East Wind Community

East Wind Community is an egalitarian intentional community that was founded in 1973 and is located on more than acres of woods, hills and meadows in the Missouri Ozarks. All decisions by which we live are assented to by the majority of members. We do not dictate manners of living so long as members do their fair share of labor and not break our bylaws. Our land, residences, domestic facilities, businesses and labor are all held in common by the membership. All income received is regarded as communal income. Expenses are communal obligations. The community provides food, clothes, child care, health care, transportation and whatever else the membership deems appropriate. These entitlements are distributed among the members in a fair and equitable manner. We encourage cooperation and discourage competitive behavior. Even so, we are not utopia. Conflicts occur, causing occasional departures. Turnover of members and failure to attract or retain people with specialized skills slows us down. These struggles aside, we are proud of what we have accomplished over the years and are enthusiastic about the future. Our location is scenic and rural. We support ourselves entirely from our communal businesses and are a thriving example of economic and social democracy. East Wind is an active member of the Federation of Egalitarian Communities (FEC), a network of secular groups devoted to equality, ecology, cooperation and nonviolence. We challenge ingrained habits of oppression. We support men and women to break free of traditional gender roles. Children are not ordered around. Gay people are free to be themselves. We look forward to becoming a more racially and culturally diverse group, as we celebrate our differences and are enriched therefrom.