Out of a little known corner in Iowa, tucked away in the peculiar and extraordinary town of Fairfield, comes this story of a new kind of community empowerment program that could hold the key to a more transparent, more life-supporting, more humanitarian money supply and system of incentives.
Since 2009, a core of social entrepreneurs has been crafting and proving out a new model of wealth generation centered on social and economic equity, the spirit of harmony found in volunteerism, and respect for individual sovereignty. The group piloted their now flagship “Hero Rewards” program from April to July of 2011, cataloging their experience of empowering local charities in engaging the community, rewarding local volunteers for being proactive in community building, and bringing stimulus to the local economy all at once with something no more complex than a coupon. With the pilot concluded, a group of civic-minded community members invited the Hero Rewards team to present their findings and on how they intended to perpetuate the model to the benefit of both Fairfield and beyond.