Stories of Community Support

Featuring 2002 and earlier stories from our BFJ Chapters

Albuquerque, NM

A Home and So Much More

The Albuquerque Journal runs a weekly column entitled, "How You Can Help." This community service provides a platform for expressing needs as well as an opportunity to extend a helping hand to others. Viola Williamson, founder of Bread for the Journey of Albuquerque, learned of a single mother who was about to lose the unheated housing she shared with her own mother and three children. With a fourth child about to make its appearance, Viola knew that this family truly needed a helping hand and a clean, warm, safe place to live.

Viola's daughter, Mandira Feldvebel, suggested that her mother donate her rental trailer to Bread for the Journey of Albuquerque. In turn, Bread for the Journey could donate it to this family in need. Mandira coordinated the project of moving the huge, three-bedroom, two-bath, fully equipped trailer to its new location. Abel Casares, of Abel's Mobile Homes, is described by Mandira as "an angel who truly made it happen." He charged nothing for his own work and hired the drivers and set-up crew, who all agreed to charge only their costs. Abel led the set-up crew himself, blocking the home up and hooking up water, sewer and electricity. Former landlords, Al and Shirley Anderson, pitched in to help, as did Mandira's husband, Tom Feldvebel, who spent 2½ days working with Al & Shirley to prepare the mobile home for the move.

So, with the assistance of many strong hands (and soft hearts), Viola's rental trailer was relocated to its new home. Little Brenda, the newest member of the family, now has a warm place to grow with her elated mother, grandmother and siblings. Bread for the Journey of Albuquerque was thrilled to have given this as their first gift to the community. They not only contributed to the spirit of neighborhood philanthropy, but to the physical structure of the neighborhood as well!

Bertha Davis is the President of the Resident Council of Benjamin Green Townhomes, a project of the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District. At night she works as a patient's aide at Greenwood Place, and by day she volunteers to help operate the Council's Community Center of Hope, which provides enrichment programs and access to computers for children in the apartment complex. In the fall of 1999, Bread for the Journey of Birmingham gave the Center $500 for literacy training materials. Bertha has also been spearheading Operation Babe-Building a Better Environment-to convert the project housing to home ownership. With support from the Housing Authority and local consultants, the Resident Council was one of four in the state recently awarded a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to be used over three years for job training in preparation for home ownership. Bertha's persistence and persuasiveness continues to pay off for her community, and she says the materials funded by BFJ of Birmingham will be useful in the new program, along with books and computers donated by others.

Safe Harbor is an elementary school-based medical clinic run by Nurse Practitioner Jane Moore. It is located in the tiny hamlet of Brookville in rural west Jefferson County, Alabama. Brookville once was a coal mining community, but since the mine ran dry and nothing came to replace it, 70% of its families live at or below the poverty level. Jane's clinic functions as the only medical facility for the Brookeville community and charges its families only $3 per year, regardless of how many members there are and how many visits they make. The Jefferson County Health Department provides a salary for Jane Moore and some prescription medications for her patients. However, Safe Harbor, which serves 365 families, provides many things not covered by the Health Department. It provides school supplies, over-the-counter medicines, clothes and shoes to children and their families. The Light House, an outreach project of the clinic, sponsors classes for adults in parenting skills and GED training, and hosts social events such as Father and Son cookouts and Mother and Daughter Teas. Safe Harbor provides a compassionate presence for the 20 homeless families in Brookville Elementary and helps them to find shelter, clothing and other basic necessities. In the fall of 2000, BFJ of Birmingham contributed $500 to Safe Harbor to provide school supplies and book bags for 60 children in need. We also facilitated a youth service project which provided hygiene kits for fourth graders at Brookville Elementary.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Hoover City Board of Education annually sponsor a summer enrichment program for students called "The Children's Creative Learning Center." In the summer of 2000, for the first time in its 20-year history, the program included an English as a Second Language program for Hispanic students. Bread for the Journey of Birmingham sponsored four students who participated in this program. The $500 sponsorship covered the cost of tuition and materials for the students.

Funding was provided to the Partners of the Americas, Alabama/ Guatemala Chapter, to support a program providing trained volunteers to work with Hispanics youth in Birmingham and Collinsville, Alabama, and in three cities in Guatemala. Bread for the Journey of Birmingham's funding of $523 was used to cover copying costs of the curriculum, Como Planear Mi Vida (How to Plan My Life). This curriculum focuses on such areas as making healthy and smart life choices, improving self-esteem, and factual education about sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. The curriculum is currently being used in Birmingham at Center Street Middle School, with 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, and at Collinsville Middle School and Collinsville High School. In Guatemala, trained volunteers are using the curriculum in Antigua, Guatemala City, and in Escuintla.

The Birmingham Youth Service Corps provides a service camp for middle school and high school students in the downtown Birmingham area, promoting relationships that are interfaith, interracial, intersocial, and intergenerational. The camp instills a desire and commitment toward a lifetime of community service. Some of the activities involved teens serving a meal to the homeless at Jimmie Hale Mission, and raising a wall and cleaning up a work site for Habitat for Humanity. They scrubbed clean the former Shelter for Homeless Women and Children, a space which will soon be used for a young peoples program. The final night of the camp was a homelessness simulation, consisting of the teens sleeping in boxes in a city deck. The Birmingham Youth Service Corps was founded by Lynn Bledsoe and Reverend Trent Ramsey. Bread for the Journey of Birmingham's $500 grant paid for a full-time youth staff person to help with the camp.

In the summer of 2000, a community-based cultural center was opened on Chandler Mountain to serve the needs of Hispanic immigrants. The Mexican Cultural Center operates out of the old Chandler Mountain School building, which was donated by the county education board. The center provides adult education and children's activities and education. Nursing faculty and students from Samford University provide weekly preventive and screening health care services. Bread for the Journey of Birmingham contributed $500 to provide the center with running water through a connection with the city water system.

While working with a school-based pregnancy program and a teens-at-risk program in Birmingham, Deborah Henderson and Overa Dunlap became concerned about the number of pregnant girls and first-time mothers in the community who were homeless. The teenagers were falling through the cracks of the social service system, being too old for children's services and too young for adult services. Deborah and Overa began helping these girls as best they could, but housing and follow-up were a real problem. Together, Deborah and Overa developed a comprehensive plan, calling it Mother and Child's Place. Their goal was to provide a stable residential facility for these homeless teenagers and then to offer supportive services to help the girls develop the self-esteem and self-reliance necessary to create a positive future for themselves and their children. After getting licensed and incorporated, the two women came to Bread for the Journey of Birmingham and presented their plan. They wanted to apply for nonprofit status and find a facility they could renovate for the homeless teenagers. Their energy and commitment was impressive. We immediately gave them a check for $500 and shared with them some ideas about possible facilities. After months of housing leads falling through, the two found a house to rent and began the momentous task of fixing it up and finishing it as a home. We called to support their progress and found them in a state of excitement. They had just put their paintbrushes down after finishing the paint job on the last room of Mother and Child's Place, Inc. At our last Bread for the Journey of Birmingham community supper, Deborah and Overa were able to link up with the dynamic women from another one of our donee groups mentoring young girls and women, Women Helping Women of Greene County, Alabama.

Jeremy Foshee is a student at Minor High School in Birmingham, Alabama. He is a kind, 17-year-old with a quiet determination to do what is right. One day Jeremy discovered that a classmate was living in an empty house with no heat, furniture or functioning kitchen. In fact, six family members were sleeping on the floor with electric blankets as their only source of heat. Jeremy, with assistance from Bread for the Journey of Birmingham, coordinated the delivery and installation of everything it took to put this family's home in working order-refrigerator, washer, dryer, carpet, beds, and tables‹and helped a working mom and her five children get back on their feet.

In Blount County, near Birmingham, members of the community came together after reading a report about rampant problems in their county such as malnutrition, domestic violence, and high numbers of unwed mothers who had not graduated from high school. Concerned and wanting to help, they created Hope, a program that includes a food bank for malnourished children, a GED completion program and office training for young mothers, and domestic violence counseling for those in need. Using the funds from Bread for the Journey of Birmingham, the members of Hope were able to spread the word of their mission by creating, printing and distributing a brochure to all homes in this isolated, rural community.

Bread for the Journey of Birmingham provided funds to assist Guy Trammell in his quest to teach entrepreneurial skills to children living in public housing. With Guy's help, children ages 8 to 12 create individual gardens in which they plant, irrigate, cultivate and harvest sweet potatoes. Then, members of the Respect Corporation, a business founded and operated by teenagers living in public housing, create products from the potatoes and package, market and sell the final goods. Sweet potato pancakes and syrup, sweet potato bisque, and sweet potato coolers all originate from a child's city garden.

A project in Birmingham's Hispanic community will provide a curriculum for teaching life skills to teenagers. The curriculum has been approved by the Hispanic Coalition in Birmingham, and a contribution from Bread for the Journey is making it possible to have the curriculum reprinted for use in neighboring rural areas that have a high teen pregnancy rate among the Hispanic populations.

Nutrition for Better Learning

Templeton Elementary School's six-week Summer Kinder Camp is designed to provide a "jump-start" opportunity for at-risk incoming kindergarteners, many of whom have not yet had a preschool experience. When these children arrive at the beginning of a school year, teachers typically spend the first six weeks or more teaching letter, number, and color recognition. They also concentrate on improving the children's social skills while helping them acclimate to the school environment, since they are often behind their peers in certain crucial developmental areas. Of these kindergarteners, 57% qualify for free or reduced lunches, which often means they come to school hungry. The Kinder Camp goal is to address the developmental and learning needs of these youngsters, as well as their nutritional and emotional needs.

Since this program is not supported through the usual funding sources provided to schools, Family Literacy Coordinator Gracia Valliant asked Bread for the Journey of Bloomington to help buy daily snacks for the children. Her goal is to provide a piece of fruit along with some other nutritional snack, in addition to lunch, for the participants of Kinder Camp. A $513 grant from Bread for the Journey of Bloomington allowed them to meet that goal. Gracia is pleased to be able to offer a positive, nurturing and nutritional learning environment for the Kinder Campers at Templeton Elementary.

Oncology Music Library

Bill Whitefeather knows from experience what studies by the American Cancer Society have empirically shown - that music heals. For several years, Bill has been playing his flute on Sundays for patients in Bloomington Hospital's oncology wing. He noticed that while every patient's room has a TV, not one of them has a CD player or radio. Bill wished to give patients the opportunity to absorb their favorite songs - from Roy Rogers to Hip Hop - so he began to create an extensive library of CDs by soliciting donations from record labels as well as from individuals. The only items missing were sturdy CD players for the patients' rooms. He also envisioned providing a shelf unit in the library/lounge so that family members - who often spend hours in the hospital - would have a place to retreat to and listen to music themselves. Bread for the Journey of Bloomington was pleased to give a $750 grant to Bill's music therapy program for the purchase of headphones, a main unit, and several portable CD players.

Frank Galiani believes that everyone should have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. He is an active member of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra Instrument Recovery Program, which provides instruments at low or no cost to students who cannot afford to buy them, yet wish to be in a band or orchestra. The program's participants collect and restore donated instruments and provide free music lessons to these young people.

Bread for the Journey of Bloomington provided the program with a $1000 grant so they could begin an ensemble program for children in Ellettsville and Stinesville, Indiana. This grant is being used to purchase and repair used trumpets, woodwinds, and percussion instruments, and to pay the expenses of an Indiana University grad-student volunteer who is teaching the summer program. Because of these efforts, some long-neglected instruments will be rediscovered and put to good use, while the children in this rural area of Indiana will soon be making beautiful music to share with their community.

Mother Hubbard's Cupboard

Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Food Pantry has served the Bloomington, IN community since 1998. Their mission is to provide healthy, wholesome food to anyone in need, and to educate families and individuals about nutrition. MHC's outreach is focused on children and pregnant and nursing women. They strive to provide services in ways that build community while maintaining and enhancing the dignity, self-respect and self-care of everyone involved. In 2001, MHC distributed an average of 572 bags of food each week to more than 230 households, effectively providing 237,000 pounds of food.

When Frank Hall - MHC's Volunteer Coordinator and On-Site Supervisor - approached Bread for the Journey of Bloomington about a seed grant to begin a Nutrition Education Program, we saw this as a project that would touch both the heart and the belly of the community! The Nutrition Education Program will help to inform clients about nutritious food choices and empower them with respect to their own health and well-being. MHC's philosophy is to offer educational options while respecting freedom of choice; this ultimately empowers individuals and leads to greater long-term benefits. Bread for the Journey of Bloomington was presented with a well-thought-out and organized three-year implementation plan for this new program. On June 3rd, we enthusiastically presented Mother Hubbard's Cupboard with a seed grant of $1,465. Our grant, along with additional funding from the Monroe County Common Council, will provide the start-up funds needed to pay for the staff and volunteer trainings, equipment and supplies that will turn this long-envisioned dream into a reality.

Along with other members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Guy Loftman regularly visits the Juvenile Correctional Facility as part of the church's Youth Prison Ministry program. As an integral part of these visits, the guests strum on three or four guitars that they bring along with them. Guy soon noticed several of the young men taking turns on the guitars. Some could play quite well, while others showed a keen interest in learning. One said to Guy, "It would be great if we had a guitar here that we could play anytime." Guy agreed, then decided to contact Bread for the Journey of Bloomington. With a grant of $467.45, the Youth Prison Ministry members purchased a Yamaha FG dreadnought-style guitar, strap, hard-shell case, capo, picks, electronic tuner and a chord book at a discount from a local music shop, Smith-Holden Music. On February 3rd, 2002, the guitar was presented to a stunned yet elated group of young men at the Juvenile Correctional Facility. They felt heartened that their wishes had been heard and respected and, hopefully, are now learning how to make some beautiful music together!

Bread for the Journey of Bloomington, Indiana, was proud to provide a $500 seed grant to Terri Inskip for her "Gateway Home" project. The money helped her buy paints and supplies to repaint the railroad bridge on Adams Street, which is the entry point to her neighborhood. One day, after passing beneath the graffiti covered overpass, Terri's young son asked her if they lived in "the poor neighborhood?" Terri took it to heart to change her son's perception of their environment and rallied her neighbors to join her in improving their "low-income neighborhood." She wrote a statement of intention and began the arduous process of cleaning up her street. The committed neighbors let all the residents know that drugs were not going to be tolerated, and several people relocated to less diligently monitored areas.
Terri persisted through three years of red tape as she worked with the railroad in realizing her vision. They upgraded the overpass and granted Teri approval to repaint the bridge. Local artist, Angie Robertson, created a beautiful design, and the neighborhood held a painting party with food and live jazz. A musical score from Hoagy Carmichael's "Star Dust Memories" now graces the gateway in honor of the famous Bloomington songwriter. The decorated bridge now brings pride and beauty to the neighborhood and Terri's enthusiasm, commitment and determination continue to be a great inspiration to the city of Bloomington. Click here to view photos.

