Tenino, Washington is printing wooden money to help residents through the pandem

[Bruce]

From CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/20/us/tenino-washington-wooden-money-trnd/index.html

As businesses struggle to stay afloat during the pandemic and a record number of Americans have lost their jobs, one small city in Washington state put forth a creative solution to help its neediest residents pull through: printing their own money, out of wood.

In Tenino -- a community of less than 2,000 people halfway between Seattle and Portland -- residents who can demonstrate an economic hardship caused by the pandemic can receive up to $300 a month in wooden dollars, subsidized by a City Hall grant program.

The bills are made of wood veneer and are each worth $25. They can be used to purchase necessities and services from licensed or certified providers, as specified in the guidelines by Tenino's City Hall.

The wooden dollars cannot be redeemed for cash -- the maximum change allowed is 99 cents -- and they can't be used to purchase alcoholic beverages, tobacco or marijuana, which is legal in Washington state.

Many stores and restaurants in Tenino now accept this alternative currency, which they can exchange for US Dollars at City Hall.

[Max Rockatansky]

So essentially they are almost a throw back to physical food stamps?

[nexus73]

North Bend OR had wooden money coins made from myrtlewood during the Great Depression.  Those items are now quite collectible!

Rick

[Stephane Dumas]

So essentially they are almost a throw back to physical food stamps?

That or it could also be a local currency like the Ithaca hours. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_Hours

[J3ebrules]

Our town is doing something like that, only they're holding a lottery with it. So you buy in with real cash to get Collingswood cash, and can win Bonus Collingswood Cash, redeemable at any Collingswood business.

[Mr. Matté]

Our town is doing something like that, only they're holding a lottery with it. So you buy in with real cash to get Collingswood cash, and can win Bonus Collingswood Cash, redeemable at any Collingswood business.

And then as you get off US 30/130:

[Big John]

Or go to Appleton WI if you want small currency: https://woodennickelsportsbar.com/