The original inspiration for this website came from a situation I experienced when moving to the city of St. Catharines, which you can read about in the about me section. The original name of this website was "Where Can I..." and focused on information that may be helpful to a university student moving to the Niagara Region. After reading Robin Wall Kimmerer's essay "The Serviceberry" it became clear that this website could be something more using the concept of reciprocity and gratitude that she discusses. While the target audience is still post-secondary students in Niagara, the hope is with time, we can expand.

A gift economy is one that operates on the concept of giving without expecting in return. This act is called reciprocity, meaning the "interest of 'we' exceeds that of the 'I'" (Kimmerer). The concept of gift economies can be seen in Indigenous communities. It involves looking at the false scarcity capitalism has created, and choosing instead to focus on the concept of abundance-- sharing with one another. Kimmerer notes that a gift economy, "has no tolerance for creating artificial scarcity through hoarding. In fact, the "monster" in Potawatomi culture is the Windigo, who suffers from the illness of taking too much and sharing too little."

A simple change in the title of the website from "I" to "we" allowed for many more possibilities. The only problem was creating the cycle of reciprocity and gratitude. Kimmerer says that "gratitude is so much more than a polite 'thank you.' It is the thread that connects us in a deep relationship... as our bodies are fed, and spirits nourished by the sense of belonging." Unfortunately living in a capitalist society still requires some encounters with capitalism and given the economic toll from the pandemic, finances are tight for many. This created the brainstorming of how to participate in a gift economy when funds are tight, or you are new to an area, or for health reasons must isolate during Covid? How can a community be created through an online gift economy? The idea of a mutual aid society through the gift of knowledge stemmed.

The decision to purposefully leave some sections blank, not only shows my own knowledge on certain topics falls short, but it allows for the community to contribute to the ever-growing place of knowledge; to make recommendations based on experience tapping into our shared roots of reciprocity. Everyone has a voice, and knowledge to share regardless of background, or financial status.The hope is with shared information in the Discord, and requests made, the website will grow to suit the needs of the community.

To Read More on Kimmerer's "The Serviceberry" click on this link: https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/the-serviceberry/