IMPORTANT: the software platform used by the York Time Bank is priced by the number of members. This costs the time bank around $250 every six months.

The next planning meetup for the Penn Street Art Bridge, a project of York Time Bank, is on Thursday June 1st at 7:30pm.

We’ll be meeting at Panera, 1221 Carlisle Road, near the Lowe’s and TJ Maxx.

If you need or can offer a ride, please post it on York.timebanks.org!

The York Time Bank has received approval from the mayor to establish the Penn Street Art Bridge, a public art space on the bridge separating North and South Penn Streets.
Similar to self-organizing “Graffiti Alley” art spaces in Baltimore, Toronto, San Francisco and other cultural hubs,the York Time Bank is establishing the Penn Street Art Bridge to transform an ongoing offensive graffiti issue into a community asset by cultivating a space where budding urban artists are able to develop and display their craft in a legal and more positive and artistically rigorous environment.

The York Time Bank will work with local artists and art collectives to initially oversee the art space, which will eventually be self-directed with minimal oversight needed. At a later date, the Time Bank also plans to hold a free street art workshop demonstrating different painting techniques, and helping to encourage community participation in the public art space.

The time bank’s Team BEAUTIFUL is coordinating with local artists and other time bank members to do connect with neighbors and artists in the neighborhood, schedule the first “painting party” day, and flesh out the rapid response spray team. Also on deck is getting the art bridge’s website up, which will document the ever-changing face of the Penn Street Art Bridge.

Time bank members are encouraged to join Team BEAUTIFUL for regular updates and calls for participation.

Because teamwork makes the dream work, in addition to the one-on-one exchanges members can make, the time bank has a new Teams function made possible by the new CommunityWeaver3 software (which is LIVE! Go and enter your info at https://york.timebanks.org/ asap!)

Teams are groups of people who are interested in participating in group projects or organized efforts around specific issues, causes, or interests.

We’ve established the following Teams for the York Time Bank — which ones speak to you?

Team ANGELS: helping the non-technical access/participate in the time bank

Team BEAUTIFUL: public art, placemaking, and beautification

Team CARITAS: vital support in times of grief, crisis, hospice and end of life

Team CLOCKWORK: behind the scenes time bank admin and support — especially welcoming and orienting new members!

Team ELDERS: focused on seniors and aging in place

Team FUNTIME: event organizing, promotion and support

Team HEROES: focused on veterans, military families and first responders

Team KIDS: projects focused on kids & families

Team MOOP: focused on Matter Out Of Place

Team TASTY: focused on potlucks, picnics, and all things edible

Team TERRA: all things gardening, growing, farming and sustainability

Team TINKER: focused on repairing, building, making and modifying

Team VELOCIPEDE: bike repair, bikeshare program, all things cycling

Team WONDERLAND: focused on winter-related community projects

There are new MeetUp and Facebook groups for the time bank because want to make sure that there are as many easy entry points to the time bank as possible.

You can find and participate in the  Meetup group here and the Facebook group here.

The time bank is in the process of switching to easier-to-use software (CommunityWeaver3). Setting up the software so that new members can join is being done as quickly as possible, although migrating existing profiles, hours and exchanges will take a bit longer.

After the new software is up and running, we’ll be doing a lot of outreach and new projects, as well as events, potlucks and picnics, so stay tuned!

On Monday the 13th at 7:30pm there’s a time bank meetup at Panera on Carlisle Rd (by Lowe’s) to figure out how to transform the Penn Street bridge’s graffiti problem into a public art project.

If this sounds like your kind of thing, RSVP to the Meetup here: https://www.meetup.com/YorkTimeBank/events/238336661/

Here’s an excellent and super-quick read about the core values of time banking from TimeBanks.org — Assets, Redefining Work, Reciprocity, Social Networks, and Respect.

Check it out here!

Here’s another great video from a time bank (and tool library) in Culvert City:

Here, have a lovely video about a time bank in New Hampshire:

One of the many nifty things in this video is how small local businesses and organizations are participating in the time bank as well, like this small salon, where a member of the time bank is getting her first-ever facial: