<![CDATA[MONA - Sustainability Begins With Sharing

<![CDATA[MONA - Sustainability Begins With Sharing - Blog]]>Mon, 20 May 2024 03:26:19 +0900Weebly<![CDATA[Meet MONA’s Market Volunteers]]>Tue, 18 Jul 2023 08:06:09 GMThttp://monaofficial.co/blog/meet-monas-market-volunteersMONA has achieved remarkable success with the launch of two offline free markets and is eagerly preparing for the third one, scheduled for July 23, 2023! The MONA Free Market has become a grand showcase of generosity, offering hundreds of items for giveaway on each occasion. This incredible feat is made possible by our team of dedicated volunteers, standing alongside MONA's founder, Quinn. These enthusiastic volunteers are none other than our cherished MONA members, who themselves once received free items from the MONA Facebook Group as they embraced life in Korea. Now, driven by a desire to give back to the vibrant MONA community, they generously contribute their time and organizational skills to make each event a memorable success. Let's take a moment to meet and appreciate these friendly and selfless helpers who are the heart and soul of MONA's endeavors!

MONA's First Free Market Volunteers, from left to right: Gihan, Jessica, Lana, Mun, Quinn (MONA Founder)

MONA's First Free Market Volunteers, from left to right: Jeric, Jessica, Quinn (MONA Founder), Lana, Jhem

Jeric Cabral (Filipino)

Hello everyone. My name is Jeric Cabral. I came from the Philippines, and I came to South Korea during August of last year to take my Master.
I started to be a member of MONA in January of this year. I'm so grateful and blessed to be part of the group because I receive valuable stuff and help them to recycle things and reduce waste. Other than giving and receiving in MONA, it helps me also to connect and meet other people and to be accustomed to the location.
One of my love languages is service, and I want to give back the blessings I receive from all the generous members of MONA by being a volunteer. I love how MONA works in the lives of all here in Korea to offer awareness to everyone about sustainability and waste management. I hope that someday, many people will be aware and take the initiative to save our Mother Earth.

Jhem (Filipino)

Hi! My name is Jeremy Ann Rubio from the Philippines. I came to Korea in August of last year as a student and missionary as well. I joined MONA this year of January and truly MONA has been a great blessing to me.
I thought there are no more free things in this world but MONA has proved that free things still exist in this world partnered with the generous hearts of the various givers from different nationalities who are also supporting the mission of MONA to create social impact and promote sustainability.
I've received many valuable and necessary things (clothes, household items, bicycle, food, books, etc.) from MONA Facebook group which I believe is God's way of blessing me and all the people who are in need as well. As a missionary here in Korea, I mainly rely on God's provision and not spend too much on my resources, and whenever I need something I just pray to God. I personally called MONA as "Heavenly MONA" because most of the items I received from MONA are my prayer items and I personally believe God is using MONA as an instrument of blessing to provide my needs and be of blessing to others as well. It may sound religious but that's the reality of how I am blessed for being part of the MONA community.
Because of MONA, I was able to be accustomed to various places here in Korea and met new people from different countries.
In addition, I am also sharing some of the items which I've got from MONA to my classmates who are new here in Korea and I am continuously promoting the MONA Facebook page to them.
Having said this, and with the heart of thankfulness as a blessed receiver of various things from the MONA community, I was really looking forward to how to give back and extend my service to the MONA community. So, when MONA announced the 1st free market event, I volunteered and participated in that event to give back and be of service to the MONA community as a way to express my gratitude. I pray and hope that I can participate again as one of the volunteers in one of the upcoming events of MONA.
Finally, I thank Quinn and all the admin of MONA for having the dedication and passion to promote and manage MONA in the best way that they can. God bless and Kudos to the MONA community!

MONA's Second Free Market Volunteers, from left to right: Grace, Despina, Maria, Thelma

Despina Hannah (Greek German American)

Hi, my name is Despina Hannah and I came to Seoul about 9 months ago now for my year off work, in order to learn Korean and travel the country. I wish I had known of MONA when I first moved here!! It’s such an incredible resource and community! Since getting more adjusted to life in Seoul, I’ve gotten some extra things from MONA, and not only that, some people I met and got things from became friends as well. Beyond that, Quinn has become a close friend and has helped me so incredibly much - she’s so giving and creates all these spaces for us to gather, so I wanted to try and do something, even if it’s small, to support and thank her 😊.
I’ve also always been interested in sustainability and reducing consumerism. I studied it at university and am looking to reduce my own consumerism, so MONA just works on so many different levels! 😊

Maria (Indonesia)

My name is Maria, I came to Seoul in February 2023 to learn Korean. Being an international student in Seoul, MONA has helped me save money. I received a lot of valuable stuff for free from other members of MONA (college textbooks, stationeries, clothes, air purifier), so I would like to give back to the community by being a volunteer and help as much as I could. It feels wonderful to see how items that someone no longer needs can be someone else's valuable items and spark joy for others. It's definitely a rewarding experience.
Being part of MONA makes me feel like I'm not alone here in Korea. I love how MONA always strives to create a safe space for the members to give and receive items for free. Not only that, MONA has also definitely made me become more aware about sustainability issues.

