Archive for September 12th, 2011

Advanced Adapting in Place

Sharon September 12th, 2011

As I begin the final push on _Making Home_ my book on Adapting in Place (out next spring), Aaron and I will be offering the first ever “Advanced AIP Class” running from Tuesday, September 20 to October 25th. The class will build on the basic Adapting-In-Place skills that we’ve been talking about all these years in my classes, the blogs, etc… - triaging your situation, thinking about scenarios, and building both personal and community resilience, but this class moves beyond the basics into the larger question of how to make a life that both provides you some insulation from tough times, but also works across a range of circumstances and for you right now. The question is how to optimize - to be secure, to be content, to be ready, to be happy.

For those of you who have taken the classes previously, or who want to build on skills you’ve been working on for a while, the class will help everyone do a full evaluation of their resources and skills, and design short and longer term plans for how to move forward in the circumstances we actually have and in the ones we anticipate. We’ll look at the next steps in building stronger communities, optimizing our home resources, and keeping secure in tough economic times. We’ll go over a range of possible scenarios and try and figure out what practices work best - and what practices will make your life better no matter what.

We’re very excited about the class, and welcome both people who have taken our previous Adapting-in-Place classes and those who are coming to this with some experience in personal adaptation and community building.

The class is online and asynchronous - there is no requirement you be online at any particular time. The time commitment is 5-10 hours per week, but the archived material remains available in perpetuity so that if you miss a week, you can go back and reconsider it. The class includes design help and telephone discussion as well as internet materials.

The cost of the class is $180. We do have available five free scholarship spots for low-income participants, on a first-come, first-served basis. We also gladly accept donations to make additional scholarship spots available - 100% of all donations go to additional class spaces.

Please email me at [email protected] for more information or to register.

Sharon

How To Help Folks Recovering From the Flooding

Sharon September 12th, 2011

schoharie.jpg

A number of you have requested information about where to donate to in order to help folks in the northeast who are recovering from the floods. Please do donate if you can - there’s a lot of need out here, some of which is evolving as it finally dries up and the sun comes out! There’s a long slog ahead of a lot of folks here.

For Vermont Farmers, NOFA VT has put together a farmer emergency fund to provide grants for farmers who lost crops and livestock.

(BTW, I’m more than a little stunned that NOFA-NY has absolutely nothing on their website about NY farmers, flood relief or anything else, much less any fund that I can find. That’s very disappointing.)

The Schoharie County Community Action Fund is putting 100% of all donations to local relief in the worst hit areas of upstate NY. They don’t have an online donation set-up, but you can send a check to:

Schoharie County Community Action Program

795 East Main Street Suite 5

Cobleskill, New York 12043-1436

The Vermont Community Foundation has a number of special funds for Vemont residents and farmers in need.
If you live in and around my area, State Senator Patty Richie has set up a collection drive for urgently needed goods - canned foods, diapers, formula, clothes, etc…. are all needed for those living in shelters or sheltering with friends and family. If you click through you can also see some pictures of what it looks like around here.

The Capital District Farmer’s Market is collecting to help local farmers rebuild here in New York State.

The Vermont Community Fund has a number of different funds available to help out both farmers and other victims with grants to meet urgent needs.

There is an awful lot of need here - I’m very grateful for my readers’ generosity!

Sharon