Addison County Relocalization Network (ACORN)

The founding mission of the Addison County Relocalization Network (ACORN) was to “help revitalize the health of our land, our local economy and our local communities so they can provide sustainable sources of food, water, energy, employment and capital while promoting conservation and a healthy environment.” The word "relocalization" was inspired by the Post Carbon Institute which advocated for “building strong societies based on the local production of food, energy and goods and the local development of currency, governance and culture.” The main goals of relocalization are to increase resilience and community security, to strengthen local economies and to improve the health of the environment and increase social equity. The Addison County Relocalization Network (ACORN) was founded to serve as a catalyst for developing local, sustainable and collaborative solutions to the challenges facing Addison County communities from the growing instability of our energy systems, environment and economy. ACORN’s mission is rooted in the observation that we have entered a disruptive chapter in our human story that we call the “transition,” a period of great cultural change and opportunity. We aim to create a more cooperative and sustainable future. The ACORN Network incorporated as a non-profit in 2009 and gained 501(c)(3) status. The primary project focus of the ACORN Network has been to promote local food and agriculture. The work on money, the third leg of relocalization, has been incubating for a number of years as we research the tools to help catalyze greater investment of local, non-accredited capital flows into the Addison County economy.