Megan Hobza Q & A with @NyenyeMK

Name: Megan Hobza                  Date: August 6, 2011
Location: Whittier                       Time: 2:00PM

Q: Who or What inspires you? Why?

A: I'm inspired by people who get things done.  By answering the inner call to action, these people show everyone that anyone can do it.  Human beings are not really driven by money -- beyond meeting basic needs -- what really drives us is making the world a better place, realizing our vision and expressing our individual genius, our special gifts.  I love seeing people discover their special gift and invest everything they have into putting it to use.  It's inspiring to be with people who are fulfilled by what they do.  I know a lot of these people through the time banks -- time banks attract people who like getting things done.

Q: What does creativity mean to you?

A: Creativity is our gift from God.  It is a form of grace.  When we face a difficulty -- in life, in science, in art -- the solution is not obvious.  Maybe we bang our head against it for a while, but we can't figure it out.  But when we relax, and let inspiration come, that is when we've connected to something beyond ourselves.  It isn't our conscious mind that gives us creative solutions.  We can learn to open this gateway by placing faith in inspiration to solve problems, and by believing in our unlimited access to creative solutions.

Q: What is your favorite place in the world?

A: The kitchen.  

Q: What do you love most in the world?

A: Truth.  And comedy.

Q: What are the causes you care about?  How do you actively support these causes with your time, money or other method/resource?

A: I'm involved in several local time banks - Whittier, Arroyo and Echo Park.  The time banks model a paradigm shift from charitable work to reciprocal or co-productive relationships that could save our economy.  Co-production also promotes respect for and equality between all people.  I love the relationships I build with fellow time bankers -- real friendships based on working together.  I can feel my community woven in strength around my life.  

Food access is my life's work, with a side order of waste reduction.  Having all these skilled people around to help out gives me freedom to develop projects in food access.  For example, several friends and I cook a weekly vegan community dinner at HM157 in Lincoln Heights.  The dinners develop relationships at the table among food activists and time bankers; our dinners also build the food access network through the monthly fundraiser dinners.  I'm involved in a Neighborhood Fruit Redistribution Project, the Time Bank Produce Booth at the Altadena Urban Farmers Market, an urban farm, and grocery store dumpster diving.  These projects identify and develop access to food sources for a future Time Bank Grocery Store.

Q: What question do you want to ask me?

A: Will you help me get the Time Bank Garden Group to collaborate with us on one community dinner in September?  I want to feature their produce on the menu to demonstrate backyards and gardening groups as viable sources of local organic produce.

@NMK: We just had our monthly Barn Raising and I would say that the dinner would be perfect for the next harvest that we have.  Coming up soon...

Q: What question do you wish I asked you and what is your answer to it?

A: My wished for question: What do you need help with right now?

We'd like to introduce your neighborhood to tasty, accessible localvore cuisine.  Starting in September, the weekly vegan Tuesday Dinners at HM157 are bringing the dinner to you!  Three weeks out of the month, we'll be visiting locations in Highland Park, Echo Park, Eagle Rock, Silverlake, Pasadena, Altadena, Mt. Washington, Los Feliz, Glassell Park and South Pasadena.   We're looking for hosts who share our mission to build community and promote access to healthy local food.  Please send your suggestions my way!  Friend me here.  :)

Thanks everyone for reading, and thanks Nyenye for the interview!

Megan Hobza, MBA, has over 15 years of experience in grantsmanship and strategic planning in education, community and economic development, population health, and medical research, applying for and receiving tens of millions in grant funding on behalf of clients. Her goal as a local leader in time banking is to develop a complementary economy that can support nonprofits, small businesses, local families and individuals by leveraging unused services for unmet needs. Ms. Hobza co-founded the Whittier Time Bank in August 2010 and has served on the Arroyo Time Bank board since 2009. Ms. Hobza is also a leader in founding and managing many community projects and initiatives, including: The HM157 Garden-to-Table Demonstration Project; the Whittier Neighborhood Fruit Picking Project; Grant Proposals for Social Entrepreneurs; and, the Altadena Urban Farmers Market. She has a Masters in Business Administration, with an emphasis on social entrepreneurship, from La Sierra University.