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In this issue:
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In case you missed my recent email, I hope you'll take a few minutes now to browse through
our just-released Annual Report, celebrating all we accomplished last year thanks to your support.
Through the inspiring photos, quotes and stories we've gathered you'll learn how, together, we're nourishing clients, empowering teens and creating thousands of healing moments each and every week.
Thank you for being a part of the Ceres family!
Warmly,
Cathryn Couch
Executive Director
*Best viewed on your PC or laptop
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Looking Back
Rose: Teen Chef
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Rose DeNicola (left) with founder Cathryn Couch and early Teen Chef Sarah Stuffelbeam (right)
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Rose DeNicola was one of Ceres' earliest Teen Chefs back in 2007. She shared the reasons she became a volunteer-echoing the reasons we still hear from teens attending our orientations today: "I love cooking, my mom encouraged me, and I wanted to spend time with my friends."
In this case, the friends were sisters Anna and Sarah Stuffelbeam. Not only did all three girls become long-term volunteers holding leadership roles, but Ceres became a family affair, with both sets of parents volunteering and three of them (JoEllen DeNicola; Julie & Kim Stuffelbeam) eventually joining Ceres' staff.
Here are Rose's reflections on her time at Ceres:
"I started volunteering in the kitchen which became my basic volunteer role.
I would also help tabling at events and taking photos for the project. After a couple years I became a member of the Ceres board, until I graduated from high school. Having a teen on the Board really speaks to the way in which Ceres values and believes
in their teen members. It was so exciting for me to be held to this level of responsibility. I also enjoyed having insight into the greater vision of the project.
I always found the visits from our clients to be very moving and inspiring. During many of these visits I was overcome with feeling incredibly powerful. The client's heartfelt expressions of gratitude and sincere affirmations that the food was essential for their recovery was incredibly inspiring.
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Cathryn with Teen Chefs Ursule and Rose in 2007
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When I started Ceres was so small, very informal, not complicated, and very grassroots. It hardly resembles the Ceres that I know today - but there is a heart to the project that I have never seen waver.
I am now a bodyworker with a private practice at Flourish Integrative Health in Santa Rosa as well as Osmosis Day Spa. I love my work in part because I am able to hold others with healing hands every day- something that I felt at Ceres as well and continued to value after my time volunteering. I have also specialized in Oncology massage, and I was inspired to study Oncology massage in part due to my work with Ceres clients!
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Ceres Café part of the Santa Rosa Kitchen at the SAY Dream Center.
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Very recently, I gathered with the Flourishing Women Healers Group at Ceres Café (in Santa Rosa) for a lunch.
It was the first time I had been to the cafe since it opened. When I walked in I had a flashback to a group visioning and planning event in which Anna Stuffelbeam and I had gone for a walk and dreamt of a beautiful cafe where teens would cook for the community, learn job skills, and share the project with the general community. So when I walked into the cafe I felt how our dream had been realized! I saw how a whole community had come together passing on this dream from one person to the next, growing it, and feeding it healthy food until this dream came true. It touched me so much I started crying with joy in the cafe!"
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Osmosis Benefit Concert for Ceres Featuring MaMuse
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Jul 20 |
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MaMuse
- Freestone Benefit Concert
6:00 - 9:00 pm
With deep roots in the folk and gospel traditions, and their hearts in the present, MaMuse (Sarah Nutting and Karisha Longaker) create uplifting music for the next seven generations to thrive on. Interweaving brilliant and haunting harmony with lyrics born of honed emotional intelligence, MaMuse invokes a musical presence that inspires the opening of the heart.
Join us in the Osmosis Meditation Garden for an unforgettable, heart warming performance.
All proceeds will benefit the Ceres Community Project.
Tickets are all-inclusive with dinner from Ceres Community Project, Wine, Dessert and Cedar Enzyme Footbaths.
This event will take place at:
Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary
209 Bohemian Highway,
Freestone, CA 95472
Reservations are essential due to space limitations.
Invite friends on Facebook!
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Get Healthy for Summer with Ceres
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6:00 - 8:00 pm in Sebastopol
If you have already taken our Healing Foods Basics class and would like to know more, this class is for you.
Space is limited, so please register early.
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Come and explore:
♥ Anti-inflammatory Foods
♥ Fats: which to use and how to cook them properly
♥ Managing your blood sugar
This class involves a hands-on portion, and we will make a healthy dish together!
Invite friends on Facebook! 