Art & Poetry in the Jail

Judi Romaine believes that all people are a gift and have something to share. She believes that art and poetry are ways for us to look deep within ourselves and to see the extraordinary aspects of life that join us as human beings; aspects that develop within us understanding, compassion and inspiration. In faithfulness to her conviction, she collaborated with an artist, a poet and the Prison Ministries Program to found the "Art & Poetry in the Jail" project. With the assistance of a mentoring program, this project offers an opportunity for self-statement to incarcerated individuals in the Juvenile Correctional Facility. Through the implementation of art supplies, and creative inspiration, the youth now have a healthy avenue for self expression. Judi has worked diligently and continues to strive toward extending her project to the Monroe County Jail and to other jails in South Central Indiana. She eventually would like to produce an exhibit, web site and a book documenting the project. In August 2001, Bread for the Journey of Bloomington, Indiana was happy to support Judi's vision with a seed grant in the amount of $350.

The Latino Ministries Emergency Fund was born of the need to assist the growing Latino population of Bloomington, Indiana. Gracia Valliant, Director of the Latino Ministries Program at the First United Methodist Church was receiving numerous calls requesting emergency assistance. An $800 grant from Bread for the Journey of Bloomington enabled the church to create the Latino Ministries Emergency Fund in order to provide immediate assistance for individual and family needs. Once it was established, members of the congregation began to donate to the fund as well - a testament to the contagious nature of generosity!
The financial assistance now available empowers families in many ways. In the first month, it sent a young boy to summer camp in hopes that he would make friends and improve his English speaking skills, which in turn will help him in school. It paid for two weeks of daycare for a child so his mother could work, and it also helped to reduce another woman's medical bills. It gave a loan to a family toward the deposit on a house, which the family is working to repay to enable the fund to assist other families in the future. Thanks to the support of Bread for the Journey of Bloomington and all the other generous community members, the Latino Ministries Emergency Fund continues to provide positive opportunities for individuals and families to help them grow strong.

Claudette Maloney's Special Education class at North High School in Denver had a deadline to meet. They had been learning about the environment with the help of Earth Force, an organization devoted to helping children discover and implement lasting solutions to environmental issues in their communities. There was an Earth Force fair coming up where the students were to present and demonstrate a recycling project. The school's janitor told them about some old furniture at the school that was no longer being used, so they decided to recycle this furniture with paint and decoupage, thus giving the pieces new life and a personal touch. Since they needed to quickly purchase some supplies in order to finish their project in time for the fair, we met with them and heard one student describe their ideas. Each student had made sketches of the student desks that they planned to refurbish along with their decorating theme. Bread for the Journey of Denver gladly supported their efforts with a small grant of $100 to purchase paint supplies and varnish, then enjoyed a visit to the fair to see their finished products. (see photo)

Mexican Muralists Tour
An inter-generational group of people who share a love for Mexican murals meet regularly in northwest Denver to share their knowledge and, together, learn more about the history of this art. Leo Tanguma, an acclaimed muralist whose work is displayed throughout Denver - including the Denver International Airport - was the master of the group. He shared his love for the work of Mexican muralists such as Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orosco, and shared some stories about his experiences in seeing their work first-hand in Mexico City.

Many members of the group are practicing artists who believe that by better understanding these traditions, their own artwork will be enhanced, so they decided to visit Mexico City this summer to see for themselves the works of these great artists. They asked Bread for the Journey of Denver for a grant of $1,582 to cover the deficit in their fundraising efforts. When we met with them, Randy Segura explained that none of his previous teachers had ever mentioned Mexican murals, and expressed his gratitude to Leo Tanguma for the inspiration he provided. When the group returns, they hope to work with a teacher in the Denver public school system to develop a curriculum that includes this subject matter.

Reverie

Allison Ogarek and Sarah Davison-Tracy started reverie two years ago to help women in Denver develop meaningful, reciprocal relationships with others of diverse ages and backgrounds. Through a series of cultural events that include food, art and storytelling, dialogue is encouraged between women who wouldn't normally find themselves in a room together.

During this non-profit's short existence, Sarah and Allison have successfully helped women to build both their sense of self and their sense of community. Ethnic diversity has been a hallmark of their events, yet they have struggled to achieve economic diversity. A $1500 grant from Bread for the Journey of Denver will help them to begin a new program called Caring for the Caregivers. This program will invite women who work with non-profits that serve low-income or at-risk women to reverie events as a treat for the good work that they do each day. They will begin the program by working with The Gathering Place, a day shelter for homeless women. Both the employees and the homeless women will together take part in this unique opportunity to build a more tolerant and peaceful society.

Great Plains Restoration Council

Jarid Manos knows what it means to feel disconnected from the world. As a young man, he wandered around the country, trying to find a place where he could fit in. His experiences led him to learn to care deeply, particularly about the "least among us." To Jarid, this translates into caring for the non-human (or four-legged) creatures on our continent. His focus is on the buffalo and the prairie dog, considering them to be "the bookends of the prairie. Between them once flourished one of the healthiest, most abundant and successful landscapes ever on Earth."

Jarid started the Great Plains Restoration Council in order to restore the prairie ecosystem. A grant of $1270 from Bread for the Journey of Denver allowed a group of minority youth from Denver to visit the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. These youth worked together with Oglala Lakota youth to clean up and restore a prairie stream, while discovering both the similarities and differences in one another's lives. Hopefully, some of Jarid's passion for creating healthy human communities that exist in harmony with their environment left an everlasting impression on the Denver youth.

Harrington Parent Organizing Committee

A number of local and national child kidnappings convinced parents at Denver's Harrington Elementary to organize with the intent of increasing their children's safety. Seventy concerned parents attended the first meeting, where three main ideas dominated the discussion. Parents wanted: (1) to employ crossing guards so their children would get home from school safely; (2) to create a community directory including family names and phone numbers and; (3) to start adult education classes where neighborhood families could get to know each other better.

A $1265 grant from Bread for the Journey of Denver helped them purchase equipment for crossing guards, the supplies to publish the community directory, and some additional money to help get the adult education classes started. Their long-term hopes are that these actions will strengthen their community while contributing to their children's educational advancement.

Centro Humanitario Para Los Trabajadores

Immigrant day laborers have long congregated at the corner of 23rd and Stout Streets in downtown Denver to seek jobs. When the vacant lot became a construction site, a number of caring people realized that the day laborers' lives were in danger. Together they sought out a safe place where the immigrants could meet in order to find day work. They raised some money and found a nearby garage whose owner agreed to lease it to them at a reasonable rent.

Bread for the Journey of Denver board members visited the site, and were warmly greeted by Min Sun Ji, the Executive Director of the newly formed Centro Humanitario Para Los Trabajadores. She showed them around the facility and, through an interpreter, the day laborers were able to share their stories of coming to America, the vulnerability they feel and the challenges they face each day to survive. After some consideration, it became clear that having lockers would help them feel more secure about leaving their personal belongings behind while they are working. Once they found that the cost of new lockers was prohibitive, the men decided to build their own with a grant of $1500 from Bread for the Journey of Denver. Suddenly, this simple gift became a way of creating a sense of community - a project where the men could collaborate to benefit their group as a whole.

The board members of Bread for the Journey of Denver returned to the center for a visit during the construction process, and were touched by the outpouring of gratitude from the day laborers. The men lined up to shake their hands and to express their appreciation for creating a safe place for their personal belongings. It has helped to ease their concerns while they find work in the Denver community.

Dia De Los Muertos

The completion of a new mural depicting Chicano history in Denver seemed like a good reason to celebrate! Andrea Martinez, along with the Chicano Humanities and Arts Council, helped to create the Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration along Santa Fe Drive in Denver.

Traditionally, people in Mexico visit the graves of their departed loved ones on November 1st, bringing gifts and food to honor their memory. In Denver, the celebration began at the mural with speeches by leading Hispanic community members and an appearance by the artist. Then a procession of singers, dancers and children followed a path through the neighborhood, ending at an art gallery. A $1900 grant from Bread for the Journey of Denver paid for invitations, light and sound equipment rentals, as well as refreshments and face paints for the kids to enjoy at this colorful community event.

Sista's in the Spirit Lending Library

Middle age was a challenging time in Char Ferguson's life as she struggled with personal and family-related issues. In reading various self-help books, she found comfort in the realization that she was not alone. It occurred to Char that, in reaching out to other women in similar positions, she might find new direction in her own life. She decided to start a lending library, beginning with three local African-American hair salons. She spent the summer at garage sales and the local Goodwill and Salvation Army stores, filling out her collection of self-help books. Each of the salons gave her a shelf where she could leave books that might be of interest to their clients. The idea caught on and now people from around the Denver metropolitan area call Char for recommendations for themselves and their friends in need. Bread for the Journey of Denver gave Char a $1000 grant to purchase books on hard-to-find topics, to create a brochure on her Sista's in the Spirit Lending Library, and to help her continue to expand her efforts throughout the Denver area.

Mother to Mother (update)

Bread for the Journey of Denver's board of directors believes strongly in the mission of Mother to Mother. This program seeks to create a network of women who will affirm one another's abilities, reduce prejudice, and build safer and more welcoming neighborhoods. They do this by creating friendship teams, each one a group of six women who are both racially and economically diverse, and who will work together to improve each other's lives over the course of a year. In 2001, Bread for the Journey of Denver gave Mother to Mother a $620 grant, the amount it costs to form a new friendship team. The value of this program was so evident that BFJ decided to support the formation of a new team with another $620 grant for the year 2002.

A group of caring women in Northwest Denver decided to start a chapter of the national organization of Mother To Mother in Denver. They saw the need to create a network of women who affirm each other's abilities, reduce prejudice and build a safer and more welcoming neighborhood. Carla Fickey took the lead and is in the process of forming a number of friendship teams where 4-6 women meet regularly to develop relationships and help each other grow. These teams are racially and economically diverse and often derive from the women's desire to learn either English or Spanish. Susan, a participant, described the organization by saying," Through Mother to Mother I have connected with many of the diverse women of my neighborhood. Now I finally feel like a part of my community! Thanks Mother To Mother!" A $620 grant from Bread for the Journey of Denver will support the formation of one new friendship team.

Tim Cairns believes that having opportunities to learn new skills and to make new friends is essential to personal growth. This is not always easy for physically challenged adults. The Association for Community Living Learning Center, near Boulder, is working to create a warm and welcoming environment where these community members can choose their own hobbies and social activities. Tim felt that a community garden would be a wonderful addition to the Learning Center. People with and without physical challenges would find a place to learn about gardening, work hard together, and enjoy one another's company as well as the fruits of their labor. Bread for the Journey of Denver gave Tim $1000 to purchase supplies for the garden and to provide a stipend for a master gardener.

Niu Hongjian

Niu Hongjian, a Chinese citizen, dreams of attending college in the United States. He applied to three different universities and negotiated with his government for the payment of tuition, living and travel expenses. But when it came to covering the nominal application fees required by each university, he was unable to exchange enough money to cover the fees. Providence brought him to Bread for the Journey, and the Denver chapter offered a small grant of $90 to cover his application fees. Niu Hongjian's dreams of studying in the United States will soon become a reality.

What to do with some fancy technology that allows you to produce and edit your own videos? It only took Carla Hass Moskowitz of the Choice Foundation a few minutes to realize that this equipment would provide a wonderful learning opportunity for a group of bored teenagers over the summer. Carla works at a charter school in downtown Denver so she quickly called a few contacts to recommend kids who might not otherwise have much going on. She found a teacher and a student intern who was familiar with the technology and with a $1500 grant from Bread for the Journey of Denver, she had a summer program! Twelve kids traveled throughout Denver for six-weeks researching urban issues that were important to them and then produced a video that documented their work. Not only did these kids stay busy, but they learned some valuable computer skills too.

When an adult reached out to Connie Hammis when she was a homeless teen it changed the course of her life. This caring adult offered her a job at a climbing shop and then taught her to climb. But more important, he invited her to learn about herself by becoming part of a supportive community. Ever since that time, Connie has been determined to return the favor to other struggling youth in Boulder. She started an urban youth climbing team that seeks to support teenage girls educationally and emotionally through equal parts of climbing instruction, tutoring and community service. When Bread for the Journey of Denver met Connie she had numerous volunteers lined up, she had gym space and equipment donated and she had a middle school to work with. But she needed money to train her volunteers and to get insurance for her program. Bread for the Journey of Denver gave her $1500 to get started. Now she is working with 8-10 girls and has plans to expand her program to Denver.

Judith Snow is a severly disabled adult who miraculously has learned to live outside of the service system. With the help of many, she speaks and travels extensively to inspire and teach others but wants to be able to write about her life experiences. Bread for the Journey of Denver joined a large group of her supporters in making a $150 donation that will allow her to cut back on her travel schedule and take a 6 week sabbatical in order to write a book.

A desire to share classical music with those who wouldn't normally be exposed to it, inspired Carol Rankin to start Apple Pie. She believes that music should be as available to everyone as apple pie, and is dedicated to doing her part to make it a reality. Carol is in the process of starting a non-profit that will put together shows using the talents of professional artists (dancers, singers, musicians, etc.) that will perform at prisons, homeless shelters, schools, etc. After putting together an informal performance for homeless kids, she was pleased to seem them mesmerized by the music. This convinced her of the need for this type of community concert. With a $1200 grant from Bread for the Journey of Denver, Carol will apply for her non-profit status and will be able to devote more of her own time to Apple Pie.

The developmentally disabled typically receive support from many groups and organizations in their communities. Now they have a way to contribute their own skills and talents to improving their communities. A Kiwanis club in Jefferson County decided to work with the developmentally disabled to form an Action Club. These clubs are common on the East Coast but previously there were none in the West. The Action Club, of developmentally disabled adults, partners with an existing club in order to build mutually supportive friendships and work together on service projects. Bread for the Journey of Denver gave the Kiwanis $1100 to buy t-shirts for the new members and supplies to support their club.

A group of young people who were all interested in the arts wondered what they could do to help children find joy and grow through the arts, as they had. They started United Artists Coalition for Kids and walked the streets of Denver's Cole neighborhood inviting kids to come to a nearby community center for weekend art classes. Without any training, this group of 16-22 year olds began to work with the 8 or so kids that showed up. They created craft projects, had the kids writing in journals and playing musical instruments. Each week more kids showed up until there were 40 of them on the last Saturday. Needless to say, the community center immediately made plans for UACK to continue this invaluable community service. With a $1200 grant from Bread for the Journey of Denver they will be able to purchase supplies and expand the program to include other organizations that work with at-risk kids.

Bread for the Journey of Eugene donated $500 to help the White Swan Center for Community Care apply to the IRS for nonprofit status. The White Swan Center is a group of health care workers, both allopathic and alternative, whose goal is to provide health services to low-income citizens in the community. They offer a host of services for physical and mental well-being including acupuncture, chiropractic care, Chinese herbal medicine, Western herbal medicine, naturopathy, meditation instruction, yoga classes, diet consultation, hypnosis, homeopathy, Reiki, massage, and mental health services. The White Swan Center is able to meet the needs of their neighbors by providing services on a sliding fee scale-those who cannot pay, pay nothing.

