A great opportunity to build community!

Impact Silver Spring is excited to launch its Reading for IMPACT campaign! Please consider participating as a book group host or participant. See details below!

IMPACT Silver Spring is a learning organization. We draw inspiration from local and national community-building pioneers and thought-leaders to help us catalyze and strengthen new and innovative approaches to building strong, vibrant, and inclusive communities. This year, we are delighted to welcome Peter Block as the featured guest at our annual IMPACT NOW! event, which is free and open to the community.

Peter is the co-author of the best-selling book, The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods. In his book, Peter shows us how strengthening social connections and re-weaving the social fabric at the neighborhood and local level can improve the common measures of community well-being – economy, education, health, safety, and the environment.

As a precursor to the event, we are launching our Reading for IMPACT campaign, and inviting people to read and discuss Abundant Community together. Here are 3 ways you can participate:

#1 – Host a Book Group!
As a host, you will: Attend a host orientation on Wednesday January 20, 2015 from 6:00 to 8pm. Organize a group of your friends, neighbors, or colleagues to read the book together.
Set a time and place for your book group meeting. Record a few reflections after your discussion. Encourage your book group members to participate in online conversations through Facebook and Twitter.  And join Peter Block for a community-wide conversation at IMPACT NOW! on Wednesday April 6, 2015 at 6pm.
Here is what you will get:  A free book!  A short summary of the book translated into Spanish.
A simple book group guide that will include suggested questions to guide your discussion.
A stipend to purchase snacks for your book group gathering.  And special recognition at IMPACT NOW!

#2 – Participate in a Book Group!
Let us know if you are interested in joining a book group, and we can help connect you.

#3 – Participate in IMPACT’s Virtual Book Group!
As you read the book, we invite you to engage in online conversations with other book group readers through Facebook and/or Twitter. Facebook conversations will be hosted on the Reading for IMPACT Facebook Group. Twitter users are encouraged to use the hashtag #read4impact to chat with one another.

Please indicate your interest by emailing us at read@impactsilverspring.org

IMPACT Silver Spring
P.O. Box 8397
Silver Spring, MD 20907

Phone: (301) 298-5117
www.impactsilverspring.org

Are you ready for some “new” clothes?

Now that you’re changing out summer clothes for winter clothes, you may have items you no longer need. Or you may discover that your wardrobe could use a few enhancements….. If you’re interested in a “green” way to go, here’s an idea:

On Sunday, November 15 at the Silver Spring Civic Building, Silver Spring Shares and the Silver Spring Timebank are hosting a clothing swap for women’s, men’s and children’s clothes. Drop off clean and wearable clothing without needed repairs starting at 2:15pm. Come anytime between 3-5pm to select clothing to take home.

We will have sections for women, men, and children. Please pre-sort your clothing into these categories and then by clothing type — jackets, tops, pants, skirts, dresses, etc.

Note this is a clothing-only swap. We will hold future swaps for household linens and other items, so please do not bring anything aside from clothing and accessories such as purses and scarves.

Any clothing left after the swap will be donated to A Wider Circle and to Shepherd’s Table.

Check out our Facebook invite and help spread the word!

Join the SSTB for a fall happy hour!

Join us for a fall happy hour on Friday, October 16 from 6:30-8:00pm.

402 Mansfield Road, Silver Spring, just off Wayne Avenue. Both the Ride-On 15 bus and the Ride-On 12 bus stop at the intersection of Wayne and Mansfield.

This is for current Silver Spring Time Bank members to get to know each other and for anyone who is interested in learning more about the Silver Spring Time Bank.

Please bring snacks or drinks to share. Registration/reservations are not required, but are requested for planning purposes, so please RSVP to silverspringtimebank@gmail.com . The happy hour is on, rain or shine.

Please pass this invite on to anyone who may be interested in timebanking.  And if you haven’t already, JOIN the Silver Spring Timebank!

More great exchange stories!

When the timebank began in January, I discovered Mary C. who offered sewing help and turned out to live barely a five-minute bike ride away. She resuscitated my jeans by patching holes. Mary is a charming and interesting neighbor whom I would never have met except through the timebank.

Several months later, I saw that Mary posted a request for help to make a video about her latest dog rescue project. I said to myself, “I can do that!” So I spent some time at Mary’s house taking iPhone video of Zip, an adorable Spaniel.

I sent her a quick weave of stills and videos entitled “From Zip to Zippy” that her rescue folks are using to find new homes for these animals. This was enjoyable and easy for me. Getting to know Mary plus getting timebank hours to spend elsewhere: what’s not to like? -Jonathan

Need help for that house project to-do list?

Check out timebank member offers for home repairs, decorating and organizing!

Read about some recent exchanges that have helped members start to tackle their to-do lists.

