The sink is one of dozens of items that have passed through Simmons’ doors over the past five years thanks to Freecycle.

Simmons is one of the moderators of the Wake County branch of the group, whose goal is to recycle items within the community rather than throw them away.

“It’s all about keeping stuff out of the landfill,” Simmons said.

Roughly 3.9 million people are part of Freecycle across the globe, with WakeFreecycle boasting 5,500 members with about 100 joining every week. About half of the group’s members are from southwest Wake County, including Cary and Apex.

Simmons said that like most people, she stumbled across the group.

“I’m really big on giving stuff to thrift stores, but thrift stores don’t take everything,” she said.

Freecycle works such that members can offer an item — anything from cardboard boxes to a car — through an e-mail group and other members who want the item will respond. Likewise, members can also put out a request for items. And, as the group’s name suggests, no money ever changes hands.

“I like that I can give something to someone who needs it and it doesn’t cost them a thing,” Simmons said. “I can put this item on an e-mail group, put it on my front porch and it’s gone.”

Over the years, Simmons has received a number of items, including a television, pedestal sink, computer and a piano.

In return, she said she tries to give away as much as she receives.

“One of the biggest things I’ve ever given away was an outdoor play center,” Simmons said.

She has also given away a sofa, children’s clothing, a mattress and box springs set, a refrigerator and much more.

“It’s something I really enjoy telling people about,” she said of the group.

And she isn’t the only one.

“I have met some really neat people on Freecycle,” said Saralyn Fowler of Holly Springs. “It’s one of those things that shows that there are still good people out there and the world isn’t completely as bad as it seems.”

Fowler said she has received two items from the group, but it’s the ones she has given that have left the biggest impact.

“The joy I’ve been able to give,” she said. “Watching a basketball goal ride away to a family with four or five children that were beside themselves with excitement, giving clothes to families that were really needy.”

Sam Uhl of Cary said one of the benefits of Freecycle is helping others while also meeting one’s own needs.

“My mom moved in with our family in February and the move created lots of duplicate items for our household. The first place we went to recycle it was Freecycle,” Uhl said. “It was a wonderful way to downsize our clutter without having to spend energy and time we didn’t have to take it to a drop-off site where you don’t know who is getting to benefit from your items.”

As co-moderator of the group. Simmons keeps an eye on the 500 messages that come through every week. She also approves messages of new members.

“You will see three groups of people,” Simmons said.

“The GFSers [Get Free Stuff], people who want to give stuff away and others who are sort of in the middle,” she said. “They want to see things reused in their community. They get it.”

Simmons said occasionally messages come across that aren’t against any of the groups policies but still are not the kind of requests she likes to see.

“We don’t like people who say ‘I want anything you have for a baby or a wedding,” she said, saying she prefers members putting out more specific requests as to not come off as greedy.

“We try to encourage people to think about things that would normally end up in a landfill,” Simmons said.

Simmons does not receive any special perks as moderator — if a Wii or other hot item went up she would have the same chance of receiving it as anyone else — but there are certain nontangible benefits.

“I believe in what goes around comes around,” Simmons said. “You put out good karma and I think it comes back to you.”