Your Brooklyn Neighbor Might Be The Currency

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT, NY—On a block in Bed-Stuy, a haircut might come from a neighbor who needs help filming videos to market their barbershop.

Transaction via tap-to-pay? Not exactly.

On Reciproc8, the barber could list haircuts as something they offer, while another neighbor might post that they need help shooting and editing social media content.

The platform connects the two.

They agree on an exchange, perhaps two haircuts for a few hours of video work, and decide whether to meet in person or handle part of the work remotely.

For Bed-Stuy resident and Recipric8 founder Jonathan Sims, those kinds of exchanges are not a new idea. They are the foundation of how he grew up.

Sims was raised in Alabama, where neighbors traded time, labor and skills as part of everyday life. He remembers cutting grass for people in his community and receiving home-cooked meals in return.

When he moved to New York, he found a city filled with people carrying different talents, interests and ambitions— but fewer opportunities to share them outside traditional financial systems.

That realization eventually became Reciproc8, a community barter network designed to help neighbors exchange skills, services and items without money changing hands.

The idea came from Sims’ own experiences outside of work.

While pursuing a promotion as a software engineer, Sims said he was given a project that would have required several engineers to complete. At the same time, he continued making time for his passions, including Muay Thai, chess and recreational sports.

While training in Muay Thai, a combat sport originating from Thailand, he built relationships with people who learned about his technology background and began seeking his expertise for website development and coding support.

In return, they helped him improve his training.

At chess meetups, people asked him for fitness advice, and he exchanged that knowledge for lessons on strategy.

“I realized that we all, as people, have something of value to share with other people in community,” Sims said. “I just want to build a platform in order to bring that forth.”

How Does Reciproc8 Work?

Reciproc8 allows neighbors to list what they can offer and what they need, then connects people whose skills and requests match.

They can also request something they need, such as help with a resume, learning an instrument or finding a workout partner.

The platform then matches neighbors based on shared needs and offers.

Sims know he cannot replace the entire financial system.

People need the current monetary model to pay rent, medical bills in order to survive in New York City,

“But we want to free up the other hobbies or services that you need, so that that isn't too much of a burden," Sims said.

Can A Website Help Neighbors Know Each Other Again?

Sims first saw the idea for Reciproc8 take shape in a Black-owned business group on WhatsApp.

A woman posted that she needed help building a website for her business. Sims offered to do it.

He put the site together, and as her business grew, she came back with an offer of her own: she would take on his administrative work for the same amount of time he had spent building her website.

For three months, the two traded time and expertise, with neither side reaching for a check.

Sims sees those exchanges everywhere around him. He lives near Malcolm X Boulevard, where familiar faces tend to reappear along Halsey and Decatur, turning a neighborhood into something closer to a network.

“I’m able to put a name to the faces that I see walking on Halsey, walking on Decatur,” Sims said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

With Reciproc8, Sims is taking that neighborhood instinct—I can help you with that; what can you help me with?—and opening it up beyond the people who already know one another.

His vision is a neighborhood where residents recognize each other not just as strangers passing on the sidewalk, but as people who have helped one another.

“I want to get back to that,” Sims said. “Knowing who your next door neighbor is, knowing who the person down the street is.”

What Is Happening Next In Bed-Stuy?

The organization recently hosted an event that raised $1,500 for neighbors affected by SNAP benefit cuts and included a clothing swap, with remaining clothing donated.

Every Friday, the project is organizing Restor8, a free repair café where residents can bring worn clothing and community members can mend basic textiles.

Participants can later pick up their repaired items at no cost.

On Aug. 8, another upcoming event will focus on community connection through play: a block-wide scavenger hunt built around the theme “joy as resistance” as part of the STooPS Summer Festival on Decatur Street.

“We're really trying to build out with the platform,” Sims said. “People were going around sharing stories. They were connecting. They were sharing social media in order to keep in touch.”

Although the Reciproc8 app allows people to create accounts and find exchanges, Sims said the project is focusing on building trust offline first.

The platform has already attracted about 100 users, but Sims said relationships remain the foundation.

A neighbor’s skill, experience or time can become something another neighbor needs— and the exchange can become something priceless.

Learn more about Reciproc8 here.

Getting Started With Reciproc8

1. Share what you have
Users list skills, services or items they can offer.

2. Share what you need
Users explain what they are looking for.

3. Find a match
The platform connects neighbors whose needs and offers align.

4. Make the exchange
Neighbors decide what works, whether in person or remotely.

5. Build trust
Participants confirm exchanges and leave reviews.

What Can People Exchange?

Reciproc8 is designed for everyday skills and resources, including:

• Learning a language
• Cooking help
• Fitness guidance
• Technology support
• Repairs
• Creative services
• Household items
• Community assistance