How can we help each other during tough times?

[LeighB]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately and I wanted to get others ideas on what they are doing. With the economy being what it is and more and more struggling every day, how can we help each other out? I don't have any money to give and I know I'm not the only one. Instead, I'm offering free child care 2 hours a week to a low income mama while she studies. I'm also making a few slings out of my fabric stash to give to the local pregnancy crisis center. It won't cost more than a few pennies and it's something I can do now. Once my tomatoes and squash come in this summer, I'm giving them to my landlady in exchange for a $15 rent credit.

With all these negative stories coming out (I'm listening to NPR atm), let's think of ways to reactive positively and help others.

[kittynurse]

I only have a second (will be back later because I'm very interested in this topic) but just off the top of my head, one thing we are doing is trading for some landscaping. Our front yard is a total mess and we would like to be able to grow some food in it but never seem to be able to do the work (or be able to afford it). So, we made a deal with the contractor who is repairing our foundation to trade some hours of his time helping us with with the front yard for DH fixing up his (the contractor) website.

Be back later.

Martha

[Leta]

We have been giving food away to neighbors and the food pantry.

[bigteamug]

Build community with neighbors and friends. Do bulk orders for food together, share tools and skills, barter, learn how to get along and help each other now, before it becomes a necessity. Share what you have - be it time, money, extra food from the garden...

We were watching a lot of co-housing communities before we moved, and most were struggling - partially, I think because things weren't yet to the point in society that the members needed each other to survive. If things get bad and the "village" way of life becomes the standard again, this will help you, your neighbors, and the stability you have helps those further out around you.

[iamama]

I am trying to keep every $$ I spend local!

[karne]

I guess one area for us is to ask for and give respect to our friends and family who struggle. Life can be tough right now.

We're doing a combination of shopping as frugally as possibly, but also trying to spend local dollars when we can. So we might not have the cash to join a CSA this summer, but we can buy what's available after distribution.

Barter what services we can as a means to improving a sense of community.

[slsurface]

We do all the following: spend local, participate in a cow share, volunteer and be a member of a CSA, order bulk food with friends and coworkers, help out my elderly neighbor with yard work and home maintenance, donate our clothes to the Mission free store, pick up trash in the neighborhood, donate food to the food-bank, donate cat food to the animal shelter. Also former co-worker gives me free pears and apples from her property every summer/fall. I make preserves, apple butter, apple sauce, and pie filling with them and give some back to her and her husband. A fellow student and I used to also exchange childcare. Now we both need fulltime study time, so our kiddos go to daycare, but kid-swapping was very convenient for part-time care.

I like the idea of making slings for mama's in need. I have lots of fabric in my stash that I could put to that use. I'll have to make some for the local women's shelter.

[griffin2004]

Originally Posted by iamama

I am trying to keep every $$ I spend local!

me, too; I just joined our local food co-op and signed up again for the CSA we used last year;

the results of decluttering closets go straight to the clothes bank

once our chickens get here and start laying, I plan to share the egg wealth with friends

for me, it's easier to give than to ask for help; I'm working on that, too; a friend is going to help put up my pantry shelves so I'll thank him with homemade jam and a loaf of bread

a worldview is vital, but no more so than being aware of need and opportunity in your local community, imho

[Staceyy]

I am telling everyone I know about http://www.angelfoodministries and I am teaching people to stockpile food, toiletries, paper products, firewood and otc meds.

[smeisnotapirate]

My big thing is bartering piano/voice/trope lessons for things I want. Lots of people have things we can use, and will happily trade for fulfilling their dreams of being able to play piano/sing better.

[Amys1st]

My biggest thing is starting a supper club or something like this. Meet at someone's home every month, quarter whatever. Potluck or switch up cooking.

Cooking frozen club- make 5 dinners of something. Have 4 friends do the same and everyone exchange. You have 5 meals. Sort of like a cookie exchange. Of course you need to plan it out. Or have 6 people and you take 5 meals but since the chance one of the meals wont work, you leave that out. You can even add another silent person in- they dont make meals but need meals and you all made enough for that family so they have them.

Give away things you dont need. Someone else needs them. If they want to do something for you, so be it, but make sure they understand its giving it to them. Its amazing how much you get back in return from other things after.

Exchange services or barter.

[SeekingJoy]

I have done group orders of seeds and fruit plants. We share a CSA subscription. We buy local when we can. At our HOA meeting next week, I am going to try and start up a group email list and neighborhood yardsale/swap. A carpool for DH would be great, but so far it hasn't come together.

I just discovered some neighbors have backyard chickens, and I hope to strike up a barter there, too.

