In honor of my friend Laramie F. who is an anti-imperialist artist and shares in the collective struggle for a Free Palestine

Thank you, Story House, for all the laughs, ideas, surprises, heartfelt connections. What a beautiful community builder. 

Best wishes to my creative sister, Elaine Tajima, and your partners in your Origins project.  

Christmas gift for Ellie Vanderlip from Pat and Birdy

Thank you for your important and beautiful work, love Catherine Filloux 

I am proud to contribute to this incredible space that inspires so much hope.

The Museum of Jurassic Technology celebrates the eccentric and encourages us to question our understanding of the world. I’m proud to support this storied institution that presents the strange and obscure with such wonder and depth, reminding us to embrace curiosity and the unknown.

Michael cares deeply about humans, and he sees patterns at a scale most of us don’t. With Humans on the Loop he is putting much-needed energy into ensuring we retain agency as we’re absorbed into complex technological systems

The world needs faithful Christians/Catholics now more than ever.  We have seen, over the past 100 years or so, what happens when our rootedness in Christ is cut off, it is time to reassert it. 

The Foundation's operations are mainly in Palestine and in the United Kingdom through the Mosaic Rooms.

We support children, teachers, and young artists in the fields of culture and education 
 
The A. M. Qattan Foundation (AMQF) is an independent, non-profit organization working in the fields of culture and education, with a focus on children, teachers, and young artists. Founded and registered as a charity in the United Kingdom in 1993, the Foundation operates mainly in Palestine, Lebanon and the UK. Our Vision   A just, free, enlightened, and tolerant society with an active global presence that embraces dialogue and produces knowledge, art, and literature Our Mission   Achieve a dynamic cultural environment that is conducive to the production of emancipatory thought and knowledge Our Values Rights and dignity for all; Freedom, pluralism, dialogue, and the production of knowledge; A spirit of collegial productivity; The courage to act justly and ethically. Strategic Goals 2020–2024 Develop and disseminate cultural output to a wide public, encouraging it to become more active and responsive; Strengthen existing cultural, artistic, and educational structures to make them more dynamic and capable of producing critical and emancipatory thought and knowledge; Work towards an ecosystem conducive to the Foundation's role and mission; Promote the A. M. Qattan Foundation as a pioneering institution and an inspiring model; Ensure financial sustainability.

A.M. Qattan Foundation

Story House Ithaca brings people together to share, study, create, and enjoy stories in all their forms.

Story House Ithaca brings people together around stories. We define “story” very broadly, to include fiction and nonfiction, poetry and song, documentary, journalism, photography, audio, film, theater, puppetry, visual and performance art, graphics, dance, and every other way of communicating ideas and experience. Our definition of “house” is also broad. We hope eventually to settle into our own space, but for now we’re excited to be popping up around the community.

**The Problem**

Our society is going through a period of fracturing, as people of different socioeconomic, cultural, and educational backgrounds divide into ever more insular groups. One reason for this is a lack of opportunities for people to interact in meaningful and non-threatening ways. This has had disastrous consequences in politics, public health, and many other areas.
  
 **Our Approach**

- Story House creates. We dream up, organize, and present workshops, discussions, readings, talks, screenings, exhibitions, performances, participatory projects, and other activities. 
- Story House collaborates. We work with organizations, artists, activists, scholars, and others to plan and present compelling programming. 
- Story House connects. We help creative people and groups find new partners and reach new audiences. 
- Story House empowers. We help members of our community acquire the skills they need to tell the stories they want to tell.

In all our programs and activities, we are committed to creating inclusive spaces that welcome diversity. We strive to foster interactions between people of different cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds, with the goal of working toward shared understanding and a more equitable, anti-racist society.
 
**Our Team**

Lesley Greene (co-director) is a producer, designer, writer, and director. She worked for many years at the Kitchen Theatre Company, where she curated and produced three performance series, created sound and projection designs, and served as chief grant writer and head of marketing. She is a co-founder and co-organizer of Porchfest, a festival that began in Ithaca in 2007 and now takes place in more than 150 cities across North America.
  
