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Stories of Community Support More Stories of Community Support Intercambio Bridges the Gap
Helping Child Victims Become Children Again
To vulnerable children in southern Oregon, the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) is truly a safe harbor in the storm. CAC provides a safe, home-like environment for children to disclose and heal from abuse. Their inspiration? “Healing at the Speed of Love.” Their vision? A community where children are safe, families are strong, and that child victims can become children again. To fulfill this vision in their community, CAC also provides professional training throughout Jackson, Josephine, and Curry counties to help others prevent, treat, identify, investigate and prosecute child abuse. Last year, 900 children received services by the compassionate and specialized staff and volunteers, including the newest team member, Jack the Therapy Dog. Bread for the Journey of Ashland granted CAC $750 to assist this valuable work. Learn more at: www.cacjc.org. A New Expression of Ancient Traditions: The Cosmic MassAuthor, scholar, and religious teacher Matthew Fox has been renewing the ancient tradition of Creation Spirituality. This tradition is feminist, welcoming of the arts and artists, wisdom-centered, and committed to eco-justice, social justice and gender justice. As an expression of this inclusive tradition, Fox offers “The Cosmic Mass”, a new form of worship that invokes the sacred into the body, mind, heart, and spirit. The Cosmic Mass blends dance, music and contemporary art forms with the western liturgical tradition. People of diverse ages, faiths and cultures share prayer, honor differences and highlight common bonds in an effort to dissolve boundaries that divide humanity from one another. Bread for the Journey of Ashland was happy to award Nicole Porcaro $750 to host a Cosmic Mass in Ashland.
DREAMS AND AWAKENING In September, we were privileged and honored to host a fundraising workshop facilitated by Marea Claassen, Jungian Analyst and Diplomat of C.G. Jung Institute, Zurich. During this day-long event participants were taken on an exploration into the world of dreams and given a glimpse of the extraordinary contributions dreams can have on our awakening consciousness. Marea has more than thirty years of experience working with individuals and small groups in an approach that combines her passion and special expertise in dreamwork.
The Peace Wall At Bread for the Journey, we know that the most healing things are often birthed when people gather to break bread together – that’s how Bread for the Journey came into being! Around a different table, in Ashland, Oregon, a group of friends gathered in March 2007. During dinner, Jean Bakewell shared her vision of creating a Peace Fence in Ashland, where people of all stripes could post positive expressions about the human spirit and hopes for peace and the planet's well-being. Jean’s dream was to transform a n unsightly chain-link fence running alongside a popular walking path next to the railway line into a beautiful Peace Fence. Friends and others in the community responded enthusiastically to an invitation to create fabric art panels expressing hope and peace. The night before Mother’s Day, 67 panels were attached to the fence as a surprise offering to the town. Eventually, more than 200 works of art, many by schoolchildren, decorated the fence. In 2008, the Peace Fence was destroyed by vandals. However, the community has responded to this violation with a creative new idea – a permanent Peace Wall. Each panel of the Peace Fence had been photographed when originally placed on the fence, making it possible for their images to be reproduced as durable ceramic tiles. The new Peace Wall, to be erected in front of the library, will be unveiled on International Peace Day in September, 2009. For more information visit http://www.peacefence.org. Bread for the Journey of Ashland was happy to grant $700 to this beautiful and inspirational community project. Money Metamorphosis
Recent news coverage highlights tragic stories of people being caught in the downward spiral of this economic recession – neighbors losing their homes, struggling under crushing debt and medical bills, and some committing suicide. Our culture is in desperate need of turning around our relationship with money. Crystal Arnold is working to inspire and train people to develop healthy relationships with money. Her Money Metamorphosis workshops (http://moneymetamorphosis.us) teach practical skills so that participants learn to track their money, align their finances with their values, and work toward fulfilling their life’s vision. The three-week series facilitates a powerful shift in participants’ attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors toward money, opening new and vitalizing pathways as people learn to integrate money into their lives through conscious attention. In order to make the workshops available to all, regardless of ability to pay, Bread for the Journey of Ashland was happy to grant $700 for scholarships. Youth Education and Awareness Committee