Somin (Grace) (Korean)

My name is Somin (or Grace). I was born in the US but was raised almost entirely in Korea. I met Quinn while working on a sustainability related project and was deeply inspired by her passion and dedication for building an all-inclusive community. I was intrigued by the idea of MONA since the first time I was introduced to it. I am currently studying sustainable development in college and working for MONA has helped me recognize the power of small businesses in changing the entire consumption trend. I believe MONA proves the potential for a new waste management strategy that can also be implemented internationally. But for now, I’m volunteering here to expand the awareness of sustainable lifestyle among Koreans as it is not yet getting enough attention from the public.

MONA is incredibly grateful to have a dedicated and passionate team of volunteers who play a pivotal role in making our free market events a resounding success every time. Their unwavering commitment to our mission of creating a sustainable and sharing community is the driving force behind MONA's growth and impact. As we continue to work together to support and uplift our community, we invite you to join us as a volunteer. Follow @monaofficial.kr on Instagram to stay updated on upcoming events and discover exciting opportunities to become a valuable part of the MONA movement. Together, we can build a brighter, more sustainable future for all.

]]><![CDATA[MONA’s First Offline Free Market]]>Sun, 02 Jul 2023 13:13:38 GMThttp://monaofficial.co/blog/monas-first-offline-free-marketby Thai An Kim

MONA has officially gone from online only to offline! On May 13, 2023, Quinn P., founder of MONA, hosted the first MONA Free Market in person at Vegan & Beyond in Seoul. She said, “At MONA, we believe in sharing and community building, and this event is our way of bringing those values to life.”

People were able to drop off their donation, mail them to Vegan & Beyond if they could not make it to the event, and set up their own table if they had more than 10 items. Thanks to a group of volunteers, over 300 items were neatly sorted into categories like clothes, shoes, bags, etc.

From 2:00PM to 5:00PM, visitors freely browsed and took what they needed so that these preloved items could have a new home. There were over 60 Koreans and foreigners from 24 countries participating.

One foreigner who came to the event was an exchange student and she was ecstatic to participate, saying that “It’s quite difficult for me to find things because I’m quite tall.” Coincidentally, one of the shirts she found was from the university she is currently attending. What a nice surprise!

Quinn often says: “people say there is no such thing as a free lunch, but it does exist and you can find it on MONA.” MONA’s first offline free market shows that if people’s hearts are willing, things can be given away for free without any monetary exchange.

At the end of the event, Quinn donated the leftover items to an organization for people with disabilities. No item left behind! This step of taking MONA from an online platform to an offline event is going back full circle to how Quinn first started to connect people through local events before creating MONA. We plan to have more MONA offline free markets to share the love. Join us in our cause to protect the planet and solve the climate crisis one free item at a time!

Follow MONA's Official Instagram for more information about upcoming events and free markets.
Join MONA's Facebook Group to create a more sustainable environment through giving and receiving items for free.

]]><![CDATA[MONA – A Free Marketplace that Encourages Community, Connection, and Giving]]>Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMThttp://monaofficial.co/blog/mona-a-free-marketplace-that-encourages-community-connection-and-givingby Thai An Kim

Remember when you moved into your first apartment? How exciting to have a place of your own, but also overwhelming with all the things you need to buy. But suddenly, like an answered prayer, a friendly neighbor was giving away some of his furniture and was even happy to help move them into your apartment! As you looked around your furnished apartment, you smiled and felt a sense of peace and hope that even though moving out was hard, it was going to be alright. That is the kind of feeling and community that MONA fosters, where expats around Korea can post items and services for free so that someone in need can receive them, no questions asked.

Quinn, the founder of MONA has always had a passion for bringing the community together. “It’s not having money that makes people rich. It’s having good friends and encounters with amazing people that can enrich your life.” She started hosting events at her Vegan & Beyond Restaurant & Cafe to connect people with similar interests. Quinn hosts events such as entrepreneur talks & networking, Korean-English language exchange, women’s social nights, vegan cooking classes, and community sharing events like pop up markets for small businesses.

During her studies in Taiwan, Quinn was inspired by a market where people were giving away their things for free and people were smiling and thanking each other. When she moved to Korea and noticed that people were paying to throw out so many things since they had no time to sell them, Quinn had another idea to help the community. She founded the “Really Really Free Things in Korea” Facebook group to connect people who had things to give away with those who needed the items. This exchange showed that people were happy not only to save money, but also to reduce waste and save the environment.

With a dedicated group of volunteers helping Quinn, the community has changed its name to “MONA - Really Free Things in Korea”, and grew to over 13,500 members since 2019. The group has facilitated the giving and receiving of thousands of items, including physical things like furniture, clothes, books, and kitchen supplies, and services like haircuts and tattoos.