Bread for the Journey of Eugene also made a contribution of $500 to Hopeline, an information, resource and advocacy group for women with cancer. The group is seeking to acquire a nonprofit status from the IRS so that they can continue their mission to educate, support and empower women with cancer.

Digital Camera for the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

In response to the hypothermia deaths of three homeless men on the streets of Flagstaff during a recent severe winter, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul has instituted a seasonal coat giveaway in addition to vouchers for food, lodging and transportation. Over three hundred families received food boxes at Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as clothing from the Thrift Shop and the Youth Clothes Closet. Yet the need for help increases daily as the economy worsens. The Society’s volunteers had despaired of increasing their means to help until they discovered a website for nonprofits that advertises valuable items to an international marketplace. Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff purchased a digital camera and software for $300, enabling the local Society of Saint Vincent de Paul to receive full value for heirlooms left to them for the purpose of helping the needy.

Northern Arizona Peace Center

After a recent peace demonstration attracted hundreds of participants from the university, scientific, religious, neighborhood and tribal communities in and around Flagstaff, documentary filmmaker Kell Kearns approached Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff with a vision to establish the Northern Arizona Peace Center. The Center will house classrooms for courses in peace studies, current domestic and international crises, civil liberties, and threats to peace. Faith-based peacemakers may explore and deepen their understanding of the teachings that are the foundations of their commitment here. In addition, peace and justice groups will be welcome to hold planning and action meetings.

Kell Kearns has been writing, producing and hosting PBS documentaries on the theme of peace since 1983, including "In Remembrance of Martin," about Martin Luther King, Jr.; "The Arms Race Within," on the mass satyagraha (passive resistance) of a Gandhian community to stop nuclear "white trains" carrying arms to Trident submarine bases, and; "The Healing of Brian Willson," about a protestor run over by a train that was carrying weapons bound for El Salvador. Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff gave Kell $525 to cover the Peace Center's rent and phone for 2 months, but more importantly, the vote of confidence gave him a boost when he wasn't sure anyone was interested.

Weir Horse Lovers

Special education teacher Jerrith Weir is passionate about horses. She has seen firsthand the kind of inspiration they can provide to disabled as well as to alienated children. She takes in abandoned horses and matches them with children of differing abilities. As they ride together in the woods along the Verde River, the children grow in self-esteem, awareness of the natural world, and contentment. Once, Jerrith made a deal with her young friend Andrew who, at the age of ten, still couldn’t read. "When you’ve done your homework," she said, "we’ll go for a ride." Andrew not only taught himself how to read, he still rides with Jerrith three years later. But horses are expensive to keep, and can pose potential hazards to riders. As more and more parents begged Jerrith for the chance for their children to ride, she realized that she had to treat her passion like a business. With the help of a volunteer paralegal, she learned what she would need to incorporate and approached Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff for a grant, which was provided in the amount of $1,250. She writes us: "Thank you so very much for your gift to Weir Horse Lovers; it has started my business! I will use your money wisely ... thank you again." Her motto? "Child takes care of Horse, Horse takes care of Child!"

Sunnyside Scorpions

The Sunnyside Scorpions are a U14 baseball team in a neighborhood where few families have the resources for their children to "pay to play." Team members, several of whom are from single-parent families, must maintain a C average to participate. Players walk or ride their bicycles to practice, where Coach Eddie Kirkland drills them in discipline, strategy, skills, sportsmanship and team unity. The Scorpions have held car washes and sold t-shirts to raise money, but since the costs of equipment and tournament entry fees are surprisingly steep, they were losing heart. With the incentive of matching funds from Bread for the Journey, their tireless coach and fundraiser has been able to collect donations from all over the neighborhood.

Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff donated $350 to the Sunnyside Scorpions. This funding helped them achieve the financial security they needed to register for tournaments in 2002 and to maintain an ongoing presence in Sunnyside for years to come. (see photo)

Strong in Mind and Spirit

Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions among the indigenous people of our country. Velia Yazzie is a circuit-riding healthcare worker in a remote area of the Navajo Nation. She saw a need for native-language reference materials that she could leave with her diabetic patients, but was unable to find money in her program to pay for it. Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff donated $120 for supplies to assemble twenty 3-ring, updateable notebooks called "Strong in Mind and Spirit." These notebooks contain medical advice and self-care instructions for rural diabetics to monitor and maintain their own health.

Willow Bend Environmental Education Center

Flagstaff, Arizona, is a small city surrounded by vast public lands encompassing habitats from riparian to desert to forest to tundra. The nonprofit Resource Center for Environmental Education recently finished a small building overlooking the Rio de Flag, where they will promote understanding and responsible stewardship of the region's ecosystems through guided nature walks, family science nights, after school and summer activities, and hands-on exhibits. The new Willow Bend Environmental Education Center, with passive solar trombe walls donated by Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff, will provide the community with a place to learn about and work together to protect our shared natural and cultural resources.

The Playhouse Gallery

Since 1972, the nonprofit Theatrikos Theatre Company of Flagstaff has produced high quality theatre by tapping the impressive array of talent to be found in the vicinity. Theatrikos offers outreach programs, too, such as Of Color, Community, and Culture, an annual series that explores and celebrates cultural and social diversity through theatre. With supplies donated by Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff, volunteers have now renovated the lobby of the playhouse into exhibit space for local visual artists. Each presentation is matched in theme with the current theatre production and is displayed for about a month. The Playhouse Gallery offers emerging artists a chance to show their work and has become a source of pride to the community.

The Rez Roamer

Many Hopi and Navajo people depend upon their cows, sheep, goats, and horses, not only for meat but also for wool, hides, and rodeo income. Their animals enable them to remain self-sufficient and connected to the land, to one another, and to their traditions. Dr. Adrienne Ruby, the 'Rez Roamer,' provides mobile veterinary services on a sliding fee scale (which often means for free) as well as community clinics where rural families learn more about up-to-date methods of animal care and treatment. Because people no longer have to travel for hours in search of a vet, needless suffering and loss of animals has been reduced. Dr. Ruby has become a welcome sight in remote reaches of the reservations and a popular mentor of young people interested in veterinary science as a career. Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff contributed a set of equine dental tools, enabled Dr. Ruby to treat animals in metropolitan Phoenix approximately one week a month in order to support her near-subsistence work on the reservations.

Community Notary Public

Although most of us require a notary only a few times in our lives, we consider it a nuisance to track one down. Imagine being sick or old, with English as your second language, and the nearest notary public is two hours away! Bread for the Journey paid for the certification of Velia Yazzie as a notary public. As her sponsor put it, Velia "is the perfect person because she travels all around the community helping people with health and wellness, so everyone knows her, her vehicle, and how to get in touch with her."

Launching K'é Bi Roots

After more than a year of preliminary meetings and visioning exercises (and to be honest, a few gripe sessions), K'é Bi Roots was ready to launch a set of initiatives to build community strength as an alternative to staying trapped in the frustrations of the past. As their Philosophy and Vision Statement declares, K'e Bi Roots is "a grassroots community organization in the service of social justice, by creating opportunities for and facilitating the processes of promoting traditional Diné cultural philosophy and lifeways, healing and strengthening our community and encouraging sustainable economic enterprises; we believe that the inherent strength of Diné people will support efforts toward self-empowerment, self-determination, and self-sufficiency . . . [and] a social order based on k'é, with mutual concerns for wellness as individuals, families, clans, and as a Diné community living in a respectful and balanced way with our environment." Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff sponsored a public gathering to publicize and generate support for the initiatives proposed by K'é Bi Roots, with food, speakers, and door prizes of locally-produced crafts and herbal remedies.

Raising sheep is a traditional means of self-sufficiency and cultural preservation for rural Navajo families, but their sheep have become inbred. Reproductive rates are half what they are elsewhere, wool quality is poor, and the land suffers as more sheep are introduced to compensate for these problems. In response, the cooperative Dineh Bi (Navajo) Ranchers' Roundtable organized a 'Ram Exchange.' Participants receive a high quality ram to improve their flock and after one year, the ram goes to another family. Together, they learn up-to-date methods of grazing sheep that improve the land rather than degrade it, basics of sheep husbandry, nutrition, and preventive health care, and how to develop a cooperative marketing program. The groundwork was put in place but the program needed a jump-start to inspire confidence and to encourage people made wary by programs imposed by outsiders who set rules and expectations but gave nothing in return. Bread for the Journey purchased the program's first ram for a family in the New Lands relocation area. During our visit, several other herders dropped by to see for themselves as their idea for a Ram Exchange became a reality.

After three Flagstaff teenagers took their own lives in October, 2000, the town was in shock, completely at a loss how to respond. One young woman-with help from the American Legion and community theater-organized B.A.S.H.: the Benefit to Aid a Safe House. Students donated artwork for posters announcing the event and Bread for the Journey printed them. In mid-December, a low point of the year for many people, hundreds of teenagers attended the B.A.S.H., where twenty-six local musicians and poets offered sympathetic messages and encouraging songs. Proceeds benefit a program to counsel young people with depression but equally important, B.A.S.H. was an expression of hope at a difficult time.

It is obvious that the growth of towns in the intermountain West is putting pressure on wildlife. This was vividly illustrated early in 2000 when a colony of hibernating prairie dogs was bulldozed, horrifying neighboring families who had watched the animals for years. Together with a university biologist-an expert in the behavior and language of prairie dogs-the neighbors formed Habitat Harmony, a group that relocates animals out of the path of development while educating school children and homeowners about creating backyard habitats for wildlife. Bread for the Journey provided Habitat Harmony with thirty live traps for the capture and relocation of animals in conjunction with their educational programs. The board of Habitat Harmony responded: "Thank you so much for honoring our work in this way…we will always remember your willingness to take a step in faith with us."

To several older children of Flagstaff's Sunnyside district, the summer ahead was shaping up to be long, lonely, and boring. Their homes were crowded and noisy with toddlers and television, but their parents would not allow them to walk several blocks to city activities managed by strangers. With $175 from Bread for the Journey, a young art student volunteered her time to teach these children how to use clay, papier mache, poster paint, and colored pencils to create everything from self-portraits to greeting cards to toys for their younger siblings. Two afternoons a week, they gathered in the multi-purpose room of a trusted neighborhood church to discover art as a means to explore and enrich the world around them.

In 1996, a small group of mothers founded a dance troupe open to everyone in Flagstaff. Determined to build confidence and self-esteem in their daughters and sons, they and their children have devoted countless hours to practice sessions, dressmaking, and performances. Grupo Folklorico Mestizo grew from six members to twenty-five in just four years. However, organizers of some community events were still hiring dancers from across the state because they weren't aware of the group's existence. The mothers came up with a plan for better publicity using posters, mailings, and a web site, but their only photographs had been taken in bad light at events cluttered with equipment. Using $300 from Bread for the Journey to cover film and supplies, an accomplished professional-who once dreamed of dancing folklorico herself-spent a full day photographing the troupe and followed up with an article profiling them in the local newspaper.

The community of Hardrock on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona has been hard hit with some violent tragedies and is struggling with resultant despair. A science teacher at the Hardrock School wanted to start a book exchange for the students. A local store allocated space and a display rack for the project. Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff donated 140 books for children and young adults. They include entertaining books about science and nature as well as fiction that deals with such themes as coping with adolescence, racism, disabilities, alcoholism, and poverty.

Like other towns in the Intermountain West, Flagstaff, Arizona, is experiencing rapid growth together with economic and social dislocation. Friends of Flagstaff's Future advocates "policies supporting a livable community." These policies range from promoting a sustainable economy while protecting natural resources, to creating a user-friendly transportation system and co-sponsoring a community visioning process. (The community visioning process resulted in the "Flagstaff 2020" plan, which was endorsed and adopted by all city, county, state, and federal government entities in the area.) Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff contributed toward the organization's brochure in order to increase the visibility of Friends of Flagstaff's Future.

The often-bitter controversy over grazing livestock in the American West becomes even more emotional when the ranchers are Native Americans endeavoring to make a living on their traditional lands. Efforts to introduce progressive methods of rangeland management are often met with a skepticism born of past experience with ill-advised government programs. In June 1999, Bread for the Journey of Flagstaff sponsored a conference on the Hopi Nation led by Dan Dagget, author of Beyond the Rangeland Conflict. Initiated by a local veterinarian, the conference emphasized mutual respect and collaboration in tackling problems related to grazing on arid lands. The event drew a standing-room-only crowd, with about fifty Hopi ranchers in attendance. Excitement grew at the prospect of restoring not only the health of native grasses, but also the springs, which have dried up over the past few decades. During the same weekend, a similar meeting took place on the Navajo Nation. Based on the success of these two events, plans are underway for a joint meeting with Hopi and Navajo ranchers to discuss livestock management in the disputed lands around Big Mountain.

Two young angel recipients (see complete story below)

Last quarter, Bread for the Journey of Irvine gave Rick Cryder a grant to conduct classes for prisoners at Musick Honor Farm. He's been teaching them to make leaded-glass angels that he then gives to hospitalized children with life-threatening illnesses. Rick, the "Angel Maker," has been called into service again.

Joplin Youth Center is a juvenile correctional facility that provides residential treatment for teenage boys ages 13 to 17. The Orange County Probation Department operates this facility in the midst of oak groves in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. The maximum capacity is 64 boys, who are there serving the last 30 to 120 days of their juvenile-court sentences. The counselor there heard about the angel work going on at Musick and asked Rick to work with the boys at Joplin. Bread for the Journey of Irvine's board accompanied him as he presented his work. With funds left over from the Musick program, plus an additional $400 from BFJ, Rick could purchase the tools and materials necessary to begin with a class of eight boys. We're certain that the angels will bless their makers as well as their recipients.

The Watts Labor Community Action Committee, located in a depressed area of Los Angeles, works with young men to give them alternatives to gangs and violence. They had acquired several used cars that they wanted to use to teach the art of vehicle restoration. They had the students and the willing teachers, but no mechanic’s tools. Bread for the Journey of Irvine donated $416.83 worth of mechanic’s tools so they could start their class.

Reading Corners

Reading regularly to her own four children and their friends, Luisa Ruiz found that she had become the neighborhood storyteller. Her apartment manager offered her the use of a recreational room, and the idea took hold. She is now in charge of a staff of volunteer readers in nine different areas of Santa Ana. Luisa stresses the importance of family literacy, and now many parents are learning right alongside their children.

Bread for the Journey of Irvine gave Luisa a small grant of $100 for supplies, and connected her with their friend, Gayle McCue. Gayle retired from teaching in 2002 and donated over a hundred children's books to Reading Corners. The League of United Latin American Citizens recently awarded Luisa the honor of "2002 Woman of the Year" for community service in Orange County.

Apprentice Carpenters

The Watts Labor Community Action Center, run by Mr. Timothy Watkins, provides alternatives to despair and dependency through self-help and mentoring programs. Young men have been learning the trade of carpentry while building a kitchen at the center, using tools borrowed from the workers on site. With a $700 grant from Bread for the Journey of Irvine, enough tools were purchased for three of these young apprentice carpenters to begin working immediately as independent tradesmen.