Local food and sustainability. These are a rallying cry for the Youth Education and Awareness Committee under the auspices of Transition Town Ashland and the local food security movement. The committee is educating and inspiring area youth to not only eat more local and organic food, but to motivate them toward an interest in gardening and growing food, as well as promoting Transition Town and the local food movement to their parents. Bread for the Journey of Ashland provided $500 to help the students create and sell special T-shirts and fabric patches at local Earth Day events. Students and community artists designed and printed the organic hemp/cotton shirts for the project’s fundraising efforts during the highly visible spring celebrations. WinterSpring Center for Transforming Grief and Loss
A non-profit that receives no federal funding, WinterSpring has been supporting people in dealing with grief and loss in Jackson County, Oregon, for more than 18 years. The center offers adult support groups as well as programs aimed at assisting children and adolescents through their grief journeys. WinterSpring is staffed by five part-time employees and a group of 100 volunteers, all trained in appropriate, compassionate and empowering support for individuals and families. Schools, employers, community groups and agencies are also well served. Bread for the Journey of Ashland gave a $750 grant toward expanding outreach and support to seniors who are grieving the death of a loved one. Doula Devotion Doula Devotion, a holistic support program for childbearing women, promotes awareness of healthy and safe birth practices amongst the greater population of Southern Oregon. Doula Devotion will provide financial support for low-income women and families seeking holistic care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and beyond, including doula care, midwifery, pre- to post-natal yoga, and massage, as well as childbirth education and a network of local care providers and resources. Bread for the Journey of Ashland gratefully awarded $1000 to this worthwhile program. Dancing People
Bread for the Journey provided funding for at-risk teenage girls to participate in a six-session introductory workshop in aerial dance. Participants came from a local residential program that helps girls gain self-confidence, while realizing the consequences of their actions and making better choices. The workshop offered the girls an opportunity to truly embody those lessons. They not only set individual goals for themselves, but also discovered ways to support their peers as they learned how to work with the apparatus. Each and every one finished the workshop with a renewed sense of accomplishment and self esteem. What a joy to watch their faces as they mounted, stood or took flight with grace and beauty! Bread for the Journey of Ashland granted $700 to Dancing People for this exciting program. Agnes Baker Pilgrim
At 84, Agnes Baker Pilgrim is the oldest living female directly descended from the ancient Takelma Indians. Honored as a “Living Treasure” by her tribe and as a “Living Cultural Legend” by the Oregon Council of the Arts, “Grandma Aggie” travels the U.S. and around the world as a Voice for the Voiceless, urging us to remember what we all share as people of Mother Earth. Aggie has been a teacher and mentor to many for over 36 years. In 2004, she and 12 other female elders formed the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. Bread for the Journey of Ashland awarded Aggie $650 to continue to do this important work. See www.agnesbakerpilgrim.org Siskiyou Institute
The Siskiyou Institute is a nonprofit arts organization that promotes quality music and educational events in Ashland. In six years, the Institute has produced more than thirty concerts and workshops at the Old Siskiyou Barn. In 2006, the Institute introduced a new and exciting Artist-in-Schools program. Guest artists may lead a workshop in one or more of the city schools, while local music teachers and performers can provide year-round program opportunities. Bread for the Journey of Ashland granted $1500 to expand this innovative program. See www.siskiyouinstitute.com At the Helm With 24 years of professional experience in business and leadership under her belt, Marianne Weidlein is dedicating her current work to clients she calls “youngers” — men and women aged 20-40. She has developed At the Helm, a group tutorial that guides youngers to thoughtfully manage their time, energy, cash flow and assets, while striking a healthy balance between family life and the need to earn a living. As involved family members become more effective in relating, cooperating and managing, they bring enhanced value to their other relationships and endeavors. This, then, can positively affect and inspire the broader community. Bread for the Journey of Ashland granted $1000 toward scholarships for Weidlein’s work. See www.empoweringvision.com Ashland Center for Creative Aging Nearly five years ago, healthcare practitioner and author Gaea Yudron envisioned an organization focused on positive aging. She formed the Ashland Center for Creative Aging with programs aimed at advancing the health and wellbeing of older adults, investigating relevant issues and areas of interest to elders, and enhancing community and intergenerational connection. A newsletter, annual conference, regular forums, workshops, cultural/social events are all in the plans. Bread for the Journey of Ashland awarded $1000 toward development of these vital programs. Community Creative Arts Center A vision of a nonprofit accessible art space in downtown Ashland is on its way to becoming realized. The Community Creative Arts Center will be a place where tools, materials and instruction in a variety of media will be available, allowing people to learn a new skill, continue an old project, or use the free space to experiment and be creatively inspired. The center will differ from other art organizations through its wide-ranging scope, less expensive fee structure, and focus on building community. Bread for the Journey of Ashland funded $1000 to help achieve the center’s nonprofit status. Mama Yoga
