Burlington Time Banks

Long coming update....

2008-07-18T06:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry dear friends and members, but the summer has whisked me away to a land of sandy beaches and busy Time Banking days! But some long overdue updates:

1. Our intern is here! Margarita Acosta joined us at the beginning of June and has been doing a great job of getting the TimeBank ready to become member-run come September! She is going to be a senior at Bryn Mawr studying linguistics. We are blessed to have her with us for the summer!

2. As I just mentioned we will become what is known as a member run TimeBank. Since the Corporation for National Service cut the CEDO's VISTA grant by 80% our TimeBank will not be getting an A*VISTA this fall. Instead of having one person run the TimeBank, we are spreading out the responsibilities to our members. There will be many different ways for people to become more involved in our Timebank and take on leadership roles to ensure we have a successful Timebank. For example, we will need members to run our New Member Orientations. These members will earn Time Dollars for learning how to run the orientation as well as give the presentation. If you are currently a member and are interested in helping our TimeBank thrive, please check out the website for more information. You can also read more about the specific roles as they are listed under "Community Projects:Help Our Time Bank" in the Marketplace (where you find all the requests and offers in the TimeBank). Or send an email to burlington.timebanks@gmail.com!

3. We are currently doing outreach focused on senior citizens in the community. They are the perfect group to become involved in the TimeBank because they usually have time on their hands as well as lots of life experience. They also can benefit by joining because now they have access to tons of services like rides to the doctors appointments, companionship and sidewalk shoveling!

Thank you so much for your continued support! Happy Time Banking!

Annie

Hemming and reaffirmations of the Time Bank...

2008-03-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

the burlington timebanks has been an organization i whole-heartedly have believed in since its conception, trying to localize our economy, but more importantly our community. funny enough, not until almost a year after signing on as a member of the burlington timebanks did i have my first interaction/transaction. i have sent a few emails around to varying members of the timebanks community, and have also received my fair share. alas, sara giannoni needed two pairs of pants hemmed. this is my one and only offer, sewing/clothing adjusting. i have hemmed my own pants and pants of dear friends into shorts, never have i simply taken a few inches off for someone. this has never been a need of mine, because at 5'11 a few additional inches is more the need at hand.

so, last friday, well two friday's ago now, the 29th of february i walked up to sara's house on one of the coldest mornings of this winter, with hemming needles in tow. i arrived, entered her warm home, met her housemates, began chatting and eventually began measuring how much she would like her pants taken up. this procedure was followed by some more chatting, and divulging of each of our life's details.

thursday afternoon, the 6th of march, i dropped off her pants. this was such a delightful experience that fostered dialogue between the two of us and a rebirth of the recognition that i need to be crafting with the people and for the people. so, i think my one offer will turn into two or so now. i would like to learn needlepoint, but from my own drawings or patterns. and i would also like to sew a silk dress, if anyone has patterns or silk scraps they would be willing to share please send me an email.

oh, and keep in mind i am still mending and hemming!

Lindsay Donnellon

Donate

2008-01-24T14:17:00.000-08:00

We've moved!

2008-01-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

We still have a wealth of stories on this blog, but we have moved to burlingtontimebanks.wordpress.com in order to create a more user friendly blog. Please visit us there.

Member blog re: toast oven experience!

2007-12-11T14:15:00.000-08:00

The very first thing I tried to do upon joining the ONE Time Bank was to get my lovely toaster oven fixed. I had a nice, shiny, red toaster oven that did everything right for the first nine months of its life. Then suddenly, as if I had said something extremely offensive to it, it decided to no longer function properly. It refused to heat up, even after long hours of coaxing and massaging. So it sat around my kitchen, and then in my car, for about another nine months until I finally had the wonderful opportunity to possibly get it fixed. The Time Bank had offered me its sole intention - a service I normally could not afford (not to mention - the price for repair probably would have been the same as a brand new toaster oven at Wal-Mart)!

