The Somerville Stock Exchange (SSE) started on March 31, 2012, and aun until March 31, 2013. It was a community forum, a fund-raiser, and a different take on what a stock market can be!
----Project website----
http://timdevin.com/somervillestockexchange.html
----About----
Between March 31, 2012 and March 31, 2013, we gathered information on what members of the Somerville community have been doin
g to make the city's community life, creative life, and environment better--including individual actions like as volunteering, helping neighbors, and practical tips. The project also encouraged people to donate money to three partner nonprofits: the Somerville Homeless Coalition, Somerville Climate Action, and the Somerville Arts Council.
----Forms the project took----
All of the information that we gathered was added to the project's website; went into quarterly reports sent out to participants; was written up as a biweekly column in a community news source; and were compiled into a free, 183-page PDF book. To gather this information, we tabled at local events; put up posters and signs; and had a website. As people told us things they’d done; as they donated money; and as we learned of news stories that affected life in Somerville, the "values" of "Somerville stocks" went up and down. The final values were: Community $27.10; Environment $14.51; and Creative Life $17.33.
----The goals of the project----
The goals of the Exchange were to encourage people to take a more active role in their community; to give people the chance to see what others were doing for their community; to raise awareness and funds for three important nonprofits; and to document some of the things that make Somerville the place it was in 2012 and 2013.
----The project’s reception----
Almost 100 people participated in the project. Many people said they were glad to be able to share things they'd been doing to make the city a better place--actions that they were proud of, but hadn't really told anyone about. People who read the website or book said they were glad to read what others were doing, and felt inspired. The project received an amazing amount of positive press. It was in the Boston Globe and Somerville Patch twice each, as well as in the Somerville News, Spare Change News, Shareable, Natural Wisdom, Somerville Beat and Somerville Scout once each. We were on internet-based UnregularRadio talking about the project; and are going to be on NPR soon.
----Who's behind the project----
The SSE is run by Tim Devin. Partner nonprofits are the Somerville Arts Council, the Somerville Homeless Coalition, and Somerville Climate Action. For more information, see our website: http://timdevin.com/somervillestockexchange.html
or email Tim at [email protected]