“MONA - Really Free Things in Korea” reflects Quinn’s vision of “by community, for community” that encourages a spirit of generosity and gratitude, where people give away very valuable items and see them make a difference. Doris A. was able to receive a computer set and sent it to her daughter in the Philippines! Her daughter can now have better access to her online classes and improve her studies. How amazing to see a gift travel from Korea all the way to the Philippines!

People in the MONA community choose to give away things out of the kindness of their hearts without expecting anything in return. But it certainly warms the heart when the receiver shows their gratitude. Hye Sun Lee was surprised to find a gift bag filled with treats and a thoughtful thank you note left by a member that received one of her donated items. “This gesture was so thoughtful and very much appreciated. I hope we all continue to be kind to one another.” This kind of grateful attitude brings joy to the givers and encourages people to give even more.

It’s the generosity and gratefulness shown within the MONA community that helps it grow every day. As Quinn has always expressed her desire for connecting the community together – from her offline events at her restaurant to an online free sharing platform like MONA – we are excited to expand on her vision and invite you along for the ride. If you have something that you want to give away or are looking for something that you need, join MONA's Facebook Group and experience the joy of giving or receiving for yourself. Maybe you will be able to find friendships that make Korea a home away from home.

]]><![CDATA[Join the Freecycling Movement: Give and Receive Items for Free!]]>Sun, 30 Apr 2023 15:00:00 GMThttp://monaofficial.co/blog/join-the-freecycling-movement-give-and-receive-items-for-freeby Karman Leung

Have you ever wondered what to do with items you don’t need, but are still in good condition? What about finding yourself in a situation where you’d like to save money or want to help reduce waste? This often happens when you’re moving house or reorganizing your space. Instead of tossing perfectly good items or going through the hassle of trying to buy and sell, there is an easy, free alternative: freecycling.

Free What?

So what is freecycling, exactly? It’s the act of giving away items to others for free, rather than throwing them out. Freecycling items can be anything from clothes, toys, furniture and electronics to even food! To put it simply, it’s the giving and receiving of free stuff! It’s a great way to make room in your closet and pantry or clear out items when it’s time to move. The whole practice of freecycling works on one simple principle: one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

Level Up Your Life With Freecycling

Besides an easy give-and-take transaction, there are so many benefits of freecycling.
For people, it’s a way for both the giver and the receiver to save money. The receiver will obviously get a free item. Woohoo! But did you know that the giver can save money too?
In Korea, you need to purchase a sticker tag when you want to get rid of large items like chairs, beds, or desks. The sticker indicates that you’ve paid for the item’s removal before leaving it outside. However, when you freecycle, you can keep your cash. You can coordinate with the receiver who can pay for shipping or pick up the item.
Another plus to freecycling in Korea is it can help build a sense of community. It promotes a need for people to reach out and connect with one another. An example of this can be seen in MONA, our freecycling in Korea group, where 13,500+ members post items they want to share daily. Sharing creates a sense of shared purpose and belonging, and it’s a great way to get to know people in and around your area.

Keep it Environmentally Friendly

Every year, two billion tons of waste ends up in landfills and our oceans. Around 1.3 billion tons of all food produced is lost or wasted. And if food waste were a country? Well, sadly, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gasses after the USA and China.
So, if saving money and building community wasn’t already enough to get you on board the freecycling train, there’s also the environment to think about. It can have an impact on reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
When you choose to give away items or look for second-hand items, you are keeping them out of landfills. You are reducing the amount of waste and the need for new production. In turn, that helps conserve natural resources. And what happens when we use less resources? We create less pollution. Ultimately, freecycling does its part in protecting our environment and making an impact on climate change. And you can be part of that!

How You Can Get Your Freecycling On

If you’re interested in getting involved in freecycling, there are a number of ways to do so.
One way is to donate items to local charities or thrift stores. In Korea, you may want to consider giving to the Beautiful Store which has locations nationwide. They are a non-profit foundation that takes donated items. Donations can be made at select locations in person or by mail. The best part? Their proceeds contribute to ecological and eco-friendly changes and help underprivileged people in Korea and abroad. You can also look into sponsorships and volunteering.

Another way you can get involved is by joining a freecycling group online. Group members will post items they no longer need for free. Others can browse items that are being given away. If you’re freecycling in Korea, MONA provides its members with a safe space online to share.
With MONA, giving and receiving free items has never been easier. Aside from posting and browsing free items, there’s also a “Free Friday” rule where members make posts requesting items they’re looking for. It’s a great way to find items that you need for free while also connecting with people in your community. There’s even a translation function to make sure communication is as smooth as can be.
An added bonus to MONA is the variety of free stuff you’ll find. The site is not limited to physical items like furniture, books, and food. You’ll also come across services. For example, some of the free services that have been on MONA are haircuts, consultation services, legal advice, cosmetic procedures, classes, and even tattoos. Whoa, free stuff for the win!

Are you ready to give freecycling a try? Check out MONA's facebook group here!

]]>