Admittedly, I was a bit nervous when I arrived at my fellow Time Banker's house, but then I thought to myself: "This is indeed Burlington, and this person has indeed taken the time to join a pseudo-communist network of time-dollar exchange, so I probably do not have much to worry about." Needless to say, my assumption was perfectly accurate. We had a great time tearing the oven apart and fidgeting with all its little gadgets. While working, we filled each other in on our past, our present, and our plans for the future. We talked about our jobs or volunteer work, and we laughed a lot. Eventually, the time came to put the toaster oven back together, and the scene could have been taken right out of the latest Hollywood blockbuster comedy. At least three times, we realized that we had mismatching parts, layers overlapping the wrong layers, things sticking through the wrong areas, and windows not able to close. But it was hilarious. And it helped us get to know each other even better.

In the end, we never achieved our original goal - the toaster oven has since been recycled at Small Dog Electronics ($0.25 per pound!!! I highly recommend it!). I'll miss my toaster oven, and I have yet to mention the episode to my stepmother, who bought me the precious gift two years ago. But during my Time Bank experience, I met a new person: a "friendly face" to greet around town, a "future collaborator" for volunteer projects, and just a plain old nice guy.

--Nolan Masterson

Birthday Party Madness!

2007-12-03T06:55:00.000-08:00

On Friday, November 30th, the Time Bank celebrated its First Birthday at Contois Auditorium! Over fifty people attended the bash, including 19 non-members who signed up to join! There was food (delicious soups, pasta, bread, and of course birthday cake), live music and games! Woot woot!

The party was a great way to connect new members to old members as well as to spark interest in the community about the Time Bank. I'm excited to see what services these "newbies" will be offering!

2007-12-01T07:09:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are A'comin!

2007-11-14T10:21:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's that time of year where the weather gets crisper, people come together to celebrate candles and turkeys and fat men in red suits and little babies. It's also the time of year where we are trying to stretch every last dollar to cover expensive meals as well as giving presents to everyone we know.

Why not use the time bank to make the holiday season a little less stressful!

Have company coming over and you have no time to clean? Have a time bank member come over and make your house shine! Or maybe you were so busy cleaning that you didn't remember to make the lemon bars? Find someone on the time bank who offers that skill and see if you can simply buy a pan of bars from them with time dollars! Or use someone's offer for fiddle lessons as a most excellent Christmas present! Or maybe your Aunt Hilda would love a Reiki treatment...use the time bank!

Another way to use the time bank: Have your entire meal made by different time bank members! Search the marketplace for people offering to teach cooking/baking skills. See if they would be interested in preparing a course for your holiday meal. You could arrange to drop off the ingredients at their house and pay them in time dollars for the time they spend preparing and delivering the food! Imagine, a five course meal that you don't have to stress about!

So, destress this most stressful time of year by checking out the time bank marketplace!

MOVIE MANIA!

2007-11-05T13:38:00.000-08:00

This Wednesday, November 7 at 6:30 PM the Burlington Time Banks will be showing the movie Money As Debt. Please click on the link to learn more about this amazing (also short--47 minutes) movie that discusses economics, US currency and other relevant topics.

After the movie there will be a short discussion.

This movie will NOT be shown on TV...if you'd like to see it please come to CCTV at 294 North Winooski Avenue! And this is NOT a time bank members only thing....so please feel free to bring your friends!

The new Time Bank mascot?

2007-10-28T15:47:00.001-07:00

Last week I was working from one of the Time Bank's satellite offices...my front porch. It was gorgeous outside, sun streaming in, hot mug of coffee next to me while I was clicking away on the computer (gettin'er done fer 'merica). My new kitten, Japhy Love Nugget Ryder, kept me company as I schemed and brainstormed and sent out well-worded emails asking for member support in the time bank.

After showing Melissa the picture I had taken of Japhy hanging out in the office she said that this is the kind of storytelling she wants to see more of from the Time Bank...and not just from me! Any time you have a good experience POST IT! The directions can be found on the community page of the ONE Time Bank (page that shows up after you sign into the system). So, share your Japhy stories. Or your couch-lugging stories. Or your massage stories. Or the story of your crazy neighbor who you finally had a decent conversation with because you told them about the time bank.

peace,

Annie and Japhy

Buddy system in place!

2007-10-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

It's official!

This past week the first buddies were set up for the time bank. The buddy system is something that the time bank set up to help those who may not have access to the internet or who aren't "computer savvy". A time bank member signs up to be a buddy through the ONE Time Bank Team's request and is then set up with another member who needs assistance. Typical tasks that the buddy would help with would be calling the member when: they have a reply to their postings, need help posting something, getting their picture put on their profile, browsing the marketplace to see what is new, a new event is coming up, etc.

