Join us this Sunday for a Community Meeting, then come back throughout the month for a sex ed class, Valentines Day Bake Swap, our monthly mutual aid distro, and a volunteer workday. If you are interested in hosting your own public or private event in our space, please read on for more info!
Future Economy Collective is hosting a variety of events at our new space, located at 700 N. Main St, Suite E, Blacksburg VA, above Mill Mountain Coffee and across the hallway from the Brow Bar. The space facilitates our mutual aid work, community-building, and overall capacity-building.
You can expect future installments of this newsletter once or twice a month, and find more info at our website: FutureEconomyCollective.org
February Events
Community Meeting: Sunday Feb, 1st from 3pm-5pm at the FEC Space, 700 N. Main St, Suite E and online via Google meet at this link. This meeting is an intentional space to hear from community members about issues affecting them, so we can learn how to best support the community. Come with ideas for projects or events you’d like to make happen! Mark your calendars for our second Community Meeting on Sunday, August 30th from 3pm-5pm.
Valentine’s Day Bake Swap on Saturday, February 14th from 1PM - 3PM at the FEC Space, 700 N. Main St, Suite E. SPOTS ARE LIMITED! So please make sure to RSVP by clicking here. Participants are required to wear masks and make at least 24 servings of what they’re baking. Gluten-free and dairy-free options will be available!
Trans Centered Queer Sex Ed Sunday, Feb. 15th 5:30pm-6:45pm at the FEC Space, 700 N. Main St, Suite E. A comprehensive sex-ed class centered around safer sex and reproductive choice. Focused on trans and queer experiences but open to all orientations and genders.
Mutual Aid Distribution: Sunday, Feb. 15th from 2pm-3pm behind the North Main Laundromat at 1003 N. Main St, Blacksburg. Take what you need, leave what you can. Food, toiletries, and household supplies are available at no cost and with no questions asked. Interested volunteers should dress warmly. Future distros will be held every third Sunday of the month from 2pm-3pm.
Characterization through Setting: A Generative Fiction Writing Workshop. Sun. March 1st 1:00pm-2:30pm at the FEC Space, 700 N. Main St, Suite E. Sliding scale suggested donation of $5-$25 with 100% of funds going to support Future Economy Collective. No one turned away for lack of funds. This workshop is appropriate for anyone interested in writing fiction. Please bring something to write with.
Weekly Planning Meetings: every Sunday from 3pm-5pm at the FEC Space, 700 N. Main St, Suite E, and online through Google meet, found at this link. Anyone interested in being involved with the planning and shaping of FEC is welcome to join.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer Orientation: Tues. Feb 10th 6:30pm-8pm at the FEC Space, 700 N. Main St, Suite E and virtually over google meet, found here. Orientation is a chance to learn about our values, norms, and agreements; how a consensus-based space operates; and specific ways to get involved.
Volunteer Workday: Sat. Feb 28th 1pm-4pm at the FEC Space, 700 N. Main St, Suite E. Volunteers will split into two groups, with one group staying at the FEC space to work on screenprinting merch and general organizing, and another group heading to our storage unit to sort through what to sell, give away, and trash. Stay for as long or as short as you would like!
We can always use volunteers for our monthly third Sunday Mutual Aid Distro! Feb. 15th from 2pm-3pm behind the North Main Laundromat at 1003 N. Main St, Blacksburg. Anyone can take what they need and leave what they can. Volunteers should dress warmly.
Two ways to help Future Economy Collective
Select Future Economy Collective through the Kroger Community Rewards Program, and Kroger will give us a donation every time you shop! Simply sign in to your account then go to kroger.com/account/communityrewards. If you are using the app, go to "Rewards" then "Community Rewards." Search for "NH184" or "Future Economy Collective" and enroll..
Future Economy Collective is looking for volunteers to help with fundraising. If you have any experience with grant writing or have ideas for other fundraising opportunities, please reach out!
Support our efforts
You can donate goods for Mutual Aid distros to the collection box at Eats Natural Foods, located at 708 N Main Street. Needed items include cleaning products, toiletries including menstrual products, and non-perishable foods such as peanut butter, canned proteins, pasta, and baby food.
All monetary donations support our day-to-day operations or are invested directly back into the community through our free fridge and mutual aid distros. Everyone at FEC is a volunteer, so no donations go towards salaries. Please consider making one-time or recurring donations through Zeffy (preferred), Patreon, or Paypal.
The Community Fridge and Pantry behind Ukirk Presbyterian Campus Ministry at 305 Washington Street SW in Blacksburg are always open for donations. Make sure to include a full ingredients list on any home-made items, and write the date you added them to the fridge.
Borrow or share tools for free!
Do you have projects and tasks that require tools you don't have, and want to borrow tools for free from your neighbors in the New River Valley? We have launched a virtual tool library in memory of Abram Lee. Anyone in the community can list, share, and borrow tools at no cost. Check out the tool library by clicking here! People who would like to list items can send a photo, item name, and item description to our email [email protected] or [email protected].
Future Economy Collective is a grassroots, community-based, all-volunteer-run, certified 501c3 based in southwest Virginia’s New River Valley.
Our website is futureeconomycollective.org or check out our Linktree
You can reach us by replying to this email or reaching out to [email protected] or [email protected]
The Future Economy Collective Space is located at 700 N. Main St, Suite E, in Blacksburg, VA. It is above Mill Mountain Coffee, across the hall from the Wax Studio and Brow Bar.