Jonathan Miller (co-director) is a writer, journalist, editor, radio producer, podcaster, and media project leader whose work has taken him to more than 20 countries. Since 2006, he has been executive director of Homelands Productions, an award-winning journalism collective that specializes in public radio features and documentaries. Jon serves on the board of Ithaca City of Asylum and coordinates the ONWARDS project, which seeks to help displaced writers, artists, human rights defenders, and scholars find stability in the USA.
 
**Contact information** 

Lesley Greene and Jonathan Miller, co-directors
[info@storyhouseithaca.org](mailto:info@storyhouseithaca.org) 
   

Story House Ithaca

Saffron Arts & Culture sparks creativity with accessible programs and experiences that help artists and youth thrive.

**Support** [Saffron Arts and Culture](https://www.saffronartsandculture.org)

Saffron Arts and Culture fosters artistic expression and creativity by providing accessible art programs, mentorships, and vibrant, innovative experiences for a diverse creative community of youth, emerging, and established artists. We want to create an environment where talent flourishes and voices are heard.

Your contribution fuels our mission through three core initiatives:

[Saffron Arts + Ed](https://www.saffronartsandculture.org/artsed)

We partner with schools and community centers to bring high-quality art experiences directly to elementary, middle and high school students. Through hands-on projects and mentorship, students discover their creative spark, build confidence, and develop skills that support lifelong learning.

[The Origin Stories Project](https://www.saffronartsandculture.org/originstories)

Our signature storytelling and visual arts initiative invites participants of all ages to explore the moments that shaped who they are—experiences of arrival, legacy, revelation, or adversity. These narratives are transformed into original artworks and shared through moderated forums and exhibitions that foster empathy, dialogue, and community connection.

[Saffron Creative Collective](https://www.saffronartsandculture.org/creative-collective)

We support artists at every stage through exhibitions, workshops, residencies, immersive cultural tours, and an online marketplace. This initiative helps artists grow their practice, reach new audiences, and build sustainable creative careers.

**Together, these initiatives create vibrant, inclusive spaces where artistic expression is celebrated and creativity becomes a bridge to understanding. Your support makes this possible.**

***We are fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which allows us to offer you tax deductions for your contributions. This ensures that you’ll receive an acknowledgement letter for tax purposes, and your donation will be available for our project.***

Saffron Arts and Culture

Artists' Television Access is an all-volunteer, artist-run, underground and experimental media arts gallery founded in 1984.

Artists’ Television Access is a San Francisco-based, artist-run, non-profit organization that cultivates and promotes culturally-aware, underground media and experimental art. We provide an accessible screening venue and gallery for the presentation of programmed and guest-curated screenings, exhibitions, performances, workshops and events. We believe in fostering a supportive community for the exhibition of innovative art and the exchange of non-conformist ideas.

Artists' Television Access

Built on conflict resolution, crime prevention, diplomacy building, community development and preservation of historic memory.

The community art projects created in the Perquin Model focus on the challenges posed by inter-communal and societal conflicts in today’s world.

Our mission is to bring greater awareness through shared town meetings and through the planning of collaborative art interventions and public art pieces.

The collaborative art projects recover historic memory while providing artistic skills and practical expertise in a new model of art education.

The mandate of our school is to create bridges of collaboration with local and political agencies that will welcome art as a contribution of social planning, to develop leadership roles among the participants, especially the youth who will face the challenge to grow up in a collapsed economic scenario threatened by poverty and unemployment.

Through art and creative praxis, children and youth focus on conflict resolution envisioning a proposition for endurable peace.