Buddies are paid in time dollars by the Time Bank Team, up to five hours per month. As the time bank expands we will be needing more buddies. Please contact the time bank if you are interested. Also, when you are talking to your friends about the time bank and they think they can't join because they don't have access to the internet you can let them know about the buddy system!

Happy time banking!

annie

One Hundred Members Strong!!!

2007-10-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday I had a new member orientation with Elana Dyer at Radio Bean. As I activated her membership I noticed that she was number 100! How exciting! She was also excited, but only because I mentioned she might get a prize. :)

The bits I know about Elana are because she is also a VISTA in Burlington, serving at Shelbourne Farms this year. She grew up in New England (not sure where), went to Green Mountain College (for what I don't know), moved to Burlington some time before I did (August 2007), lives on Decateur Street and plays a mean banjo (it's actually a service she's offering if you'd like to learn how to play). Hmmm...I guess I don't know all that much about Elana's life. But I do know she's crazy cool and lots of fun...also very good at getting things done (especially for America).

Welcome Elana! Congrats on being the one hundredth member!

Donate TODAY to send your VISTA to a national Time Bank Training!!!

2007-10-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

Any amount donated will help send Annie the VISTA to the national Time Bank Training in Portland Maine in January. We are trying to raise at least $500 which is the cost of training for one person, $1,000 means both Annie and Melissa will be able to go! To donate you have to have a paypal account (if you don't already have one it is really easy to set one up) or a credit/debit card. Simply click on "chip in" in the box above and donate as much money as you feel comfortable with (even $5 will help). Thank you for your support!

Warm fuzzy moment...

2007-09-30T09:23:00.001-07:00

This past Tuesday I went out flyering for the Archibald Garden Harvest Festival with other time bank members. The fliers had information about the harvest fest on one side and information about the time bank on the other. Matt Tucker and I passed out the first one hundred fliers within forty-five minutes! So we went back to the office to make two hundred more copies. While we were there the new Time Bank phone rang...and it was someone who just received the flier and was interested in becoming a time bank member! It was this great feeling to know that someone had gotten a flier in the past half hour or so and was already calling!

It was my first "warm fuzzy" moment as the time bank VISTA...first of many more to come!

Annie

Montpelier Time Bank!!

2007-09-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

On September 18 Amy, Melissa and Annie traveled to Montpelier to attend a city forum on the possibility of a time bank that starting there. The public forum lasted for nearly three hours with great audience participation during the Q & A session. Montpelier's time bank would be set up by the city through a grant they received for their Envision Montpelier (similar to Burlington's Legacy Project).

Also there answering questions was Linda Hogan, the Executive Director of the Portland Time Bank in Portland, Maine. This was an awesome opportunity for everyone there to hear about a time bank that has been up and running for over ten years. The Portland Time Bank has over 700 members who exchanged over 20,000 hours last year! Linda knows the ins and outs to all time bank troubles and invited Burlington Time Banks to attend a training session there at the end of October. To read more about the Portland Time Bank click here.

Annie and Melissa are both hoping to attend this training. Keep checking back to see how you can donate to help send them there!

Grow Team ONE Harvest Fest!

2007-09-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, Wednesday September 26 from 6 to 7 PM the Archibald Neighborhood Garden is going to be giving away free produce and recipes. The Archibald Neighborhood Garden is located near the intersection of Archibald and Walnut Streeets (next to Dot's Market). It is coordinated by Grow Team ONE, a group of ONE Timebank members. So stop by the garden, meet your neighbors, learn how you can be more involved with the garden and pick up some fresh veggies!

Another VISTA!!!

2007-09-12T12:10:00.001-07:00

Joey Langworthy A*VISTA
Economic Empowerment and Financial Literacy Coordinator for the Centerfor Communit y and Neighborhoods.


My job is to partner with organizations serving Burlington which seek to
improve the financial literacy of the community. During my term of
service my mission is to help build the capacity of these organizations'
ability to serve more citizens with greater effectiveness. I will be
participating in existing programs and providing fund raising, outreach
and volunteer recruitment support as needed by those organizations.

