When Dr. Edgar Cahn, the founder of time banking, first approached me to co-create what is now Seva Exchange, he made one thing clear – he didn’t want me to simply reinvent what was already built at TimeBanks.org. Instead, he wanted me to take time banking mainstream, making it more accessible and impactful across the U.S. and beyond.

As I researched and spoke with community builders worldwide, I realized something profound: time banking alone wasn’t enough. Communities needed more than just a way to exchange time – they needed a way to share resources, lend a helping hand, and even find temporary shelter after being displaced. Yet across cultures, I noticed a recurring challenge: a deep stigma around asking for help. Whether due to shame, pride, or fear of appearing weak, people struggled to reach out when they needed support. Volunteering was widely embraced, yet seeking help remained an unspoken challenge.

That insight changed everything for me. I set out to create a platform that didn’t just encourage giving but made it easy to receive help first. What do you need? How can your community support you? That’s where Seva Exchange was born – not just as a timebanking platform where you earn an hour and give an hour, but as a space where you don’t have to earn first. You can ask for help first, receive it, and then pay it forward in your own time and way.

Here, you are expected to give, and you are expected to receive. That’s how true community works.