Walls of Hope

Empowering Palestinians since 1983 through education, culture and relief programs in Palestine and beyond. Together, we build hope

**Taawon (Welfare Association)** is a **non-profit**, **civic organization** launched in **Geneva** in the year **1983**, upon the initiative of a group of **Palestinian and Arab economists** and intellectuals.
**Taawon has become one of the largest organizations operating in Palestine and the diaspora camps in Lebanon**, whereby it touches the lives of **more than one million Palestinians** on an annual basis, with half of these beneficiaries being **women**.
**Since its establishment, Taawon has invested funds reaching nearly US $900 million, dedicated to development and relief programs.**

**Taawon’s record** over the past 40 years reflects a journey full of achievements reinforced by **strong partnerships**.
Taawon’s long and rich experience has enabled it to:

- Overcome **obstacles** and **difficult conditions** due to the **Israeli occupation**
- Find **innovative and creative solutions** to crises
- Remain responsive to needs despite **social and economic instability**

Taawon maintains a presence in:

- **Palestine**
- **Jordan**
- **Lebanon**
- **Switzerland**
- **Great Britain** (via its sister organization)

Its **interventions reinforce the steadfastness** of **Palestinian citizens** in **Palestine** and the **refugee camps in Lebanon**.

**Taawon aims to:**

- **Empower Palestinian individuals** and **civil society institutions**
- Strengthen **identity**, **freedom**, **democracy**, and **human values**
- Preserve **Palestinian cultural heritage**, highlighting its **unique position**
- Unleash the creative energies of **youth**, **women**, and **children**
- Provide **equal opportunities** for all segments of society
- Promote **creativity** and **excellence** despite the most difficult circumstances

**Taawon works in partnership** with civil society organizations through:

- Purposeful planning
- High-standard policies

Guided by:

- The **Universal Declaration of Human Rights**
- The **United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)**
- The **Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity**

🏅 *Awards & Recognition:*

- **Taawon Awards for Excellence & Creativity**, granted annually to those advancing **sustainable development in Palestine** 
- Recipient of the **Mahatma Award (2018–2020)** for **COVID‑19 humanitarian efforts** [taawon.org](https://www.taawon.org/en/content/awards-received?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

***Our Vision****:*

*“To envision the Palestinian people as citizens of an independent, free, democratic Arab Palestine, living in dignity, prosperity and self‑fulfillment.”*

Taawon (Welfare Association)

The Rivanna Area Queer Center provides a safe refuge for all LGBTQIA+ people 
in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties.

LGBTQIA+ people need spaces of our own where we can take refuge, build resilient communities, and organize for our collective liberation. RAQC provides a safe and loving home for the queer community in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties. Programming at RAQC addresses multiple areas of need: support groups, peer counseling, and on-site mental health professionals contribute to the emotional wellbeing of our community. Classes and workshops on topics as diverse as screen printing, foraging, and self defense address our physical and creative needs. Social events like mixers, parties, and performances ensure that our region’s vibrant queer culture continues to flourish. In addition to our own programming, RAQC also serves as a safe and accessible space where all local queer organizations and individuals can host their own events.

Rivanna Area Queer Center (RAQC)

The Museum of Jurassic Technology, Culver City, CA is a nonprofit organization focused on natural history and history of science 

Museum of Jurassic Technology

Let's dream together better!  Exploring wisdom for a world of magical technologies with paleontologist-futurist Michael Garfield.

**If you could do anything with technology, what will you do?**

Humans On The Loop is a transdisciplinary inquiry into the nature of agency in our age of automation.

In our AI-infused society, the gap between imagination and “reality” is smaller than it’s ever been — and now it’s time for humankind to graduate from asking if our dreams are possible to asking how we can dream better. This means cultivating deeper self-awareness, more discipline and humility, and a better metaphysics of technology to help us wield these new superpowers. But decades into a period of rapid information scaling, our grasp of consensus reality and executive function have eroded, causing an epistemic crisis. The wicked problems of this century require coordination at unprecedented scale, but our greatest natural resource — attention — has worn even thinner than our topsoil. How do we regenerate it and restore the faculties we need to be good stewards of this new ecology of minds?