"Been There - Done That"

Fernando Leon, founder of La Calle News, Inc., believes that "every child, boy or girl, young woman or young man, has an inherent right to achieve their full potential. It is the mission of La Calle to aid and provide enlightening opportunities in order to achieve a better quality of life." With this mission in mind, Mr. Leon offers the "Been There - Done That" conference series for young at-risk women. Featured speakers are now successful women who have "been there and done that" as it relates to domestic violence, alcohol, drugs, gang activities, single parenthood and more. The young at-risk women attend the conference for free. Bread for the Journey of Irvine gave Mr. Leon a $270 grant to cover some of the expenses of his last conference. They are also seeking additional ways to offer him support for the exciting, life-changing work that he offers to his community.

A Transportation Tale

Due to an unusual set of circumstances, Bread for the Journey of Irvine found itself in possession of a well-running used car. They decided to keep the spirit of generosity flowing by donating the vehicle to the Orange County Rescue Mission. The Rescue Mission helps families who are homeless, jobless, or have drug- or alcohol-related problems. In southern California, it is especially difficult to get and keep a job without a car. Now, one of the rehabilitated families will be delighted to find their transportation needs met as they integrate themselves back into the workforce. (see photo)

As a child, Rick Mojarro came from Mexico to live in a poor section of Santa Ana, speaking very little English as a student at Roosevelt Elementary School. Today he is the visionary, enthusiastic principal of Kennedy Elementary School in Santa Ana, dedicated to making a difference in the lives of local families. He is the founder and president of the Cornerstone Village Neighborhood Association, made up of parents and concerned citizens who have been credited with a lowered crime rate and an improved quality of life in the community.

One of the main challenges at Kennedy is the wide range of English-language proficiencies among the students and their families when they arrive here from Mexico. Mr. Mojarro received state funding to create a multi-level language development curriculum but wanted to "package" it so the children would identify with it and take it home to share with their families. Bread for the Journey of Irvine donated $300 and, in partnership with Target Department store, bought more than 30 backpacks for the "take home" language program. The kids loved the backpacks and decided to name their language development class "The Bread Club," in honor of Bread for the Journey of Irvine.

Bread for the Journey of Irvine was selected by Wild Oats Market, on Culver Drive in Irvine, to be among three charitable organizations that would receive "wooden nickels," incentives that are given out to customers who bring their own cloth grocery bags. The customers choose which nonprofit organization will receive their nickel. To educate customers about their work, Bread for the Journey of Irvine placed cards and flyers - along with pictures and information about locally funded projects - on the Wild Oats bulletin board. After seeing this, one woman donated $1,000 to be earmarked for the Food Bank, a program managed by Josie Montoya that was supported by Bread for the Journey of Irvine in 2001.

Matt Martino, 14, couldn't talk with his grandfather, Alfred Eye, when visiting him in the hospital because Eye was in a respirator. Matt had a great solution; he brought a white, dry erase board like the ones used in his classroom at school. After that visit with grandpa, Eye wrote, "Could you bring enough for the whole ward here so we can communicate with each other?" Matt ordered and bought more white boards from his school. Some months later, Matt's grandfather died and a while after that, Matt was involved in a project at his church on resourcefulness and making a difference. Each student was given a few dollars and, remembering the white boards, Matt used his as seed money to raise a total of $600. He bought 300 more boards, and he and his mother, a nurse, put a picture of Matt and his grandfather, along with their communication story, on the back of each board and distributed them to local hospitals. Bread for the Journey of Irvine was able to give Matt a check for $400 to continue his work of providing white boards to the hospitals still requesting them. When asked what is the best part of the experience so far, Matt says, "Being able to help families communicate with each other!"
(Autumn 2001)

In Orange County, in the shadow of Disneyland's opulence is an impoverished community called the Jeffery Lynne neighborhood. The majority of the people who live there are Mexican immigrants. Many of them work for minimum wage at Disneyland in the garden, kitchen and in maintenance jobs. Josie Montoya, an energetic and generous spirit who volunteers many hours helping others, told us about Worldwide Opportunities, a Christian group that provides a food cooperative program for an annual fee. Volunteers from the Jeffery Lynne neighborhood go once a week, at an appointed time, to a local church parking lot. There they can pick up an abundance of food to distribute to the people in their neighborhood. Last year, with an annual budget of $1,000, they distributed 25,000 bags of food to their neighbors. Bread for the Journey of Irvine donated $300.00 to be used for annual dues for this community to belong to the food cooperative.

Club Los Amigos, founded by Josie Montoya, is a Saturday morning bilingual literacy program for thirty children in the Jeffery Lynne neighborhood in Orange County. A small apartment has been donated and Josie has recruited volunteers to teach reading and writing skills. A Lending Library is being started through a donation of books from Scholastic Books, and the children will write reports on each book that they read. Bread for the Journey of Irvine has contributed $300.00 toward bookshelves, chairs for the children, and basic furnishings. The program will begin in February 2001.

College Preparation

During the fall of their senior year of high school, Deshawn Moss and Dana Plair started a college-preparatory class called Youth on the Move through their youth ministry. Their program helps students prepare for entrance exams, evaluate colleges, fill out college applications, prepare a resume and portfolio, and work through financial-aid issues. By the spring, 40 high school students were regularly attending the twice-weekly sessions. Deshawn and Dana asked Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan for funding to provide small scholarships to the most outstanding students in the group. BFJ was pleased to provide $600 to fund three scholarships. While Deshawn and Dana have graduated, their program will continue, since they have helped train the future leaders of Youth on the Move.

Rites of Passage

Kathlene LeCour and Jeff Brazda are psychologists who have worked with youth in various arenas over many years. Recognizing that our society doesn't provide a clear structure for the transition into adulthood, they have created a program that helps troubled youth make this transition successfully. Through participation in the program, these youth get to build community, discover their talents, perform community service, face obstacles, choose a personal path, and participate in a wilderness experience. The program serves youth who have been referred by courts, counselors, social workers, and other sources. Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan was pleased to provide a grant of $1,500 to Kathlene and Jeff to help fund the first program.

Kalamazoo Community Gardens

The Kalamazoo Community Gardens organization was started by a group of Western Michigan University students in 1998. The group works in Kalamazoo neighborhoods to provide garden plots that residents can use to grow vegetables. In addition, KCG volunteers also help the gardeners improve their plots while learning gardening skills by conducting "work days" in the gardens and various workshops throughout the gardening season. In addition, KCG volunteers work with the local Boys & Girls Club to provide gardening experiences to city youth. Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan is pleased to provide a grant of $500, with a commitment for an additional $500 if KCG matches it by raising $500. The funds will be used to pay rent for an office so the group can have a central location to work from as they expand their reach into other Kalamazoo neighborhoods.

Fence Art

Margy Hunter approached Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan requesting funds to support a project for her at-risk students. Her idea was to create a sculpture fence at the main bus stop in downtown Kalamazoo. In 2001, some of Margy’s students worked on a welding project with a local metal artist, Holly Fisher, who will again work with the students on this project. Margy’s long-term goal is to provide her students with enough experience in welding and working with metal to determine if they are interested in it as a career. If so, these at-risk students can enroll in the Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s welding program and learn skills that will help them obtain well- paying jobs in the community. Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan is proud to provide a grant of $2000 toward this project.

Youth Urban Gardening

Sandra Douglas has a clear intention to improve our world. She is the Director of the Harbor Harvest Urban Ministries in Benton Harbor, Michigan. This ministry is comprised of mostly small-town United Methodist churches, itself based in a UM church in a low-income area of Benton Harbor.

When Sandra first began working at HHUM, she canvassed the neighborhood to discover the concerns of local residents. A common concern expressed was regarding vacant lots. So Sandra went about getting permission to use first one, and then a second vacant lot near the church. She developed the Summer Youth Beautification Pride Project, using the lots as garden space. The program is structured to include gardening, science labs that focus on gardening-related topics, worship, and discussions about volunteering and potential careers related to this work. For many of the children enrolled in the program, this is their first exposure to gardening and learning about where food actually comes from. This is the fourth year of the program, which has grown each year.
Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan was proud to provide a $1200 grant to purchase additional tools and materials that would improve some of the beds in the gardens, and to make a sign that would identify the program to passers-by.

Willie Johnson's Art

Willie Johnson is a visual artist in Kalamazoo who paints in the African-American folk-art style. Since Will copes with mental illness, his art has been quite instrumental in nurturing his self-esteem. He has primarily been working with tempera paint, using paper for small projects and cardboard for large projects. Will arranged to exhibit his work as part of the Kalamazoo Art Hop, in which local artists exhibit their work in galleries and other venues around the city.

Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan was pleased to provide Will with a grant of $1100 for the purchase of acrylic paints, canvasses and higher quality paint brushes, enabling him to prepare some new works for the exhibition. The new materials will allow him to continue painting well into the future. The grant also provided enough funding to frame some of his existing works that are already on paper. Hopefully, he will continue to exhibit his work and his painting sales will provide the funds needed for additional materials, further contributing to his sense of self-worth and dignity. We hope Willie Johnson's paintings inspire other people with disabilities to pursue art as a healing form of self-_expression.

Barbara Whitmore

Barbara Whitmore has spent many years studying family issues and holistic health in her graduate work at Western Michigan University. A member of the African-American community, Barbara strongly believes that people of her ethnic descent need to help one another overcome the cycle of poverty that affects so many of them.

Barbara has successfully started and led meditation groups, and she is currently working to create a new program. She will teach meditation to help people cope with the stresses of life, and sewing skills to help them secure higher-paying jobs. Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan was pleased to help Barbara by securing a slightly used computer for her to use in developing brochures and handouts. Contacts were also provided to assist her in her search for a suitable place for her meditation sessions.

Massage for Hospice Families

Sister Maureen Metty (from the Sisters of St. Joseph) is a registered nurse who has spent a decade working in various aspects of hospice care and management. She recently returned to school and obtained certification as a massage therapist. Her current volunteer ministry provides massage for both hospice patients and their families. Sr. Maureen has observed that the family members greatly benefit from massage as they cope with the dying process of their loved ones. While most hospice patients receive massage while lying in bed, a massage chair is more appropriate for the therapy Sr. Maureen provides to the family members. Bread for the Journey was proud to help make this possible by providing a grant of $500 to Sr. Maureen for the purchase of a massage chair.

Beadwork

Margy Hunter is an art teacher at Kalamazoo's Phoenix Alternative High School. She works hard to find alternatives to keep her at-risk students engaged in their artwork, and to provide them with opportunities to explore different forms of art. Christena Smith has created a beadwork program for these students that will help them develop skills in design, use of color and patterns, along with patience, persistence and higher self-esteem.

Since many of the students lack opportunities to get close adult attention, this beadwork program will focus on mentoring the students 1:1 or 1:2 throughout the semester. Their parents will also be invited to learn beadwork, thus creating an activity that family members can share. These at-risk students also welcome the income that beadwork can provide. It is expected that the students will exhibit and sell their beadwork in the Spring Kalamazoo Art Hop. Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan is pleased to provide a grant of $2300 to support this program.

Food Matters

Food Matters is a new, locally founded group concerned with educating the Kalamazoo community on issues related to food, food safety and the environment. David Schmidt and Cathy Dernay, the President and Vice President of the Food Matters' board, requested support for their group's current lecture series on various topics, held monthly at the Kalamazoo Public Library. The lectures are taped for later airing on local public access television. Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan was happy to provide a grant of $1570 to support the 2003 lecture series and the important information it brings to the community.

Barbara Toshalis is a physical therapist and social worker at the YWCA in Grand Rapids, MI. Many of the clients served by the YWCA's programs have been abused physically, emotionally and/or sexually, and are often disconnected from their physical selves. Barbara has developed a movement class that provides a safe place for these women to learn skills for self-calming, grounding, moderated emotional responses, and assertiveness through body awareness, group process, communication, play, creativity and the telling of their stories. Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan provided a $1000 matching grant to Barbara for a fall 2002 class.

Pregnancy Prevention

Cherie Seitz is a Teen Program Coordinator for Planned Parenthood of Southwest Michigan with enormous passion and dedication for her work. Through a competitive process, she was selected to participate in the Advocates for Youth Organization's European Study Tour that took place in May-June 2002, with stops in the Netherlands, Germany and France. Teen pregnancy rates in all of these countries are significantly lower than those in southwest Michigan. The trip provided opportunities to evaluate cultural and holistic approaches to adolescent sexuality and pregnancy in the countries visited. Cherie is using the information she gained to develop new strategies for modifying, expanding and creating relevant teen programs that will more effectively reduce the rate of teen pregnancies in southwest Michigan. Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan provided $1000 for partial funding of this educational tour.

Washington Writer's Academy

Lynn Nations Johnson, a professor of education at Western Michigan University, is a teacher with a passion for helping underprivileged kids. Lynn works with the fourth-grade students at Washington Writers Academy, a school where 93% of the students live at or below the poverty line. Lynn has her students prepare an oral history project with the assistance of her WMU students who are serving their final internship at the Washington Writer's Academy. The fourth-graders interview their family members, take photographs and prepare a written history. At the end of the term, when the project is complete, each student presents their history at a celebration with family and friends. Lynn's program helps the college students to understand what makes history and to overcome their fear of urban schools, while it helps to improve the fourth-graders' self esteem, writing skills, literacy and appreciation for history. Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan is proud to provide a grant of $480 for the purchase of a disposable camera for each student and for film processing.

Barb Wise is a school bus driver with a passion for children's safety. As a volunteer, Barb has developed a school bus safety program that she presents to schools and pre-schools throughout her district. Always looking for ways to improve her program, she approached Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan for financial support for Barney, an interactive miniature robot bus that can be operated to ask questions and invite participation from the kids. Barb currently uses a video in her presentation that includes Barney, and the children respond to it with enthusiasm. The effectiveness of Barb's program will increase because the use of Barney engages the children's attention and helps them understand the dangers of the road. Bread for the Journey provided a grant of $250 toward Barney's purchase.

Gay Walker is an art therapist who manages Diane's Way, an expressive arts program that was set up in honorable memory of a former hospice patient. Diane's Way provides hospice patients and their families with opportunities to express themselves in ways that include journal writing, art, music and gardening. One special volunteer in the program is Martha Kuch, an extremely talented harpist whose music touches the hearts of the hospice patients, reducing their stress and anxiety while it helps to alleviate their pain. Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan was proud to provide Gay and Martha with $2750, the total amount needed to produce a CD of Martha's harpistry. The CDs will be presented to the patients free of charge. Proceeds from the sales of additional CDs will be reinvested to produce more copies and soothe the souls of future patients.

