We Need to Tell You Something.

This is probably the hardest thing we've ever had to write.

Over the last few years, our family and our team have poured everything we had into building Barter It®. When we say everything, we mean it.

We sold our family home. We invested over $1 million of our own money. We worked through setbacks that, at times, felt impossible to overcome. We also witnessed some incredible miracles that kept reminding us we were exactly where we were supposed to be.

Through it all, we kept going because we believed Canadians were looking for something different.

Back in 2020, 2021 and 2022, People Kept Asking the Same Questions...

"How do I find people who think like me? I can't find anyone."

"How do I support businesses that share my values?"

"How do I barter if I want to become less dependent on cash?"

"How do I build real community again?"

We heard those questions over and over, and instead of waiting for someone else to build the solution, we decided to try.

That's how Barter It® was born.

What Started as a Bartering Platform Became Something Much Bigger

We realized people didn't just need a place to barter; they wanted to find businesses they could trust. They wanted to connect with others in their own communities. They wanted to build friendships, join local groups, share resources and create the kind of community many of us remember growing up with.

So that's what we built.

Today, there are more than 8,000 members and 1,000 businesses on the platform. The foundation is there, the community is growing, and after three years of building, we've reached a moment that has changed everything for us.

The Realization That Changed Everything

When we first started this journey, we assumed we'd continue growing as a traditional business. We brought on investors, explored different paths and did everything we could to move the platform forward.

But the more we prayed about it, talked with our team and listened to the community, the more one thought kept coming back to us.

This platform should belong to you. It should belong to the people who use it.

That realization has led us to make one of the biggest decisions we've made since this journey began.

We're transitioning Barter It® into a member-driven not-for-profit and with that transition comes a new name that better reflects the vision we've always had.

Welcome to Aligned™

Aligned™ represents the bigger picture we've been building toward all along - a connected ecosystem where Canadians can find each other, support one another and build stronger communities together.

As this vision grows, the Aligned™ family includes:

Aligned Biz™ — Already built and active. A searchable directory of values-aligned businesses where you can intentionally support local businesses with your everyday spending.

Aligned Barter™ — Already built and active. Peer-to-peer bartering using direct trades or BITS™.

Aligned Social™ — Already built. Groups, messaging and community spaces that make it easy to meet people, start conversations and organize locally.

Aligned Hearts™ — Coming soon. A dating platform for Canadians who want relationships rooted in shared values.

Aligned Jobs™ — Coming soon. Connecting values-aligned employers with people looking for meaningful work.

Aligned Health™ — Coming soon. AI-powered natural health guidance for Canadians looking for holistic wellness resources.

Together, these platforms create something Canadians have never really had before - a community-driven ecosystem where people can connect, exchange value, support one another and become less dependent on systems that don't have their best interests at heart.

Now Comes the Part Where We Need Your Help.

To become a not-for-profit, establish the right legal and governance structure, complete the rebrand to Aligned™, continue developing the platform and keep everything running during the transition, we need to raise $160,000.

We believe in being transparent, so here's exactly where every dollar goes:

Where Your Support Will Go

Legal fees (not-for-profit incorporation, governance documents, regulatory filings)

$10,000

Accounting and professional services (2025/26 financial statements)

$10,000

Rebrand to Aligned™ (design, website updates, platform branding, communications)

$18,000

Platform development (Aligned Social™, Hearts™, Jobs™, Health™)

$60,000

Servers and infrastructure (hosting, cloud services, backups, databases)

$22,000

Security, mapping services and software licensing

$10,000

Core team salaries during the five-month transition

$25,000

Contingency and unexpected costs

$5,000

Total: $160,000

A Note About How We're Not Paying Ourselves

We have not drawn a salary from Barter It® in three years. Not one dollar. That doesn't change during this campaign. Every contribution goes directly to the transition, the platform, and the team. When Aligned™ becomes sustainable, we will earn modest salaries as employees of the not-for-profit, disclosed transparently.

What Happens If We Reach the Goal

If we raise the full $160,000, we move forward, complete the transition. Barter It® officially becomes Aligned™, a member-driven not-for-profit built for Canadians. Development continues and the community keeps growing. The next chapter begins.

What Happens If We Don't

If we can't raise the funds, we simply don't have the resources to continue. Everyone will be refunded their contribution. We've come too far to watch this dream end here and we believe this community is worth fighting for.

This Is Your Invitation

If you've ever wished there was a better way to find your people, support businesses that align with your values, barter, build friendships and strengthen your local community, this is your opportunity to help make that future possible.

Whether you can contribute $10, $25, $100 or more, every gift brings us one step closer.

And if you're not in a position to give right now, sharing this campaign is one of the greatest gifts you can give us. Send it to someone who's been looking for something different. Someone who has been quietly hoping a place like this existed.

We're not asking you to build this for us.

We're asking you to build something that belongs to all of us.

With grateful hearts,

John, Debbi & the Aligned™ Team