The following causes, efforts and people are ones that we have supported in recent years. We highly recommend checking them out and helping in any way you can.
Kina is a friend of ours who lives in Pennsylvania. She was born with cystic fibrosis, a hereditary disease that at this point has no known cure. In 2007, Kina underwent a double lung transplant, after years of almost constant visits to the doctor and hospital stays. While this isn't a cure-all, it has given her a new lease on life. The copays from the insurance have added up to quite a bit, so any donations are appreciated!
Being in Portland, we live very near the Columbia River, the Pacific Northwest's largest river. The Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership is a local environmental groups that does a lot of good work to help improve the health of the waterways that flow into the Columbia. We've helped them plant and maintain trees and bushes in the area, including in Lacamas Creek Park, which is just on the other side of the river in Camas, Washington.
The Order of Thelemic Knights is a charitable organization founded by Thelemic and Gnostic practitioners. Along with numerous clothing drives that have been organized since the Order began in 1999, these good folks were also involved in disaster relief from Hurricane Katrina and have been speaking about awareness of such issues since then. Their next upcoming event will be the First Annual Portland Road Runners Charity Event which will benefit the Bradley-Angle House.
The Earth Spirit Foundation was started by James Endredy, author of several excellent books on modern shamanism and related topics. In March of 2008, Lupa underwent the first and second initiations that James offers as part of a personal rite of passage at that point in her life. During that time she learned more about the Foundation, which aids in various causes to include helping the Huichol culture maintain its traditional ways, and protecting wilderness areas and sacred places around Sedona and elsewhere, among other direct efforts to make the world a healthier place.
When Lupa went to Arizona in March of 2008 to work with James Endredy, she stayed at the Gold Depot, a nonprofit spiritual retreat center just a few miles West of Sedona. Along with supporting numerous educational experiences for children and adults alike, and harboring a lovely piece of red desert, Gold Depot has some of the friendliest folks Lupa had ever run across. If you're in the area, we strongly suggest asking about accomodations during your stay (or volunteer opportunities if you're a local). However, there are always things that are needed that anyone can send. Theresa and the other good folks at Gold depot offered Lupa a supportive, wonderful place to stay during her experiences in Arizona, and she'll be sure to return!
Kiva is a recent addition to what we support; Lupa's Three Seeds workshop, which teaches participants about the individual, community, and the environment, all in the comfort of your garden, is an effort to raisde money to put towards various nonprofit causes. The first recipient of Three Seeds money is Kiva, an organization that arranges microloans for peopple in developing nations. Once the money is repaid to the person who donated it, it can iommediately be loaned again. This is an excellent example of direct action that anyone can participate in.
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