Example: Germantown Settlement House, Philadelphia PA
This story was originally posted on the Time Dollar Institute website.
The initial focus of the Time Dollar program at Germantown Settlement House is building informal support systems with and for the elderly and the community at-large. On June 1, 1999, the first issue of the Neighbor to Neighbor Time Dollar News (newsletter ) was distributed. This first issue highlighted the start of the Time Dollar program at Hamill Mill Apartments with 15 new members joining the Tme Dollar Network.The primary goal for the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program is to rebuild trust back into the community. Time Dollars is an all-inclusive plan to seek out and enhance the skills of people in the surrounding community. Some of the services offered include: Administrative Work, Babysitting, Errands, Meal Delivery, Religious Escort, Home Repair, Meal Preparation and more. Public Housing Sites, Washington, DC
Successful Time Dollar programs are running at three public housing sites within Ward 7 - Benning Terrace, Kenilworth Parkside and East Capitol - involving over 100 people of all ages.
At Benning Terrace and Kenilworth Parkside, members that have earned at least 100 Time Dollars have purchased nearly 40 refurbished computers for their homes. The Time Dollar Institute is intent on bringing technology into homes that otherwise may not have had the opportunity.
At Benning Terrace, a Time Dollar Food Bank has been in operation for two years which offers food for purchase with Time Dollars by members. Time Dollar initiatives at East Capitol include helping to provide services and outreach through a Family Investment Center, a site for conducting Youth Court hearings, a teen literacy laboratory where young people earn Time Dollars that can be redeemed for computers.
Pleasant View Gardens - Baltimore, MD (Baltimore Housing Authority) The Lending A Hand Time Dollar Program at Pleasant View Gardens has 100 members including youth and senior citizens. In June, a full-time coordinator was hired and is currently enrolling new members, doing presentations to community groups, processing matches, developing goods and services that can be purchased with Time Dollars in the local community and serving as a liaison to the greater Baltimore community.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) selected Time Dollars as one of the "Best Practices" being used in HOPE VI properties across the country. Time Dollars was part of a presentation made to national leaders of HOPE VI properties at a HUD conference in Kansas City, MO People Helping People, Tacoma Washington People Helping People (PHP), an emerging independent non-profit, orginally started as a program operated by Home, Safe designed to build on the strengths of neighborhoods and families. Home, Safe, was founded in 1994 to strengthen neighborhood-based support systems and to create strategies for blending child welfare and drug treatment.
PHP has continuously enrolled new members and families into the Time Dollar bank. At this point, there are 500 Time Dollar members in the Tacoma program.
Many of those earning Time Dollars are using them to receive services as well. On average, 400 Time Dollars per month are being earned. Families, referred from Child Protective Services, have enrolled in the Time Dollar program, and have started earning and using Time Dollars.