Resource: Hour Dollars - Service Exchange Program

Title:	Hour Dollars - Service Exchange Program
Resource type:	Organization
Topics:	Communities, Individual Choices
Keywords:	service exchange, time exchange, time bank
Audience:	All
Region:	Twin Cities
Summary:	Hour Dollars provides a way for residents of the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs to easily exchange time and services.
Content:	The following information is modified from the web site below: Hour Dollars is a service exchange program for residents of the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs. It functions under the umbrella of the national organization, Time Banks (http://www.timebanks.org/). The primary purpose of Hour Dollars is to provide a way for neighbors to easily exchange time and services. When neighbors exchange services, they build strong ties within the community, and everyone benefits. Hour Dollar members earn hours by providing a service (such as gardening, minor home repair, piano lessons, or driving) to another member who requested the service. Members then use their earned hours to receive a service from any member in the Hour Dollar service directory. Members decide what services they would like to offer. Everyone's time is valued equally: one hour of actual service is always equal to one hour of credit in the program, regardless of the type of service provided. A database keeps track of services that members are willing to provide, the number of hours they have earned, and the balance of hours in their accounts. Earned hours can be exchanged only for services within the program. They cannot be redeemed for cash. Hour Dollars is currently operating with over 200 members. Anyone living in St. Paul, Minneapolis or surrounding suburbs is welcome to join. Upcoming orientations for those interested in joining are scheduled regularly, including on July 12, 2012 in St. Paul. For more information, see the web site below.
Website:	http://www.hourdollars.org/
Suggested by:	Paul Moss
Added:	06/15/12
Updated:	08/16/12