Page 23 - C.A.L.L. #31 - Spring 2009
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But those who track consumer habits communities trade childcare or keep
say a growing need to cut costs, along costs low enough so more parents can
with a wish to be more environmentally stay home or work part-time.
and spiritually conscious, is causing
even more people to pool their The Fellowship for Intentional
resources, whether defined as an Community, a Missouri-based nonprofit
intentional community or not. that began a steadily growing directory
of such communities in 1990, estimates
"The economy starts to tank. People that at least 100,000 Americans now
get tired of it," says Daniel Howard, an live in one. They define them as groups
expert in consumer research and of people living together who share
behavior at the Cox School of Business common values that are religious,
at Southern Methodist University. economic, environmental, social or any
"It's people saying, 'Let's get together combination of those. Sometimes they
and help one another.' And it works." own property; others rent. About a
third live in
Few may have the urban areas,
desire or even the while the
ability to live the remainder are
Spartan lifestyle rural.
that Rainsberger
learned from her Depression-era Laird Schaub, the Fellowship's
grandmother. Not everyone is willing to executive secretary, says he has no
bicycle, for instance, in the stifling proof that the growth in numbers
mugginess of a Chicago summer or the they've seen is tied to the economy.
cold, blustery winds that sweep off But he has little doubt that intentional
Lake Michigan in winter. communities are better equipped to
weather hard times.
But those who advocate a simpler, less
consumer-driven life say there are "We're pretty isolated from the ups
lessons in the strategies she and other and downs of the regular economy,"
intentional communities use. By buying says Schaub, who has lived at the
their food in bulk, for instance, Sandhill Farm intentional community in
Rainsberger and her neighbors spend Rutledge, Missouri, for 34 years. The
$100 to $150 per person each month farms' 10 residents grow most of their
for meals. (Consider that the U.S. own food and sell organic produce to
Department of Agriculture "thrifty the surrounding community. Some have
plan" for a single person is $200 a other jobs and all share their income
month.) with the group, as do about 13 percent
of the intentional communities in the
Some residents who own cars also Fellowship's directory.
share them, drastically cutting overall
vehicle expenses. "You don't have to chase as many
dollars to have a quality of life,"
While this particular intentional Schaub says.
community has no children, similar
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