| Ganas is a Spanish word meaning "motivation sufficient to act". We’ve found that solving problems together gives us the “ganas” and satisfaction that makes community living sustainable. The result is an environment that provides personal and interpersonal challenges, creates rich opportunities, and truly embraces diversity.
We are a group of about eighty people of all ages who are learning to solve the problems and resolve the conflicts that come from sharing our lives and living together. We started in 1978 as a group of six. A core group of thirteen of us now serves as our board of directors. Members of the core group share all of their resources and income, and own and manage the community. They include many of Ganas' founders.
Other members of the community don’t share income but participate to varying degrees in community life and decision-making. Some work in the community or one of our businesses; others work outside and pay a monthly share of expenses. Everyone participates in decision-making and/or other aspects of managing our lives together, though some more than others. We are currently involved in rethinking our structure to encourage more joint responsibility and cooperation between all members of the community.
Our problem solving process at Ganas places a great deal of emphasis on personal responsibility, a willingness to hear, and an intention to disclose as honestly as possible what's happening. While we have few formal rules or procedures, we have worked for over twenty years to establish an innovative dialogue that is open, focused, honest, penetrating and respectful. Feedback, used with care and consent, is one of our tools in this process. We have only four rules: no violence, no exploitation (everyone carries their weight), nothing illegal and "no non-negotiable negativity" (every member must do what they can to work out strong negative feelings about other members or the community).
We have eight large houses in a racially mixed, working class neighborhood on Staten Island, a half-hour away from Manhattan on the ferry. (It’s free!) Many of our backyards are adjoined, allowing for an outdoor haven with trees, berry bushes, and flower and vegetable gardens. There's a playground for the kids, and many outdoor places to sit, even a hammock!
The houses are well-kept, thanks to our maintenance and housekeeping staff, as well as house managers and the cooperation of everyone who lives here. There are plenty of kitchens for individual and small group cooking, plus the main kitchen, which provides a complete buffet spread for dinner 5 nights a week. People can eat solo or in small groups outside, or in the main dining room.
Our used furniture and clothing stores are nearby, staffed by many people from the community. The practice of encouraging the reuse of previously owned items is very fulfilling as a way of right livelihood and creates opportunities for participatory management and teamwork among the staff. We recently opened a cafe/used book shop and neighborhood stage. We're also starting another new business insulating houses and doing other house energy assessments.
If you want to visit Ganas, you are welcome to come to dinner at no cost or to stay for a few days for a daily fee. If you choose to stay longer, weekly and monthly rates are available which cover your room, board, and many other amenities. If you prefer, depending on our needs and your skills, we may be able to arrange for you to work with us for your expenses, plus a small monthly stipend and a share of our profits. For more information, see our web site. | |