Navigating the challenges that come with new information technologies is a group exercise and demands inherently plural approaches. The right response to tools that amplify our biases is to lean in with curiosity and play, not fearI have spent two decades studying and synthesizing  perspectives on intelligence and technology, innovation, and human-technology co-evolution…as well as testing bleeding-edge creative tools in public, helping cultivate systems literacies for navigating transformation, and fostering a massive network of mentors and collaborators with whom I share a devotion to the cultivation of a healthy Biosphere and Technosphere. As AI comes of age, this is the moment to recruit as many of them as we can into a multimodal public inquiry on wisdom and technology, power and responsibility, holistic practices for cultivating saner futures…and how we can keep Humans On The Loop and at the wheel.

It's going to be a trip — how can we make sure that it’s a good one?

This project exists to foster a renaissance of collaboration and the conditions for new ways of knowing. Its goals include to:

– Boost public discourse at the intersection of technology and wisdom
– Create a legacy of public goods that help train instruments for deepening our understanding
– Prototype and demonstrate experimental tools for thought
– Promote the adoption of reflexive AI for both private and public good
– Help map the emergent ecosystem of changemaking orgs and wise innovators
– Fertilize new narratives and strategies for navigating "wicked problems"
– Bridge domains and cultures in positive-sum collaboration

***Explore this project's [vision document](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kIoDlRD721UhZW4SjXIeccpCo2-v3ngoF1iZDwNyfPU/edit?usp=sharing), [pitch deck](https://bit.ly/hotl-slideshow), and* [essay/podcast archive](https://michaelgarfield.substack.com/t/humans-on-the-loop)*.***
***[Subscribe](https://michaelgarfield.substack.com/subscribe) for weekly dialogues plus articles, reviews, monthly hangouts, and more.* And please** [email my secure inbox](mailto:humansontheloop@proton.me) **with questions or partnership requests!**

Humans On The Loop

Become the partner of our community and millenary patrimony, the Abbey of Saint-Wandrille

The Abbey of Saint Wandrille was founded by Saint Wandrille in the mid-seventh century on the banks of the Seine, in Normandy (France). Today it is an impressive monument, a unique spiritual and cultural inheritance that the monks continue to inhabit.

Two major works are to achieve in order to preserve this architectural patrimony.

- **PROJECT #1: RESTORE THE GOTHIC CLOISTER**
The cloister of Saint-Wandrille, one of the two complete Gothic cloisters in Upper Normandy, suffers the ravages of humidity: soil in peril, stones and gnawed sculptures, development of moss and algae... The restoration has begun in 2018 but it is still in progress.
- **PROJECT #2: REHABILITATE THE "EAST" WING OF THE ABBEY**
Accidentally destroyed in the 19th century, the extremity of this building, of Maurist architecture, must imperatively be consolidated. The choice was made to extend it, which will allow the creation of new essential spaces: a library, to protect unique manuscripts and books of the Abbey, as well as an infirmary to care for the most fragile.

**MORE INFORMATION**
To know more about the restoration works in our Abbey, please visit: [https://st-wandrille.com/en/bathildis/](https://st-wandrille.com/en/bathildis/)
To learn more about our current life, spirituality, visits and spiritual retreats: [https://st-wandrille.com/en/](https://st-wandrille.com/en/)

Saint-Wandrille Abbey

We host 300+ social impact projects across Europe 

Open Collective Europe promotes charitable initiatives within the European Union, with a focus on Education, Social Impact and Civic participation, and provides such initiatives with a simple and transparent way to manage their finances. Open Collective Europe's mission is to promote projects in the EU with the following charitable purposes: - increasing access to educational resources and training,  - creating a positive social impact and  - developing tools to improve civic participation within cities or communities. Future perspectives At the beginning of 2022, we shared our desire to grow the Open Collective Europe community. Our goal is to make the community more vibrant, supported and resilient. We set out to build a more comprehensive fiscal hosting service and support system for our collectives.  

Open Collective Europe

An international study centre for textiles, textile crafts, and dress, worldwide and from prehistory to the present day.

