Save Money While Building Community

My clipping file includes a short item about an interesting non-profit that seems to be a cross between a grocery co-op and a food bank with a mission to build community, SHARE (Self-Help and Resource Exchange).

SHARE is a loosely knit chain of groups that distribute groceries in 33 states. It was started in San Diego in 1983.

Members donate 2 hours of community service per month (this includes informal things like mowing grass or babysitting for a neighbor) in order to be eligible to buy a food order at a discounted price.

There are no income restrictions but it looks like some of the programs take a combination of cash and food stamps.

The following sites are for organizations in various parts of the country that are running these programs. The article that I saved mentions that 2 or 3 neighbors can participate in this program by setting up a distribution point.

A quick search did not come up with any information about a parent organization or any participating organizations in Indiana.

http://www.swva.net/nrca/pages/SHARE.HTML

http://www.greatertulsa.com/frc/share.html

http://www.sbnc.org/programs/selfhelp.htm

If this is legitimate it sounds like a great way to motivate people to volunteer as well as a way to help out people who need to stretch their food budgets.