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Local Motion

Local Motion image Local Motion image
Parent Issue
Day
31
Month
January
Year
1975
OCR Text

Local Motion, the alternative community voluntary funding cooperative which made its debut at a press conference last fall, is on the move. A full-tilt membership drive will be launched at LM's first bi-annual 'Community Fair' from noon until 5 pm on Saturday, February I5th at Community High School (formerly Jones School) North Division between Ann and Lawrence. The entire community is invited and encouraged to attend. and to join with the 22 member human services organizations and an impressive array of local musical talent in celebration of the opening of LM's votuntary fundraising campaign.

WHAT IS LOCAL MOTION?

Local Motion is a non-profit, non-partisan, tax-exempt corporation whose members work cooperatively to raise funds for one another, to ensure that human services like legal aid, child care, health care, crisis intervention, wholesome food distribution, youth. gay and women services can prosper and grow in Ann Arbor, despite the dismal national economic situation and cutbacks in governmental support. Local Motion is a self-help coalition of human service organizations, participating businesses, and concerned individuals who work together to enrich the quality of life in Ann Arbor.

Local Motion is governed by a board of directors comprised of representatives of the member organizations, local businesses, and the at-large community. All policy and funding decisions are made democratically by the board at weekly meetings open to the community.

THE VOLUNTARY SURCHARGE

Local Motion raises money through a strictly voluntary 2% surcharge on retail goods and services. Participating businesses collect the surcharge from customers who would Iike to support the organizations they depend upon for vital life services. The businesses turn the surcharge collections over to the LM board. and disbursements in the form of outright grants or loans are made twice per year. Alternative funding Co-ops like Local Motion have proved successful in several other communities throughout the U.S. from Philadelphia to Santa Cruz. The Philadelphia People's Fund mobilized 5000 people affiliated with 36 organizations to raise $25,000 last year. And, with fewer people, the Champagne County. Illinois Sustaining Fund netted $30.000!

THE RECENT PROGRESS OF LOCAL MOTION

Since the official inauguration of Local Motion last fall, the board has been busily laying the foundations for what it hopes will become the permanent, efficient, fund-raising arm of a united alternative community.

Seed capital of over $2000 has been loaned to Local Motion to cover start-up costs by several member organizations: Corntree Daycare Coop, Ozone House, The People's Food Coop, Free People's Clinic, "Herself," and the Community Center Project. These funds are being utilized to hire a paid staff, open an office, and to cover the costs of extensive communitywide publicity.

The board has hired two half-time paid coordinators from a diverse and enthusiastic range of applicants. Paid staffers are: Molly Reno and Diane Hall, both creative and experienced local community organizers.

TALENTED, EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP

Molly is the founder, and former director, of the Inmate Rehabilitation Program at the Washtenaw County Jail. She is active in the women's movement and is a member of Women Against Prison. a recently formed group opposed to all prison construction, specifically the new state women's prison slated for Pittsfield Township. Molly is also a part-time coordinator in the Outreach program of the U's Psychology department. Her course on community organizing will introduce students to community work and a majority of them will work on Local Motion.

Diane Hall is one of a half dozen local organizers who founded Local Motion last May. She was instrumental in formulatíng Local Motion's constitution and by-laws. She is active in the women's movement, devoting a good deal of her time to the Women's Community Center and the planned Women's Bookstore. She has been active in the Human Rights Party, and most recently has been involved in the coalition effort to channel Federal Community Development Revenue Sharing Funds away from corporate-oriented programs like downtown beautification toward low and moderate-income community services, which are high priorities according to the CDRS Act.

Local Motion has rented office space at 225 E. Liberty, a convenient location near the corner of 5th Ave. and Liberty, in the same building with sister organizations "Herself," the Feminist Federal Credit Union. Lesbians Opening. Sunstructuress and the Free People's Clinic. Office hours are now Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1 -5 pm. The phone number is 994-0370. In order to recycle as much money as possible back to the member service organizations, LM is making every effort to minimize overhead costs. Therefore. the office is rather sparsely furnished at this point. Donations of used or unwanted furniture. plants, and especially filing cabinets and office equipment would be greatly appreciated.

Five thousand copies of Local Motion's free promotional brochure will hit the streets this week. The pamphlet explains what Local Motion is, how the 2% surcharge works, how funds are disbursed, and how to join. One year memberships cost $1 and may be purchased at the office or at the coming fair.