Some future projects that I am working on are Free Tax Day and Free
Credit Report Day this spring. These service days are being put on by
the C.A.S.H Coalition in Burlington which I will be working with over
the next several months to get the word out about free tax return
assistance as well as other free financial services workshops etc.

I will also be partnering with the Burlington Time Bank to try and get
more people aware of alternative forms of currency which they can use to
meet needs they otherwise couldn't afford.

If you or anybody you know has questions concerning financial planning,
banking, home mortgages, free tax assistance, Earned Income Tax Credit,
etc. please feel free to contact my office and I can help connect you to
a professional who may be able to help. 

Joey Langworthy, AmeriCorps VISTA
Economic Empowerment & Financial Literacy Coordinator
CEDO / Center for Community and Neighborhoods
125 College Street, 2nd Floor
Burlington, Vermont  05401
802-865-7516 (ph)

Hello from the new VISTA!

2007-09-11T04:53:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

My name is Annie and I am the new AmeriCorps* VISTA serving at Burlington Time Banks. I moved here three weeks ago from Minnesota (one of those big states in the middle). I grew up in North Dakota and have moved around country since high school graduation. I have lived in Missouri, Wisconsin, Virginia, Washington, Minnesota and now Vermont!

I am really excited to be living in Burlington and to be working with all the volunteers on the Time Bank. Over the next year I want to encourage all of the Time Bank members to increase their activity and also to get their friends to join the Time Bank. Any ideas or suggestions you may have regarding the Time Bank, please don't hesitate to contact me! I look forward to getting to know you all and working with you over the next year.

Peace, Annie.

Garden Building

2007-08-12T13:06:00.001-07:00

Click to Play

the groundbreaking/planting of the Archibald Neighborhood Garden, by members of the Grow Team ONE. While this video is quite delayed, I'm happy to say that the garden is now in its full glory! Check it out!

music is greg brown. place is Archibald Neighborhood Garden. people are movers, shakers, and growers.

Tags: timebank, garden, grow team, burlington, one

To Burlington Free Press Readers

2007-07-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome! If you read the Burlington Free Press today and you would like more information about how to join the time bank, read below.

QUESTIONS ABOUT JOINING THE TIME BANK

HOW TO JOIN THE TIME BANK

If you have not read the Free Press article, but would like to...

BANKING ON COMMUNITY

CORRECTION on article: There is NO membership fee for the Time Bank. We encourage members to make a one-time $25 donation to help "keep the lights on", but there is no fee.

If you have any questions, contact burlington.timebanks@gmail.com

the Timebanking - Videoblogging Connection

2007-07-24T18:59:00.001-07:00

Click to Play

we want to videoblog! we want to teach people to videoblog! we want timebank members to videoblog! we want the timebank to have video posts that depict our transactions! we want the timebank to have videos about our members!

this is the deal. we need a camera to make this happen to rent out to our members. we will be fundraising soon to make this happen. help us reach our vlogging goal!

melissa talks about why videoblogging just makes sense in our timebank. it was filmed way back in February when all this talk began to happen.

stay tuned for more timebank-vlogging news from Karolyn!

music used with permission of possum haw.

Tags: burlington timebank, vlog, community, video, vermont

Update on the amount of Time Dollars that have been exchanged!

2007-06-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

Hey, I'm Sonja. I just wanted to (finally) write something on here and I figured an update is the best way to do that.

So as I'm sure you all know the O.N.E Timebank started on November 30th, 2006.

Our first month:
8 hours were exchanged between four people.

In the last 30 days:
65 Time Dollars were exchanged.

Over all since that wonderful November night:
436 Time Dollars have been exchanged between our amazing 94 members!

Ahh, what great things have happened in a mere 7 months!! Thanks for & to everyone involved. We also did find the perfect VISTA, that I'm sure will be mentioned soon enough.

IT'S ABOUT TIME

2007-06-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

Below is a passionate post from Time Bank Member and Dedicated Volunteer, Karolyn Realms.

Welcome to a new way of accounting! What do you have to give others, what do you need? You have the freedom to share time at burlingtontimebanks.com.

There are many people who demand our time. Some value time with dollars, often not enough dollars. Some value time as a valuable exchange between valuable people.

