I've thought (many a time) that I should just walk into places in my neighborhood and figure out how to volunteer and have even done a few, short-term, NY Cares projects. While volunteerism has its assests, reciprocal giving allows all members of the community to help as well- leaving no one with nothing to give/offer. I've been thinking of taking language courses or perhaps a sewing course- how much more fun if I could find someone in my community that I could give to and also someone that I could learn from...
https://www.timebanksnyc.org/
TimeBanksNYC is a free resource for connecting individuals who recognize that each person has talents to share, and that the overall community is strengthened when neighbors help one another with a wide range of services. For every hour that a TimeBanksNYC member provides a service or shares a skill with another member, s/he earns a time credit for the exchange. This time credit can then be redeemed for a service from someone else, and so on.
As a member of this community, you can help to:
- Identify and build on the assets that neighborhood residents have to offer one another
- Foster a sense of togetherness within and between NYC neighborhoods
- Promote skill sharing as a way of accessing services and support, especially in hard financial times.
