Paint a New Story: Diversify the Economy Through Time Banking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUCwCy81kvo

The core values of the Time Bank are:

1. Assets: Everyone has something to offer. By experience, I can tell you many folks who are disabled, retired, etc. make out well in timebanks. This author during times of lack of money could count on timebankers to provide services that were needed in cleaning the house, organizing, emotional support, etc.;

2. Redefining Work: We all have something to offer (yes, upon meeting with Stacey Jacobsohn, head of TIME, I will have earned a couple of hours of Time Dollars for writing this article);

3. Reciprocity: Encourage givers to receive and receivers to give.

4. Community. It takes a village. In Time Banking, there is definitely a sense of community. For example, Stacey is coming to my house and bringing pizza!

https://mainetime.timebanks.org/terms

See how community oriented it all is? There is something to be said about localization. For example, do you think the Rite Aid nearest you cares about the community? Or is it there to add to the profits of the stockholders of Rite Aid on Wall Street.

The beauty of time banks is that you rely on other people's reciprocal desire to be of service. For example, when my wife and I have went through rough times with health, Time Bank of Central Maine has brought in folks who help with the housework. These folks then get Time Bank hours for the work they provide.

As you can see by the below map, the Time Initiative of Maine reaches out to a wide range of communities in Central Maine. It should be noted that this area of Maine in comparison to the rest of the Easter Seaboard is quite rural. Indeed, a census report reveals the entire state as having 1,328,188, which places the state into the 41^st most populous in the US.

For the eastern seaboard, Maine makes for a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the Boston-Washington/Richmond Bite. Thus, the biggest industry for the coast and the mountains of Maine is tourism. Indeed, in summertime along the coast, you can find more New York license plates than Maine. People just need to get out of the rat race. Thus Maine's slogan is "Maine, the way life should be." Well, it's hard to proclaim such a slogan when a foot of snow is on the ground!

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