Hour Exchange Portland

Hour Exchange is one of the oldest timebanks in the country. We are a community network of neighbors helping neighbors. Members share their talents and services, record their hours, then 'spend' them later on services they want. Everyone's hours are equal. This is not barter. These are friendly, neighborly favors. Together we are restoring our local community currency based on relationships and time. Our values are:

• Assets: We are all assets. Every human being has something of value to contribute.
• Equality: At the heart of every exchange is equality. An hour is an hour, regardless of the service. All people are valued equally.
• Reciprocity: Helping works better as a two-way street. "How can I help you?" needs to be changed to "How can we help each other build the world we both want to live in?"
• Redefining Work: Work is beyond price. Work must be redefined to include all of the activities it takes to sustain families, neighborhoods and communities, to help democracy work and to advance social justice. This kind of work needs to be honored.
• Respect: Everyone matters. We must respect where people are in the moment, not where we hope they will be at some future point.