The Care and Share Time Bank staff welcomes you to the Time Bank! Your new member application will be processed as soon as we are able.
In the meantime, we appreciate your patience! Please review our letter of greeting!
Welcome to The Care and Share Time Bank (CSTB)! I'm Vilvi Vannak-the president of the CSTB. THANK YOU for joining! I am so glad you joined the community!
Being in the CSTB is a GREAT way to build community; it's a way to help your neighbors and get help from others, and it might save you money as people help you!
We want to answer any questions you might have, so we now ask you to watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-d-1MRz7F0. Please do so, and ask me any questions you have. As soon as you do that, credit your account with two time credits for reviewing the materials.
I love that you are interested in joining us! The CSTB is growing and getting more active than ever! I am gratified that you want part of it!
To access your account, go to http://cstimebank.org. If there is any problem with that website, SORRY! Go to https://tnt2.hourworld.org/TNT2/homepage .
If you don't remember your password, just ask me!
On the third Sunday of the month, we have a potluck! It's a wonderful way to meet people, learn about the time bank, and, often, find people to exchange with! We advertise the potluck on the website.
FAQ:
Q: How can it all be free?
A: The CSTB is run by volunteers/members who get paid in time credits. The service exchanges do NOT exchange items -so it's all person-to-person exchanges of service/help.
Q: I'm worried about getting sick/catching COVID. How can I possibly join and participate?
A: NO PROBLEM! Our meetings are optional and they are on Zoom right now- nothing face-to-face is required.
When you make and offer or request, you ONLY do what you are comfortable doing! Work in one of our Community Gardens, participate in a language class on Zoom, give advice over the phone, etc.
Q: I need to get help with something right away and haven't earned enough time credit to "pay" for it at this time. Can I "go into debt"?
A: Yes, some. We are big on promoting community! Which of us are always perfect? Sometimes we all need a little time and trust until we can get back to having a positive time bank account. We are neighbors; neighbors help neighbors. If someone is going more than ten hours in debt, if someone doesn't think they'll ever be able to pay, or if a person doesn't know how they can earn time credits, they should contact me.
Q: I want to get/sell something for money or goods. Can I do this through the TimeBank?
A: No... the proper wording is everything!
The wording of an offer is important. I can't say "I'll haul your stuff to the dump for 1 time credit plus 5$ cash." I should say "I can haul your stuff to the dump for 1 time credit. You'll need to cover the cost of gas for my truck which will be $5." The cash is a separate transaction that one can declare to the IRS and has no bearing on the time credits spent.
Some other things: 1. Time Banking is NOT Barter, it is the providing of "friendly neighborly favors" in consideration of nothing. There is no binding contract. The receiver gives nothing of value to the provider. The provider and receiver simply have a record of time they spent helping and being helped. They both have a conceptual and moral responsibility to reciprocity. Out of my abundance I ought to share, and when someone has shared with me, I ought to pass it on by sharing with my community in some way at some time. 2. These friendly neighborly favors (or stuff - I can give you my old ladder) have no connection to the cash economy. They ought not ever be indistinctly intertwined.
