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In this issue:
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The moment I read this note from Jane, I knew you needed to read it too. Thank you for being part of this compassionate and generous community and for making it possible for us to touch and transform lives like Jane's every day.
In Gratitude,
Cathryn Couch
Founder & Executive Director
To everyone at Ceres-
I'm so touched and grateful for all of the fine food and stream of love and care coming from everyone at Ceres!!!
Living alone and working at home can be isolating, and during my cancer, surgery, and recovery my energy was low.
Your weekly angel deliveries of beautiful food, a friendly hello at the door, flowers, and incredibly sweet cards and notes from the teens warmed my heart-I felt very connected to LIFE through you all-to what is good and kind and generous and best about people and community.
You pulled me toward recovery.
~Love you! Jane
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 CeresFest- Buy Your Tickets Today!
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5:30 - 8:30 PM
at Lagunitas, Petaluma
It's time to welcome spring!
Join us for #CeresFest, our annual bash at Lagunitas Tap Room & Beer Sanctuary in Petaluma.
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This fun event will feature live music, a great meal provided by Ceres, and Lagunitas' famed brews available for sale, with all proceeds benefiting Ceres. Bring your friends and help us pack the house.
Featuring live music from The Remedies!
Check out their sound here.
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Tickets
$25.00 for adults
$12.50 for children (5 - 12 years)
FREE for children under 5
Tickets are available online now or at the door.
Click here
for more information
and to buy tickets now!
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Join Us For Fun & Games!
Including:
Giant Jenga
Wheel of Fortune
Bean Guessing Game
Mini Shuffle Board
Raffle
.. and More with Prizes Galore!
*Prizes including
Lagunitas, Ceres & Gardening goodies!
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Menu
Organic Fork in the Road Chicken Sausages
Mini Sunny Beet Burgers
Colcannon
Mashed Potatoes & Cabbage
with Lagunitas Imperial Stout & Onion Gravy
Tomato Chutney
Homemade Mustard
wildbrine Sauerkraut Selection
Tuscan Kale Caesar Salad
with Garlic & Lemon
Quinoa and Lentil Salad
with Watercress, Fresh Herbs,
& Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Enlivened Soda from The Kefiry
Apple Berry Crisp
with Oat Topping & Whipped Cream
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Here's a Link to Last year's Gallery
We're looking forward to creating more memories
with all of you!
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Lagunitas Brewing Company
Wildbrine
The Kefiry
Fork in the Road
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4 'Meal' Drive: Help Ceres Buy a Catering Van
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Put on your seatbelt, we're 'gearing up'
to purchase a Catering Van!
Why Catering?
Ceres Catering program provides Ceres teen volunteers with a way to gain real life job skills and experience. It brings delicious, healthy youth-cooked meals to a variety of community, corporate and family events, allowing community members to experience food in line with Ceres' food philosophy. Teens use culinary skills gained through their time in the Ceres program to cook the catered food and additionally learn how to serve, manage and conduct themselves in a professional manner at the events. Their experience in the catering program empowers them with practical skills, maturity and the self-confidence that comes from employment. Not only are teens gaining professional experience which will help them in whatever career path they choose, but they are developing their role in helping contribute to their community.
While also supporting youth development, the Ceres Catering program supports Ceres meal and youth programs by providing an additional source of revenue. This strengthens Ceres' self-sustainability, allowing us to focus more resources on clients and teen while also providing youth with an opportunity to support and give back to Ceres (something we have found many of them, who see themselves as community caretakers, are passionate about.)
You can support the Ceres Catering program and provide more learning opportunities for youth by helping us purchase a catering van! A catering van will strengthen our catering program, increase our community connections, provide more youth the chance to develop practical job skills and support Ceres youth and meal programs through an additional source of financial support. We have until May 2nd to reach our goal and are already halfway there! Support Ceres by donating today.
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Kids Can Cook! Classes at Sonoma County Libraries
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Due to the success of our Healing Foods classes at Sonoma County libraries, we have been asked to come back and teach a cooking class for kids!
Classes are free, and geared towards kids in 1st to 3rd grades.
For more information, click the image to the right or here.