Amy, I would love to find a cooking group. What a great idea!

[SeekingJoy]

Oh, and we swap kids clothes and diapers with friends and neighbors.

[laohaire]

Originally Posted by iamama

I am trying to keep every $$ I spend local!

Me "three." I'm not near 100% local yet, but conscious of it and actively working on it.

[KariM]

Just watch out for each other.

If you see a neighbor or friend in need, then help meet that need when possible. If it's not possible see if you can find someone who would be able to meet that need.

Give what you can - time, words, skills, food, tangible goods - depending upon the need.

Take the time to build relationships with your neighbors. Get to know their needs and don't hide your own needs either.

Some of the things we do or have done:

- Babysitting for friends so they can go to the doctor
- Sharing garden produce
- Sharing home canned garden produce
- Shoveling walkways/driveways
- Giving people rides to places
- Sewing for others
- Giving hand-me-downs (clothing, furniture, etc)
- Cooking a meal and bringing over to someone's house when they're sick
- Bringing in the mail for someone while they're gone
- Going to feed the cats/dogs/whatever while someone is on vacation


I'm sure there is lots and lots I've forgotten, but basically just building relationships and caring about your fellow man/woman sums it up nicely.


ETA - Of course I'd remember after posting

- We barter labor for locally raised turkeys and chickens. DH works on the farm and we get a lower cost bird.
- We trade plants with our neighbor. He gave us rhubarb, we give him raspberries, etc.
- Our neighbor brings us fresh fruit he harvests from trees that aren't being harvested (with permission) and then we dehydrate it for him and get to keep some for ourselves

[smeisnotapirate]

I have a great idea for people!

Our synagogue is instituting a "Hineini Day" once a month starting next month. Hineini means "I am here" in Hebrew, and we will split the synagogue into two groups: People who need help and people who can give help.

We will have crews go to peoples' houses and do whatever it is they need - landscape, babysit, home improvement for people who can't do it themselves, mend a fence, deep cleaning, stocking up while shopping, etc. I'm trying to convince the committee to do a clothing/item free-swap in the social hall as well where you can bring your things and go free-shopping, then everything gets donated at the end of the day if it isn't "bought".

This is a great thing to do on a larger scale - within a religious community or moms group or something like that.

[kittynurse]

Originally Posted by smeisnotapirate

I have a great idea for people!

Our synagogue is instituting a "Hineini Day" once a month starting next month. Hineini means "I am here" in Hebrew, and we will split the synagogue into two groups: People who need help and people who can give help.

We will have crews go to peoples' houses and do whatever it is they need - landscape, babysit, home improvement for people who can't do it themselves, mend a fence, deep cleaning, stocking up while shopping, etc. I'm trying to convince the committee to do a clothing/item free-swap in the social hall as well where you can bring your things and go free-shopping, then everything gets donated at the end of the day if it isn't "bought".

This is a great thing to do on a larger scale - within a religious community or moms group or something like that.

That's such a great idea Sara. My group of friends has tried to do something similar but it never seems to get off the ground. I wonder if it was a bit more formal like this it might be more likely to succeed.

Would it be totally offensive if a bunch of non-Jewish people did this and used the name? How do you pronounce the name (so I don't make it even more offensive by messing up the name )?

Martha

[smeisnotapirate]

No, totally not offensive. It's pronounced "hee-NAY-nee." It's what the patriarchs said whenever G-d spoke to them in the Bible, so it's applicable to any Abrahamic religion, really.

[Chicky2]

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[Pinoikoi]

I save my jars for a friend that makes syrups and jams in the summer. I give her all that she can use throughout the year (some mouths are too small), and then I get a few jars of jam or syrup at the end of the summer.. (although at this point, I would give them to her anyway, but getting a trade is a sweet deal).. I also am saving my old egg cartons for a momma that has chickens..

So I guess the more I can support other families doing what they can to cut budget, ya know?

I have also been baking a lot and sharing with my new neighbors. It felt really good to give them a loaf of fresh baked bread when they moved in. This week on of their daughters came over here during a minor emergency (she was locked out) and her mom brought me banana bread (which was great since it was midterms and I have had no time to bake lately).

We have been carpooling our neighbors little girl on really cold days. Dp doesn't like the kids waiting for the bus outside when its really cold.. so he carpools them those days. Warmer days he sits out with the kids at the stop while they all wait together. (He makes sure no one messes with them while they are outside and also makes sure the kids aren't wandering in the street, etc). We might be doing a more permanent carpool next year as we are considering the German school for one of our kids.