Bob Rowe is a musician with a mission. He is a professional musician with a special affinity for elderly and institutionalized people. His Renaissance Foundation provides musical programs for nursing home and other care facility residents. Too frequently, these individuals are forgotten by most of society. Bob makes sure they aren't. The programs focus on hymns and old songs that are familiar to the residents, with results that are often amazing. Residents who rarely speak sing along with the musicians, and caregivers report improvements in attitude that can last for weeks. Bread for the Journey of SW Michigan is delighted to participate in Renaissance Enterprise's Adopt A Nursing Home program by providing a grant of $1100 to support monthly concerts at Tender Care - Riverside, a nursing home with mainly low income residents in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Homeless people are the untouchables of our time, but not in Kalamazoo. Two massage therapists, Marcy Clark and Deanna Wines, have broken this taboo and are volunteering their time and skills by providing healing touch chair massages at Ministry with Community, a local day shelter for homeless and other low income community members. Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan has contributed $800 to send Marcy and Deanna to San Francisco where they will attend a "hands-on" training with the Care Through Touch Institute, which includes a certification program called "Caring Touch Ministry with Poor and Marginalized People." Marcy and Deanna's long term goals include finding other practitioners in Kalamazoo to join this volunteer work and developing a training/certification program to teach healing touch to the homeless and poor to help them build skills and independence. This loving and compassionate work has the opportunity to greatly benefit a marginalized part of the community by providing physical healing of stress, injury and trauma, emotional healing through counseling and listening, and social healing as appropriate touch is modeled by the therapists.

SEEDS for Children
Bread for the Journey of Princeton gave a $600 grant to SEEDS, a new non-profit organization that offers educational support to children and their families. Through the efforts of committed volunteers, they will offer a chance for children ages 6-13 and their parents to attend workshops where the parents can learn - through tutoring and mentoring - how to support their children's educational needs. This non-profit was the brainchild of Cheryl Gaither Ojeda and her daughter Illeana, that builds on the work of outreach programs they have developed within other communities. They secured over 800 books for the kick-off event held on July 19, 2003. The event offered food, crafts, and free books. We applaud Cheryl and Illena on their commitment to the community and are happy to have sponsored this exciting event.

Building Bridges, Building Teams

Though many think of Princeton as a homogeneous town, it has a cultural mix like most other American communities. There are many individuals who emigrated from Central America, especially Guatemala and Nicaragua, who have close relations with their families and friends in their native country. In March this year, a Princeton Township police officer, George Narvaez wrote this note to a Bread for the Journey of Princeton friend.

"Hi Jill, per our conversation earlier, I am making an effort in collecting used (in fair condition) and new baseball equipment and uniforms for orphan and needy children in Nicaragua. This effort is being made with the assistance of the US Embassy in Managua Nicaragua. I was able to collect some uniforms from the Princeton Babe Ruth League that I will be sending to the US Embassy in Managua. However I will like to collect more uniforms and equipment, such as baseball gloves, balls, bats. Once I collect the items I will be paying for the mailing to the US Embassy in Managua, and upon my arrival I will personally deliver the collected items. Please forward this e-mail to anyone who you think will be interested in helping. Thanks so much for all of your assistance.
Sincerely Jorge (George) Narvaez

Bread for the Journey of Princeton was very pleased to be included as potential supporters in this effort and was even more pleased to give George a $300 check to buy new baseball equipment at a local sporting goods store to send to the children in Nicaragua. Jill's son Max, who played catch with other boys in Princeton's sister City, Granada, Nicaragua, said that when he grows up and gets rich he's going to buy boxes of baseball gloves and bring them to the kids there because he saw how happy they were playing catch.

John Breitenstein is the operations director of the Eastern Service Workers Association. Its roots go back twenty years when their predecessors helped organize the migrant farm workers on Long Island. Today the Trenton, New Jersey branch is focusing on the needs of the poor in the local community. It is a volunteer-run, mutual-benefit organization that works to improve living and working conditions for low-income workers in Trenton and Mercer County. The association has no paid employees and exists only through the dedication and generosity of its membership. Bread for the Journey of Princeton joined John Breitenstein and his associate John Hooker on a weekly neighborhood canvass. This involves going door-to-door to talk to people, ask how they are doing, identify their needs and ask them to join ESWA. The dues are 65 cents per month. On one such canvass recently they found six Mexican workers living in one room; ESWA was able to find them better housing and provide medical help to one of them who was critically ill. Members can participate in activities such as their back-to-school benefit program that provides free school supplies and clothing donated by individuals and businesses, or the Safe and Sane Children's Halloween Party including a food drive, or their medical and dental education and information sessions led by physicians and dentists who donate their time. ESWA works out of a row house in Trenton for which they paid $1. The house had been badly damaged by fire and a large section of roof was missing. If they had not taken possession, it would have been torn down. They were able to make it habitable through the help of nearby contractors and suppliers. BFJ of Princeton contributed $1500 for a new furnace and duct work that would enable them to stay put for the winter.

Nova Scotia, Canada

Tartan Gardens of Judique

Judique, Cape Breton, is a village of approximately 240 families. Their village is sliced in half by Highway 19, the main tourist roadway that leads travelers up the Ceilidh Trail. This scenic byway "offers stunning vistas of rugged coastline, bays and inlets, verdant hills and rolling farmlands as it follows the shore of western Cape Breton." When the government closed the village school of Judique (after a vigorous struggle by the people of the village to keep it open), the heart and soul of the community was wounded. Just how would this tiny fishing enclave keep its folk from leaving or entice new residents to join their community? Margaret Graham of Judique had an idea that could revitalize the village and came to speak with Bread for the Journey of Nova Scotia about it.

Margaret realized that a revitalization plan should include paying tribute to the founding of Judique as the first Scottish community on Cape Breton Island, while capturing the pioneering spirit of the community. Her vision was to build the world's first permanent "Tartan Gardens" in the middle of the village along the tourist route. This would be a centerpiece so unique that all of Judique could take pride in it. Each season, a vibrant sea of thousands of flowers would be planted in a massive Tartan pattern on a two-acre plot of land across from the village church and the senior citizens' residence. (It is noteworthy that William Young, from Scotland, was the second Premier of Nova Scotia in the mid-1800s. He wrote a treatise on gardening and formerly owned the plot of land where the Gardens will be located.)

Margaret's garden project would be a community effort, with everyone in the village owning a part of it. She has already met with the village's teenagers to discuss forming working teams with the seniors. Matching young brawn with the elders' gardening wisdom in building the Tartan Gardens will surely deepen community bonds. The project is building momentum. As a class project, the students and teachers at the regional community college offered to build an 18-foot-wide gazebo with Celtic motifs that will form the centerpiece of the Gardens. Serving as a stage for Celtic music and dance - and possibly a dinner theater - it is sure to draw in tourists hungry to enjoy the local culture as they wind their way up the Trail. Margaret is confident that this will also encourage the younger folk to come home from college and work in the Gardens for the summer.

Dwayne MacEachern, a college student and Judique resident, was among the first in the community to offer help. Just recently, he made and erected the "Judique Tartan Gardens" official sign. Here is an excerpt from his letter to the editor of the Oran, the local newspaper:

"Say what you want about pride. Every member of each community, whether it's Judique, Port Hood, Mabou, Inverness, etc., etc., who is proud of who they are, attributes this in part to the community in which they are from. I'm proud to be from Judique. I consider myself a Judiquer above all else, and proudly announce the fact whenever I'm asked where I'm from (as do the majority of us, I'm sure). But Judiquers must grasp the following concept well: If we don't do something to save our community soon (bring jobs, growth, keep the younger people from leaving), then soon there won't be anyone left to say, "I'm a Judiquer."

Margaret Graham says about her project, "This is for the people of Judique; this is their Gardens." Her insightful words - "plant a garden, grow a community" - speak the truth. Bread for the Journey of Nova Scotia was pleased to make its first founding grant to the Judique Tartan Gardens Project in the amount of $1000.

Shakti Rising is a small organization founded by Shannon Thompson. It provides a dynamic and innovative recovery program founded on education that assists young women, primarily 15—25, in overcoming addiction, abuse and disempowerment. The program encompasses the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of healing necessary for transformation.

The program includes both live-in and live-out apprenticeship recovery programs, as well as classes in Herbs & Nutrition, Business Skills, Financial Responsibility, Yoga, Lifescripts Teen Theatre, and Creative Personal Growth classes.

Bread for the Journey of San Diego felt blessed to be able to offer Shakti Rising a $1000 grant to further its environmental program. The grant will be used to start a community garden (to produce food, for environmental reasons, as well as for its therapeutic value), and for environmental education. For more information, check out their website at http://www.shaktirising.org.

On a leap of faith, Linda Strom-Medvitz and her husband sold their 18-year-old business, started the Sacred Order Sanctuary (SOS) and purchased 40 acres of land for the purpose of starting a youth camp. Camp Cloud Walk is dedicated to promoting respect for nature and the environment through education, by drawing from the combined wisdom of several native traditions.

Nestled on the northern side of El Cajon Mountain overlooking the lush Barona Valley, Camp Cloud Walk provides a unique opportunity for children ages 8 to 16. It provides a retreat where they can connect with nature, explore the secrets of the local countryside, and come to better understand their connection with the earth, their place in the world, and their responsibilities to both.

Linda asked for and was granted $700 from Bread for the Journey of San Diego. Of this, $500 paid for their 501(c)3 status, and the remaining $200 paid the rental fee for the Oak Tree Ballroom, where they held a fundraiser on June 8th. Later in June, the camp hosted their first group of kids. Check out the photos! Also check out SOS's website at www.sacredordersanctuary.org

Donovan Prison Meditation Project

Donovan Prison has over 5,000 inmates, many of whom have strong meditation practices. One man studies the Pali language so he can read Buddhist texts in their original form. There are many more who are interested in learning meditation to help them better cope with the suffering inherent within the confines of their environment. However, unlike the prison's Christian, Jewish and Muslim populations who receive significant material support, these men have only a small plaster Buddha, a few woolen blankets (that they use for sitting on the concrete floor), and six zafus (meditation cushions). Their Sangha (meditation group) consists of 12 to 24 regular attendees with about 20 to 30 more who are interested in joining.

Rick Avery asked Bread for the Journey of San Diego for a grant to purchase a few more woolen blankets, some incense and some wood for making sitting benches in the prison's wood shop. Finally, they needed to pay for the monk's gas so he could travel to and from the prison. Rick said they only needed about $25 per month in total.

Bread for the Journey of San Diego gave them a grant of $300 to cover their expenses for about one year. They hope to eventually conduct long retreats within the prison walls and build a strong Sangha with a presence in all four sections of the prison; currently they are in only one. On receiving the check, Rick said, "On behalf of Dale Laney, Reverend Kshanti, Sensei Seisen and myself, thank you for honoring these men's practice and their wish to be free from suffering. We send you boundless metta (loving kindness) and the wish that your own practice will grow and develop, moment by moment, day by day."

At Bread for the Journey of San Diego, we feel that the calmness and equanimity that can be developed through meditation will benefit not only the practitioners, but the general atmosphere within the prison as well.

Project 10 for 10 takes ten at-risk youth who are currently in a juvenile or rehab center and - by matching them with ten dogs and teaching them to train the dogs in basic obedience - provides them with useful skills and a sense of worth and purpose. Patrice Hutchins, the founder of Ispeak Foundation, asked Bread for the Journey of San Diego for a grant to help purchase a transportation vehicle. She also needed funds for their graduation, or "acknowledgment ceremony," which takes place at the end of the program. The graduation dinner honors the teens and their assigned dogs, and each kid receives a "Jacket of Pride" with their name embroidered on it. Bread for the Journey of San Diego gave this project a grant of $1000.

Isabella Rochon has a dream. Her dream is to see gardens spring up throughout San Diego in ways that will help bridge social, economic, cultural and environmental gaps among various neighborhoods and, in the process, help to build a stronger overall community.

This is a seedling project, still in its early stages. Isabella has created flyers, in Spanish and English, and has contacted San Diego's senators and city council members about finding land for the gardens. Among a small group of volunteers is one person who will teach gardening and composting, as well as another whose expertise is in biodynamic gardening. Among Isabella's intentions is to see at least one garden (in a high-income area) assist another garden (in a less advantaged area) with hands-on support, both physically and financially. Bread for the Journey of San Diego gave Isabella a grant of $1000. We will keep you posted on her progress.

Bread for the Journey of San Diego gave its first grant to Deborah Finch of the San Diego Association of Black Social Workers. They are a volunteer organization that has been tutoring students at Baker Elementary in Logan Heights, one of the lowest performing schools in San Diego, for four years. It is K-6 with about 600 students, and is Montessori based (though still public). Many of the children are being raised by their grandparents, and many families are undocumented aliens. The Saturday tutoring program takes place 2 or 3 times a month, and 19 to 30 kids show up. They usually only have 3 adult tutors (no more)! They asked for the grant so that they can pay a small stipend to high school students to help tutor the children. There are 3 high schools in the area from which they can recruit.

I met with Deborah and had tea for our final discussion. She is such an authentic, wonderful person, a grandmother and long-time social worker. When I told her Bread for the Journey of San Diego was going to give San Diego Association of Black Social Workers a grant of $700 she got so excited! She said if she knew me better she would give me a kiss. This is the first grant they have ever received. In the spirit of simplicity and fun, I then pulled out our checkbook and wrote her a check. She was dancing on the way out of the coffee shop! It was one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done. Check out the photos!

Graceful Passages - Care for the Journey

Our second grant went to Michael Stillwater and his project "Care for the Journey," a hospice gifting program. Michael is a talented singer, songwriter, and producer who has created a CD called Graceful Passages, a Companion for Living and Dying. It is a heart-opening journey of soothing music and words of inspiration by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Thich Nhat Hanh, Arun Ghandhi, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and others. Michael gives the CD away to hospices and hospitals for patients to ease the transition at the end of life. With our $300 grant, Michael can distribute his CD at hospices and hospitals in the San Diego area. For more information and to hear a sample of his CD, please see www.gracefulpassages.com/grace.htm.

Rock Art Recording Really Rocks

Several years ago, Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe provided sponsorship to a valuable new community group called Los Vecinos del Rio, whose purpose is to work on local environmental issues in the Española Valley. Los Vecinos del Rio has since developed the Petroglyph Project, which is committed to recording and protecting nearly 20,000 petroglyphs and archeological sites on the 36-square-mile area of Black Mesa. This summer, the project will provide an opportunity for a dozen Native American, Hispanic and Anglo youth to work with adult volunteers in the Rock Art Recording Summer Youth Intern Program.

Trained archeologists and other experienced rock art recorders will teach the interns about digital photography, drawing, measuring, data recording and mapping. The interns will also learn to use compasses and Global Positioning System units, while they learn data management using relevant computer programs. To increase community awareness and protect these precious resources, the results will be archived and shared with the San Juan Pueblo, individual landowners, and the New Mexico Archeological Records Management System. Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe was happy to contribute $1000 to help cover transportation, meals and a small stipend for the interns while they participated in the two-week program.

Living Treasures Tell All in Chimayo

Several years ago, the Chimayo Boys and Girls Club was created to give young people some fun and safe activities to do in this isolated mountain valley. From the time he became involved in helping the club form and thrive, Bob Jones has been an enthusiastic supporter. This group has worked tirelessly to build a new 2,500-square-foot youth center that will house the club's activities. This summer, Bob asked Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe to provide funding for a summer youth program dedicated to recording the life stories of the older residents in the area who have so much wisdom to share. Using recording equipment, a digital camera and printer, the youngsters will pick up some valuable skills and perhaps a few life lessons by participating in this delightful project, which will continue for years to come. Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe's grant of $3,000 will also help provide additional supplies for the club's weaving program, which began with the donation of a portable building and several looms.