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Kids Can Cook!
Join us at the Library for Kids' Classes
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We're excited to partner with Sonoma County libraries to offer this fun, hands-on cooking class for young children. Not only will they gain practical skills and knowledge, they'll also enjoy sampling the dishes they prepare together.
Classes are free and geared towards kids in 1st to 3rd grades.
Upcoming Classes:
Thurs., May 25
Sebastopol Library
3:30 - 4:30pm
*new date (date on flyer is incorrect!)
Fri., May 26
Rohnert Park Library
4 - 5pm
Sat. May 27
Santa Rosa Main Library
1 - 2pm
**Visit any one of the locations above to register
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Ceres Food Philosophy:
Why and How
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by Thais Harris, NC
Nutrition Education Manager, Ceres Community Project
Our Mission | We create health for people, communities and the planet through love, healing food and empowering the next generation.
Ceres' commitment is to use foods that are the healthiest for the person as well as for the planet. These healthy foods are fresh, organic, nourishing, nutrient-rich, seasonal, minimally processed, grown sustainably, and local whenever possible.
Ceres uses organic and local foods to insure that the freshest and most nutrient-rich whole food is available for our clients as well as to nurture a healthy local food system by supporting our local growers and producers....
Read the full article here
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Recipe to Nourish Body and Mind
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| Asian Slaw with Sesame and Ginger
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| Click the image above or here for a printable PDF of our free delicious recipe. |
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What is a quintessential Ceres meal? One that heals of course! This recipe combines the anti-inflammatory power of ginger with the anti-cancer properties of cabbage.
This is just one example of the recipes we have crafted to keep you healthy and nourished. To read more about these healing foods check out our Nutrition Bites here.
Click
here
for this recipe and here
for even more free recipes!
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Celebrating Our Amazing Volunteers
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National Volunteer Week
Did you know that more than 1,000 people volunteer with Ceres over the course of a year? We literally could not do what we do without our dedicated volunteers. They are the heart and hands of our work.
To all our volunteers, both teen and adult, we want to thank you the dedication, compassion and caring hearts you bring to serve our community!
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| (Above) Marin Adult Volunteers: Stan, SueZee and Jim. (Below) Marin Teen Volunteers: Edson, Natalie and Alexander |
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| Marin Teen Volunteers: Edson, Natalie and Alexander |
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| Santa Rosa Container team: Gary, Scott, Barbara & Jeannette! |
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| John & Donna - Cafe volunteers (Photos by Tina Green) |
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| (Above) Marin Teen Volunteers Jack and Jessica. (Below) Celebratory snacks in honor of our amazing volunteers! |
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Join in the Fun!
Find out how you can lend a hand at Ceres
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We are actively recruiting adult 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.
The first step for new volunteers is to attend an Orientation. Click the blue links below to register.
Santa Rosa:
Catering Volunteers
Café Volunteers
Kitchen Mentors
Container Sterilizers
Delivery Angels
Sebastopol:
Container Sterilizers
San Rafael:
Container Sterilizers
Delivery Angels
Click here for basic requirements and information about the roles
Teens Volunteers
- We Need Your Help Too!
Pick up a form here or at our 3 locations and check out our Marin and Sonoma County Event pages for upcoming events!
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Community Events That Give Back
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The Bija Children's Choir Supports Ceres
The Bija Children's Choir, a nonprofit organization based in Sebastopol, recently donated to Ceres in honor of their spring repertoire theme, "Fire".
"Since we feel our strongest connection to the element of fire is through cooking, our choir community offers this gesture to support your wonderful work. The Bija Choir supports and honors the way in which Ceres works with the element of fire to cook and create healing meals for those who are ailing." -Maria Bija
Many Bija Children's Choir singers have gone on to volunteer in the Ceres kitchen over the years, so a heartfelt connection exist between the choir and Ceres.
The Bija Children's Choir offers dynamic choral classes leveled by age and ability, and vibrant annual performances for the community. This June marks the completion of the Bija Choir's 7th full season with all four choir levels performing at an annual free Summerfest Concert on June 4th sponsored by the Sebastopol Kiwanis Club. Learn more about classes, or register for their concert here.