The Textile Research Centre (TRC) is a knowledge centre set up in 1991 as an independent foundation. Since 2009 it is housed at Hogewoerd 164, in the centre of historic Leiden, The Netherlands. Here it has the use of an exhibition space, a large depot, offices and workrooms. The basic aim of the TRC is to give the study of textiles, dress, and accessories their proper place in the field of humanities and social sciences, but also in the context of crafts and craft education. The TRC does so by providing courses and lectures, carrying out research and by the presentation of textiles and dress from all over the world. The two main focal points of the TRC are (a) dress and identity: what people wear in order to say who they are and (b) textile crafts and technology, both pre-industrial and industrial.

In order to reach its objectives, the TRC houses various collections, of more than 50,000 items, including a Textile and Garment Collection and a Reference Collection for fibres, threads, dyes, weaves, printed and machine embroidered textiles, and so forth. Most of the objects are photographed, and are available online (open access), with detailed information, In addition, research is aided by the TRC’s library (some 6,500 books, a large collection of articles, as well as visual material such as photographs, prints and postcards). Students, designers and academics come from many countries to Leiden to use the TRC’s facilities and to attend workshops and courses.

Stichting Textile Research Centre

Provides creative arts programs to young patients and families in children's hospitals across North Carolina.

Arts For Life is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting pediatric patients and families through arts education and engagement. By providing educational art programs, we enrich patients’ lives, nurture their minds and spirits, and encourage positive healthcare experiences for children and their families. Arts For Life helps children every day in three communities across North Carolina.

Arts For Life

Dedicated to supporting an open and dynamic Palestinian culture nationally and internationally 
 
 The Palestinian Museum is a S

The Palestinian Museum is a Swiss-registered non-governmental association with a branch in Palestine (currently undergoing official of registration). The Museum's Vision: A vibrant Palestinian culture Mission: The production and dissemination of emancipatory learning experiences about Palestine, its people and history through innovative programmes in Palestine and around the world. Values - Inclusivity: The Palestinian Museum builds partnerships and bolsters Palestinian communities wherever they are - Excellence: The Palestinian Museum produces verifiably accurate content - Creativity and Innovation: The Palestinian Museum presents novel tools and concepts as well as innovative content across all its platforms - Transparency: The Palestinian Museum is accountable to society and strives to maintain its trust - Independence: The Palestinian Museum is an independent institution with no political affiliations - Inspiration: The Palestinian Museum is a source of hope for a free Palestinian future Museum without Borders The Palestinian Museum was designed as a transnational institution, capable of overcoming geographical and political boundaries to reach Palestinians within historic Palestine and beyond. Its digital collections and online platforms, alongside its network of local and international partnerships, will allow for the sharing of skills, resources, programmes and exhibitions with individuals and institutions worldwide. The Palestinian Museum sits on a 40,000 square metre plot of land in Bizeit, 7 kilometres north of Ramallah and 25 kilometres north of Jerusalem. The building's structure merges with the cascading terraces unique to Palestine's hills and is surrounded by gardens that incarnate the agricultural and vegetational history of Palestine. The Museum is Palestine's first green building with a Gold LEED certificate from the U.S. Green Building Council. The building has received the 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The Palestinian Museum is designed as a transnational institution, overcoming boundaries to reach Palestinians within Palestine and beyond through its digital collections and online platforms, alongside its network of local and international partnerships.  The Museum's organizes annual and seasonal exhibitions, virtual reality exhibitions, permanent collection expansion and conservation, public and education programmes, knowledge-based programmes, digital and archiving projects, and capital and infrastructure projects. 

The Palestinian Museum Association 

The Bay Area’s Adventure-Seeking Orchestra! We aim to make awesome orchestral adventures accessible to musicians and the public.

We hold free reading sessions about once a month. Part performance, part open rehearsal, we're open to all musicians and all audiences. Awesöme Orchestra Collective plays everything from Björk to Stravinsky in fun spaces all over the San Francisco Bay Area.

