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Trust, Safety & Community Guidelines
KindShare is built on trust between neighbors. Because exchanges happen between real people in the real world, safety is designed into the platform — email-confirmed accounts, community ratings, a real person reviewing every report, and you deciding who you share with. This page explains how it works and what we expect from every member.
The short version: no anonymous accounts, no money changing hands, doorstep pickup by default, a simple way to report a listing or a problem, and a named, accountable operator — Kindness Community Foundation — accountable for moderation.
Member sign-in and community ratings
- Member sign-in. Every member signs in with Google or a confirmed email address.
- Community ratings. Read member-submitted ratings alongside a person's profile and listings. KindShare does not independently verify their exchanges. A Profile Complete badge means a member has added a name and city; it is not an identity check.
- You choose who you share with. A listing is an invitation, not an obligation. You decide who receives your item, and you can decline anyone.
Community guidelines
- Everything is free. No selling, bartering for money, or commercial activity. Ever.
- Be honest. Describe items accurately, including flaws. Honour lending agreements and return borrowed items on time, in the condition you received them.
- Be kind and respectful. No harassment, discrimination, or abusive behaviour — in listings, messages, or in person.
- No prohibited items. Weapons, controlled substances, recalled products, counterfeit or stolen goods, and anything illegal under California or federal law are removed and may result in account suspension.
- Show up. If you arrange a pickup, keep it or cancel with notice. No-shows harm the community and are reflected in member ratings.
Safety tips for in-person exchanges
- Doorstep pickup is the default. Leave the item outside your door — you never need to meet anyone in person if you'd prefer not to.
- If you do meet, meet smart. Choose a public place in daylight — a café, library, or busy street. Bring a friend for large-item handovers.
- Tell someone. Share where you're going and when you expect to be back.
- Keep conversations on KindShare. On-platform messages create a record if anything goes wrong.
- Never share financial information. Nothing on KindShare costs money — anyone asking for payment, deposits, or gift cards is violating the rules. Report them immediately.
- Trust your instincts. You can cancel any exchange, at any time, for any reason.
Safe places to meet in Orange County
When doorstep pickup isn't practical, meet somewhere public, well-lit and busy. These are the kinds of places we recommend across Orange County:
- Police station lobbies. Many Orange County departments — including Newport Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Tustin and Santa Ana — have lobbies or parking areas that are well-lit, monitored and open to the public. They make an easy, low-pressure handover point.
- Public libraries. Your local branch of the OC Public Libraries system is calm, staffed and central — a comfortable spot for exchanges during opening hours.
- Busy, open public places. A coffee shop, grocery-store entrance, community center or a shopping-center forecourt in daylight. Choose somewhere with people around and easy parking.
- Your own doorstep. Still the simplest option — leave the item out for collection and you never need to meet at all.
A good rule of thumb: if a meeting spot wouldn't feel comfortable at 2 p.m. with a friend along, pick somewhere else. Daylight, people nearby, and a spot you know beats convenience every time.
Reporting and moderation
Every listing has a Report this listing button. To report a message or a member, email contact@kindnesscommunityfoundation.com. A real person at Kindness Community Foundation reads every report and follows up. You can also block any member from a conversation, their profile, or one of their listings. Once blocked, you can't message each other and you won't see their listings. You can unblock anytime from your profile. If someone makes you uncomfortable, let us know as well, and we will step in. Accounts that violate these guidelines are warned, suspended, or removed depending on severity; illegal activity is reported to law enforcement.
Your privacy
KindShare collects only what's needed to run the platform: your name, email, and what you choose to post. There is no advertising, no tracking cookies, and your data is never sold. Listings, photos, city and ZIP code are public. Keep street addresses and other private details out of your post, and arrange an exact meeting spot in private chat with the person you choose. See the full Privacy Policy.
Who is accountable
KindShare is operated by Kindness Community Foundation (KCF LLC), a company registered in California (4110 San Joaquin Plaza, Newport Beach, CA 92660), as a free community service. Questions, concerns, or safety reports can be sent any time to contact@kindnesscommunityfoundation.com.