Seeds of Knowledge Sown in Cyberspace

Four years ago, the North American College of Botanical Medicine was facing a crisis as its founding directors were all called to pursue other professional directions. The only university program in the country to offer a bachelor's degree in this fast-growing field was saved by the devotion of its professors. Forgoing salaries for more than a year in some cases, the faculty members pulled together to ensure the continuation of the program, which offers a walk-in clinic to the community of Albuquerque along with a full course of study for students who come here from all over the country.

When Dr. Curtis Jones contacted us, he was seeking funding to develop a distance-learning website for their Continuing Education program. With a $2,500 grant from Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe, their web designer will put together a fully accredited program, which includes classes for pharmacists and nurses. This will extend the availability of the coursework while providing additional revenue for the college, whose budget is not met by tuition alone. More than 1,500 pharmacists in New Mexico will be contacted directly so they can benefit from the new online program.

Tierra Lucero and Taos Pueblo Team Up

Victoria Linden and Bob Pederson of Tierra Lucero founded the Home Garden Project last year with the help of Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe. They have also continued their own valuable work in sustainable agriculture at the Tierra Lucero Center in Taos. Last summer Taos Pueblos dedicated over three acres of tribal land to an exciting new project devoted to teaching and demonstrating sustainable agriculture. In April, the Pueblo inaugurated a new, sustainably built facility - a gift from a generous donor - which they named the Red Willow Agricultural Education Center. Since then, Victoria and Bob have been volunteering their time to help representatives from the Pueblo realize their dream.

The Red Willow project includes multiple greenhouses and extensive crop production, reforestation, food-scaping, water catchment, modern and traditional irrigation, as well as an extensive sustainable-agriculture education program. This year, in a first step toward offering fully accredited college courses to area youth, Bob and Vicky will lead an eight-week class at the University of New Mexico. With a $3,000 grant from Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe, the class will give 15 Taos Pueblo youth a chance to start the greenhouse, plant the first agricultural crops, and construct a micro-irrigation system.

A Healing Touch

Bring Your Own Baby could be the slogan for Sivan Wind's new infant-massage program offered to families in the Santa Fe area. She has practiced for 20 years in the healthcare field as a registered nurse, licensed massage therapist and, more recently, as a certified instructor of infant massage. During this time, Sivan has worked extensively with infants and new families, helping parents to better understand their baby's cues, establish successful breastfeeding, and learn gentle, loving ways to touch, hold and heal their young.

Sivan provides her students with printed materials and a starter bottle of good massage oil, along with her warm, informative teaching style. She is committed to helping families recognize their strengths and successes so they can build upon them. She also encourages and empowers uncertain new parents who are often struggling with their own painful childhood legacies, causing them to feel fearful about how to touch their own new children.

Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe provided $3,000 for partial scholarships so that Sivan can offer her five-week class series to families who could not otherwise afford them. Families will be referred to her by practitioners from local agencies, and are encouraged to contribute what they can to pay for the classes, no matter how small the amount.

Mending a Zendo

When Yvonne Bond of Las Vegas found that health problems were keeping her home, she was saddened to lose contact with her Zen meditation group that met regularly in Santa Fe. Motivated by her inability to travel so far for her spiritual practice, Yvonne saw the need for people in her community to have a gathering place for meditation, retreats, and meetings. Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe gave Yvonne $1,500 to repair the leaks and the heating in her old garage and tune it into a 'zendo' for her whole community. In the summers, her backyard garden provides a fragrant complement to the still and nurturing space where meditations, talks and retreats are now held regularly.

Let the Games Begin

So many of the families in the Espanola area have found their way from Mexico to New Mexico driven by the hope for more opportunities for their children. These students are among the many who dream of playing soccer and other team sports but lack the $25.00 required to pay for their sports physical exams. Our hearts were moved when we heard from Monica Smith, the nurse at Espanola High School, about the disappointment so many felt in face of this insurmountable financial challenge. We were happy to propose that if the kids were each willing to pay something, no matter how little, Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe would dedicate a fund of $500 to make up the difference for every one who needed it. This has happened and now the kids are playing ball!

Joy On A String

Dona Adelina is a frisky, folksy old grandmother marionette invented by Christina Masoliver who travels from schools to meeting houses telling the tales of her life, her village and her family. While her audiences smile with delight, one moment she delivers pearls of wisdom about the joys and sorrows we often find in our family relationships, and the next moment she paints a feisty portrait of life along the traditional ditch banks of a mythic but typical northern New Mexico village. When Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe heard from Los Titiriteros Puppet Theater of Taos, they were close to giving up because they had so little money that they could no longer travel from school to school. Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe was delighted to offer them $500 so that children throughout northern New Mexico could continue to meet Dona Adelina and see themselves through her wise and loving eyes. The letters she has received from her young audiences are penned in a childish hand, but there is no doubt about what they say: thank you for coming to our school, we will always remember you.

Fairview Pharmacy Program Faring Well

Each year Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe provide about $800 to Fairview Pharmacy to cover the cost of prescriptions the Española High School nurses see are needed by students, but which the students cannot afford. It is a gentle collaborative venture that serves a large number of families quietly and without any bureaucracy. Children and teenagers have filled prescriptions ranging from antibiotics to eyeglasses.

Out of the Closet

In the town of Velarde, New Mexico, a quiet little elementary school changed an old dark closet into a vibrant new work space. Roger Montoya, an artist and long-time resident of Velarde, wanted to see Velarde Elementary become the first "school for the arts" in northern New Mexico. With donated supplies, Roger and the students transformed the closet into an art/resource center. As many as 150 students will reap the benefits of this effort, and a $750 matching donation from Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe will enable them to have a year of art supplies at their finger tips!

Reading is Fundamental

Bursting at the seams with books and services, the Embudo Valley
Library needed more space. Embudo residents saw the need, and so became inspired to buy an old store and build a new, larger library. The community effort was met with a gracious donation of $1000 by Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe to purchase books and supplies for their summer reading program. Embudo may be a small town, but the library serves up to 10,000 area residents, which includes a significant gathering of children every summer.

Joining the Bandwagon

The students at Penasco High felt disconnected from their community, as is often the case in small villages. The school's music teacher, Brock Salazar, saw a way to link community and youth by starting a community mariachi band! Brock knew he could bridge the generation gap by embracing a no-age limit for the band. Sharing their talents while having loads of fun together is the recipe for success. Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe joined the bandwagon with a $500 donation for the purchase of instruments.

Barking up the Right Tree!

Assistance Dogs of the Southwest is a group of dedicated people who train dogs to help people with disabilities. While the fee to purchase a dog is minimal, sometimes a client is unable to pay. Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe was asked to help out in these situations. The Board of Directors wholeheartedly agreed to step in by finding donors who would purchase the dogs for these clients.

Vegetables and Poetry Make for a Happy Farmers' Market

The Espanola Farmers' Market in northern New Mexico is a small community-based market that sells quality foods and handmade products. Sabra Moore, the executive director, had come up with an inventive way of nurturing the spirit of
the market through her natural love for writing. She initiated a poetry contest, and the farmers with children from Abiquiu, Hernandez and Chimayo elementary schools responded with enthusiastic participation. Sabra published their poems in "A Farming Chapbook." Each participant received a copy of the book at a year-end celebration. The program encouraged literacy and community involvement, yet Sabra's funding for the chapbook had been cut this past year. This is when Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe stepped in to help. We gladly awarded the Farmers' Market with a grant of $1000 to publish 250 chapbooks for the participants and for distribution to local libraries.

Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe has made annual contributions to Fairview Pharmacy to help cover prescription costs for students at Espanola Valley High School. The high school nurses recommend the students who are in need of prescriptions, ranging from antibiotics to eyeglasses. This year, we gave the pharmacy a grant of $800.

For two years, Le Adams worked for the nonprofit, Friends of the Farmers' Market, developing their "Farm-to-School" program. Upon asking school-age children if they knew where milk came from, the most common answer was
"from the grocery store." She visited 30 public schools to educate students about the importance of agriculture and was often surprised to find how little they knew about basic farming. She decided to develop a workbook that teaches about farming principles as a supplement to the standard curriculum of math, geography and other core subjects. Le was in need of financial assistance for the printing costs, so Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe granted the project $2000 to get it off the press and into the schools.

Rainbow Stars, a support group for gay/lesbian/bisexual teens at Espanola Valley High School, needed some money to get a jump-start on their own fundraising efforts. They requested help to pay for a deposit on a booth where they could hold bake sales. The money they raised would be used for Outward Bound activities and a year-end dance. Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe gave them $500 so they could begin to bake!

Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe proudly sponsored Kent Patterson with $395 for a public radio series about U.S./Mexico border colonias. His series was broadcast in September 2002, during Hispanic Heritage Month. This Spanish-English program focuses on U.S./Mexico border cities that are overcoming tremendous odds as they organize and build the new communities of the Southwest.

Organic gardening has been Victoria Linden's business for a number of years. So it was natural for her to extend her passion for gardening into Tierra Lucero, a nonprofit that provides free organic gardens to the disabled, aged and financially stressed populations of northern New Mexico. Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe wholeheartedly donated $2000 towards their start-up costs.

Tierra Lucero promotes sustainable living systems through education and community service. They both install and work side by side with their targeted population, helping them to harvest the rewards of planting, growing and consuming their own food.

Tomas Enos is an herbalist who has lived in Santa Fe for 25 years, selling his wares at the Santa Fe Farmers' Market. He began donating his time and experience to the Randall Davey Audubon Center by growing and teaching about native herbs. It became clear that a greenhouse would serve the center by enabling the growth of seedlings that would otherwise not stand a chance in the desert climate. He designed a greenhouse and approached Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe with his dream of building it for the center. We could not think of a better project for honoring Cornelia Hull, our 97-year-old board member who just passed away on December 20, 2001. We provided $2,500 for the supplies, soil and seeds and a name for the greenhouse as well - Cornelia's Greenhouse.
(5/02)

Carol Guzman contacted Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe regarding the seed funding for a collaborative cultural exchange program with the Guarani Tribes of the State of Rio de Janeiro. The Poeh Center is acting as role model for preservation and initiating teaching of the almost lost culture. The focus will be recording the history and culture of the Guarani people that have been afflicted with deforestation, modern living, and lack of cultural teaching. There is a similarity between the art and pottery of Guarani and the art of the Tewa -speaking Pueblos that makes this grant an exciting exchange of history. The hope is to give the Guarani sustainable community development through the implementation of the successes of the Poeh Center. A grant of $3,000 went towards the development and template of the project. The grant is an exchange between the staff of the Poeh Center and the Guarani Tribe and therefore was split between a local and an international organization.

Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe was able to make an individual donation of $435.00 to St. Elizabeth's Shelter for a single mom with a baby who had been out of work for 2 weeks. After only 2 weeks she was being evicted from their apartment. Through this grant and the support of St. Elizabeth's, Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe was able to support a young mother as she strives to make a promising and healthy future for herself and her child.

The Dream Tree Project in Taos, New Mexico was started by a group of women concerned about the lack of transitional care opportunities for young adults. All of them were service providers in youth shelters and through a series of meetings realized that many local shelters were well equipped to work with teenagers, but had to let these youth go as they reached age 18. The women wanted to provide a home that would help transition these young adults from shelters or the streets to a nurturing supportive environment where they could gain the life and job skills they needed to build a healthy and positive future for themselves and their communities. Thus the Dream Tree Project was born, with a commitment to "promote the healing of spirit, mind and body in children, so as to build a healthy community where we are all able to envision and pursue our dreams." The project was well underway with funding and construction of their transitional living facility when a funding gap left them without major appliances to receive a very necessary HUD government grant. Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe donated $2500 towards a stove, refrigerator and a dining room set for twelve. This gift directly carved the way for them to open their doors, not only to the HUD grant, but to the young adults waiting to access their services. The project now offers a safe home for youths 16 to 21 with a dedicated staff of three women who provide healing and real world experience for independent living and securing employment. In addition to mentoring and counseling programs, the project also has a lively organic gardening program, an arts program, and a wilderness leadership and therapy program underway. Together, community members with gifts and talents to share, are joining with motivated youth to create an orchard of dreams. Dream Tree photos.

The Whitney Project, a school based pen pal program dedicated to HIV/AIDS awareness, was born under Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe's fiscal sponsorship years ago. Now part of Santa Fe Cares, The Whitney Project has developed a new program called Partners in Prevention that calls for people with AIDS to make classroom visits, spending two to four hours each visit to talk about sexuality and related issues. Three thousand dollars from us made it possible for Partners in Prevention to respond to requests from schools in Espanola, Pojoaque, Pecos, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miquel and Taos counties.

La Jicarita is a newsletter printed and distributed in northern NM that links together Penasco, Truchas, Cordova, and other small surrounding communities. By providing accurate news, notices of meetings, and a forum for the lively discussion of common issues, it fosters greater community understanding and reduces isolation. Faced with a funding gap, Kay Matthews and Mark Schiller did not have the funds to produce the newsletter until a grant from the McCune Foundation came through months later. Our quick intervention and gift of $1,200 helped bridge that gap and keep the newsletter going.

Each year Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe looks beyond New Mexico and seeks to meet one of the many pressing needs in our global community. This year we provided $2,000 for Barbara Mueller to help establish a sewing school in Ghana. Barbara raised $8,000 from individual donations, so along with our funds she was able to ensure that the school was established, that the students had the necessary equipment and that the teachers were paid. Already the school is well on its way to being self sufficient by making and selling uniforms that are required by nearby employers.

We were delighted to hear from Fred Rivera at the Espanola Senior Center when he asked Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe to support the growth of a theater program there. Inspired to tell stories of their families and their communities, a lively group of Espanola seniors wanted to learn some performance skills, develop a theatrical ensemble and perform their stories for the community. Two thousand dollars from us went a long way toward the purchase of all the equipment needed for community productions now and in the future.

Judy Goldberg, working with innovative teachers in the Penasco schools, provided the leadership for a group of seventh graders to interview and record the oral histories of older people in the community. We provided $1500 for the purchase of recording and editing equipment, which will remain with the project for future years.

Somos is an organization that has a mentoring program with a purpose. Over a period of five months, Somos assisted 75 high school age children in writing articles for a publication called Choke Cherries. There were 35 mentors and 5 support organizers involved, working under the tireless direction of the small group of writers and Dori Vinella. BFJ's grant of $3,500 made it possible for them to publish their anthology of poetry composed by mentors and students in the project.

Ready to buy its own land and expand its program, the Taos Therapeutic Riding Program is dedicated to enhancing the lives of Taos area handicapped children through the experience of caring for horses and riding horseback. BFJ's assistance at this time made it possible for them to pursue an agreement with the Taos schools to provide a program for their special education students. We provided $1500 for the construction of a ramp, training of the horses to use the ramp, and membership in a national association which will give them access to insurance and other benefits.

