April 17, 2020
I hope you’re keeping well and safe and finding ways to make life enjoyable as we endure this period of physical separation. None of us have experienced anything like this in our lifetimes; the coping strategies and creative new ways of connecting and helping each other will be useful for generations to come.
The Tilda’s Kitchen & Market is up and running, and Currents are flowing through the system in ever-increasing numbers. So many have gathered together to help. We’re also providing 300 delicious meals a week now to Ulster County’s efforts to feed our neighbors in need.
With our growing team, we’ve been constantly brainstorming ways we can leverage the Current to ease the economic struggle of the present moment and fortify ourselves for the future. A complementary community currency is a powerful tool we can use to build a resilient local economy, to thrive even as winds of change batter the mainstream.
So here’s what we put together to help us through this strained economy:
- The Current is offering expanded lines of interest-free credit (or Lines of Trust, as we prefer to put it) for members who have found themselves unemployed or underemployed. What do we need from you in return? Simply contact david@hudsonvalleycurrent.org to find out how to increase your line of trust.
2. We’re also about to roll out our Heart of Gold program in a more significant way. This initiative has allowed us to provide larger lines of interest-free credit to nonprofit organizations when they have a specific need. Due to the fact that nonprofits are always on the financial edge, they are really struggling right now. Similar to the federal Paycheck Protection Program under the CARES act, our Heart of Gold program has the potential to stabilize these important community organizations that help make the Hudson Valley such a wonderful, connected place. Click here to learn more about a Heart of Gold line of trust.
In addition to opening up new avenues of abundance, over the past few weeks we’ve been reaching out to our entire list of Current members to ensure that everyone in the Current system is earning and spending Currents. We want to make it as easy as possible for all our members to exchange Currents. We’ve spoken to many of you and are thrilled by the reinvigorated relationship between you and the Current.
In order to ensure that our list contains only members who are actively using Currents, we will be disabling Current accounts on Monday, April 20 for any member that we haven’t spoken to or heard from regarding their Current account. Don’t worry, we are able to reactivate your account easily as soon as we chat with you! If you haven’t already talked, email david@hudsonvalleycurrent.org to reach out regarding your account.
This may seem a little extreme but what we realized over the last couple of weeks is that so many of you are ready and willing to join us in creating abundance for all—our community, our businesses, and our families—by embracing the Current during this time.
As a final announcement:
2. Along with Currents and delicious healthy food, we want to help you stay informed and entertained. As part of us reorganizing Livelihood as an online newsletter, we’re introducing the Livelihood News Hour, which will be streaming live every Friday at 2pm via Facebook Live on the Hudson Valley Current Facebook page.
Come hang out with me every Friday! Let’s get together and have some fun. I consider Current members potential co-stars.
So that’s what we’ve been up to. I hope you’ll join us for the Livelihood News Hour. And I hope you keep in mind that the Current is here for you. It’s ours. Reach out anytime to talk about ways you can earn Currents and use them. Know someone in a rough spot? Make sure they know they can join us, get a Line of Trust, and shop the Tilda’s Kitchen & Market.