Sheryl Grunde, founder of Mama Yoga, offers prenatal and postpartum yoga classes to women in an effort to support them in experiencing the physical and emotional wonders of pregnancy, childbirth and new motherhood. The classes offer these benefits in addition to excellent preparation for birth and parenting. Bread for the Journey of Ashland granted $1000 to subsidize scholarships so that Mama Yoga will be able to reach more women and babies in the coming year and provide a solid foundation for the very important journey ahead. Jiva Dawn Jiva Dawn is a Montessori-prepared learning environment — founded by Tyre Dawn — that adheres to Permaculture practices and ethics in order to foster the conscious evolutionary emergence of Ashland’s youth and their families and facilitate the earth’s regeneration. Bread for the Journey of Ashland granted $1000 to give two children full scholarships toward the summer course and to qualify for Fall enrollment in Jiva Dawn. A Day for Dreamers
Canadian poet Wendy Morton took poetry out of bookstores and coffee shops to become famed as Canada’s Poet of the Skies, reading her poems and writing poetry for passengers aboard WestJet Airlines flights. She also was an organizer of Random Acts of Poetry across Canada — a week in which she and other poets take poetry into banks, supermarkets, bakeries, out in the streets, and wherever people will stop and listen. Bread for the Journey of Ashland granted Wendy $500 to bring her workshop, A Day for Dreamers, to make dreams based on flights of fancy to Ashland. It’s all about Possibility - what a great match for BFJ. Rose Circle
As Judith Duerk says in her book, Circle of Stones, “How might your life have been different if there had been a place for you? A place for you to go, a place of women, to help you learn the ways of woman.” This is a sentiment that many women have expressed when they come to the Rose Circle Mentoring training, looking for a way to assist girls during their difficult life passage. These mentors breathe a sigh of relief when they find they need not have all the answers to the many situations experienced by the girls. In fact, it is not about having answers at all. It is about being there to listen, to find value in the girls’ developing sense of self, and to guide them when there is some appropriate course of action to take. The Rose Circle fosters community and offers ongoing support for women and girls. The Bread for the Journey of Ashland grant of $600 is a significant asset in launching the new one-on-one mentoring program this year. See www.therosecircle.org Jackson County Fuel Committee
Full-time volunteer Randall Jones and a host of other big-hearted people believe that no one should have to choose between paying for food or medication and paying their heating bill. Since 1978, this all-volunteer force of citizenry has been helping to provide emergency firewood as well as a utility advocacy benefit to prevent or reverse shut-offs during southern Oregon’s chilly winters. Bread for the Journey of Ashland was thrilled to grant $600 toward this group’s important and potentially life-saving work. Boys To Men of Southern Oregon Boys To Men of Southern Oregon is a mentoring program that recognizes the special challenges that boys face in today’s world. “Many of them have too few positive role models or far too many negative examples of masculinity,” says administrator Peter Young. The staff of trained volunteers and professionals are committed to creating a safe, strong, supportive environment that both nurtures and challenges boys. Bread for the Journey of Ashland is proud to grant $600 to this nonprofit so they may expand their programs to include activities such as a ropes course, camping excursions, and wilderness backpacking trips that are built around specific themes, e.g., bullying, sexuality, and core values. See www.boystomennw.org Rhythm Soul
Patty Aulik teaches percussion classes in schools, juvenile halls, senior centers, community groups, and in her own studio. One day, at a class in a school, Patty discovered that creating a story with a musical elephant not only delighted the children, but assisted them in focusing on the music lesson. This discovery soon led to her writing “Morrie’s Bach Adventure” plus a set of reader guidelines to aid a non-percussionist in facilitating a group. “Morrie, a rather blue-colored elephant, demonstrates curiosity, humor, love, devotion, playfulness, and how to address fear,” says Patty. Bread for the Journey of Ashland was happy to grant $400 toward the publication of her book and accompanying CD. BearHugs Foundation BearHugs Foundation is a one-woman “have bears will travel” operation. It exists solely to offer kindness and unconditional love to people in need through the gifts of kindly-looking, soft and cuddly teddy bears. “These bears are welcomed by people of all ages,” points out director Kay Lavonne Crider, who