Many children in Santa Fe come to school with few problem-solving skills and some with extremely limited vocabulary. BFJ provided $400 for the purchase of "I Can Problem Solve" books for the kindergarten teachers and counseling interns to use as a curriculum for two kindergarten classes in the Nava and Larragoite schools. This program allows counselors and teachers to assess the language level of the students and to provide age-appropriate activities which teach the basic vocabulary of alternative methods to deal with problems

There are many students in Taos who are involved in theater in the schools and would like to develop their skills in a professional setting with adults. We provided $2000 to Gina Martenson to produce one act plays with teenagers and adults as equals in the production. Under her skillful leadership, adult actors and actresses in the Taos area who are willing to work side by side with these committed teens can now participate in joint productions.

When we met with Eileen Lujan of Taos Pueblo we were impressed by her vision and the depth of her commitment to helping the parents and children she encounters every day in the Taos Day school. We provided $2700 so she could develop a parenting skills curriculum to be used in conjunction with the life skills class she already has underway. Eileen works with parent advisors to adapt the program specifically for use with Native American populations-both the students and the parents.

Determined to start a mentoring program for Native American students in their first year of college, Tino Juarez contacted us for assistance when he encountered a gap in his funding. Out of money, and waiting for his grants to come through, Tino needed to cover the phone, postage and printing costs necessary for submitting additional proposals and maintaining contact with mentors and students. With a speedy $1,000 grant from us, the fall 2000 school year found twenty Native American students ready to begin college with the heartfelt support of nearby mentors who have faced similar circumstances. With the education and support provided by The Mentoring Group to college personnel, mentors and students, Tino Juarez intends to make it easier for Native American youth to succeed once they begin attending colleges and universities throughout the country.

Each year BFJ of Santa Fe provides about $800 to Fairview Pharmacy to cover the cost of prescriptions the Espa�ola High School nurses see are needed by students, but which the students cannot afford. It is a gentle collaborative venture that serves a large number of families. Prescriptions range from antibiotics to eye glasses.

For many years now BFJ of Santa Fe has also worked with St. Elizabeth's Shelter because the costs of security and utility deposits often make it almost impossible for people to move out of the shelter, even though they can afford monthly rent. We set aside a small fund each year to fill this gap for individuals who have been identified by the shelter director as able to keep a home, if only they could get one.

Other opportunities come from a reputable network of school counselors, individual care givers, and service organizations who are invited to contact Bread for the Journey if they see a situation where a small amount of assistance from us could make a lasting difference. This year, we helped a single mother with rent after her partner moved out and emptied their bank account, we assisted another woman struggling with massive medical bills to keep her apartment, and we made it possible for a single mom who cleans houses to keep her apartment while she recovered from gall bladder surgery and could not work.

Our Umbrella Helps New Projects Grow: Meeting the Need for Fiscal Sponsorship

As we work with northern New Mexico communities in need, we are now asked to provide fiscal sponsorship nearly as often as we are asked to provide seed money. For many well-intentioned groups working to improve conditions in their communities, it is not a simple grant that will help them get started. In fact, they often require no funding whatsoever from us. To become viable they need regular infusions of moral support and practical assistance, as well as a fiscal umbrella in order to receive donations from foundations, state and federal agencies and other charitable donors. Most programs we support this way operate under our umbrella during the time it takes to acquire their own nonprofit status, or find a permanent home under the wing of an appropriate service agency. In 1992 the cumulative budget of the projects we sponsored was about $300,000. This year that number is $700,000.

Furnishing the high level of attention required to help catalyze these valuable community service projects is a big task for our small organization. We have now reached our capacity for providing this incalculable support. We are participating in a dialogue with the non-profit community to address the pressing need for fiscal sponsorship. We hope that this conversation will help create additional opportunities for fledgling projects. We will go on serving our current umbrella projects with as little cost as possible, continuing to respond simply and directly to the needs of northern New Mexico as they are revealed to us through the requests we receive.

This collaborative has provided the opportunity for artists and craftspeople in the northern towns of Truchas, Las Trampas, Ojo Sarco, Chamisal, Vadito, Placita, Cordova, Chimayo, and Picuris Pueblo to display their art work, often for the first time, meet each other and introduce people from all over to their communities and their art. We have provided initial financial support and a fiscal umbrella for the Artisan collaborative.

For the last three years under our fiscal sponsorship Jewel Cabeza de Vaca and Corazones Unidas have provided a summer camp for children infected/affected by HIV/AIDS. This camp has offered children and their families the opportunity to interact with each other and to develop a better understanding of the effects of the disease in their lives while learning to find support for themselves. For many families this is their first-ever family vacation and the first opportunity to develop friendships with others who are facing similar struggles.

Joe Day and Manuel Machuca, operating under our fiscal sponsorship, have created a documentary film exploring the drug crisis in northern New Mexico. They are recording a human story which they tell in the words of the people of northern New Mexico through their eyes and lives. The documentary, called Rio Arriba: Tragedy and Hope, will air Tuesday, November 28th on Channel 5 at 8:00pm.

Under our fiscal sponsorship, David Lescht and OutsideIn have brought art and entertainment to institutionalized or incarcerated individuals through over 250 performances during the year - an average of 26 per month. Besides providing regularly scheduled performances for the frail and elderly, people with psychiatric and physical disabilities, the developmentally impaired, the homeless, those in drug rehabilitation programs and inmates of correctional facilities, they have also developed a continuing educational, creative arts programs for youth at-risk. OutsideIn has received a three year grant from the Andrea Frank Foundation and has been recognized for outstanding contributions to the community by many local organizations.

The Rebekahs, under our fiscal sponsorship, have launched an ambitious endeavor to provide a music education continuum in four schools on the south side of Santa Fe. They provide musical instruments, instrument maintenance, sheet music and choral music programs. Students who would otherwise not have access to musical training are now participating, developing skills, and performing for their proud families.

After more than a year of working under our umbrella, Vecinos del Rio Arriba has now obtained their own non-profit 501-C-3 status. While their original efforts were focused largely on legal battles with gravel mining operations and destruction of the landscape in close proximity to schools and homes, they have now branched out to preserve old buildings and the culture of the area as well as the environment.

Rhythms of Journey High

Many teenagers are in special high schools because life circumstances have been difficult for them. Although they may be receiving extra help to try to meet their many needs, they are often still marginalized within the community. This makes it especially important for them to make contributions to the community that will bring them recognition for their talents and abilities.

In Sebastopol, a group of teens at Journey High are participating in an exciting new program. Kim Atkinson, a well-known and highly skilled Latin/African percussionist, is working with Leah Weiss, a dance teacher at the school, to bring the gift of sound and movement to the teens there. As they practice, they're developing multiple skills, such as concentration, cooperation, focus and rhythm. Their aim is to form a touring group of performing students, thereby ensuring positive recognition by the community. Kim needed help with instruments, and a $500 seed grant from Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol is helping him toward his goal of a full program. Bread for the Journey is looking forward to the teens' participation in the local Spring Apple Blossom Parade!

Computer Skills for a Better World

One day, as Sara (Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol board member) was returning from work, a neighbor approached her. "I know a guy...," the story began. Within a few days, board members, the neighbor and "the guy," Juan Ugarte, were all sitting together around Sara's kitchen table. Juan explained that in Santa Rosa, at Cook Junior High, 80% of the students couldn't afford computers, placing them way behind on the advantage curve.

Juan collects donated computers, then teaches kids to install the components that make them work, including motherboards, power supplies and operating systems. When a student demonstrates competency to Juan's satisfaction, he/she gets to take the computer home! The next step is to reconstruct yet another computer to donate elsewhere, thereby completing the cycle of giving and receiving.

Juan teamed up with Kwame Poku, a teacher and founder of Rehoboth Systems, a school in Tema, Ghana. Juan's students rebuilt 200 computers to be shipped to Ghana. Expenses were mounting rapidly, and he needed some community support to compensate him for the overwhelming amount of personal time and money he was investing in this project. To the delight of all, Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol wrote Juan a check for $1500. This funding will help Juan to take the necessary steps in moving ahead with this generous and much-needed work.

Micro-enterprise for Education

The drought was severe in Masai territory this past year and there was no money for the girls' schooling in the village of Loordiak, Kenya. Josh Haner, a young man known to Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol, had spent time in Loordiak. Through Josh, $400 in seed grant money from Bread for the Journey was donated to assist in the girls' schooling effort. Initially, their mothers - who are master bead makers - were going to use the money to purchase beads for bracelets and necklaces that they could then sell. This would meet the school fees as well as establish an ongoing way to make money. However, once twelve women met with the principal and chief to discuss how to manage the grant, they decided to switch from buying beads to raising cows! They felt this would earn more money and that more girls would benefit from this as on ongoing project! This Bread for the Journey seed grant is a shining example of how micro-enterprise opportunities, paired with the efforts of committed, resourceful women, can enhance the well-being and spirit of a community. (photos will be posted soon!)

Marjorie Wallace, an irrepressible "senior citizen" gardening activist, is truly the Sebastopol Community Garden's own "Garden Goddess." Marjorie grows a wide variety of vegetables with her green thumb, many of which she gives away to the Sebastopol Senior Center. She also gives seeds, starts and vegetables to the elderly or disabled who live on small fixed incomes in Laguna Park, a mobile home park where she has lived for over 30 years. Marjorie was in need of a garden cart large enough to haul bales of hay. With a generous discount from Sebastopol Hardware and a $165 grant from Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol, Marjorie was able to purchase this important tool.

Gus Guzzi and Philomena Ryan have a passion for homeless people and their stories. They also have a passion for professional video and filming. Bringing these loves together, they are joining forces with Sonoma County Peace and Justice Center and the Community Media Center of Sonoma County to produce a series about the homeless for independent television as well as for training programs for groups throughout the area.

What touched us so much about Gus and Philomena was that, to gather the depth of real stories, they must enter into the world of the homeless themselves. Most people would stand at the periphery and look into this world, unwilling to go there themselves. To this end, they live on practically nothing and do not allow themselves the security of a home or car.

BFJ purchased a professional quality video camera for them to use in gathering their tender and heartfelt stories throughout Sonoma and other counties. Gus is a former Franciscan Brother, and Philomena comes from a background of non-profit work. We will keep you posted on these two!

Lifeschool

Lifeschool is a new and energetic non-profit designed to empower youth
with a variety of life skills learned through outdoor adventures. Skills like problem solving, teamwork, accountability, conflict resolution, and personal leadership are taught through direct experience in wilderness situations, with follow-up back at home. What makes this program different is that Jim Neville and Padraic Rohan are committed to keeping a high percentage of their enrollees on scholarship positions or reduced rates. Also, they outfit the children right down to boots, warm clothes, packs, etc.! Often, the cost of buying outdoor equipment is prohibitive for low income or single parent households, so children don't get to go. BFJ gave Jim the money to buy quality rain parkas that fit over backpacks for 20 children. They were put into use immediately, on the very next trip. Jim is a dynamic person who loves to see kids thrive, and we feel he will go a long way in bringing his vision alive in many kids' lives to come! For more info. see www.life-school.org

Graton Community Services Project

We met with Marta Williams and Merrilyn Joyce and were set on fire by their passion and tireless work (for years) on behalf of their vision of Graton as a sustainable community with affordable, ecological wastewater solutions. They represent a group who have been working hard to own and operate their own sewer, separate from the expensive and high tech upgrades the County wants to implement that they feel neither matches Graton's pocketbook or needs. Their vision, supported by years of study, conserves open space, achieves zero discharge into surface waters, and enhances in-stream wildlife habitat. It also incorporates a wide-ranging social vision that includes the needs of our migrant workers in the area. But that is just the beginning!

BFJ provided the money needed to file for their non-profit status as a group, so they can avail themselves of more funding and support. Their soon-to-be-Board has 7 members. You will definitely be hearing more about this dynamic Graton group!

In January 2001, Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol's first annual international project was "seeded". This project brings neighborhood philanthropy to a larger neighborhood! Rocio Alarcon, a passionate Ecuadorian ethnobotanist met Sara Harris on her trip to Ecuador last October, and told Sara one of her dreams. Fifteen women from four indigenous groups will be housed and fed at an Amazon field station for 5 days while they learn more skills in weaving techniques with plant fibers. They will have a special teacher for this, and with a $1000 grant from Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol, plus $800 from another source, "Weavers of the Forest" will come to pass.
Working to improve both personal connections and economic viability of indigenous women, this is a valuable contribution to an area that is currently over-run with oil development.

At the end of January 2001, Jessalyn Nash told Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol about "Restorative Resources,' a new non-profit she began recently with Janet Hughes. Restorative Resources promotes an exciting and successful approach to youth crime called "Family Group Conferencing." In early April, a group of New Zealand teenagers (the home country of this approach) conducted conflict resolution workshops to teach local Sebastopol teens skills to use within their own schools. A Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol seed grant of $1000 helped to support this amazing endeavor, as well as helped to provide local transportation and special event costs for the New Zealanders. This is an innovative way to connect cross cultural relations and teen communities.

In March 2001, Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol was delighted to be introduced to the "Harvest for the Hungry" Garden, a 3/4-acre gem on land donated behind a Santa Rosa church. Under the guidance of Lyn Howe and Geoff Rauch, the Harvest Garden produces an average of 240 pounds of organically grown produce each week, 7 months a year, that supports the food programs at 3 area groups that feed homeless or low- income people. With a $1000 from Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol, "Harvest for the Hungry" will be able to upgrade their watering system to make their garden
even more efficient and productive.

Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol has had the opportunity to meet Jill Lowry, a member of Martia Nelson's free "Painting Group for Women Dealing with Cancer." The group, who has been using the creativity of painting in their healing, had an exhibit of their work at Millennium Arts Gallery in Sebastopol from June through July. The show is called "Dancing with the Phoenix." The artists highlighted issues of education, and used their art as a way to reach out to others in the community who are in need of this avenue of healing. $500 from Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol was used to contribute to outreach and art materials for this event.

Most recently, $1300 from Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol was used to purchase a professional level video camera for Philomena Ryan and Gus Guzzi for their project "Railroaded: Tales of the Homeless." They will be making 28 half-hour video pieces telling the stories of those we often tend to see as "other". These videos will not only be released through Public Access Television in Sebastopol and in several other cities, but also will be used locally throughout the Santa Rosa Peace and Justice Center, and in groups throughout the community. The stories aim to educate, and hopefully, affect public perception and policy for homeless people. Gus and Philomena have a deep passion for the homeless community; they have many friends within this community because they live very marginally themselves, and therefore can inspire confidence and trust. Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol has been offered a set of the videos, which can be used by our chapter as well as other Bread for the Journey Chapters who face similar issues in their communities.