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| Volunteer Profile: Bim |
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Bim Lipp (2nd from left) with two of Ceres' original Board members, Judi Pereira (left) and Cheri Lippard (right) and Julie Stuffelbeam, long-time staff member
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"Ceres shows us how good ideas, intentions and energy can help the less fortunate and add a little balance to our community," says Bim Lipp, one of our longest-serving volunteers. In 2008, Bim's friend Kathleen Capella told him she'd found the perfect volunteer opportunity for him at the fledgling Ceres Community Project.
"My first role was delivering meals," says Bim. At that time, "we were delivering to about 8-10 clients" per week. "When we were at the magic number of 12 clients, (Ceres Founder) Cathryn and I met at Coffee Katz and she asked me if I was interested in coordinating the deliveries. Having studied engineering in Germany for
8 years and being retired, I thought that was the best opportunity to practice organizational talents. So, of course I said yes!"
"I also said that I would like to do it until the client number reached about 20. Far-fetched at the time, I thought. When the client number reached about 45, my involvement was about 10-15 hours a week and I thought it was time for that to be a staff job. Now I deliver food again, one of the most rewarding activities at Ceres."
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A native of Germany, Bim has called Sebastopol home since 1994. "I have certainly noticed my relationship
to my community changing since I moved here. In Germany there was much less involvement in the community, partly because there was much less demand for citizens to get engaged in helping out. Most needs ware taken care of by governmental organizations. That was one of the things that our taxes were being used for. I think there is a necessity here to volunteer, especially for those of us who are lucky enough to have the time and energy to do it. There are just too many in need."
"I think that volunteering makes a project like Ceres possible. We volunteers spend a small fraction of our available time to help with the healing of our clients" and mentoring of youth."
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When he's not volunteering,
Bim enjoys photography, flying his ultralight, and cooking and winemaking with friends and his partner, Patti. He's captured the growth of our Sebastopol garden through the year.
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V
olunteer Opportunities
& Orientations
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Come join us at our locations. We are actively recruiting volunteers for our
San Rafael, Santa Rosa and Sebastopol kitchens, and there are a variety of shifts available. Current or new volunteers are welcome to apply for these positions. Click the blue links below to register for the orientation of your choice.
Click here for basic requirements and information about the roles
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TWO weeks left until the Human Race!
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Register now, join our group and don't forget to bring your overalls and chef hats on the day of!
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When is it?
Saturday, May 6, 2017
Rain or shine!
Check-in: 6:30 am- 7:45 am
Timed Run: 8:00 am
Walk: Immediately after runners
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More About the Human Race
The Human Race is a nationwide community fundraising event for nonprofit organizations. This year's race features a 3K and 10K run and walk through scenic Santa Rosa Howarth and Spring Lake Parks. Businesses and nonprofit organizations recruit walkers, runners and/or donation-gatherers to raise funds. Benefiting non- profit organizations receive 80% of monies collected. The Volunteer Center receives the remaining percentage to coordinate and stage the event. In 2016, Sonoma County held the largest Human Race in the nation with 8,000+ participants and over $450,000 raised. |
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Soaking Guidelines:
Grains, Nuts & Seeds
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by Thais Harris, NC
Nutrition Education Manager, Ceres Community Project
Soaking Grains
Grains are an excellent source of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals and have, for thousands of years, been the staple food for most cultures.
The health benefits of grains are greatly improved by a few simple steps: soaking grains before cooking, and cooking them with a sea vegetable such as kombu.
Soaking grains overnight with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, then discarding the soaking water, accomplishes two important things - it removes the phytic acid which inhibits the absorption of zinc, calcium, iron and other essential minerals, and it transforms the grains from acidic to alkaline-forming. Cooking grains with kombu enhances the mineral content of the grains and further strengthens their alkaline effect...
Read the full article here
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Recipe to Nourish Body and Mind
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Mediterranean Lentil & Quinoa Salad
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| Click the image above or here for a printable PDF of our free delicious recipe. |
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Now that you know how to soak grains (check out the article above if you want a refresher) it's time to enjoy a wholesome quinoa and lentil recipe!. This flavorful salad will nourish you and feel like a meal on it's own.
Click
here
for this recipe and here for even more free recipes!