Now there are many who value time for what it is worth. What you offer may be what you love; sewing, knitting, car maintenance, story telling, consulting, photography, basket weaving, organizing, baking, accounting, tennis or dance.

By cooperating with each other we can know success. The kind you feel when you are able to provide for your family without working two jobs or compromising your morals, dreams and priorities. Family life is always full of challenges, some failures, more successes, lots of love.

The challenges of single parenting are many and varied from family to family. Single parent families seldom experience the peace and comfort of having enough resources. Living a balanced life feels like a fairy tale. Forget the Castle, wouldn't it be nice to find a place where things feel balanced and fair? That hoped for land of enough time, money and energy. In our our high pressure economy dollars and time are stretched beyond one's limitations. Children of single parents need the hope that comes from seeing his/her parent succeed. They need the confidence and security of knowing there is enough and will be enough food, enough money, clothes and school pictures, enough energy to play, enough time to help with homework. Single parents especially need the help of family, friends, co-workers, community, church, neighbors and now they have another resource- Time Banks! At Time Banks we share a sense of value and fairness:

one hour= one hour

your time=my time

your talents=my talents

We are valued as equals.

Time Banks is not an invasion of your privacy nor a long questionnaire. Check it out, sign up and enjoy the freedom of fairness and cooperation. You will find valuable resources, right here in your neighborhood and community! You have the freedom to choose who, what, when and where to receive. Yo have the freedom to choose who, what, when and where you give to others. Come join a place we empower each other, it's about time!

Now Hiring!

2007-05-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

Burlington Time Banks is hiring an AmeriCorps*VISTA. The application deadline is June 4th and the one year position starts in August. Read below for more information. If you have any questions contact Melissa Stiebert at burlington.timebanks@gmail.com. Apply online at the AmeriCorps website.

Burlington Time Banks reconnects neighbors to each other to create vibrant communities where everyone is cared for and everyone has a voice.

A Time Bank is a group of individuals 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. Our mission is to use Time Dollars as a tool for creating vibrant, safe, inclusive neighborhoods; for empowering individuals; for increasing the quality of life for community members; and to facilitate the distribution of power, access and voice in our society.

Our first project, the Old North End Time Bank is six months old and has 92 Members. Everyone is welcome in the time bank - children, elders, and adults of all racial and economic backgrounds. The AmeriCorps*VISTA position focuses on making the time bank accessible for low income and marginalized individuals. We serve low income individuals by providing a way for them to meet their needs. By reconnecting neighbors to each other, people are able to secure childcare, transportation, plumbing, oil changes, housecleaning, and art classes all without money.

A thriving Time Bank increases civic engagement. Individuals who traditionally feel disenfranchised and barred from community participation realize their own power to contribute to their neighborhood; they feel valued and realize they have a voice.

What will you do?

· Help organize the Old North End Time Dollars Market for Homegrown Food for the summer of 2008

· Work with the Barnes PTO to make the Time Bank work for Lawrence Barnes Elementary School parents

· Work with collaborating organizations that serve marginalized individuals – such as Spectrum, Mercy Connections, and the Heineberg Senior Center – to help them utilize the Time Bank to serve their members and their organization

Facilitate leadership roles within the Time Banks for marginalizedindividuals (examples include empowering a low income member to join our Board of Directors; or encouraging and supporting an individual to help organize a community event).

· Participate in community outreach activities in the Old North End through canvassing, flyering, and giving presentations about the Time Bank to the public.

· Work with community members to distill neighborhood needs and to empower community members to use the Time Bank to take action on those needs.

· Help create a newsletter

Dirty Fingernails

2007-04-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

I spent the morning at Healthy City Youth Farm washing pots, planting heirloom lettuce, transplanting thyme, savory, oregano and mint for their Community Supported Agriculture members, and generally loving the little farming community that exists right within the city limits. What a gift for urban life. Grow Team is trying to bring some of this nature loving joy to the Old North End. We are starting the Archibald Neighborhood Garden thanks to the generous support of the Visiting Nurses Association who is providing the space and the liability insurance. Healthy City will be providing some of the plants for us. Thank you! And I have secret ambitions to get their staff to join the Time Bank.