also notes that the foundation’s current focus is in taking the bears to assisted-living facilities and hospitals, “but anyone in the area who wants a companion bear, regardless of their situation, will get one.” Bread for the Journey of Ashland gave BearHugs Foundation a grant of $400 to purchase — you guessed it — more bears! The Ashland Oracle Magazine The Ashland Oracle is a publication dedicated to “conscious living” in southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley. It showcases individuals and organizations in the community who live according to “consciousness” principles. Managing Editor Alexis McKenna notes two examples recently featured: (1) A service organization whose purpose is to help leaders develop more of the complex skills needed in this rapidly changing world; and, (2) a technology company that invented a machine to create building materials from agricultural residue. Bread for the Journey of Ashland gladly granted $800 to The Ashland Oracle to help them continue to promote conscious living. The Welcome Home Project Both non-partisan and non-political, the Welcome Home Project is a community-centered “welcome home” program for veterans of foreign wars — especially Iraq and Afghanistan — and their families. A five-day event, slated for May 22-26, will be held at Buckhorn Springs Resort near Ashland, Oregon. Its purpose is to create community among these veterans, and to encourage expression and healing through story, art, writing, and movement. Michael Meade, noted mythologist, storyteller and author, will facilitate. This event also serves to bring into the public eye a much greater awareness of the issues faced by returning vets. Healing can happen when the burdens of war are shared with the larger community. The Rogue Valley’s local businesses, organizations and individuals will be donating food, services, materials, airline miles, advertising and volunteer time. Bread for the Journey of Ashland happily granted $1,000 to organizers Bill McMillan and Kim Shelton for this big welcome home. See www.thewelcomehomeproject.org Inner Child Café Inner Child Café is a family oasis, the ultimate fusion of parent refuge with engaging playspace for children. Parents may enjoy lunch or snacks while their children romp in the colorful and interactive 2,500-square-foot indoor play arena. Workshops and classes for the kids are also offered in their classroom. Bread for the Journey of Ashland gave a $200 grant to assist in scholarships for families who cannot afford the membership fee. See www.innerchildcafe.net Sharing Local Stories Thomas Doty, storyteller, teacher and author, recognizes that the stories about and interactions with the place people call home are essential to the wellbeing of a community. He plans to host and facilitate “Sharing Local Stories” in association with The Talent ( Oregon) Historical Society. Each of these ninety-minute programs will include a performance and a reading by Doty, an offering from a guest storyteller, and discussions and activities centered on that month’s theme. The Website www.DotyCoyote.com will be the online home for this program; visitors will be able to listen to previous programs and allow online posting of stories. Doty is convinced of the value in “the difference it makes when people are not only aware of stories of their home, but actively add their stories to this treasured pot of folklore and history.” A grant of $500 from Bread for the Journey of Ashland will help with start-up and promotional costs for this vibrant community forum. The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering
Sharon Mehdi’s inspirational story of two grandmothers standing silently in the local park as their way to help “save the world,” has become a global phenomenon, galvanizing its many readers over its hopeful message of small actions that can make the world a better place. http://grandmotherbook.com Bread for the Journey of Ashland contributed $600 to Sharon’s Peace Pilgrimage bringing her and her uplifting message to many cities and conferences throughout the country. Small Steps toward Big Love
Small Steps is a children's center that provides high-quality care for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Their philosophy is a center grounded in love that affirms diversity in culture, class, race and religious beliefs. Many of the families are referred by welfare agencies, tribal nations and charitable human service organizations. A Scholarship Fund was created to provide low- or no-cost services to 8-12 qualifying families per year who do not have the financial means to pay for childcare as they seek or maintain employment. Bread for the Journey of Ashland was honored to contribute $600 to their scholarship fund. http://www.mfccor.com/smallsteps.html Compassionate Care After Someone Has Died
