Economic Model
Slate Creek Sanctuary

In order to weave rich ecologies of interdependent belonging, we embrace the power of voluntary giving over impersonal, transactional exchange.  

Our practice of “gift economy” is inspired by nature’s abundant giving, our deep-time ancestors, and the following words by Robin Wall Kimmerer from The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance:

Gratitude is so much more than a polite “thank you.” It is the thread that connects us in a deep relationship, simultaneously physical and spiritual, as our bodies are fed and spirits nourished by the sense of belonging, which is the most vital of foods. Gratitude creates a sense of abundance, the knowing that you have what you need…

If our first response is gratitude, then our second is reciprocity: to give a gift in return… 

Gratitude and reciprocity are the currency of a gift economy, and they have the remarkable property of multiplying with every exchange, their energy concentrating as they pass from hand to hand, a truly renewable resource. 

We are grateful for your participation in this experiment in radical, gift-economy economics!   May we remember together the art of being a life enhancing and sustainable community where youth and elders come together.