Donate One Hour A Week To Your Neighborhood
Your Neighborhood Donates One Hour Back To You

A Circle of Giving Friend-to-Friend and Neighbor-to-Neighbor

If you want to make a difference in your neighborhood, Then you've come to the right place. The Time Bank can help you turn your interests and passions into action through volunteering. Get connected today and register. It's free.

This community-based Time Banking program is offered by the ChicagoSuburbanTimeBank.org and TimeBanks.org to provide an opportunity for neighbors to help neighbors through the mutual exchange of everyday services. Using Time Dollars as an exchange instead of money allows a person to earn a Time Dollar for every hour of service provided, and then use the Time Dollars to purchase services from any member in the Time Bank. You could say it's like having a social insurance policy. "Help a neighbor and then, when you need it, a neighbor - most likely a different one - will help you."

Through the sharing of our needs and gifts, we sustain a member-driven community where everyone can be a contributor, turning "you need me" into "we need each other". It's a simple idea, but it has powerful ripple effects in building community connections.

What is a Time Bank?
A Time Bank is a community of people, business and non-profit organizations who agree to spend and earn Time Dollars. A Time Dollar is something you earn when you help a neighbor for one hour. Everyone's time is valued equally : One hour = 1 Time Dollar and you can spend that Time Dollar to meet your needs.

Just click on "How To Get Started" in the links area.

How it Works
Time Dollars are a type of tax-exempt local community currency that anyone can earn by using their time, energy, skills, and talents to help others. Time Dollars value everyone's contribution equally, allowing each person to be a part of the solution. Volunteers can provide all types of services including senior care, house painting, gardening, minor home repair, transportation, computer maintenance, tutoring, etc. Services may vary widely depending on the skills, talents, and abilities of the current volunteers

What Kind of People Join Time Banks?
Neighbors, mothers, fathers, teenagers, college students, seniors, artist, and members of the business community.

Is There a Cost To Join?
No, and volunteers earn their first Time Dollar just by attending a new member orientation.

Can Local Businesses and Non-Profits join?
Yes! Non-profits have found that employers participating in Time Banking give more time and "clients" often become working participants.

Just click on "How To Get Started" in the links area.

Time Banks Add Value
Some of us can remember a time when family members lived close by each other and we knew most of the people living in our neighborhoods. Some of us have only heard about it. Helping each other out was a given, something we did for each other everyday. From watching someone's kids for a few hours, dropping off meals for a sickly neighbor, or just sitting with someone after a stay in the hospital, communities were full of exchanges and mutually supportive networks of family and friends.

Few people would disagree that times have changed, that these networks are gradually disappearing, and not many of us have family members nearby or neighbors we know well enough to turn to for support. There are so many things we do that would be more efficient, fun and meaningful when shared. Time Banking restores lost connections through sharing skills.

When You Do Something for Your Community, You're Community Will Do Something for You.