Marian Spadone is an artist whose personal mission is "to change the way our modern culture handles death.” This means reclaiming actual hands-on care of loved ones who have died, as well as re-thinking burial or cremation choices to reflect ecologically sound principles. She is involved in leading several projects toward achieving this goal. One is to lead a circle of people who are training to do in-home after-death care. A second is to assemble a gallery exhibit of hand-painted and decorated shrouds and burial containers, inviting people to examine a casket, shroud or cremation urn without being in an ”immediate need” situation. The first show stimulated much community discussion and creativity. In a third project, Marian brings cremation containers to high school classes in order to have students talk about death and make art with the feelings that arise in the process. These decorated ”boxes” are then given to local funeral homes for the homeless or others who are unable to afford funeral costs. Bread for the Journey of Ashland gave Marian a grant of $700 to help support further development of each of these caring initiatives. Inner Child Café – Ashland’s Treasure
Inner Child Cafe is a restaurant with internet access, a gift store, an indoor play space and a community classroom. Children are able to play while parents check e-mail, study, meet with friends or take part in one of the many groups that meet there. Providing a warm, safe, indoor space for children and adults to come together, the cafe places an emphasis on supporting the creation of healthy families. In a world where so many places are off limits to young children, Inner Child Cafe is truly a community treasure. Bread for the Journey of Ashland was happy to provide a grant of $600 for "scholarship memberships" to low-income families who would otherwise be unable to take advantage of the facilities. http://www.innerchildcafe.net For the Next Seven Generations, the Grandmothers Speak
Agnes Baker Pilgrim is 82 years young and the oldest living female elder from the Takelma Band of the Rogue River Indians. Honored as a “Living Treasure” by her tribe, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz, and as a “Living Cultural Legend” by the Oregon Council of the Arts, Agnes participates in spiritual and educational events and ceremonies, speaking to youth and adults about protecting the Earth and living a balanced, productive life. Agnes shares her native crafts and wisdom with groups all over the world. She is chairwoman of the International Council of the Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, and will be featured in a documentary by Carole Hart, called “For the Next Seven Generations, the Grandmothers Speak.” Last year this Council gathered in Oaxaca, Mexico and Dharamsala, India, where they had an audience with the Dalai Lama. Bread for the Journey of Ashland was happy to provide a grant of $800 to the Agnes Baker Pilgrim Fund to assist in supporting her work this year. www.agnesbakerpilgrim.org Mama YogaAs one of the premier yoga teachers in Ashland, Sheryl Grunde offers a wonderful pre- and post-natal yoga program. She leads women in yoga while they are pregnant and then leads them in specially designed poses and stretches that include their newborns once they give birth. Bread for the Journey of Ashland gave Mama Yoga a grant of $250 to give scholarships to women who would otherwise not be able to take her classes. Rogue Valley Peace Choir Peace Journey
Rogue Valley Peace Choir member Hideko Snider was just ten years old and living in Hiroshima when the U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb. Her mother (who also loved to sing) was among the hundreds of thousands who lost their lives. Like all the Peace Choir’s members, Hideko believes that presenting songs of peace, compassion and harmony can bring solace and comfort to many who have lived through the terrors of war, as it has for her. Rose Circle
Dances for the Disadvantaged
Peggy Paver approached Bread for the Journey with an idea. She wanted to make her dance class program accessible to disadvantaged teenage girls who would not normally be able to experience the dynamic and creative art of dance. Peggy says, “The beauty of dance is that it can express ideas in so many ways. These girls will grow and flourish here." Bread for the Journey of Ashland was happy to extend a grant of $600 to Peggy . Danceability Intergenerational Project
Susan Kraemer recently developed a program called the Danceability Intergenerational Project. She teaches children dance, poetry, art and theater. Susan and the children then travel to Senior Centers and Assisted Living Centers to interact with the seniors. The lives of all involved are equally enhanced. Bread for the Journey of Ashland was happy to extend a grant to Susan of $600. A Compassionate Art Melanie Dimes is a nurse who is dedicated to assisting people in "the end-of-life process." She approached Bread for the Journey for help with purchasing the books required for a year-long training program that would assist people in getting through this process. During the year, she will be volunteering 150 hours at Skylark Assisted Living Center and, when complete, will be training other practitioners in this compassionate art. Bread for the Journey of Ashland was happy to extend a grant to Melanie of $300. Peer Presence For a young man in his twenties, Dominic Allamano is already quite passionate about his life mission. Dominic is a gifted orator who brings social awareness, preparedness, and hope to others of his generation. He travels extensively, speaking and sharing ideas with other young people who wish to support a harmonious world community. Inspired by his vision and fortitude, Bread for the Journey of Ashland provided $100 to assist Dominic with his program. World Youth Service Enterprise Tom Shelstad has the distinct honor of having been selected as one of approximately 30 young people from around the world – and the