Local Motion's logo symbol is a swift multi-seater bicycle pedaled by several different kinds of people: women. men. young and old, black, white. blue jeans and business suits. The bicycle motif highlights several important aspects of the concept behind Local Motion: the bicycle is a vehicle that makes local survival much easier, it's ecologically sound, and it's powered by the united energies of many different kinds of people.

Pick up some brochures and help distribute them! And ook for leaflets announcing the Local Motion Community Fair.

THE COMMUNITY FAIR

The fair is Local Motion's gala kick-off activity. The fair at Community High (old Jones School, Division between Ann and Lawrence, will run from noon until 5 pm on Saturday, February 15th. Membership to Local Motion will be sold for a shrinking buck, which entitles the member to a zippy membership card, and a vote in the election of at-large community board members, which will take place that afternoon at the fair. All the member organizations will have booths displaying their activities. Child care will be provided, food and drinks will be on sale, and entertainment will include a Local Motion Slide Show and several musical acts.

Collection of the voluntary surcharge will begin at participating businesses after the fair. Ask the people in the stores where you shop when collection will begin.

TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS

Business people around town are being contacted right now, and arrangements for actual collection of the surcharge will be tailored to meet the specific individual needs of local business people. If you work at, or own a local business and would like to serve as a Local Motion collection agent, or help out in any way, contact the LM office Tuesday or Thursday from 1-5 pm. Participation from a broad base of businesses is vital to the success of Local Motion and to the survival of the community services which provide free or low-cost services to the consumer community. It makes sense for business to Local Motion. LM is a non-profit, non-partisan, tax-exempt self-help coalition. Businesses need not contribute any of their own money. rather they serve as a collection vehicle for their customers who want to recycle funds into the organizations which serve their life needs. And people whose survival needs are met at low cost or for free, have more money to spend on clothing, stereo equipment, records, books, films, and eating out. Thus, LM improves sales for local businesspeople.

LOCAL MOTION CAN WORK

Many people have been wondering if Local Motion can succeed in these perilous economic times. Will the majority of people throughout the community recognize their personal stake in LM's success? Will they make a point of shopping at stores which display the LM sign, and then volunteer the 2% surcharge on their purchases? One encouraging indicator that tends to confirm the belief that Ann Arbor is willing to support Local Motion happened by accident last week at the People's Food Coop. By mistake, the Food Coop cashiers began asking shoppers if they would like to contribute the voluntary 2% to LM. The response was enthusiastically positive, and $75 was collected in just one day!

LM: CHANGE NOT CHARITY

Local Motion makes sense for the entire community. Small amounts of money contributed by an enthused community through participating businesses add up to big money which is recycled into the organizations which provide basic human needs to business people, their employees, and their customers at no or low cost. So watch for the leaflets announcing the fair and come celebrate by becoming a member. Spread the word. bring your friends, get involved.

Local Motion is working for your well-being. and the well-being of low and moderate-income people throughout Ann Arbor. Local Motion is much more than just a charity. It is a community-controlled financial recycling agency that supports the services you depend on for health care, child care, legal aid, food, mental health, crisis intervention, female, gay, and youth services. Local Motion is working for change, not just charity.

FEMINIST FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

"Credit Unions," stated Roy Bergengren, a credit union pioneer, "demonstrate the practicality of the brotherhood of man." The Feminist Federal Credit Union is the first to demonstrate the practicality of the sisterhood of women. Located at 225 East Liberty is Ann Arbor's branch of the first credit union in history to be set up by women for women. With sister branches in Detroit, East Lansing, and Flint, the Feminist Federal boasts 1,745 members and $375,000 in assets. This credit union, our credit union is a place to pool women's resources so women who are saving money can lend it to women who need to borrow. We can invest our savings in loans to our sisters instead of investing in male-owned and controlled banking institutions with discriminatory lending policies and employment practices. Now we can borrow where we are not discriminated againsi because of marital status or the credit rating of our husband or father. With women. we can be honest about why we want a loan, whether it be for a divorce, an abortion, a vacation, or a means to become a self-directed person.

The Feminist Federal has joined Local Motion because we are a self-help financial institution designed to meet the needs of our membership. We see Local Motion as a community-oriented approach to fundraising-freeing community service organizations from the erratic, undependable nature of city government. As government grows, it becomes more like business, which is unresponsive to the needs of its patrons. Like Local Motion, the difference between credit unions and banks or savings and loan associations is the difference between people with a common bond, setting up their own financial system to help each other; and people giving up their savings to a Corporation whose goal is to make money tor unknown stockholders, or to a government whose goal is to amass more power.

