groups for kids’ clothing, lost pets, crafters, man caves, real estate and lovers of Houston food. Some are further narrowed, limited to people who live in your physical neighborhood. It didn’t take long for me to get hooked.

When I searched for groups in The Buzz’s communities, I found hundreds, most for either trading/selling or information exchange. The trading and selling groups are like online garage sales. Using your phone or computer, you post a photo of an item you want to sell and browse others’ items to purchase. In information groups, members share insight and advice. For example, “Looking for a ballerina cake for my child’s party. Any suggestions?” or “Need a reputable tree trimmer. Has anyone had good luck with someone?”

I started by clicking “Join” on the page and then being accepted as a member by a moderator. (Moderators make and enforce rules, sometimes banning participants if necessary.) In trading groups, potential buyers type “Interested” in the Comments, and the buyer/seller work out details of meeting. This is not an auction, like Ebay; instead, the first to type “Interested” gets first dibs.

I quickly became obsessed. I sold a rug, fabric, baby items and a mattress. In my first few months, I not only gained back valuable space in my garage, but also over $2,000 in sales. 

Robin Lutz is the administrator for the West University Trading Facebook group, whose membership has increased 25 percent in the past 5 months, with over 5,100 members. “I want to help bring people together,” says Robin, a retired IT executive. “These sites are a wonderful way for our communities to interact. I have lived in this neighborhood for 27 years, and had it not been for these groups I would have missed out on meeting my favorite friends.”

Katie Bennett, who is originally from Alabama, modeled her local groups after similar ones in her hometown of Birmingham. “I started these because I saw how useful location-based social-media groups are in other cities. You can feel lost in a city the size of Houston.”

One of Katie’s groups, Memorial Area Trading, quickly blossomed to over 10,000 members. Due to its popularity, Katie now keeps a tight rein on who she accepts as new members.

The trust that members have for each other is staggering. Strangers ask other strangers online for advice ranging from their child’s health condition to family dilemmas and vacation spots. 

Christy Johnson, a sales consultant at A Perfect Fit resale boutique, leaned on a Facebook group, Memorial Information Trading, after her child’s near-death experience.

A few months ago, her 13-year-old son Walker was pitching a baseball game and was struck with a ball. His heart stopped, and he was rushed to the hospital. A few days later, worried and needing support, Christy turned to the Memorial Information Trading (MIT) group. She explained what happened and asked for prayers.

Her post received over 1,000 “Likes” and over 200 written responses. After Walker returned home, strangers from the group dropped food and notes of support on the family’s doorstep. In a special tribute to Walker, baseballs began to flood their front yard, each one bearing a handwritten message.

“I was overwhelmed with the support from this online community,” said Christy. “I turned to MIT in a moment of shock and can say the response supported us through this crisis.”

The Johnsons started a non-profit organization called Walker’s Warriors to place defibrillators at Houston baseball fields. Many MIT members have contributed to the $6,000 raised so far.

For those looking to join online neighborhood groups, both Katie and Robin encourage newbies not to give up if they aren’t immediately accepted into one particular group. Search for other groups in your neighborhood or consider starting your own group.

Many people have said that social media is the death of real person-to-person contact. As I watch these members interact and see new kinds of communities emerge, I could not disagree more.

Editor’s note: Writer Megan Hundahl Streete has been a senior producer for CNN news shows and a creative consultant for TV producer Shonda Rhimes. She currently works in client communications, including marketing and social media.

Local Facebook trading groups

When looking to join Facebook groups in your area, there are a few things you should know.

There are three different categories of groups.

• Public: Anyone can see the group, its members and their posts.

• Closed: Anyone can find the group and see who’s in it. Only members can see posts.

• Secret: Only members can find the group and see posts.

Remember to ask your friends what groups they are participating in. In some secret groups, members can add new members. The group’s status may change frequently, so check back periodically for updates. Or, if you can’t get in, do what others before you have done: Start your own group.

Here is a sampling of local Facebook groups. If you want to share any others, add the names or links to the Comments below.

Memorial Area Eats! https://www.facebook.com/groups/memorialeats/

Memorial Area Kids Info Trading https://www.facebook.com/groups/matkidsinfo/

B-WU Kids https://www.facebook.com/groups/714218945294202/

Mancave Resale Houston https://www.facebook.com/groups/mancaveresalehouston/?fref=nf

Memorial Area Tweens & Teens Trading https://www.facebook.com/groups/MemorialArea3T/

MAR Memorial Area Real Estate https://www.facebook.com/groups/1057123884314240/

River Oaks Upscale Trading https://www.facebook.com/groups/1465904093691846/

Moms & Ladies of Southwest Houston https://www.facebook.com/groups/southwestmomsandladies/ (closed group)

Bellaire/Meyerland/West U/Rice Village Swap & Sell https://www.facebook.com/groups/152671748245977/

Tanglewood Moms https://www.facebook.com/groups/180907981964736/

Upper Kirby Trading https://www.facebook.com/groups/1430770627224046/