People Earning Help with Time Banking

NEW YORK - Life can be insanely hectic these days. Between all of your responsibilities, making time to get the basics done around your home can seem nearly impossible. But what if you could bank your time and save it up for when you need it? There's a growing trend where neighbors look out for one another and no money is required.

It isn't easy for Cory Smith to keep up her front lawn in Woodstock, New York, with a baby on the way.

"Moving bushes and doing intense weeding I can't really do anymore, so it's fabulous I have help," said Smith.

Help for which she isn't paying. Smith earned the help through a system called time banking. It's a growing movement of giving and receiving for free.

"I think it helps to really weave in a deeper richness in the community when people are helping one another," Smith said.

"There's this great moment at the end where people... just look at the garden that we've done for them as a gift, and they feel like they then need to pass on that gift again to someone else," said Chrisso Babcock with the Woodstock Time Bank.

Time bank members earn hours or so-called time dollars for each hour you give of your time. There's no money involved, and everyone's service is of equal value. That's why these money free, community banks are now popping up across the country in these tough economic times.

"As people are more and more suffering from unemployment and lack of resources, they're turning to time banks, when those exist, as a way to save money," said Judith Lasker, who is co-authoring a book on time banking.

Kristine Flones is the co-founder of Woodstock's group.

"It helps people to sustain their lives because if they can get free services through the time bank... then they have their money to spend on other, essential items," said Flones.

Smith earns her hours by teaching yoga to other time bank members, including Thurman Greco. She gains her hours by giving massage therapy to dogs.

"I see it as a very good way to receive services that I would otherwise have to pay for," said Greco.

"It's a currency of the heart. It starts there. It doesn't start with greed or what I can get out of it," Flones said.

Time banking has been around for more than 20 years. To learn how to start your own community time bank, visit www.timebanks.org.

There is also a planning and organizing meeting taking place on Thursday, August 5. For more information, visit www.mitimebanks.org.