For more information, drop by the office. Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, between 12-5 pm or 6-8 pm, or call 662-5400. One need only be a member of a feminist organization and pay a 50 ¢ membership fee to open an account ol $5 or more.

CHILDREN'S COMMUNITY CENTER

An alternative to the public eiementary schools will be opening in late February or early March at the Children's Community Center (CCC).

Already accredited by the state to teach young people through the eighth grade, the school plans to begin with students ages 5 and 6, and grow to the higher grades over the years. The CCC purchased a new classroom building for the eiementary school, and is now in the process of bringing it up to code.

"We'll be working on the whole Family plan," explained Annie Murphy, an accredited teacher at the CCC. "The older children can help the younger ones. and as they get older, to take on more responsibility." Besides just the children helping each other, the CCC. which now has children from 21/2 up to 6, works cooperatively, involving the parents as well.

Five kindergarteners are already enrolled at the CCC. They will move into the new building as soon as it is finished. At that time, more young people can be added both at the preschool and elementary levels. The school is also looking for people who want to be involved in developing an alternative education program to work at the school.

Initially, the school will have a tuition fee.

"It's too bad that free schools aren't free, while public schools are." said Murphy. "We are trying to find ways to make the school tuition-free, but in the mean time, parents who want an alternative to the public schools are having to pull it together someway."

ANN ARB0R HEALTH CARE COLLECTIVE

Take your feet out of the stirrups! Join the women's project of the Ann Arbor Health Care Collective at a multi-media event focusing on the neglected and discriminatory practices of the health care establishment toward women.

Women's Health, an afternoon of films, workshops, and discussions. will take place February 22 at the Public Health School, 109 S. Observatory. Registration will begin at I 2:30, and the kick-off film event. "Taking Our Bodies Back." will begin at 1:00 p.m. Following the film, participants will be invited to join one of the workshops. The workshops will be on the following topics:

Consuming or Consumed? Drugs, Contraceptives, and the Law, plus, Over-The-Counter Drug Intelligence: Nutrition and Preventive Health Care, Women's Mental Health-Nature vs Nurture, Socialisation, roles: Women as Health Care providers, exploitation of the "feminine" nature, agitation for change: Health legislation-ls Abortion in Danger, how can the system be humanized? What is Congress doing? Health insurance.

Also, throughout the afternoon, members from the Free People's Clinic, Women's Community Center, Women's Crisis Center, Planned Parenthood, Feminist Federal Credit Union, and the new Women's Bookstore will have literature tables and information booths for those interested in browsing and talking with other women active in health issues. For those interested in more information on the Conference, please feel free to call the Free People's Clinic at 761-8952.

PEOPLE'S FOOD CO-OP

With depressing financial statistics dominating the news. one piece of good fortune is the opening of a new place to get low-cost, high-quality food. To beat the hunger pangs away In the downtown and Model Cities area of Ann Arbor, the People's Food Coop has opened its new branch at 212 North Fourth Avenue. The New People's Food Coop will be open every day of the week except Mondays and Thursdays.

"The new store is larger and more efficient." said Brian Miller, one of the PFC coordinators "Now we can get to more people."

The new storefront will have basically similar stock to the original Packard Street coop. with a single change in providing dairy products from a local dairy. (Would you believe it's actually going to have milk in returnable bottles,  an ecologically sound idea?) But Miller stresses that the coop stock is up to the people who use the coop.

"It's up to the people who go there if' they want to add to the stock." he explained. If someone wants something he or she should research the item and talk to a coordinator or order it directly if he or she is familiar enough with the system."

Like the original coop, the new PFC sells at cost with a 20 percent markup to cover operating expenses. This makes for just about the lowest prices in town for food items. Stock includes a broad range of things from organic peanut butter to seeds, nuts. grains. cheese, baked goods, and honey.

As with any cooperative effort. the People's Food Coop can only function with the assistance of the people who use it. Individual input includes attending coop meetings, working at the store, or helping with restocking and clean up. Anyone who wants additional information can call the Coop.

Other members of Local Motion include Drug Help, Ozone House, Community Center Project, Free People's Clinic, Legal Aid, Childcare Action Center, Corntree Childcare Coop, New World Media Coop, Ann Arbor Sun, Consumer Action Center, Women's Community Center, Women's Crisis Center, Welfare Rights Organization, Lesbians Opening, Herself, Itemized Fruit and Vegetable Coop, Sunstructure Women Against Prisons, Tenants Union, Gay Liberation Front, Student Legal Aid, and others. CHANGE NOT CHARITY