"Beyond Care also benefits from hundreds of other partnerships. In its Brooklyn neighborhood, Sunset Park, Beyond Care collaborates closely with two other cooperatives—Si Se Puede! (We Can Do It!), a women's housekeeping cooperative, and We Can Fix It!, a cooperative remodeling business.

"Their strong connection to one another, and to their community, provides real benefits: the three cooperatives distribute marketing literature for one another at least three hours each month; present at conferences together; host collaborative events; and are all part of Sunset Park’s community time bank. Members of the three co-ops have started up a babysitting collective internally. Most importantly, they have the mutual support and backing of one another. It’s a true social network, says Jackie: “The best thing we’ve gotten out of this is the camaraderie that we’ve gained—we talk, and say ‘How are you doing right now?’"

"The cooperatives offer a unique solution to the growing problem of unemployment in the Sunset Park neighborhood, where many residents are Latino immigrants. The three co-ops currently provide 46 jobs for residents of Sunset Park—jobs that empower their members to take control of their lives and livelihoods. It’s a different experience than wage labor, explains one member of Beyond Care: “We’re gonna turn it around. We’re gonna be the bosses.”

Annie McShiras writes on the Solidarity Economy in YES! Magazine