In ORE, the currency is time, and everyone’s time is valued equally. For each hour an individual spends in service to another community member, regardless of the service, one Community Credit is earned. Community Credits can then be spent on services that others offer. Services offered can include: cleaning, grocery shopping, knitting or yoga lessons, preparing meals, professional advice, painting a porch, carpentry, car repairs, giving a ride, and many others.

This time exchange system is made possible through the Onion River Exchange. Participants list the services they can offer and those that they need, on the ORE website or through the ORE Coordinator. All members agree to give and receive services. Members can then “buy” a service they need using their Community Credits, or gain Community Credits by completing a service. ORE measures and values all the various ways community member can help each other through our skills, knowledge, and hobbies.