Ms. Ana Miyares, President of Timedollar, visited Sendai.
Ms. Ana Miyares visited Sendai on October 11, and attended a symposium supported by Miyagi Prefecture. Timedollar is a new tax-exempt currency that empowers people to convert their personal time into purchasing power by helping others and results in rebuilding family, neighborhood and community. There are more than 200 organizations and groups in Japan launching this system. We asked her several questions about Timedollar and these are her constructive answers;Question: What does Timedollar mean ?
Miyares: Timedollar is a system in which any people have a chance to participate. If you help others for an hour, you can get one point. This point is a sort of new currency.
Question: How do people use saved points ?
Miyares: We can use the points whatever we want. We can use them for ourself, and also we can contribute them to others .
Question: How many members do you have ?
Miyares: In the case of Miami, approximately 7000 people join us. Half of them save their volunteered time and sometimes they receive service from other volunteers. About 200people save points and they don't use them yet. Around 300 people donate all their points to others. The number of people who have used points without having saved points is about 1200. At the time we implemented this system 80% of our members were retired . But now a lot of young people join us. I'm deeply grateful for them joining us.
Question: What kind or volunteer works do you do ?
Miyares: All kinds of works. For example, day care services, meal serving, pick up service, fixing furniture and so on.
Question: How is the system getting along in U.S. ?
Miyares: There are about 600 small systems in 42 states have started their operation in U.S. For instance, we spend only 39 cents for the work the government spends 27 dollars on. Eventually, we taxpayers, receive a benefit from the system. The aim of our system is to make ideal communities which have enough love and help for each other, and have people return to their families and communities.
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