Cascadia Commons

Mission
This benevolent society, called "Cascadia Commons," formed and established upon a plan of mutual assurance, has for its object the raising of a Fund by means of joint contributions of its Members, for the mutual relief of each other, our families, friends, neighbors, and the Cascadian Bioregion.

As a benevolent society, we provide a means to collectively purchase and receive bulk rates on life-benefit services, such as healthcare, life insurance, and other mutual assurance and investment programs. Our organization embraces bioregional theories on the care and restoration of the local environment. Additionally, we seek to define and preserve local culture, history and ceremony through open source social networking, and promote community currency programs and outreach with the nonprofit sector.

Goals

• Establish a benevolent society U.S. IRS 501(c) 8 and the corresponding status in Canada to provide Cascadian residents a means to collectively purchase insurance, such as healthcare, life insurance and other mutual assurance programs.
• Operate a lodge system with a goal of operating at least one chapter in every watershed in the bioregion.
• Network chapters with nonprofit activities, especially those offered by Land Trusts, Community Land Trusts, and Watershed Councils, and provide insurance packages that also advance bioregional sustainability.
• Encourage inclusive co-ownership (one person = one share) of the Cascadia Commons Social Networking Service (SNS) website. Open source social networking modules and API's that serve the mission of Cascadia Commons. Additionally, pre-distribute any revenues earned from collectively owned properties.
• Participate and promote community currency programs, especially those offered by the Community Exchange Network.
• Promote the "Deep Ecology" philosophy where the world is defined as a network of phenomena fundamentally interconnected and interdependent, thus recognizing the intrinsic value of all living beings. Cascadia Commons will accomplish this by adhering to Bioteam (www.bioteams.com) principles and logistics.

Cascadia Commons has for its purpose a plan for the mutual assurance of its members and the Cascadian Bioregion. If we band together and become informed of our bioregion, we can collectively lead ourselves towards the re-inhabitation and resilience of our communities, neighborhoods, towns, cities, Cascadia, North America and Earth.

Cascadia Commons seeks founders dedicated to the start up of Cascadia Commons, as well as the development of proposals, bylaws, business plan, and building plans for our first lodge. Cascadia Commons is tax exempt under the Cascadia Education Project, 501 (c) 3 umbrella. Upon completion, organizational documents can be made available by contacting the Cascadia Commons team at cascadia.info@gmail.com, or at 503-701-8750.