IT STARTED WITH A MUSICAL EXPERIMENT

In the spring of 2013, conductor David Möschler called up a bunch of Bay Area musicians for an experiment — an open music reading session, with Beethoven, Bolero, and free beer. Over fifty people showed up. They realized immediately that they had created something special: a musical group dedicated to being awesome and accessible on every level.

What began as a small collective of friends playing music together has grown into a community that spans the Bay Area. Today, over 2,000 local musicians have played in Awesöme Orchestra. We hope that you’ll join us at our next musical adventure as a player or an audience member!

Our mission is to make awesome orchestral adventures accessible to musicians and the public. Our vision is to create a new model for orchestras to represent, serve, and inspire their communities.

Our core values: we strive for accessibility, community, and excellence in all that we do. We believe music sounds better when everybody is having a good time.

We recognize that orchestras have long been complicit in the systemic oppression of marginalized communities while passing off this exclusion as "tradition." We are aware these inequalities are deeply systemic and will take years to undo, and our organization remains committed to combating these injustices with the following actions and goals:

- Amplify voices of marginalized communities
- Form deeper partnerships with communities and organizations.
- Create more equity and representation at every level of our organization.

Awesöme Orchestra Collective

c89.5 is listener-supported public radio, playing uplifting dance music and providing career-connected learning for our students.

c89.5 is a listener-supported, non-commercial radio station owned by the Seattle Public Schools and operated by professional adult staff and students in the electronic media program at Nathan Hale High School. The station is almost entirely self-funded: over 95% of its operating revenue comes from listener donations and local businesses.

Over 150,000 listeners throughout Puget Sound tune to c89.5 every week for a diverse range of music celebrating individual differences and focusing on the joy in life. The station reaches a broad range of listeners, with a high concentration in both the 18-24 and 45-54 age ranges. Over 30% of c89.5 listeners identify as LGBTQ+.

c89.5 supports the personal and professional growth of our students, giving them the skills and confidence to succeed in careers in media and other professions. Our students gain practical experience in digital media production, public speaking, and professional presentation. Many of our alumni have gone on to careers in journalism, radio, television, and digital media.

The station is also a pioneer and worldwide leader in dance music, monitored by Nielsen and by MediaBase, and one of eight stations tracked for the Billboard Dance chart.

c89.5 has won numerous awards and is recognized as an influential radio station on the cutting edge of dance music as well as a premier high school broadcast facility.

Your donation is fully tax-deductible and supports the general operating fund of c89.5.

c89.5 Public Radio

Our Legacy is a nonprofit organization that focuses on serving Ukraine.  It received its nonprofit status in 2012.

We are committed to supporting disciple-making movements in all areas of society! There are 7 major programs that we support:

Sports Discipleship 

Camp Karabin

Holistic Students

International Missional Internship

Fatherhood

Sustainability

Our Legacy

The IWM is a non-profit institution that promotes intellectual work and enables encounters of people around ideas. 

The Institute for Human Sciences (IWM Vienna) is an institute of advanced studies in the humanities and social sciences founded in 1982. We promote intellectual exchange across disciplines, between academia and society, and among regions that now embrace Eastern, Central and Western Europe, the Global South and North. We aim to reframe larger questions of academic debate and public interest that address today's complex challenges. We believe that sustained intellectual work and its broad dissemination is essential to a humane future of open, just, and sustainable societies. 

Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen (IWM)

The Fountain aims to envision, create and restore a global economy of reciprocity, inspired by nature and the sacred.

Mission, Vision, and Values

Our Vision
We envision a restored global economy of reciprocity inspired by Nature and the Sacred in which all beings thrive.

Mission 
Our mission is to enable collaborative action that bridges the original principles of ancient cultures into a new vision for sacred economics in service to sacred territories.

Our Values
The Fountain’s work is inspired and guided by the original principles including: Reciprocity | Respect | Responsibility | Relationship

What Is The Fountain ?

