Network of Home-Based Communities: A Proposal
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Do you want a deeper sense of community in your life? Would you like to share more experiences with a small group of good friends (for at least two hours a week)?

Are you committed to becoming a better person? Do you, or would you like to, directly assist people in serious need (for at least two hours a month)? Do you, or would you like to, help improve the policies of our federal government (for at least two hours a month)?

Might you like to share a meal once a month with close friends who are also engaged in community service and political action? Following these meals, might you like to discuss your efforts at self-improvement, community service, and political action with those people (and listen to them report on their efforts)?

Do you largely agree with the following statement of principles?

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If your answer to those questions is yes, you might want to join the Network of Home-based Communities once it is formed.

The current plan is for the initial organizers of this project to ask all Network members to begin by following the same simple steps, which will be presented in “Growing Home-based Communities: A Step-by-Step Manual.” Doing so will provide everybody with a shared experience that will provide a common basis for discussion. After completing the manual, members will choose whatever methods they prefer.

The basic idea is to form small groups of neighbors who live in the same Congressional district, twelve or so in number, who: · Endorse the “What We Believe” statement of principles. · Are committed to steady self-improvement. · Take action together at least two hours a month to persuade their Congressperson to do something concrete. · Engage in community service at least two hours a month to assist people in need. · Share a meal once a month (two hours), following which they will (confidentially) discuss these activities.

The main purpose of this post-meal interaction is to provide mutual support by listening to each other put into words what they have been doing and how they feel about it. In addition, if and when people want advice, feedback, or other support, they can ask for it.

These sessions are not designed for problem solving, whether it be personal problems or interpersonal conflict. Any such problem solving will be addressed later, whether one-on-one, in a sub-group, or with the whole home-based community.

One goal driving this project is to mobilize a significant number of people at the same time throughout the country to pressure their Congresspersons to take the same action. Achieving this goal will often require many people to set aside their personal priorities for two hours a month to support other objectives in disciplined, joint action – while trusting that the Network might well later support their own priorities.

The eight-hour-per-month commitment is designed to enable people who are already very busy to share meaningful experiences with others. Over time, even an eight-hour monthly commitment can nurture deep connections.

Whether on their own or with other organizations, many members of these home-based communities will likely do more than the minimal required commitment. Some home-based communities might do more together as a group, including social and recreational activities.

The organizing manual, which is currently being written, will present methods concerning how to organize or join a home-based community.

If you are interested in helping to organize this project or might be interested in participating, please send an email to Wade Hudson at wadehudson@progressiveresourcecatalog.org.