If members of the community have needs for services and limited financial resources to pay for them, could a barter-exchange system be the answer? Barrio Alegría is testing that theory with their community tool, the Barrio Time Bank.
According to Jose Garcia, Barrio Time Bank Coordinator, “The time bank is a non-monetary system where members exchange skills and services with one another without exchanging actual money. It’s a system that rewards and recognizes volunteerism in the community.”
The Barrio Time Bank is a program where a person can “bank” community service hours by providing a skill, trade, or other service to someone in their community and log their hours into the time bank. In exchange, they receive time credits, which they can then apply to receive a service they may need from someone else.
Barrio and Garcia started the Time Bank in 2019, in partnership with the Good Neighbors Time Bank. That summer, Garcia had organized a small community cleanup with a friend and a few volunteers. One volunteer told Garcia about a block party nearby that was being hosted by South of Penn Task Force (SOP). He decided to check it out, and after learning more about the group’s community building efforts, signed up for their volunteer events.
Through one of these events, Garcia was introduced to Barrio Alegría. He learned about the group and what they did for the community, and that they were looking to fill a position, which would later be called the Time Bank Coordinator. Within a few days, he was offered the job.
“It was a great opportunity to spread awareness about the time bank,” Garcia said, “but most importantly, help improve the life of many in our community.”
Since then, the Time Bank has grown to be a great success. By the end of 2020, the time bank had reached more than 200 bank members, many of them connected to the program through mutual relationships of Garcia and Barrio Alegria.
One time bank member, Mandy Lynn, has been volunteering through SOP for over 2 years. The Task Force recently recognized her volunteer efforts be applying her accrued hours into the time bank. She can use the time credits for herself or donate them to others in the community.
“Time banking is not just a unique way to exchange services, but can double as a chance to give back to your community,” Lynn said. “Time is one of our most valuable assets, and time banking allows us to give that time to others to help build our community.”
Learn more about Barrio Alegría and the Barrio Time Bank at www.barrioalegria.com.
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