Trolley Car Diner is a northwest Philadelphia favorite known for their great food and nostalgic atmosphere. Equal Dollars Community Currency has teamed up with Trolley Car Diner to offer our members $20 Trolley Car Diner gift cards for $10 and 10 Equal Dollars! You can buy them on the Equal Dollars Marketplace here or contact Sara Reed at sara.reed@rhd.org or 215-951-0300 ext. 3712.

Here are a few things you may not know about this landmark diner...

 

A few Saturdays ago, Equal Dollars held our first annual Flea Market in the parking lot at RHD's Central Office at 4700 Wissahickon Ave. We are happy to report that thanks to the great work of our flea market coordinator, Kelli Branche, our members and volunteers, the Flea Market was a huge success!

 

Not only did we register 25 new members to the Equal Dollars program, we also had over 50 tables set up throughout the day with vendors selling their homemade and donated wares. Included among the diverse group of goods available was homemade food, preserves and baked goods, family care and baby items, audio equipment, books, men's and women's clothing, shoes, video games and much more.

 

Click here to read more! 

Equal Dollars volunteers learn how to fix bikes while helping their community

Earlier this year, Equal Dollars began a new initiative designed to refurbish and repair old, unwanted bicycles that were donated by both the city of Philadelphia and our generous members. Since our bike workshop opened back in April, Equal Dollars has been actively seeking volunteers looking to get involved, learn practical bicycle repair skills, and receive Equal Dollars as a thank you for their hard work.

Last week, Ben Kincaid, one of the managers of the bike workshop, had a chance to speak with Andrew Carter, a volunteer who found out about the program through the student service office at Philadelphia University.

Click here to hear Andrew's story of service!

In the mood for a cup of joe that does some good? Then check out Mugshots Coffeehouse! With three locations in Philadelphia, Mugshots only uses fair and sustainable organic coffee and supports organic agriculture and local farmers whenever possible. Not only does Mugshots have delicious coffee but they sell shakes, smoothies, breakfast sandwiches, soups, salads and more! 

What's even better is that Equal Dollars members can now buy $10 Mugshots gift cards for $5 and 5 Equal Dollars! The gift cards are good at all three locations: Fairmount Ave, Brewerytown and Temple University.  

Equal Dollars members can buy their Mugshots gift cards a few ways. Visit the Equal Dollars marketplace here to buy the gift cards electronically or stop by RHD's Central Office and see Sara Reed at the Equal Dollars department. For more information on Mugshots visit their website and for more information about purchasing gift cards with Equal Dollars contact Sara Reed at sara.reed@rhd.org or 215-951-0300 ext. 3712. 

Tim Thomas may be a relatively new member of the Equal Dollars network, but it didn't take him long to discover the positive impact the program can have on the community. Tim quickly realized that the Equal Dollars program, and the weekly food market in particular, has the potential to change people's outlooks on how they shop and spend their money.

"It occurred to me that this is a new paradigm and a new concept for so many people, and I've seen how much it's grown since I joined. Personally, I think it's important to get new people here because it can change their whole norm and lift them up a little bit."

Tim is also ready to take advantage of the Equal Dollars service exchange by offering his expertise as a computer technician to fellow members. Tim already helps people in his community handle issues with their computers, and he is eager to offer advice and instruction to anyone interested in learning more.

 

Click here for more about Tim's experience as a member! 

Equal Dollars members Sharon and Paula describe how they assist one another by using their Equals, as well as the different ways they go about earning and spending Equal Dollars at the weekly Food Market, Treasure Chest and SQA Pharmacy.

 

 

As members of the onion family, leeks are often used the same way onions are. For instance, leeks can be part of a base of flavors for stews, soups, and other long-cooking dishes. Leeks can also be boiled, to create a soft and mild tasting vegetable, or fried, for a crunchy and tasty experience. An alternative is to simply chop them up and throw them in your favorite salad! For more ways to cook leeks, click here.

Joining Equal Dollars is easy! Just Register Online Here or download an application form from our website. Contact Ben Kincaid if you have any questions about membership.