Time As Money

From small town neighborhoods to cities, the shift in the economy and continued financial struggles are having an adverse effect on communities and creating devastating isolation for its inhabitants. While lying in a hospital bed after a major heart attack, Edgar Cahn, a civil rights lawyer and speech writer for Robert Kennedy, was feeling helpless - similar to the disenfranchised and unemployed. This experience gave him the idea to create a new system of money as a tool to connect people and neighbors called Time Dollars. With this new idea several individuals begin forming time banks in their neighborhoods. The word spreads fast as people are hungry for this new way of exchange that doesn't involve cash, but instead taps into the capacity of their local community. Living with this new complimentary currency, time bankers discover the power of networking with their neighbors. With using the time dollars as currency, members bring improvement to their personal lives. This spirit of improvement grows into the greater community with larger-scaled time bank projects. Time bankers become part of the larger community projects giving them ownership in the effort and empowering them to give direction in their community. City officials and policy makers start to realize the positive differences in their areas and give recognition to the contribution that time banks are making. With all the popularity that time banks have achieved, the uncertainty of longevity after an economic upturn comes into question on whether or not people still need time banks when money is no longer scarce. However, time bankers have realized the connection to neighbors and the bonds with their community are more valuable than the money saved. Edgar Cahn, in his campaign for a collective force for system change, visits Los Angeles where time bank leaders from across the nation converge to learn from each other and organize a national advocacy voice.