more volunteers talking volunteer things.
this still needs to be worked on. I'm just getting stuff out there. please comment.Â
January 28, 2007
The Gift of Community
It's late and you are tired. You realize that you forgot to buy milk and without it your fettucini alfredo will be ruined. You throw on your coat and go outside. Your neighbor is sitting on her porch holding a mug close to her face. The steam from her cup swirls into the night as she smiles and wonders where you are going. To the store, you say, for milk. She says, I have plenty of milk. How much do you need? You want to argue, you don't want to impose, but she's already rising, insisting you take her gift.
The beauty of that simple gift is it's open ended, full of possibility. Had you gone to the store, you would have paid the cashier and your exchange would be over. You don't owe the cashier anything and she doesn't owe you. But a gift? A gift promises the possibility of relationship. After that gift of milk, you will be more likely to say hi when you see your neighbor in a store or on the street. And if she ever needs anything in the future, you will be more likely to reach out and give back to her in turn.
In the Timebank, when you have a need, someone gifts you with their time in order to satisfy that need. When you spend a Time Dollar with someone, your debt of one Time Dollar is a promise to give back to someone in your community. Those promises are the heart of community. They are open ended. Full of possibility. You are participating in a gift economy. Anthropologists say that gift exchange is the central feature of any community.
The beauty of that simple gift is it's open ended, full of possibility. Had you gone to the store, you would have paid the cashier and your exchange would be over. You don't owe the cashier anything and she doesn't owe you. But a gift? A gift promises the possibility of relationship. After that gift of milk, you will be more likely to say hi when you see your neighbor in a store or on the street. And if she ever needs anything in the future, you will be more likely to reach out and give back to her in turn.
In the Timebank, when you have a need, someone gifts you with their time in order to satisfy that need. When you spend a Time Dollar with someone, your debt of one Time Dollar is a promise to give back to someone in your community. Those promises are the heart of community. They are open ended. Full of possibility. You are participating in a gift economy. Anthropologists say that gift exchange is the central feature of any community.
January 27, 2007
TimeBank Stories: Volunteers at Viva Espresso.
this is the first of hopefully many videos trying to document the wonders of the TimeBank. These are bits and pieces of a volunteer meeting at Viva Espresso... just to show you things are happening.
What is Timebanking?
A Time Bank is a community of people and organizations who agree to spend and earn Time Dollars. A Time Dollar is something you earn when you help a neighbor for one hour. You can spend that Time Dollar to meet your needs.
Right now there are 40 Old North End Timebank members offering everything from teaching you how to tie a bow tie to green housecleaning to changing your oil to expressive art classes to basic plumbing.
Time Dollars rebuild community.
They bring neighbors together to help each other.
They make it okay to ask for help when you need it and offer it when you can.
SIGNING UP:
Go to:
community.timebanks.org
At the top right you will see a button that says, "find time banks". Click on it.
Scroll down until you see "The Old North End Timebank" (it's alphabetically listed under "T"). Click on "Join Now".
If you have any difficulties signing up, feel free to email melissa@burlingtoncurrency.org. Or, if you would like some support in person, we can arrange a time to do that.
Melissa
Invisible World
Our Media Intern made us this sweet little blog to share the story of an unfolding social change movement. Thanks Joanna!
Timebanking is all about valuing and strengthening the invisible economy that sustains our world. Without mamas and papas and aunts and uncles raising children, without all of the investment it takes to keep neighborhoods safe, to look after each other, the fast paced competitive harrowing world of the market economy would fall apart. Everyday we each take care of each other and the corner of the world we live in. Some of us are so busy from stressful jobs and cluttered lives that it is very difficult to care for ourselves and each other. Most of us have few people to turn to when we fall ill, when we need last minute childcare or transportation to buy groceries! We've lost our communities, our extended networks of friends and family and neighbors who are there to support us, watch out for us, and step in when we need a couple of extra hands to ease the daily stress of our lives and make living more meaningful and fun.
Timebanking reaffirms that every human being is a valuable and essential part of community; that all work deserves to be acknowledged and honored; and that people are stronger and happier when they work together.
For more information about Timebanking check out www.timebanks.org or email melissa@burlingtoncurrency.org.
Timebanking is all about valuing and strengthening the invisible economy that sustains our world. Without mamas and papas and aunts and uncles raising children, without all of the investment it takes to keep neighborhoods safe, to look after each other, the fast paced competitive harrowing world of the market economy would fall apart. Everyday we each take care of each other and the corner of the world we live in. Some of us are so busy from stressful jobs and cluttered lives that it is very difficult to care for ourselves and each other. Most of us have few people to turn to when we fall ill, when we need last minute childcare or transportation to buy groceries! We've lost our communities, our extended networks of friends and family and neighbors who are there to support us, watch out for us, and step in when we need a couple of extra hands to ease the daily stress of our lives and make living more meaningful and fun.
Timebanking reaffirms that every human being is a valuable and essential part of community; that all work deserves to be acknowledged and honored; and that people are stronger and happier when they work together.
For more information about Timebanking check out www.timebanks.org or email melissa@burlingtoncurrency.org.
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