Help Empower Timebank Communities Around the World

Happy Holidays from TimeBanks USA! 

We can hardly believe we are wrapping up the year 2019.  What has 2019 been like for you? We’re writing to let you know how grateful we are for your support and give you great news on our progress this year.

First off, we’re excited to share that “Gathering With A Purpose” is happening! 

As the home of timebanking, we have seen timebanks go from the start-up phase to thriving, actively exchanging communities, transforming individual lives through real connection.  It’s magic when it happens - as many of the 50 Timebanking Stories in 50 Days illustrate. If you haven’t heard our founder Edgar Cahn’s podcast series on the 50 Stories yet, listen to this week’s story by clicking on the link below.

And yet, some timebank initiatives fail to gain traction in some communities.  One reason is that people feel strange when they do timebank exchanges for the first time — exchanging a time credit for an hour of help.  It’s not money. It’s not volunteering. It’s not barter. Just time for time. It is so intuitively attractive and fair. And yet, in practice, so new and often a bit unsettling.   

Getting going hinges on people being willing to step out of their comfort zones to do something they haven’t done before.  

That’s what Gathering With A Purpose was designed for: an opportunity to explore what timebanking is with a small group of neighbors or colleagues, then to jump into action to try it out, make a few exchanges to see how it feels, and, finally, to share stories about what felt good, what felt strange, what worked, what didn’t, and what was learned. Like the proverbial training wheels on a bike, it’s an opportunity to see how it feels and works before taking on the much bigger challenge of doing the real thing. 

This year, five timebanks held their first Gatherings in Indiana, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and in our hometown, Washington, DC.  It turns out that this new workshop, designed for new timebanks, also works wonders for timebanks that were once humming with activity and have lost energy when they lost their leadership. 

Here’s what we’ve learned so far--

• In Indiana, CoThrive Timebank Network Founder Kathy was near burnout, overextended in her part-time coordinator role and feeling unsupported as members had previously not responded to her requests for help with leadership. After the first Gathering, more existing members (and new recruits) were drawn by a sense of shared purpose and more easily integrated into key functional leadership roles. The timebank experienced a surge in momentum as a result of this focus and bolstered support. 
• In Pennsylvania, the 13-year old Neighbor-2-Neighbor Timebank transitioned from the Lehigh Valley Hospital to a new host, a Community Organization, last year.  Leading timebank members and organizational staff and management who attended the Gathering gave it a high five, saying that it gave them an opportunity to reconnect -- and to more deeply understand what was involved.  New ideas sprung up and an appreciation for what could be achieved was expressed at their first Gathering.  They are now seeking to get AmeriCorps personnel to help with organizational support.
• In Florida, the Tampa Bay Time Bank used it to re-energize their leadership and have decided that they want to hold the next Gathering in the Spring.
• In California, Sheryl is using the Gathering to reinvigorate the Sobrante Park TimeBank with a new sponsor, the Roots Community Clinic. The organization's coordination and recruitment of residents has been slower to get off the ground than was expected; however, the training of staff has been excellent -- and includes outreach strategies to reach the residents.
• In Washington, DC, the 9-year old DC TimeBank has hosted several Gatherings. Some participants have been familiar with timebanking, and for some, it has been completely new.  Each of the Gatherings has led to rich exploring of possibilities.  One enthused participant said: "I just wish we could have more get-togethers like this." Four have been scheduled for January: one in Alexandria, VA, one in a neighborhood that sits right beside the United States Supreme Court, a third in a Jewish Congregation, and a fourth one at the University of the DC.

These are the seeds of a movement.  So often, the leadership role falls on one coordinator.  Gathering With A Purpose inspires people to jump in — and to trust that others will do it with them. As many coordinators will attest, it takes awhile for a group of people to get to the place where timebanking feels natural and comfortable, and it takes work by the timebank founding team to help the timebank get there.

With timebanking, there’s always something new to learn, as our founder Edgar Cahn shared, upon recently learning what a scoby is:

We look forward to what the Gatherings will open up for timebank communities in the new year.  

Leadership growth, new discoveries, a renewal of energy - it is truly magical to see what these seeds will create and what we can do for each other. 

Links:

• More on the Scoby
• Day 40 - The Gift of Giving