Dr Edgar Cahn (1935 - 2022)
On January 23, 2022, the world lost a wonderful pioneer and trailblazer to the TimeBank movement.
Dr. Edgar Cahn founded TimeBanking in 1980 in response to Ronald Reagan's withdrawal of funding for social programs. He aimed to create a medium of exchange that encouraged and rewarded the work needed to build strong and resilient communities.
It was an instant hit and, for over 40 years, TimeBanking has enabled towns, cities, and regions to come together, express their strengths, and restore mutual care - linking untapped social capacity to unmet social needs.
Edgar would often ask, "Is there something that you’d like to make happen?". He made each person feel that their problem was important and that he had all the time in the world for them.
This will sound familiar to many of us who knew Edgar. He embodied the highest ideals and campaigned every day for social justice. He inspired people to take action for a better world and, in his most beautiful way, he touched people with his heart.
One of Edgar Cahn’s favorite sayings was: "The way to radical transformation is by setting in motion things you do not control". With that visionary spirit, he was an active force in the following achievements:
- A federally funded national system of legal services for the poor.
- The total reform of a costly federal food program that lined the pockets of well-connected farmers but didn't address hunger.
- The push by Native American tribes to hold on to their sovereignty as nations within the nation.
- A whole new approach to legal education by law schools nationwide.
- A 'magical garden' that year by year charmed members of his local neighborhood.
Edgar Cahn passed away on January 23, 2022, aged 86. He left behind an immense legacy of making revolutionary change by planting seeds wherever his heart, mind, and soul were invested.
He changed the world of law in the United States. He believed that anyone could help change the world for the better. He worked tirelessly to promote a better world, where the law is there for all of us and not just a few.
He will be best remembered for creating TimeBanking as a beautiful expression of his passion for justice, which has now been adopted worldwide.
There is a value in just 'being' who you are that systems do not create, cannot define or control, and may not necessarily satisfy what one wants. The freedom 'to be' is at the heart of those so-called inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Exercising those rights may need protection. But 'to be' means that one matters, that one’s existence makes a difference.
Dr. Edgar Cahn, 1935 - 2022, Author of 'Time Dollars' and 'No More Throw-Away People
Edgar Cahn, the world wasn’t ready for you to leave.
Read tributes from people who shared Edgar's impact on their lives.
Throughout your life, you’ve dedicated yourself to instilling a commitment to justice in your students and to expanding possibility for people across our country. I hope you take pride in the difference you have made and in all you have achieved, and I trust you and the people you have taught and inspired will continue reaching for the future we both know is possible.
President Barack Obama, United States