The way Freecycle works is you join a local network and offer something for free in a post - much like this forum. When someone accepts your offer and picks it up from you, then you are eligible to take someone else up on a free offer. In other words, you have to pay it forward first before you can take something. There's no employees, charge for the service, or whatever. It's all free.
http://www.freecycle.org/