Christina Woodworth is a young woman who is the head intake coordinator at Face-To-Face, an agency devoted to providing services to people with HIV and AIDS. Christina began noticing that mostly men were accessing these services, and that many women with these illnesses were not showing up to find out about, or make use of care they were entitled to. Christina had an idea that if the women could be approached more personally, and invited in to talk, Face-To-Face could find out more about what these women really needed. She came up with an idea to create an event and warmly invite the women in to talk. She found a beautiful, homey room at another location to remove the meeting from the familiar "agency" setting. She found a woman who would cater the event at a reduced price. She got stores to donate small gifts, and also got flowers and free childcare donated. She wanted the event to be intimate and beautiful, as well as useful. Christina pictured this as an on-going event to be held a few times a year so that women would slowly get the word, and begin to come forward more with their needs. With $800 from Bread for the Journey, Christina was able to cover all of her expenses, and also hold another Positive Women's Gathering 4 months later. Seeds have been planted, doors to improved care for women have been opened, and new dialogues have begun!

Gabriella Randazzo believes that compassion can be cultivated through the arts, and her Children's Theatre productions are dedicated to helping children in need. Not only do the children involved in productions receive a great deal personally, but also their benefit performances and relationship building with others cultivate openness and healing with the larger community. With a $ 500 grant from Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol, Gabriella has teamed up a few local artists with kids from the Full Circle Group Home to provide opportunities for expression and creativity for those who often miss out.

S.P.E.A.K. is trying to cut the generation gap using poetry and music. Christine Svane feels that part of their mission is to help young poets develop a sense of belonging and feel secure in the beauty they express, including the form of hiphop music as poetry. She feels all age groups can communicate through poetry. The group is having Open Mikes on the Plaza and has a dream of a Poetry Caf�. Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol gave a small assist of $200 on their first community event so more people could find out about the life-affirming work they do.

Marie DeSantis, through her organization the Justice Center, has helped over 200 women and children break free of domestic violence without having to move out of their homes. Displacement of women and children adds to the chaos they experience when a family is breaking up because of violence. Although Marie had helped so many women, she knew there were more. Because all of Marie's materials were written in English, Spanish speaking women were falling through the cracks. She could get a translator, but printing everything in two languages was cost prohibitive. She needed an economical solution. Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol gave Marie $1200 to hire a professional translator and a website consultant to create a bilingual library of materials relevant to violence against women and children. The topics range from tips for testifying, rape prevention and new legislation, as well as practical advice for families, friends, and neighbors. When completed, this material will be available to print from a website through the county to families, teachers, health care workers, clerics, and many others.

Because of a workshop he took in the summer of 2000, Zeno Swijtink and his partner Gillian Parker became aware of a serious problem with one of the major watersheds that runs through Sebastopol. After many years of heavy agricultural use, with its by-products of pesticides and severe erosion, as well as heavy development, the health of this watershed has been rapidly in decline. There has been a loss of many species, increased flooding that has especially effected lower income folks, and a general degradation of the quality of life. There are many areas along this watershed where migrant workers for the local vineyards have begun to make encampments to live. The workers are exposed to unhealthy water and living conditions and their presence negatively impacts the quality of the watershed. By bringing attention at last, in a focused, detailed way to all of the issues of the watershed, this group is doing a great service not only environmentally, but also to the social issues that are entwined in the environmental problems. In a very short time, they had gathered together a group of 8 concerned citizens and began meeting to creating a vision which had two aspects: to reach out and educate people about being stewards of the very watershed they lived within, and to implement management plans for restoration of the watershed. They discovered that there is state money available for the necessary assessment needed to determine a management plan, but to avail themselves of this money, grants needed to be written. However, they had no grant-writing experience, no funds, and needed expert consultations in several areas. With $ 1,000 from Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol they were able to get the professional help they needed to try and win a grant from the state of California.

If someone were to ask you to draw a symbol for the word "family" it may very well be a simple circle. But for many Sonoma County families, that circle of family life is one of homelessness and need, a cycle which The Family Connection of Sonoma County seeks to break. They do this by bringing homeless families into the circle of their own community. A team of three to five trained volunteers from the community is matched with families who are leaving homeless shelters. Volunteers and the family commit to continuing to work together for up to one year on the family's goals. These can include locating housing, finding low or no-cost furnishings and clothing, coaching for job interviews, completing a college application, celebrating birthdays and having fun. The program succeeds because it encourages self-responsibility and community. And it succeeds because of a woman named Kathy Tonkavich. Kathy Tonkavich is the one woman show who heads up The Family Connection and she is the one who caught our eye and our heart. There are many times when a simple pair of shoes is needed for a job interview, or a parent needs to buy their child a birthday present. Kathy would like to be able to offer assistance in these moments of need. Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol gave her $500 to make that possible. She will keep this money in a fund to respond to these seemingly small but important needs.

Postscript from BFJ of Sebastopol: "Kathy Tonkavich called us shortly after she had received our gift to tell us she was thrilled to be able to help a homeless woman smog her car in order to get her to her new job...and we were thrilled too as we watched the Bread for the Journey money dance its own symbol of a circle!"

A grant of $1,000 plus consulting time on graphics and marketing was given to a group called Planting Earth Activation (PEA), comprising eight young people, aged 18 to 25, who on their own have planted 25 organic gardens in Sebastopol, California. With impressive energy, commitment, and passion, these young visionaries are building community through organic gardening. Hoping to educate and involve members of the community, PEA has plans for more local gardens and food distribution. Their tenets include simple acts of community-building: at the community garden are "overage" tables where people in need can get extra food for free, and the group encourages people to place their gardens in their front yards so they can talk to neighbors more. (They have planted eight front-yard gardens in one neighborhood.) When planting a garden, PEA encourages the homeowner to help in the process and asks for 25 percent of the garden's yield for seeds. So far, the members have accomplished most of their work with no funding simply with their own determination. Bread for the Journey's contribution helped them establish visibility and strength. Things are really taking off for them, and the community is starting to take notice and offer more support.

Bread for the Journey of Sebastopol gave $525 to DeAnna L'am for her teen mentoring program called Honesty. DeAnna has a gift for communicating with teenagers, and she wants to share it with her community. Her threefold program includes a Town Meeting, where teens and adults come together to get to know one another; a half-day workshop called Honesty, which focuses on facilitating communication between teenagers and adults (In addition to helping teens and adults learn to talk to one another, she hopes to identify adults from this workshop who will become teen mentors); and Mentoring-the heart of DeAnna's efforts-which teaches adults to mentor teens through their crucial adolescent years.

In Plain Language

Although Delaware is only the second-smallest state, it ranks as fourth-highest per capita in the number of AIDS cases within the United States. In an effort to change that statistic and reverse the current trends, Frank Hawkins, Director of Education and Outreach at AIDS Delaware, has developed a potent new educational outreach and prevention program called In Plain Language. Each In Plain Language series consists of four meetings - each four hours long - where HIV and AIDS prevention is discussed in very "plain" and understandable terms. Each participant receives a workbook to complete and to use as a reference, along with incentives for finishing the entire program. The series can be adapted to different audiences - teens, older adults and young adults - as well as those already infected with HIV/AIDS and their families. One trial series has been held and, with a $1,400 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, AIDS Delaware will be able to conduct two more. The objective of In Plain Language is to arm participants with the best and most current information about this dangerous and ever-changing disease so that they can make choices that are the most life-affirming.

Women's Opportunity Link of Delaware - Making a WOLDE of Difference

While working in a management position at Goodwill Industries, Jennifer Rehm Clark came to value the hard work and dedication displayed by the women who reported to her. However, when it came time to distribute yearly merit increases, Jenn realized that the small increases she was allowed to give would barely improve the quality of life for these women and their families, who were barely getting by on minimum-wage salaries.
Since leaving Goodwill, Jenn has worked tirelessly and passionately to develop the Women's Opportunity Link of DE (WOLDE). This comprehensive program is designed to assist motivated women in getting the training and/or education necessary to qualify for higher-paying, living-wage jobs. WOLDE is partnering with existing community resources and businesses to obtain childcare, transportation subsidies, on-the-job training, and mentoring. Jenn hopes to remove many of the obstacles that typically stand in the way of attaining living-wage employment for the poor and underemployed.
With a $1,000 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, Jenn will be able to file the necessary paperwork for her 501(c)(3) non-profit status, become incorporated in the state of Delaware, and pay a graphic artist to develop a logo. Her vision and determination are sure to change the lives of many motivated women who share her commitment to a better future for themselves and their families.

Love & Hope Ministries, Inc.

Angela Miller's dream - to help meet the monumental needs of the local African-American HIV/AIDS population - was born of pain, love and hope. A single mother of three, Angela has experienced the pain of having a chronically ill child as well as family and friends who suffer from the effects of HIV/AIDS. She realizes that those who are surrounded by illness also need love and hope.

Angela envisions a team of volunteers and an organization that would provide case-management support services to individuals and their families who are suffering from HIV/AIDS. They would also provide education and awareness seminars for the general public. The plight of the HIV/AIDS population has received less attention in recent years and yet the need for education and family support continues to be overwhelming.

Bread for the Journey of Wilmington gave Angela $950 to help her obtain 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status for Love & Hope Ministries, Inc., and to provide the needed materials for public education and awareness seminars. The effects of HIV/AIDS continue to take a devastating toll on our communities. With the help of organizations like Love & Hope Ministries, Inc., those suffering from HIV/AIDS and their families will receive the love, hope and support that they need.

Visions Unlimited

Visions Unlimited is the perfect name for this faith-based social services community outreach program. Founded in 2001 by Patricia Bunton, the visions of this organization are already truly unlimited. Plans are in place to start a number of programs focusing on the needs of disadvantaged youth and adults in the Wilmington area. From the prevention of homelessness, to mentoring at-risk youth, to encouraging and nurturing young minority males, to skills and training workshops, Visions Unlimited is working hard to address the ills that plague our communities. During 2001, Visions Unlimited served over 1,200 at-risk youth and their families throughout New Castle County, focusing in large part on young minority boys who are in desperate need of positive role models. Recently, Visions Unlimited was given office space in a renovated church and, with a $1000 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, was able to purchase the necessary office supplies and equipment. Through her faith, dedication and insight, Patricia's vision for improving her community has become a reality, offering hope and opportunity to many.

Project Restoration

Believing that each child has vast potential, Rev. Steven B. Hare founded Project Restoration in 1995 as a way of reaching out to the children in Wilmington's challenged neighborhoods. The difference between success and failure frequently lies in a caring, supportive community. Project Restoration and its new director, Loretta Harper-Brown, provide just such a community to hundreds of New Castle County children each year. The mission of Project Restoration is to train a new generation of leaders for the entire community by focusing on the key issues that are important for child development. These include the presence of adult role models, the belief that one's life has a purpose, the ability to be comfortable with people of different backgrounds, and the availability of meaningful programs that help young people overcome the challenges they face. With a $2,700 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, Project Restoration purchased three new computers for their New Youth Entrepreneur Program, in which 10- to 17-year-olds learn about entrepreneurship through classroom as well as practical experience. The computers will also be a valuable addition to several other established Project Restoration programs, including the Life Skills, Youth Leadership, Telecommunications Training and Career Development programs.

The transitional housing programs and Women's Day/Drop-In Center of Friendship House provide a guided pathway out of poverty, addiction, and abuse to women who are seeking to make changes in their lives that will benefit both themselves and their children. Joanne Kassees is a certified child therapist with a Master's Degree in Counseling and has worked in the field of abuse, anger management, and incest for 20 years. Joanne offers individual therapy to the women of Friendship House on a weekly basis and is available to meet with the children who have also experienced abuse and abandonment. To make changes, these women and children need a great deal of support, encouragement, and counseling. In order to support these changes and provide necessary resource materials, Bread for the Journey of Wilmington recently gave Friendship House a grant of $500 so that the efforts of Joanne and the courageous women and children with whom she works might continue.

Bread for the Journey of Wilmington is helping Sister Doris Mical's "Dance with God" take another turn. Sister Doris' "dance" has led her into, out of, and back into the convent again where she has been a teacher, director of religious education, and currently a psychotherapist. Sister Doris has long had a dream of starting an interfaith "Spirit Center"; a place of hospitality and prayer where women can drop in for a few minutes or a few hours to rest, pray, or just talk over a cup of coffee or tea. Spirit Center is still a dream, but is getting closer to becoming a reality as they have recently become incorporated and received their tax-exempt status. The next step is finding a suitable location. Bread for the Journey of Wilmington gave Spirit Center a grant of $250 to help pay for brochures to promote Sister Doris' vision and raise enough money to make Spirit Center a reality.

Serving numerous people in need over the past two years, People Impacting People, Inc., a community outreach program, has identified many of the key components of poverty in New Castle County, DE. Addiction, juvenile delinquency, teenage pregnancy, and reliance upon state assistance are due largely to the lack of available resources, job training, job placement programs, and affordable childcare/after-school care in low-income areas. People Impacting People realized the desperate need to develop a center in which affordable childcare, emergency relief for families, after school and extended hours programs, as well as tutoring and computer training were all available to even the neediest of families. And so, the Little Miracles Child Development Center became a vision. Fortunately, enough money was available to qualify for a mortgage on an old, vacant church with just enough money left to make the renovations necessary to meet state childcare regulations. The September 4th scheduled opening was quickly approaching and the need for furniture, equipment, and supplies was daunting. With a grant of $1,000 from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, the Little Miracles Child Development Center will be able to fully equip the Infant Room with cribs, eating/play tables, changing tables, walkers, play pens, and toys. Thanks to the vision and perseverance of Charlene Jackson and the People Impacting People volunteers, the Little Miracles Child Development Center will provide a nurturing environment for 50 children and peace of mind and an opportunity for a better life for their parents.

Dr. Willie Mae Lewis had a dream of establishing numerous, easily accessible centers throughout northern Delaware that would be a repository of information, in all formats, for girls and women of all ages. Through her work as a psychologist, Dr. Lewis realized that women are generally the primary information gatherers of the family. She felt there was a tremendous need for an organization that would provide for the systematic collection, organization, and dissemination of key information on women’s issues in Delaware. So she and a group of like-minded people started the Women’s Resource Center. Working with local organizations, they were able to set up sites in libraries, churches, and other established non-profit organizations; however, there was a problem. The Women’s Resource Center had very little in the way of reference material to supply the various sites. When Bread for the Journey of Wilmington learned of this need, we coordinated a book drive and with the help of members from five local churches, collected more than 750 books and computer software programs on a variety of topics, including health, parenting, education, religion, employment, legal concerns, homemaking, and finance. In addition, Bread for the Journey of Wilmington donated $500 to be used for additional resource material.

In times of financial crisis, the disadvantaged frequently feel confused and overwhelmed while trying to navigate the maze of red tape involved in attempting to obtain much needed assistance. In Wilmington, those in need can turn to F.A.I.T.H. Center, Financial Assistance Information Theocentric Help Center. The caring staff at the F.A.I.T.H. Center serve people in financial crisis who need love, compassion, and assistance by helping them find available community resources, providing financial assistance with basic needs, and offering self-help opportunities and encouragement to alleviate the effects of poverty. Through F.A.I.T.H. Center, Bread for the Journey of Wilmington has given a grant of $500 to establish an account with a local pharmacy to provide prescription medication to those with immediate medical needs.