The GOOD MONEY ALLIANCE is organizing to have Chicago become a Good Money City in 2028

  • We are building that Alliance right now. In Stage 1, we will be 100 individuals and 12 founding organizations, each ready to record at least one exchange a month on TimeExchanges.com. 
  • When I help you for 10 minutes and record the transaction, your obligation is to help someone, who then helps someone, who helps someone… Each time one of us helps someone, it ripples out through our connections, strengthening our community and well-being. 
  • Founding organizations: Northwest Austin Council, Westside Rising, Welcome to Fatherhood, Life in Community Solutions Association, Covenant Outreach Services, Diondai's Place Breast Cancer Support Group, 
  • Founding members: Barry Koren, Steve Robinson, Dale Cain, Raheem Young, Felice Bassuk, Cornelius Rogers, Maurice Todd, Tevy Deveaux, Diondai Brown-Whitfield,  

 

VISION

By 2028, most Chicagoans carry two cards — one for dollars, one for time credits.
Every hour of labor is valuable. This dual-currency system keeps people working, services running, and communities connected—even when federal dollars dry up. Time currency replaces lost federal dollars. 

Impact: Hospitals stay staffed, nonprofits stay open, and city programs continue delivering for residents. Caring and doing good become currency. Hope and opportunity spread.

 

THE CONTEXT

  • Crisis: Trump-era budget cuts strip funding from safety-net hospitals, nonprofits, universities, and city programs.
  • Scarcity: Dollar supply tightens, prices rise, layoffs loom.
  • Solution: TimeExchanges.com enables secure time-credit transactions—valuing work in hours instead of just dollars.
  • Opportunity: A resilient economy built on trust networks, cooperation, and mutual aid.

 

IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP

Phase 1 — 2025 & 2026 

  • Launch Founders Circle of 12 key organizations.
  • Each commits to recording one-time transactions per month and recruiting partner organizations.

Phase 2 — 2026 & 2027 

  • Grow to 72–84 organizations.
  • Local governments begin partial recognition of time credits for volunteer and service programs.

Phase 3 — 2027 & 2028:

  • Expand to 120+ organizations citywide.
  • State-level hearings on official time currency recognition and protections.

 

POLITICAL & SOCIAL IMPACT

Job Preservation: Staff remain employed through partial time-credit pay instead of layoffs.
Service Continuity: Programs sustain operations without federal dollars.
Economic Equality: All work hours have equal worth across roles and sectors.
Leverage & Independence: Local governments gain credible bargaining power against federal overreach.

 

CULTURAL SHIFT

Chicagoans use and trust their time cards. Communities exchange skills, helping each other thrive and connect, despite the hard times.

  • “We didn’t lay anyone off.”
    “I paid part of my doctor's bill in time.”
    “We all keep Chicago working.”

 

OUTCOME: CHICAGO 2028

  • 120+ participating organizations across healthcare, food, education, housing, and public services.
  • Dual-currency acceptance standard for most essential services.
  • Chicago is recognized nationally as America’s first Good Money City.