About the Time Trade Circle

Kinds of Exchanges

This is not a complete list, but shows examples of what Time Trade Circle members might request or offer.

Teaching Arts & Crafts Computer Assistance Language Translation Minor Home Repair Car repair Grocery Shopping Transportation Gardening Pet Care Child Care

Listening Haircuts Tutoring Errands Cooking Editing, proofreading Sewing, mending Snow shoveling Heavy lifting

Some more unique exchanges: Baking healthy muffins Language lessons: ASL, Braille, and Chinese Mindfulness meditation Reiki treatment Bread making lessons Soft toy rehab Drum lessons Video editing

How does it work?

Our timebank is primarily online, though you don't have to be online to be a member. Members post their contact info and the services that they can offer and that they would like to receive. Other members browse the site and when they see something they want or something they can help with, they can contact that member either through the site or by emailing or calling directly. The two members arrange a mutually convenient time and place and after the trade the hours are recorded on the website as well. That way your online account is like your bank account, keeping track of all your trades and time dollars, and helping you connect with your neighbors. Get more details about how it works in the member guide.

Our Local Time Bank

Our local timebank is called the Cambridge Time Trade Circle. We are a diverse group of members that live in Cambridge, Somerville, and surrounding towns. Our goal is to enable people to connect with their neighbors to get help when they need it and give help when they can. We do this primarily through a website where members list their offers and requests along with their contact info. What you can get out of the Time Trade Circle depends on what other members are offering. Meeting interesting people you wouldn't otherwise have known is part of the fun of time trading.

Our Mission Statement

The Time Trade Circle's mission is to create and strengthen informal support systems in the community by exchanging services. It believes that the human infrastructure that is necessary to care for children, the frail, and elderly, to build and maintain connections with others, and to build safe and vibrant communities requires work and that it is work that should be valued.

Our Vision Statement

The Time Trade Circle works towards a world in which neighbors help neighbors and every individual can contribute so that our communities are safe and vibrant.

Time Trade Circle's Beginning

The Cambridge Time Trade Circle was started in 2005 by Katherine Ellin and a group of parents with emotionally disturbed children as a way to provide help and support. Over time it transformed into a more open community of neighbors helping neighbors. It had a period of dormancy and then became active again in 2007. Since then we've been gradually increasing membership and trading and building the group into a self-sufficient organization.