Imagine a global economic system truly aligned with care for the earth and the whole of life for the benefit of current and future generations, guided by the ancestral wisdom and technologies of cultures that have lived this way for the larger course of human history. This is the work of The Fountain.

There is growing awareness of the extraordinary wisdom originally developed and perennially sustained by the world’s ancestral indigenous peoples – peoples whose cultural genesis can be traced back to the original times. 

It is in the return to the sacred origins and principles of this ancestral wisdom – calling for the unification of all peoples with the earth – that a return to balance and sustainability is to be found. The vision of The Fountain, and the extraordinary sacredness of its origin and seed, is of partnership between sharing original teachings, conscious collaboration, and being in action to activate sacred economics and sacred territories.

Through the deep understanding, experience and relationships contained in its ecosystem, The Fountain exists to catalyse this journey to reconnection and ultimately to unification through its vision, mission, and values. 

The path forward is to restore a global economy of reciprocity inspired by nature and the sacred – bringing together conscious investors, philanthropists, whole system entrepreneurs, leaders on transformational economics and finance and holders of indigenous ecological knowledge. A multi-disciplinary, intercultural exchange united in service to the earth and future generations.

Our current programs
Mother Earth Delegation of United Original Nations 
Gathering of elders from around the globe working in unity and in service to Mother Earth

Sacred Land Trusts for Sacred Territories 
Protection of sacred sites of key importance for Earth’s preservation

Houses of Original Thought
Restoring esoteric knowledge of Mother Earth

Pagamentos
Ancient forms of ritual and specially prepared offerings that restore and harmonize Earth’s energies

Original Principles Alignment Protocol
Educating business leaders on original wisdom and ways of being

The Fountain Flow Fund 
Flexibly flowing resources to where they are urgently needed especially to original nations and their associated programs

*\~ \~ \~ \~ \~*

*PS - We look forward to sharing our continuing work with you! To be sure to stay up to date, please check the box for email collection to give us permission to add you to our mailing list!*

The Fountain For The Natural Order Of Our Existence

We address food insecurity, social isolation, loneliness among Asian Elders living in under-resourced & underinvested communities.

**Donate to Heart of Dinner's mission in addressing food insecurity, social isolation, and loneliness among Asian American older adults living in NYC's under-resourced and underinvested communities.**

Concerning data reveals that 23% of Asian New Yorkers live in poverty, significantly higher than the citywide average of 16% of all New Yorkers. And a staggering 28% of Asian American older adults 65+ live in poverty. As the American Bar Association reveals, Asian elders, especially those from immigrant backgrounds, endure more social isolation and mental health struggles than their peers due to linguistics, financial, and cultural barriers. These factors combined significantly impact the mental and emotional well-being of Asian American older adults in a city where depression and suicide among older adult immigrants are on the rise.

**Heart of Dinner addresses these critical community needs by home-delivering to Elders with Heart of Dinner's signature nourishing care packages of culturally thoughtful and nutrient-dense food, bundled inside lovingly hand-illustrated bags, attached with uplifting handwritten notes in the Elder's native language.**

**Quick Links to Learn More about Heart of Dinner a 501c3 nonprofit public charity:**

- **[Click here](https://www.heartofdinner.org/)** to visit Heart of Dinner's official website to learn more about the organization.
- **[Click here to watch](https://fortune.com/videos/watch/Aging-Asian-Americans-face-high-rates-of-social-isolation-and-poverty/484b609c-e2bd-408b-9932-db06dac8faa0)** Fortune's video "Aging Asian Americans face high rates of social isolation and poverty" and Heart of Dinner's work in addressing this directly. 