only person selected from the U.S. – to participate in the 2006 World Youth Service (WYS) intensive leadership training program, to be held in Italy. The mission of WYS is to “awaken the great qualities in tomorrow’s leaders in all professions, services and trades, for global harmony and prosperity.” With a $400 grant from Bread for the Journey of Ashland, Tom will join other dedicated young people as they develop leadership skills that transcend borders. Learn more at http://italy.takingitglobal.org Visionary Solutions A $400 gift from Bread for the Journey of Ashland is helping Michelle Engel obtain 501(c) 3 non-profit status for Visionary Solutions, an organization dedicated to providing a cooperative network for teachers and healers. Visionary Solutions provides educational materials and gifts, educational classes and workshops, and consciousness-shifting projects and events that convey messages of hope, freedom and empowerment in these modern times of accelerated change. Visit Visionary Solutions at http://www.visionarysolutions.org Environmental Technology Mentorship
The Ashland School of Environmental Technology (ASET) is a nonprofit organization in Ashland, Oregon, that provides hands-on education and inspiration to students while simultaneously developing simple, positive solutions to global environmental problems. A $500 grant from Bread for the Journey of Ashland is helping to launch a new program that pairs skilled mentors with inventive high-school and college students. Find out more about ASET by visiting www.greeninventor.org The Natural Child Project Through her psychotherapy practice, Jan Hunt has come to realize the untold challenges that parents are faced with in raising children, and that few ever receive training in this precious art. Her vision includes a world where all children are treated with dignity, respect, understanding and compassion, and where each child can grow into adulthood with a generous capacity for love and trust. Bread for the Journey of Ashland gave a $500 grant for the development of “Parenting Cards.” One of 100 cards can be drawn whenever a parent needs inspiration and encouragement, or just a gentle reminder that parenting can be a joyful experience. The cards offer help in dealing with everyday parenting issues in a realistic, humane and respectful way that enhances the bond between parent and child. Through our connection with the Illinois Valley Safe House, Parenting Cards were purchased and gifted to women who were graduating from a program for survivors of abuse. For more information, see www.naturalchild.org or contact 866-593-1547. Philosophy in the Classroom When philosophy professors Prakash Chenjeri and Mitchell Frangadakis go into local high schools to speak, they find that the students are hungry for what they have to say. Prakash and Mitchell teach young people how to think rather than what to think. They offer tools to help them examine their assumptions and judgments about the world and gain insight into the sources and consequences of their thinking. Their open-mindedness is nurtured so that viewpoints that differ from their own can be fully heard and assessed. Bread for the Journey of Ashland is excited to offer “The Philosophical Forum” a grant of $750 to make a film of their pilot workshop, which will take place in a local high school. Once this occurs, the program can be offered to other schools in the Rogue Valley. For more information, contact chenjeri@sou.edu or wisdom@mind.net. Amazigh - “Free People” Youssef Baiddou was born into the arms of the Shlul tribe of Berber in the remote Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Having grown up in the United States, Youssef has always had a dream to help keep the music and culture of this rich history alive. Armed with an interdisciplinary degree in biology, indigenous studies, music and film, Youseff — along with his wife Syndee — is starting a Fair Trade organization with offices in Williams, Oregon. They will assist the Amazigh and other indigenous cultures to attain financial freedom and also to share their life-ways, language, and earth-based spirituality with the world. As they travel to remote lands, they will play and record spontaneously with local musicians. Their aim is to demonstrate the healing power of music as they create modern inter-cultural dialogue based in mutual respect. Bread for the Journey of Ashland is supporting this dream by giving a grant of $175 to assist them in registering as a Fair Trade business so they can bring back and market Berber arts, crafts and music. Youssef and Syndee may be contacted at berber@envirocitizen.com Healing Violence in Men The experiential workshops designed by the trainers of “Accountability in Men” (AIM) developed in response to incidents of violence in and around Ashland by college-aged men. A Southern Oregon University administrator, the head football coach, representatives from the Ashland Police Department, members of the Women’s Resource Center, the Dean of Students and, finally, the Southern Oregon University Provost, all participated in a dialogue to discover a creative approach in dealing with this complex issue. In January 2005, the University Provost approved the pilot program developed by AIM and its delivery was successful, showing promise for future programs. Along with principles that outline healthy male identity gleaned from over 20 years of working