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ROOTS ARE "RADICLE"
Local author, Renee Wade, writes in her book,
The Living Earth Handbook,
"In botany, a
radicle is the root that emerges from the seed. The root is the part of the plant that digs deep into the soil, meets the neighbors, gathers needed food or water, offers sustenance to allies and develops connections. The root gathers and sends both nutrients and information to the whole of the plant, anchoring it firmly in a world of active relationship and meaning."
This is exactly what
Sierra Roots is about - developing connections and anchoring our mission firmly in a world of active relationship and meaning.
Sierra Roots is "radicle" in it's desire to build homes within a caring, healing community with the chronically homeless who are so ready to become part of the solution instead of the problem. At the same time we meet our neighbors, offer sustenance to our allies and information to the whole plant of the larger community.
Sierra Roots has a "radicle" idea that healing can and will happen through active relationship and connections with each individual who has been homeless and marginalized so long that they live in struggle and hopelessness every day. It's "radicle" to think that with a new approach of working with these individuals and their own solutions to the predicaments they find themselves in, healing and prosperity will abound. In a neighborhood of small homes and a gathering center where a caring community of residents and non-profit volunteers work and play together, healing happens.
Sierra Roots is new, with a new approach to healing and productivity for those who are homeless at this time.
Sierra Roots, like its name, is a radicle way of changing things for the homeless in our community. At the same time we offer a new perspective on how to deal with the homelessness situation we find ourselves in here, and in every community in the United States.
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Fund Development or
"Fundraiser
s are the catalysts of change" - Unknown
By Caryl Fairfull
I am happy this month to talk about three events coming up soon. Our July fundraiser is a catalyst for change; we dream of changes in the universe will promote our vision of a home for everyone.
- The first event is our
"Dare to Dream... that Everyone Has A Home" event to be held at the Nevada City First Baptist Church on July 28 at 5 PM. You should be finding an invitation in your mailbox this week if you live in the Grass Valley area. Cost is $100 per person and we hope to see you there. Janice will lead us all through some guided dreaming and it will be very interesting.
- The second event will be the first Sierra Roots Picnic in the Park at Commodore Park in Lake Wildwood on Sunday September 16 at 5 PM. We will be at the Pavilion beside the lake and it will be a great time to see old friends and meet new ones who care about our mission. Look for details and invitations in August. Save the Date!
- Cinematasstic, the wonderful event by Marissa Hernandez that was to be held on June 22, will be rescheduled to September if all goes well. It will benefit Sierra Roots, so we all need to get out and support this fun event. Stay tuned for updates on this.
- Check this column in August to learn about making automatic monthly donations. These donations will provide us with dependable funding for our needs and dreams with little or no effort by our Donors. Our new DonorPerfect database allows us to set up monthly donations that come directly to us and are recorded immediately in the system so that thank you messages can be quickly generated.
I love the idea of "Dare to Dream" as a general theme, since dreams are the visions that spark amazing things.
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WE'RE BACK INTHE PARK!
Spring time and summer brings us back to Pioneer Park for our weekly lunches.We have two now - one on Monday at 11:30 where we serve Pizza in the Parking lot and then Thursdays at 11:30 when we serve our full hot meal until 12:30 p.m. at the picnic tables near the horse shoe pitches. Everyone is welcome to come visit with us, make announcements, help us serve, get to know the community of our homeless friends.
We have new people joining us all the time and they are reminded of our basic rules of conduct while we're serving our lunch there: No smoking, no use of alcohol or drugs and dogs must be under control of the owner, no cursing or loud shouting while enjoying a good meal.
Clothes and hygiene products are available as well as sign ups for shoes or boots. Free food items to take with you from the Food Bank are also available. It is a mellow time for everyone and we ask all newcomers to wait until the local and regular guests are served before getting in line. There is always enough for everyone. We thank the generous and caring volunteers who prepare and bring the food each Thursday.
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A NEW AND WONDERFUL ROOT SPROUTING
One of our homeless leaders, Jesse Gardner, has begun to organize a Friday night supper for the community. Using their EBT or food cards, individuals bring food to the gathering in the park and cook on the grills there to serve each other a meal. Resourceful and caring for each other, they create comm
unity among
themselves.
We admire them and support their efforts. If anyone wants to bring something to them to share, feel free to help. Thank you, Jesse, Martin, Matthew, and Ben. Thank you for making this a happy and good time for all. Peace and Blessings.
