Neighbor for Neighbor (N4N) is a resource management, skills-trading program designed to save families money by exchanging time. S4L organizes the neighborhoods, trains family representatives in organizational development and leadership skills and monitors the "finances" of the program. Neighbors list the skills they have and skills they need and then trade time. More than 40 skills are traded in the program, such as babysitting, car washing, lawn mowing, gardening, painting, plumbing, tutoring, hair cutting, and manicures.

When a family member provides a skill, such as a teenage daughter babysitting for another family, the daughter is "paid" with a barter token (BT) for the time spent. The daughter, or another family member, can then use the time token to acquire the services of another family, such as grocery shopping or faux finishing a bathroom. BTs are only for time. The family requesting the service must pay for any materials needed.

An important by-product of neighbors trading skills and time is that N4N also strengthens neighborhood relations and communications and integrates Hispanic and Black cultures.

What communities are active in this program?

N4N is actively implemented in the Cherie Cove neighborhood, a NW Harris County Habitat for Humanity community. We anticipate funding to expand this program to one or two more communities in 2005, serving a total of 100 participating families.

How do volunteers help this program?

Volunteers recruit community leaders, photograph families, moderate meetings, provide coaching in leadership skills and encourage the families to participate. They also help families produce the skill books, plan and attend the kick off party, monitor the results and quantify the value of the skills traded and the expenses saved by the families.

Volunteers for the Neighbor For Neighbor program commit about 4 hours per month.

How do I get involved?

The first Monday of each month, Skills For Living holds a New Volunteer Orientation meeting at S4L offices 7660 Woodway, Suite 599, Houston, TX 77063. You can attend this meeting or call our Volunteer Coordinator to arrange an orientation at a different time. In either case, please call Cate Thuo at (713) 782-9974 or email her at Cate@Skills4Living.org to let her know you are interested in volunteering.