tl;dr (too long, didn't read) – Click here to RSVP for a unique experience on June 8 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm at Southdale Library in Edina.

Here comes the context...

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What do you get when you mashup mutual aid, Craigslist, and making fast friends?

It's the Offers and Needs Market (OANM): a joyful, guided process where groups come together to discover and exchange their passions, knowledge, skills, resources, and needs. Whether for free, barter, or a set rate, people offer and need things like tech help, a place to live, or some extra produce.

The OANM unearths and shares the diverse forms of wealth we all have and reminds us that so much of what we need for a good life is already within our grasp.

I ran one of these exclusively for Weavers last year, and this one is for anyone who can get to Southdale Library in Edina on June 8.

Check out this participant guide instead of reading a wall of text here. 🙂

The Process

1. Think about what you might offer to or need from your fellow Twin Citians. The participant guide linked above has the context to do it well.
2. Write down those offers and needs on provided sticky notes.
3. Put your sticky notes on a wall with everyone else's offers and needs.
4. Browser people's offers and needs.
5. Either find someone who you think you have a match with or prepare to have others come up to you and say, "I just saw your offer/need. We need to talk!"
6. Repeat steps 4-5 as much as possible.

How to Prepare

You don't have to do anything other than show up. But if you want more details about the OANM, feel free to explore here.

Are you looking for inspiration? Here's a spreadsheet with real examples of offers and needs from various events and gatherings.

What Else?

Bring a friend or two and find out what their gifts are as well, plus how you might help each other in new or surprising ways.

If you like this great concept and the real help you'll get from participating, I’d be grateful if you RSVPed right now so I can plan for a certain number of participants.

Contact me, Joel Zaslofsky, at jezaslof@gmail.com if you have any questions.

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“I love Offers and Needs Markets! It's so much bundled into one: community-building, vulnerability, sharing resources, owning up to our own depths, and the generous use of sticky notes.

We all inherently want to help, so giving and receiving with an intentional, organized process allows us to contribute and gain without it feeling transactional. This is just genuine and heartfelt.” – Aja Marsh, OANM participant