Safety

BorrowAPencil.org is a community resource for donating and receiving school supplies. The overwhelming majority of our users are trustworthy and well-meaning — these guidelines help keep it that way.

Never Pay For Anything

Everything on BorrowAPencil.org is a donation. No one should ever ask you for money, and you should never pay for anything — not the supplies, not shipping, not a "holding fee," nothing.

If anyone asks you for payment, gift cards, or financial information of any kind, stop communicating with them and report it to us right away. Requests for payment are against everything this site stands for and are a violation of our Terms of Use.

In Person Exchanges

When meeting someone for the first time to give or receive school supplies, please remember to:

• Insist on a public meeting place like a public library, bank, or police department. Some police departments have buy/sell areas set aside for meeting.
• Do not meet in a secluded place or invite strangers into your home.
• Be especially careful when exchanging higher value items like electronics or calculators.
• Tell a friend or family member where you're going.
• Consider having a friend accompany you.
• Trust your instincts.

Taking these simple precautions helps make BorrowAPencil.org safer for everyone.

Your Email Stays Private

When you contact someone about a post, your message is delivered through our mail relay system. Both sides of the conversation go through BorrowAPencil.org, and we will do our best to keep your personal email address private from other users. You can arrange an exchange entirely through the relay without revealing your personal contact information.

Reporting Posts & Messages

If you come across a post that is harmful, misleading, or otherwise doesn't belong here, please use the report button on the post so we can review it.

If someone sends you an inappropriate or threatening message through the relay, you can report that user directly from the message. Inappropriate messaging is a violation of our Terms of Use, and reported users are reviewed and may be restricted or removed.

For anything urgent, or if you're not sure how to report a problem, email us at support@borrowapencil.org and we'll look into it.