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| Charlotte Mitchell's Birthday Fundraiser For Ceres |
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Charlotte Mitchell had a great 7th Annual Birthday Party Fundraiser, this time raising over $1,200 for Ceres Community Project! Invitations were sent to friends and family near and far and people responded in an amazing way, making it her biggest fundraiser ever. Her previous recipients included: foster kids, homeless families, assistance dogs, and micro business grants for Cuban families. This year Charlotte really got into cooking, so that's how Ceres came to mind. All 7 fundraising parties combined brought in over $5,500.
Thank you, Charlotte!! |
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Show How Much You Care!
Ceres Community Cares Program is a fun way local businesses and community members can show their support for community health through Ceres. Whether you're looking to dedicate your birthday gifts towards a cause you believe in, give a portion of your business' sales to support meaningful work in our community, or wanting to support youth empowerment through a school or service group fundraiser, supporting Ceres through your event puts your values around community connection and health into action.
To learn more about the Ceres Community Cares program, e-mail: communitycares@ceresproject.org or call Molly at (707) 829-5833 x128
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Ending Soon: Help Ceres Buy a Catering Van
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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.
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 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 26th to reach our goal and are already more than halfway there! Support Ceres by donating today.
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Compete for Ceres
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Instagrammers: Play for Us!
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Play #ISpyBright and you could help Ceres win a $2,000 donation! Snap a photo of a Bright Event Rental truck or a Bright event, follow them on Instagram @brighteventrentals and post using hashtag #ISpyBright and #cerescommunityproject.
Ceres could receive a $2,000 donation, and a $1,000 credit on our Bright rental order for #harvestoftheheart!
Be sure to spread the word - the more entries for Ceres, the better our chance to win. Contest ends June 1. Ready ... Set ... Spy!
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Ceres at the Human Race
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Walking for Ceres Was a Ton of Fun!
The Human Race is a national event showcasing the important role nonprofits play in our communities. Participants raise funds for their cause by collecting pledges and then walking or running in the Race. At the Sonoma County race on May 6, we had a team of about 25 walkers and runners including volunteers, members of the Bija Children's Choir and Ceres staff and their families.
As local radio station KZST broadcast the start of the race, the announcer said, "Here's Ceres Community Project. My son volunteered there!"
During the post-race Marketplace, we welcomed Racers to our booth and shared information about our mission and ways to get involved.
The Marin Human Race followed a week later. There we also had a table and enjoyed talking to participants about Ceres.
We hope everyone who could not attend this year will join us next year, when we plan to participate in both Races.
Check out more of Kim Stuffelbeam's action-packed photographs here.
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| (Above) Linda Dovbish, (Project Manager, San Rafael) and volunteer, Arlene Ford, at the Marin Human Race |
 
(Above) We dressed as Chefs & Farmers for the Race. (Below) Kitchen Manager Julie Stuffelbeam and daughter Sarah (one of our early Teen Leaders) shuttling to the Starting Line.
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Our group included families from the Bija Children's Choir, plus Ceres volunteers and staff.
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| CeresFest-Thank You! |
CeresFest was truly a wonderful evening of delicious food, music, games and company.
The Remedies rocked our socks off with plenty of Classic Rock, Blues and R&B jams and our stellar staff and volunteers warmed our hearts with hearty and healthy meals. With everyone's help we raised more than $6,000 to support our work!
We want to thank everyone who supported CeresFest. Especially our
guests and
volunteers. We are so lucky to have youth and adult volunteers who fully embody and express the power of our work.
And of course our generous sponsor and host,
Lagunitas Brewing Company!
We couldn't do it without you!
For those of you who missed it, or want to reminisce, we have some wonderful photos taken by Kim Stuffelbeam below and here's a link to the corresponding photo gallery to see the rest.
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Thank You for Making
Our Celebration Possible
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Ceres Community Garden
FEED Sonoma
First Light Farm
Fork in the Road
The Giving Gardens Project
Gourmet Mushrooms
Grindstone Bakery
Harmony Farm Supply
The Kefiry
Laguna Farm
McNear's Saloon & Dining House
Singing Frogs Farm
Straus Family Creamery
Three Leaves Foods
Tierra Vegetables
Tom Silberkleit
Wildbrine
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INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY!
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Graphic Design Internship,
Sebastopol
Ceres Community Project is seeking a Graphic Design Intern to assist in Communications and Design tasks.
Duration: 6 months, with option to extend to a year if mutually agreeable.
Hours:
6-12 hours/week, 1-2 days/wk. Schedule is negotiable.
Location: Ceres Regional Offices, Sebastopol
Compensation:
Internship position is not compensated. Intern may be eligible for college credits.
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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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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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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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