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NEW ADVOCACY TRAINEES TO GRADUATE
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Four new trained volunteer Advocates will graduate and receive assignments as Advocates this month. The venue and time
of the graduation will be announced soon. The Advocates are, Gladys Landon, Matthew Grill, Monte Cazazza and Ann Wallace. Gladys and Matthew have already taken on Advocacy for two of our homeless individuals who are in great need of medical appointments, food and socialization. The next Advocacy Training will begin in September/October.
Advocates study the book by Jay Levy,
Pretreatment Guide for Homeless Outreach and Housing First.
They learn the stages of engagement and how to develop relationship with those who are untrusting and angry. Then they also learn all the agencies available and how to encourage each individual to use the resources available. These advocates will be available to any of the homeless we encounter who want help to get healthier.
Anyone who is interested in becoming an Advocate for a homeless individual can contact Janice at 530/263-2058.
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SAVE THE DATE!
SATURDAY, JULY 28TH 5:00 - 8:00P.M.
NC FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
"IMAGINE"
SUMMER DINNER
FUNDRAISER FOR SIERRA ROOTS
There will be a buffet of delicious summer time foods, music by one of our people we serve, with presentation by Sierra Roots of the dream and vision of a Community Village of small homes for thirty eight to forty people who are now without a place to call home. Dream together with us as Janice leads us in a "Conscious Dream". Let us together "dream- create" what we want to provide for our marginalized poor here in Nevada City. Invitations will be sent out shortly and details about tickets and price will be coming.
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WHAT IS HOUSING FIRST?
Housing First
is the overall goal to provide a home, which encompasses not only being housed and part of a community, but
also includes the stability of a long term tenancy and the prospect of improved health. It is relationship-based work that meets people "where they are at" and takes on the challenges and obstacles they have endured.
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FIRE DANGER!
As summer heats up, all of us are so very conscious and concerned about fires! No one is more conscious and frightened of fires starting in our forest here than those who are forced to live in the trees and out of sight with no where else to sleep because of lack of housing or homes for them. But who gets blamed for and who sometimes are the ones who cause the fires are the homeless themselves - those who are not mentally capable of understanding how their actions can lead to such tragedy.
When we work with these folks, we are very aware and as a community, we look out for those who may be unaware of their actions leading to fires that go out of control. A safe village where all are educated and cautioned regularly would put so many of us more at ease about fires started unwittingly by a homeless person in our woods.This is another very important reason why we need to provide housing and community for those who have no choice but to live in these beautiful, but vulnerable forests surrounding us.
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Here's Why There Are So Many
Unsheltered Homeless People on the West Coast
Reprinted from Alternet.org
It's not for the reasons most people think
June 14, 2018, 4:36 AM GMT
One-quarter of homeless people in the U.S. live in California, despite Californians making up only 12 percent of the population.
Not only is homelessness more common on the West Coast but it is also more visible, because a higher proportion of homeless people are unsheltered. In the U.S., 24 percent of homeless people sleep outside, in vehicles or somewhere else not meant for human habitation. But that varies greatly from place to place: In California, 68 percent of homeless people are unsheltered, compared to just 5 percent in New York.
Visitors to the West Coast may be shocked to find the tents that line cities from San Diego to Seattle. Like a modern-day "Grapes of Wrath," the tents are a stark reminder of the suffering of the thousands living outside, homeless.
What's to blame for such high numbers of unsheltered homeless on the West Coast? The reason isn't drug use, mental health problems or weather. Rather, it is due to the extreme shortage of affordable housing.
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VOLUNTEER MEETINGS
Next Monthly Volunteer Meeting:
July 12, Thursday, at 1 PM
First Methodist Church ~ 433 Broad Street, Nevada City
Our monthly meetings are intended for those who are just becoming acquainted with
Sierra Roots
and want to learn more about the various volunteer opportunities,
as well as
for those already involved so everyone is up to date, informed
and involved in discussion and planning.
Not everyone is aware of the many ways Sierra Roots engages and builds community with our homeless friends while we continue to look for land for our Village.
For example, Sierra Roots operates an emergency weather shelter, serves meals twice weekly, and provides advocacy services, to homeless individuals. You can learn about these and other volunteer opportunities at our monthly meetings.
530 751-3263
Visit us on the web: www.SierraRoots.org
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