I just completed the second part of a multi-part exchange with Sara in which I measured three very large windows for blinds and helped her order them online. We got cellular blinds that cut sound and keep heat out in the summer and cold out in the winter. I returned this weekend, after the blinds arrived, and installed the first of the three. It went smoothly, and the bedroom is calm and quiet now! Next come the office and living room. -Jay, 7/28/15

I contacted the Silver Spring Timebank to hang pictures in the condominium I’m renting. Mary and her husband Kevin came with all the tools they needed and smiles from ear to ear. They worked together like Batman and Robin. It was a pleasure working with them and deciding where the pictures would go. When all was done, my condo felt like “mine” instead of a rental. It had my personal touches with my pictures and artwork on the walls. Now it feels like home. I highly recommend this duo for your “handy needs” around your home.
-Robin, 6/11/15

Great exchanges are happening!

Bike Tuneups – Woo Hoo!

I’ve started biking for local transportation and found that a timebank member offered bike tune-ups. As it happens, Dana W. lives only a few blocks away from me in Silver Spring. Dana bike-commutes to downtown D.C. and loves to work on bikes.

I spent time with my bike at his workshop, and it was so much fun! First, my bike was never so well-tuned. Second, he showed me how to patch a tire, which I’d never done on the fly but am now much better prepared to do when necessary. Third, he gave great advice about things to ask the bike shop to do – like truing a tire.

And best, saved for last, Dana is a delightful fellow whom I would not have met but for the Silver Spring TimeBank. I’m happy to promote him through the Timebank, and it’s great to see that his fame is spreading!      -Jonathan B., 7/11/15

Silver Spring Timebank Happy Hour is Friday, July 17 from 5:30-7:30pm

You are Invited to a Silver Spring Time Bank Happy Hour
Friday, July 17 from 5:30-7:30pm

This is for current Silver Spring Time Bank members to get to know each other and for anyone who is interested in joining the Silver Spring Time Bank!

 

☼ Come by with your Time Banking questions and to share your experiences.

☼ Enjoy light refreshments and cold drinks.

☼ Peruse the board of time/skill offers and requests — plus place your own!

☼ Dress in your tropical best (think Hawaiian shirts, caftans, big floppy sunhats, etc.).

☼ Please bring snacks or drinks to share.

Come to the corner of Fenton Street and Philadelphia Ave./Rt. 410), Silver Spring, MD – then go into the garden party area which is inside the white fence directly across from the Public Storage building at 7800 Fenton.

Look for the pink flamingos!

Please walk, bike, bus, metro, or car-pool. We are a 10-15 minute walk from either the Silver Spring and Takoma Park metro stops. Also, several Metro and Ride-On bus routes run right by.

If driving, there is limited free parking nearby on King Street, but there is much more available in the public garages/lots along Fenton and at the old police station on Sligo Avenue a few blocks away.

The SSTB Happy Hour is on whether sunshine or light rain. We’ll quickly duck inside the gazebo and under a shade tent, if it drizzles.
(In case of a big storm, we will cancel the event and reschedule it for another day.)

The event is free. Registration/reservations are not required, but are requested for planning purposes.

Please pass this invite on to your Silver Spring-area friends who may be interested in Time Banking.

Click HERE to learn more about the Silver Spring Timebank!

Six Summer New Member Orientations Scheduled!

Wednesday, June 17 at 7pm at Creative Colony, 8121 Georgia Avenue in the World Building in downtown Silver Spring

Sunday, June 28 at 3pm at 1206 Noyes Drive in Silver Spring

 

Locations to be announced:

• Wednesday, July 8 at 7pm
• Sunday, July 19 at 3pm
• Wednesday, August 12 at 7pm
• Sunday, August 23 at 3pm

To apply, go to the Silver Spring Timebank.  RSVP at silverspringtimebank@gmail.com or call 301-412-3401.

Silver Spring Timebank Happy Hour!

Tuesday, May 12

5-7PM

Eggspectation in downtown Silver Spring

Come learn about timebanking and meet members of the Silver Spring Timebank.  We’ll be sharing stories of some of the great exchanges that have already happened. And, we’ll be sharing ideas for building our membership and increasing the numbers and range of offers and requests.  For more information, contact silverspringtimebank@gmail.com.

Click HERE to learn more about the Silver Spring Timebank!

Two More New Member Orientations are Scheduled in May!

If you’re interested in joining the Silver Spring Timebank, the first thing you should do is submit an application.  It’s really easy…just click here!

Then you need to attend a new member orientation.  Again, that’s really easy too!  There are two orientations scheduled for May:

Saturday, May 9 at 10:30am at Pyramid Atlantic located at 8230 Georgia Avenue
Thursday, May 21 at 7:00pm at Creative Colony located at 8121 Georgia Avenue

Each orientation lasts about an hour (maybe an hour and a half) and attending allows you to meet other new members (which is great for building relationships and trust—key to successful exchanges) and for learning how to use the hOurworld software.

So, sign up, come meet other members and start exchanging…it’s that easy!  For questions, contact silverspringtimebank@gmail.com or call 301-412-3401.