**A Note from Our Founders about Heart of Dinner & Our Evolution from 2020-2024:**

Dear Cherished Supporter,

Thank you for taking a moment to connect with our mission. We are so grateful for the opportunity to share our journey with you—a journey born from a deep, instinctive need to care for our Elders. **In March 2020, at the onset of the global pandemic, we leapt into action to support our Asian American elder community, who were facing devastating food insecurity, isolation, and loneliness.**

While many believe the urgency that defined the pandemic has passed, **the reality for our Elders remains critical. Even now, 1 in 3 Asian American older adults live below the poverty line.** These challenges are not new. For decades, this community has been overlooked, its struggles masked by the harmful “model minority” myth, which conceals the deep inequities faced by Asian American Elders. This, combined with language barriers, technology gaps, and economic hardship, means that many continue to lack access to the resources and care they deserve.

Out of a guttural instinct to protect and uplift our Elders, we **transformed our 300 square-foot apartment on the cusp of Chinatown and the Lower East Side into a sanctuary of cultural resonance and care.** We hyperfocused on those in the most critical state, providing emergency food relief and addressing their emotional needs through handwritten notes in their native languages, making sure our Elders felt seen, valued, and dignified.

**These care packages are more than just food—they are a lifeline.** Filled with culturally meaningful lunchboxes and fresh groceries beloved in Asian immigrant households like bok choy, rice, mung beans (and more!), all lovingly bundled inside decorated bags, attached with notes of love & joy that deliver warmth, connection, and belonging.

As our work evolved beyond emergency relief, we **built Heart of Dinner into a nonprofit focused on sustainable care.** Thanks to our incredible community of donors, partners, volunteers, and small team of staff, we have transformed into a **501(c)(3) public charity that continues to nourish and uplift our Elders, week after week.**

By Summer 2024, **we have delivered over 200,000 meals to beloved Elders living in significantly under-resourced and underinvested communities across New York City.** And our work is far from over. The challenges our Elders face didn’t begin with the pandemic, and they certainly won’t end with it. **These hardships are rooted in long-standing societal and governmental neglect, where policies and systems have historically overlooked the needs of this community.**

**Looking forward, we have plans to build Heart of Dinner's own delivery infrastructure with a fleet of electric vehicles, hire a dedicated team of drivers trained in our protocols—which emphasize cultural respect and thoughtful care when serving our Elders—and we aim to increase our care package distribution by 25%.** **These efforts will build upon our ongoing commitment to delivering care packages to our Elders and existing beneficiaries with the same high level of deep care and compassion.**

**Behind the scenes, we are strengthening systems to support Heart of Dinner’s sustainable growth,** so that we can continue to serve with deep care for years to come. **With these steps, we aim to cover all five boroughs of NYC—and even dream of extending our love and care to California.**

At the heart of Heart of Dinner is our belief in nourishing souls, bridging cultures and generations, and redefining what it means to care. We proudly support local businesses, empower individuals to uplift communities, and prioritize sustainability, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

**We invite you to take action with us today. Your support will help build a world where love, dignity, and connection are not just ideals—but fundamental human rights.**

With heartfelt gratitude,

Yin Chang & Moonlynn Tsai

Founders, Heart of Dinner

Heart Of Dinner

Creating communities of compassionate care to transform difficult emotional experiences into opportunities for learning & growth.

Challenging or intense emotional experiences can be moments of profound insight, healing, and transformation. But they can also be disorienting, isolating, and overwhelming. In these moments, having access to compassionate support and culturally attuned care can make all the difference.

Zendo Project offers peer-based emotional support at events and provides educational resources to individuals, communities, and organizations. Our aim is to help people navigate complexity with greater resilience, care, and self-awareness. Through grounding, presence, and connection, we reduce potential harms and create space for learning, repair, and deeper relationships with self and others.

Supporters like you are essential to making this work possible. In a world where distress is often met with fear or force, our mission is to ensure that people in vulnerable states are met with compassion instead. Your contribution helps us continue to offer trauma-informed, non-judgmental care, and to create environments where all people can feel supported, seen, and safe—especially in moments when they need it most.

Please visit [https://zendoproject.org](https://zendoproject.org) to learn more about our mission.

Zendo Project: Peer Support and Compassionate Care

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We are a nonprofit, so instead of charging fees we rely on the generosity of donors like you.