Cape Ann Time Bank F.A.Q

-How much time is involved
You may participate in service exchanges as often as you are able. Some members give or receive services every week, or every month, or a few times per year. You are invited to help other by doing what you enjoy when it is convenient for you.

-What if I have a job and a busy schedule?
There is no requirement to participate a certain number of hours. You can give as much time as you can, including weekends, evenings, or weekdays. Service exchanges can take place on a flexible basis.

-What’s in it for me?
For every hour of help you give, you also receive an hour of help. You are also making a difference in someone’s life, whether it’s giving a ride to a person who doesn’t have a car, tutoring a student, translating, sewing, or helping with computer problems.

-How much does it cost?
We have a sliding scale membership fee. You can pay anywhere between $10 - $40 per year to be part of the time bank.

-What do I have to do to join the CATB?
Fill out an application form, either on paper or on-line at http://community.timebanks.org (next to Cape Ann Time Bank). Your references will be checked and you will be interviewed by Time Bank staff. If you want to provide child care or give rides, additional background checks are required (CORI and driver’s license).

-Do I have to have a car to participate?
No. You can receive rides or take the bus or train.

-What are funds used for?
The Cape Ann Time Bank pays $500/year to be an affiliate of TimeBanksUSA, the provider of the software that keeps track of all members' offers, request and hours of service. Another significant expense is printing - brochures, article reprints, business cards, etc. As we grow we will need to increase the hours we pay people to coordinate the members. If you are in a position to make a donation above and beyond your annual membership fee, we would very much appreciate it.

-What if I need help before I have time to help someone else?
If you have an urgent problem, you can receive help before giving it.

-Are there any services the CATB cannot provide? Yes.
1- We don’t give medical help, except giving rides to appointments and translating during appointments.
2- We are not able to provide ongoing services such as giving you a ride to work every day or cleaning your house every week.
3- The farther away from Cape Ann you live, the more challenging it is to find members who can get to your house because of distance, time, and reliable transportation.
4- Last minute requests are difficult to meet; requests should be made as far in advance as possible to respect the busy lives and schedules of members.
5- Some requests cannot be met if members do not offer that service, such as electrical work, roofing, etc. We are looking for new members who have these skills! If you know someone who could help out from time to time, please tell them about the Cape Ann Time Bank.
6- Huge projects will be broken down into smaller jobs (for example, if you need several hours of work done, it might take several members one or two hours each, and we cannot promise that the entire project will get done in a short period of time. An illustration is helping you to move: some members can help pack boxes before moving day, others can lift and carry boxes on moving day, someone else could help to clean the old place or the new place, etc.)

-Are there ever group projects?
Yes. Some exchanges take place on a one-to-one basis, such as transportation or tutoring, other activities are with groups, such as painting, moving, clean-up events, etc. Please let us know your interests.