Making the Wellbeing Economy Visible
Discover cooperatives, mutual aid networks, community gardens, and other solidarity economy initiatives across the United States.
Understanding the Wellbeing Economy
These categories represent different aspects of an economy that prioritizes community wellbeing, environmental sustainability, and democratic participation over profit maximization.
Food Justice
Community-led initiatives ensuring equitable access to healthy food, building food sovereignty and resilience.
Includes:
- • Farmers markets
- • Food cooperatives & CSAs
- • Community gardens / urban farms
- • Food sovereignty & Indigenous food systems
- • Food rescue / gleaning
- • Community pantries, fridges & food banks
Mutual Aid
Grassroots community support networks organizing to meet collective needs through solidarity and reciprocity.
Includes:
- • Mutual aid networks
- • Tool libraries / repair cafés
- • Community skill shares
- • Free stores / gift economy
- • Care collectives & community care
- • Identity-specific mutual aid networks
Cooperatives
Democratic workplaces where workers collectively own and govern their businesses.
Includes:
- • Worker cooperatives
- • Artist / design cooperatives
- • Cultural cooperatives (theater, music, media)
- • Sector-specific cooperatives (cleaning, childcare, tech)
- • Platform cooperatives
- • Cooperative incubators / developers
Housing & Land
Ensuring long-term affordable housing through democratic ownership and community control.
Includes:
- • Community land trusts (CLTs)
- • Housing cooperatives / limited-equity cooperatives
- • Resident-owned communities (mobile home parks)
- • Tenant unions / eviction defense
- • Affordable housing nonprofits
Community Health
Community-centered wellness services built on solidarity and accessible healthcare.
Includes:
- • Community acupuncture cooperatives
- • Free clinics / sliding scale clinics
- • Doula collectives / birth centers
- • Peer respite / mental health peer support
- • Harm reduction services
- • Community health workers / Promotora programs
Financial Alternatives
Grassroots financial alternatives building economic solidarity outside traditional banking.
Includes:
- • Local currencies & time banks
- • Lending circles & solidarity lending
- • Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)
- • Community loan funds & microenterprise funds
- • Mutual aid funds
Tech for Good
Technology projects advancing civic justice, digital privacy, and education around surveillance capitalism and ethical tech.
Includes:
- • Civic tech / open government
- • Privacy & digital rights
- • Digital literacy & tech equity
- • Ethical AI & data justice
- • Community networks & broadband
- • Right to repair & tech cooperatives