Meridian Township is the first area in the region to take on the idea, but East Lansing could follow suit, East Lansing Mayor Vic Loomis said.

Some issues still need to be worked out before East Lansing could implement the program, Loomis said. He projects the city may become more active in implementing its own bank this spring.

This idea of time banking is not new to communities, Meridian Township Trustee Brett Dreyfus said.
“Time banks have been around for more than 20 years,” Dreyfus said. “People have always done time banks. This is not bartering.”

Time banks are widespread with banks in 40 states and 24 countries, Dreyfus said. He started the initiatives for time banking in Meridian Township last December.

Hypothetically, members could take an hour of their time raking a neighbors’ leaves, and record it in the online database. In turn, one “time dollar” is earned, which enables the person to request an hour of a needed service in the database, Dreyfus said.

The township is beginning to organize a directory of people who can provide certain services for “time dollars,” he said.

East Lansing Assistant City Manager Marie McKenna said age, profession or skill level aren’t an issue.
“It doesn’t matter how silly your skill is,” McKenna said. “(It) doesn’t matter if you are a doctor or an 8 year old; a (time) dollar is a dollar.”

Dreyfus and McKenna said they are hopeful the project will take off, but there still are obstacles to overcome.

“I think it is hard for people in America to ask for help,” Dreyfus said. “Time banks get people together and gather (resources).”

However, establishing and organizing the program poses potential issues, Dreyfus said.

“There is no official training,” Dreyfus said. “But the national organization (for time banking) has speakers and sessions with experts who facilitate discussions both online and in person­ with lots of case examples.”

Dreyfus said he has 20 to 30 interested Meridian Township residents. It costs each member about $10 for membership into the time bank. TimeBanks USA, the organization which administers the program, gave Meridian Township a six-month free membership, Dreyfus said.

Students could not only do philanthropic acts for the community, but they could do so at a low charge, McKenna said.

“Students have needs but no money, but (they) have skills that people can use,” McKenna said.
Local resident and East Lansing High School senior Sara Long said time banking is a way to bring the entire MSU community together.

“East Lansing is more than just students. It has lot of residents who I think would be willing to become involved,” she said.

Loomis said the program is a great way for students to become involved in the community.

“I think the large student population is definitely a plus,” Loomis said. “I have been asked for ways to become active in (the) community, and (time banking) is the perfect way.”

For more information about the Meridian Township TimeBank, e-mail MeridianTimeBank@gmail.com