News from Ceres
 
More photos from our Annual Teen Leader Retreat!
In this issue:  
 
 Letter from Cathryn
 Teen Leader Retreat
Ceres 10 Year Anniversary
   Party
Ceres Fest Tix On Sale Now
Join us for the Human Race
Nutrition Article
    Reading Labels
Recipe to Nourish
   Body and Mind
    Cauliflower-White Bean Salad
   Follow us on
   Social Media: SocialMedia

 
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Letter

On a Thursday afternoon ten years ago this month I was unpacking groceries in the kitchen at Community Church of Sebastopol and waiting expectantly for a small group of teens to arrive from Summerfield Waldorf School and El Molino High School. 
After seven months of preparation, Ceres Community Project was finally beginning. 
 
The idea was simple - teach teens to cook delicious healthy meals and provide those meals to neighbors in need.  But I had no idea if or how it would work.  But miraculously, week after week, the teens arrived, the meals got prepared, and a small group of adult volunteers helped deliver them to their grateful recipients.  Our clients were raving about the meals and sending us notes that they could feel the love in the food, and that they felt so touched and cared for by our efforts.

In 10 years we've touched thousands of lives in communities across Marin, Sonoma and Alameda counties - and across the country.  We've delivered more than 518,000 meals - and helped 2,300 young people gain knowledge, skills and confidence.  

We've done that together - because each of you have stepped forward, donating your time, your talents and your treasure. 

That's why I hope you'll join me this Sunday to celebrate Ceres Community Project's 10th Anniversary. Read on below for all the details. 

I'm so proud to be doing this work with each of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being part of this incredible journey and helping touch and transform thousands of lives. 


In Gratitude, 

Cathryn Couch
Founder & Executive Director
 
CeresSR Ceres Annual Teen Leader Retreat
In January, we held our annual Teen Leader Retreat, with twenty-four teens participating from Sonoma and Marin counties. As always it was incredible. The laughter we shared bonded us deeply.
 
We did ice breakers and culture setting, a hike and then Vanessa Eyan came in and did a session on peer to peer mentoring. Saturday night the people who run the Improv Club at SSU came and took us through an evening of improv games with much laughter. Sunday we worked on self-assessment and looked at what areas we each shine in and what areas to work on. The teens came together in small groups to utilize their new peer mentoring skills. This year we had some musicians play and on Saturday night a whole crew sang together late into the evening. The closing circle brought deep reflection on what each person gained from the weekend.
 
A big shout out to St. Dorothy's Rest in Camp Meeker for giving us free access to their retreat house!



Check out these awesome pics of our Teen Leaders having a blast in the rain and the wonderful lodgings provided by St. Dorothy's!
     
All photos taken by Communications
Photo Intern, Jenna Brinkman.    














 



Ceres20thAnni 
Ceres 10 Year Anniversary Party


APRIL 2  
Sunday
3:00 - 6:00 PM 
at Community Church of Sebastopol  
   

Join us for our joyous anniversary celebration, held at the birthplace of Ceres--the Community Church of Sebastopol (across from O'Reilly Media). Ceres wouldn't be here today without YOU. We hope you can attend and celebrate all we've accomplished together.

 
CeresFestCeresFest- Buy Your Tickets Today!


MAY 2  
Tuesday
5:30 - 8:30 PM 
at Lagunitas, Petaluma 
   

It's time to welcome spring! 
Join us at our annual bash at Lagunitas Tap Room & Beer Sanctuary in Petaluma.
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. 
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!
HumanRaceSix weeks until the Human Race!

Our group has chosen a theme for this year's race. We will be walking as Chefs and Farmers! Register now, join our group and don't forget to bring your overalls and chef hats on the day of!



Interested?
Sign up online. We also have forms available at our Sebastopol Kitchen or Santa Rosa kitchen/Cafe.

Contact
Contact our Team Ceres Coordinators directly:  
Caroline Banuelos, at caroline@ceresproject.org  and
Samantha Wyman at samantha@ceresproject.org  (view her H.R. page here)
or call 707.829.5833
 
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
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. 

"At Ceres, I've learned to pay more attention to what I buy at the store. I've learned that healthy food can taste good. I've learned how to harvest vegetables."

- Ceres Teen Volunteer
 
NutritionArticle How to Read Labels  

by Thais Harris, NC
Nutrition Education Manager, Ceres Community Project

Our health depends on a diet primarily composed of whole foods. Vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains provide healthy fats, minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and the protective phytochemicals - think antioxidants - which help our body maintain balance and allow us to thrive.

Making food from scratch ensures that we know exactly what is going into our food, and therefore, into our bodies. With that said, most of us - even those of us who are able to prioritize whole foods...
 
Read the full article here
 
Recipe Recipe to Nourish Body and Mind   

Cauliflower White Bean Feta Salad
Click the image above or here for a printable PDF of our free delicious recipe.

By reading nutritional labels you can limit many unnecessary additives in your meals.

For example, many canned beans include Calcium Disodium EDTA (to stabilize color).

Want to read more about what to avoid in pre-made items? Read our full article (by clicking the links in the article above).

Click here for this recipe and here for even more free recipes!


 


 CafeNewsWe Count On Your Help

Take 5 minutes to rate Ceres, and you'll help more donors and volunteers choose Ceres.


This year, Great Nonprofits is selecting one lucky top-rated nonprofit (who receives 10 2017 reviews by March 31) to receive a free media package.

Their package  includes a professionally made video story, video distribution and many other great promotional features. This would be a wonderful resource to share Ceres' story with even more people. 
 

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.

  foreverForever in Our Hearts

Margie (pictured on the left)
One of our dear Santa Rosa volunteers passed away unexpectedly this month. Tina Greene, Santa Rosa Program Manager & Chef, had some kind words to share  about Margie's kindness and impact at Ceres:

"Margie Schnell was a very dedicated member of our container team. She started the first week the kitchen was open a year ago, and has been there almost every single week since then. She was a lovely person who was well-liked by all who spent time in the kitchen with her on Tuesday mornings. Margie lived in the immediate neighborhood of the Dream Center, and she was one of the first to break through the resistance expressed by others in the area. She was encouraged to join by her neighbor and long-time Ceres volunteer, Ann Butler.  She then brought some of her other neighbors and family in to volunteer, and she attended every single neighborhood meeting held by SAY.  She was our advocate and she will be missed."

CommunityCares Show how much you care!

Ceres Community Cares Program is a new 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
 
CommunityCares 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  
 
UpcomingEvents Upcoming Classes & Events
NEW CLASSES AND ORIENTATION DATES!  
  





Want to see what we're up to for the new year?

Bookmark our Sonoma and Marin County event pages
and never miss out on a Ceres event.

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Support More Ways to Support Ceres

 
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!

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.
 

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!

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.

escrip petaluma mkt escrip olivers
 
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.


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. 



We create health for people, communities and the planet through love, 
healing food and empowering the next generation.