Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: starting an emergency fund at our cohousing community in Tucson, AZ

[Ann Zabaldo (zabaldo]

Hello Lidia —

So wonderful to hear members of your community are setting up this emergency 
fund.  It’s an example of just one of the myriad ways in which cohousing 
communities demonstrate their ability to care for neighbors. 

Here at Takoma Village people donated to a fund.  Donations were deposited into 
a member’s unused and empty PayPal account.  Anyone needing assistance 
contacted that person.  The only requirement was the need to be covid related.  
 We did not ask for documentation because it’s hard enough for folks to ask for 
help.  And,  community is born in trust.  I just cannot imagine anyone in our 
community asking for support who didn’t really need it.

Our experience shows that not everyone comes forward at the same time.  In 
fact, it took seven months to disburse the funds.  People may have been working 
earlier and then laid off at the end of the year.

I don’t think there’s any “wrong” way to do this.  Consider not making the bar 
too high for folks to take advantage of your offer.  Like others I urge 
confidentiality.  It’s really hard for people to ask for monetary support. 
(Personally, I’d rather give you a kidney than ask for financial help.)  Be 
gentle w/ people who may need assistance.  It’s rough out there!


Wishing you the very best in this endeavor, Lidia.  The bonds of community are 
woven w/ threads like this.

Best --

Ann Zabaldo
Takoma Village Cohousing
Washington, DC
Member, Board of Directors
Mid Atlantic Cohousing
Principal, Cohousing Collaborative, LLC
Falls Church, VA
202.546.4654

One minute you’re young and fun.  And the next, you’re turning down the stereo 
in your car to see better.  www.bizwaremagic.com

NOTE: I am switching back to: zabaldo [at] earthlink.net.  Many apologies!  





> On Feb 2, 2021, at 8:10 PM, Lidia Delpiccolo-Morris <gpldpmorris [at] 
> gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> We became aware that at least one of our members is having trouble paying 
> their COA dues and a group of us are starting an emergency fund and would 
> like advice from other communities that have something similar in place and 
> have more experience.  Any feedback would be appreciated.
> 
> Lidia
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