News from Ceres
 
We're so proud of our largest group yet of new Teen Leaders!
In this issue:  
 
 Letter from Cathryn
Recent News
   You May Have Missed
 
   Aprons & Cafe Gift
   Cards Oh My!

   Yesterday's Ceres Teen
   Leaders; Today's Staff

   We're Hiring!
   Celebrating Our New
   Teen Leaders!
Remember to Smile
   this Holiday Season

Thank You Kurupi 
Nutrition Article
   Tips for Managing Stress
Recipe to Nourish
   Detox Bath Recipes
Upcoming Classes & Events
   New Year, New Classes
   and Orientations
   Kids Can Cook! Library Classes
Too Many Emails?
   Follow us on
   Social Media: SocialMedia

 
    Follow us on Twitter     View on Instagram
Letter

I send you my deepest gratitude for being a part of Ceres in this, our 10th year.

Together, we've provided a place for the youth in our community to flourish. We've held and cared for our neighbors facing the fear and upheaval of being diagnosed with a serious health condition. And we came together in the dark hours of a community tragedy to provide hope and nourishment for those displaced by and responding to the October wildfires. 

At a time of such division, upheaval and uncertainty across the country, I thank you for creating with me a place where we can unite over our shared values of inspiring and uplifting youth, and nourishing our neighbors through illness. I hope you'll take a few minutes to read through this newsletter and be inspired the good things happening here at Ceres. 

And I wish for you a holiday season and a new year filled with peace and community. 
 
In Gratitude,  
Cathryn Couch
Founder & Executive Director
   
"It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future.  It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace."      - Agnes M. Pharo

RecentNewsRecent News You May Have Missed

Aprons & Cafe Gift Cards Oh My!



Do you have someone in your life who is hard to shop for and enjoys cooking? What about someone who wants to make healthier decisions this new year?

Ceres has the perfect assortment of gifts for your family and friends this holiday season. MORE
 
Yesterday's Ceres Teen Leaders; Today's Staff


Among many developments and milestones this year, one of the most exciting has been welcoming three former Teen Leaders back to our staff, bringing our total to four.

Diego Maldonado and Kevin Smith are both familiar faces at Ceres Cafe, where they prepare and serve beet burgers, frittata, chicken pesto sandwiches and more with friendly smiles and efficient service. Both are continuing their studies at Santa Rosa Junior College, where Diego is exploring Nutrition and Dietetics along with Animal Science. 

Rosa Lubin-Molina joined us in June as Program Assistant, after graduating from the University of California at Santa Cruz. You'll find her at our Santa Rosa and San Rafael sites, working closely with teens in the Meal program and supporting our cafe and catering service.

Administrative Assistant, Sonoma County
Associate Chef, Sonoma County 

Ceres Community Project seeks candidates for two newly created positions related to our participation in the State of California's 3-year pilot project to study the impact of medically-tailored meal delivery to patients facing specific chronic health conditions.

Celebrating Our New Teen Leaders!
 
BIG NEWS

This week, a bumper crop of 21 Ceres Teen Chefs
&
Gardeners were honored for their accomplishments, and received their personalized white chef coats.  

Learn more and see the list of all our new Teen Leaders...

  Click here for full article
 

 
 
AmazonSmile Remember to Smile this Holiday Season
 
 
When you designate Ceres as your beneficiary organization and shop on Smile.Amazon.com0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases will be donated directly to Ceres.    
 
What an easy way to help us deliver meals and empower teens!
CommCaresThank You Kurupi

A big thank you to Kurupi
 
On November 24, Kurupi, a local band comprised of S.R.H.S. students, put on a benefit concert at the Arlene Francis Center for Ceres.  
Acts included other local youth bands such as Rose, The Sanctions,
Over the Fence, Marias and the Impressions, OZ SUMMERS x theKiddAMARii.  
We are extremely touched by their generosity and initiative. They were inspired to support us when they learned of our fire relief efforts. Their concert raised $860!

Rock on Kurupi!

NutritionArticle  Tips for Managing Stress

With all the stresses from recent California wildfires, plus the busy holiday season, we offer this article as a helpful resource for your health.

by Thais Harris, NC
Nutrition Education Program Manager, Ceres Community Project
From her Blog Nourish Together

Understanding Stress

The word stress is a broad term, and can refer to any real or perceived threat to the homeostasis of an organism, eliciting adaptive responses to help maintain internal stability and ensure survival. Stress is not synonymous with distress (there is such a thing as good stress, or eustress), but the word stress is so often associated with threat or a feeling of mental of physical disruption that I will use it here with the meaning of distress.
Stress can come from good things and bad things. Your body and mind react to these things with a heightened state of readiness-- the " flight or fight" response. This reaction causes your brain to make hormones -- including epinephrine (adrenaline) and cortisol. Epinephrine gives you more energy by increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. Cortisol increases the amount of glucose in your blood (stress ALWAYS leads to increased blood sugar) and tamps down body functions that might be harmful in a flight-or- fight situation, such as digestion and reproduction (but that are crucial in day-to-day life). It also affects your immune system. This can allow you to perform well on a test or at a sporting event; but it can also distract you, keep you up at night, and interfere with your appetite.
  
Read the full article here

Recipe Recipe to Nourish Body and Mind   

Detox Bath Recipes to Naturally Flush Out Toxins
This simple bath recipe created by Paleohacks, is extremely easy to prepare at home and can help you detox during the holiday season. Did you know that you can get a more effective detox from soaking in an Epsom salt bath than by taking a magnesium supplement?
 
Read more about the detoxifying effects of baths here.  
 
Click here to be taken to 
PaleoHacks Relaxing Rose and Frankincense Detox Bath recipe and their Refreshing Citrus and Clay Detox Bath.  
 


Bohemian Vote Ceres Community Project as best non-profit!
 
 
 
Share your love of Ceres by voting us best non-profit in the North Bay Bohemian Best of 2017 Readers Poll.

When voting for Ceres be sure to type in "Ceres Community Project"so that your vote for us counts.  

Deadline for online ballots is Dec. 31, 2017
  
UpcomingEvents Upcoming Classes & Events

New Year, New Classes and Orientations
Find out more about our classes, click here.  
To sign up, click the link below each class.
 
 
 
Volunteer Orientation (Adult Only) San Rafael 
January 10
5:00-6:00pm
 
Volunteer Orientation (Youth Only) San Rafael 
January 17
5:00-6:00pm
 
Volunteer Orientation- Sebastopol 
January 22 
6:00-7:00pm
 
Volunteer Orientation (Youth Only) San Rafael 
February 21 
5:00-6:00pm
 
 
Healing Foods Basics Class|Comidas Curativas Basicas, En Espanol!
February 28    
Santa Rosa
6:00 - 8:00 pm 

Kids Can Cook! Classes
 
 
Eating the rainbow is easy and fun. This hands-on cooking class, presented by Ceres at Sonoma County library locations for 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders is designed to teach children how to make healthy snacks and simple meals.   
 
Space is limited. Please register by using the link below or at the information desk in your local library.
 
 
 
Rohnert Park- Cotati Regional Library
January 12
4:00-5:00pm 
 
Petaluma Regional Library 
January 19
3:30 - 5:30pm
 
Sebastopol Regional Library 
February 17 
12:00 - 1:00pm
 
Windsor Regional Library 
February 23
4:00-5:00pm 
  
Sonoma Valley Regional Library 
March 9
4:00-5:00pm 

 
Sign up here or at your local Sonoma County Library
 
TooManyEmails 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  
 
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.