with men, the AIM staff is eager to facilitate support teams so that those who go through the program can take what they learn into their everyday relationships with a sense of accountability and responsibility. AIM Trainings Inc. is a non-profit organization — soon to be 501(c)3 — and a $700 grant from Bread for the Journey of Ashland is going toward the continued development and marketing of this fine program. See www.AIM-Trainings-inc.org for more information. Food for People For seven years, Pamela Joy has made her living as a clown and mime. She has always felt badly about the starving people in the world. Now she and a few volunteers serve more than 1000 people a week by picking up dated dairy products, breads and produce from local markets, and distributing the food to seven local groups that feed the hungry. Recently, Pamela’s food rescue project drew praise from Access, Inc., southern Oregon’s largest provider of emergency food. Bread for the Journey of Ashland gave a grant of $1,000 to Pamela to enclose and cool a room in her garage. This room will serve as a walk-in fridge so that the life of the food may be extended between deliveries. “This Is Ashland” Everness is non-profit organization that seeks to stimulate and promote sustainable living and spiritual consciousness through films, documentaries and educational programs. From artists and musicians to unique stores and restaurants to alternative building and energy production, there are many creative endeavors that are found right here in this town. Blue Star Spirit, filmmaker for this DVD project, is filled with enthusiasm as he walks the streets of Ashland finding the uniqueness that may not be readily noticed. Bread for the Journey of Ashland granted $250 to Everness for one of its programs called “This is Ashland,” a subscription-based DVD that will be available soon. The DVD will highlight some options for creative living in these times. Creating So That Others May Create On November 12th our chapter sponsored a very special fund-raising celebration featuring a unique dining experience from the mind, heart, and hands of popular Ashland Chef Josh Bradley, culinary artist extraordinaire. The inspirational theme for event was "Creating So That Others May Create." The seven-course dining adventure was hosted at the exquisite home of Anita Gambos, and was attended by 23 guests who, by all reports, had a wonderful evening of fine dining, live music (provided by a theatrical guest and a singing waiter), and lots of lively conversation. The event was our fund-raising success of the quarter grossing over $2,700 in cash donations.
The Eagle Horse Foundation
The Eagle Horse Foundation of Ashland is a community of caring and dedicated people who offer children from all backgrounds an opportunity to develop self-esteem and responsibility by caring for, learning from, and riding horses. Bread for the Journey of Ashland's contribution of $1000 is being used to support the foundation's policy of turning no child away. The Frustrated Warrior Debra Hurt is a workshop facilitator, an energy kinesiologist, and an artist in Ashland. She has developed a unique educational experience called The Frustrated Warrior for people who are actively engaged in changing the world for the better through an awareness of personal choices. A goal of the workshop is to help minimize stress by offering simple techniques for managing one's life in these challenging times. Bread for the Journey of Ashland fulfilled Debra's dream by giving her a grant of $600 to pay for a full-day pilot session to be offered to high school students. If the pilot works, she will present it to the local school system. The Abundance Swap Fueled by a small group of dreamers of new social inventions, the Abundance Swap was started as a way to find and give holiday gifts in a very different way. It offers an alternative to holiday shopping without a money exchange or the need to manufacture more things. The Abundance Swap is an event where people can bring their fun and beautiful items that they no longer fully enjoy or use, but are in good condition, and go home with something else (see www.abundanceswap.org). The event's rules are simple: bring something to give that you'd like to receive, then take something that you'd like to give to somebody else. Bread for the Journey of Ashland was delighted to support the Abundance Swap with its third annual event in Ashland by giving them a grant of $100 to pay for rental space. Follow up: Bread for the Journey of Ashland was again happy to extend a grant of $35 to the Ashland Abundance Swap. This grant would cover some of the expenses related to putting on an event for the public that honors the spirit of giving in this season without adding to consumerism. See www.abundanceswap.org for info. One Sky One Sky is a dream of Christine Parini, who conceived it as a bridge between the people of the Amazon and those of our own culture. One Sky develops educational programs that emphasize the extreme value of an intact rainforest to the global community. Bread for the Journey of Ashland was happy to assist Christine with a grant of $500 to help with the start-up costs of this valuable non-profit organization. The Dream Team Contact us: Bread for the Journey of Ashland To make a donation online click here More Stories of Community Support Copyright
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