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| Anniversary Party Photos |
As you may know, Ceres Community Project recently celebrated 10 years of building healthy communities together. Thanks to everyone who came out to mark the occasion and reflect on all we've accomplished together.
Many of our current and past clients, teens, adult volunteers, supporters and others came out to celebrate with us. We had a great time with all of you!
For those of you who missed it or want to reminisce, here's a link to a photo gallery from the event, and to a short film about our work.
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Thank You for Making
Our Celebration Possible
Andy's Market
Becky Thomas
Bright Event Rentals
Cheryl Hanhart-Beck
Colby Red
Community Church of Sebastopol
Don Landis, the "olive guy"
Dry Creek Vineyard
Dutton Estate Wines
Jane Frances
Gourmet Mushrooms
Guayaki
Harvest Moon
Hollie Fortkamp
Jane Frances
Kendall-Jackson
Laguna Farms
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Pacific Market
Pat Ehrmann
Pure Energy Productions
Red Bird Bakery
Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery
Revive Kombucha
Rob Hogencamp, Three Leaves Foods
Straus Family Creamery
The Kefiry
Tierra Vegetables
Trader Joe's
Whole Foods Market
Wildbrine
World Centric
Veritable Vegetable
Ceres Volunteers & Staff
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We Count On Your Help
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Take 5 minutes to rate Ceres, and you'll help more donors and volunteers choose Ceres.
If you haven't already, please share your experience as a volunteer, client or donor. By inspiring others to join in, you help widen the circle of people working together to build community, mentor youth and nourish our neighbors in health crisis.
Your vote makes a world of difference to us and to many others.
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Receiving Too Many Emails?
Are the e-mails you receive from us not relevant to you? We might not have your correct zip code or address on file. E-mail us your zip code/address and we'll make sure to tailor our emails to your location and needs.
Email us at newsletter@ceresproject.org
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Upcoming Classes & Events
NEW CLASSES AND ORIENTATION DATES!
Want to see what we're up to for the new year?
and never miss out on a Ceres event.
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Let Us Know What You Think!
We'd love to hear how we can improve our newsletter.
Please take our short survey and share your thoughts.
Click Here Now! |
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More Ways to Support Ceres
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Join Our Kale Club
Become one of our monthly donors and you'll automatically be enrolled in our Kale Club.
Kale Club membership perks include a monthly email with a collection of delicious and healthy recipes from the Ceres kitchen!
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Purchase the Ceres Cookbook
Ceres'
Nourishing Connections Cookbook is filled with
delicious and healthy recipes...
PLUS read about how Ceres came to be, and benefit from the extensive section outlining Ceres' Food Philosophy and hands on strategies to empower you to make healthy change in your life. More details and sample recipes here.
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Whole Foods
Visit Whole Foods Market and enjoy a delicious, healthy deli salad or soup adapted from Ceres' Nourishing Connections Cookbook.
Ceres receives a $1.00 donation for every pint purchased. Look for special signage in these Whole Foods locations:
Santa Rosa (Yulupa)
Coddingtown
Sebastopol
Petaluma
Sonoma
Blithedale
Novato
Mill Valley
San Rafael
Napa
and other Northern California locations!
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Community Cards
Earn funds for Ceres when you shop at Oliver's Markets, Petaluma Market, Fircrest and other local markets.
Pick up your eScrip Community Card the next time you shop, and designate Ceres as your beneficiary. The markets will donate 3-5% of your spending to us.
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AmazonSmile
You can easily support Ceres through the purchases you already make on Amazon.com.
Visit Smile.Amazon.com to choose Ceres as your beneficiary organization and then access Amazon via Smile.Amazon.com every time you shop.
The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Ceres.
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OPERATING PRINCIPLES
Heart Centered & Love Guided
We are committed to expressing love, trust, respect and integrity in our lives, work and organization.
Everything Matters
Nothing is left out. We work to have every action and choice lead to the greatest positive impact.
Young People are the Future
Young People are intelligent, responsible, capable, creative and caring, and must be central participants in shaping our collective future.
The Universe has a Purpose
Everything is connected, and life continually invites us to experience gratitude, abundance, connection, community and healing.
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