A couple of years ago I was asked to give a class at our local cancer treatment facility. It began with a request for our organic products that can be tolerated by people even in the most sensitive times in their lives, but turned into what became one of the most beautiful courses on how love and positivity can and does heal us.

I learned as much as I taught in this class of 6 women, many of whom were still in treatment or waiting to see if their treatments would hold.  During that time and in the months that followed what I learned most was how little support there is for many people challenged with life threatening illnesses. Many don’t have access to the most basic needs like healthy food.

In fact,  there is a lot of research supporting how the foods that many of us consume in this country is one of the big factors in making people sick. In this process I was introduced to Cathryn Couch of the Ceres Project of Northern California. In just seven years she went from a small $5000/ year cooking project to what is now an award-winning $ 1.5 million dollar project caring for thousands of people in their Northern California community.

Knowing how great the need is here locally and having worked for 3 years previously on the Positive Change Club at South Eugene High School, we became one of their initial affiliate programs-  Positive Community Kitchen.  I am so proud of how a good idea can turn into  a truly life-giving and healing program.   And I am so happy that I have the chance to not only help people facing life and death health issues, but also that I am blessed to participate in a community of people who I love and teach me how far our generosity and goodness can reach.

Yesterday, we got some local media attention and our story came out in our community. We need support to grow this project, which has already made an amazing difference in so many people’s lives. Please take a moment to watch our video and consider this project in your holiday giving. What I have learned from all the positivity projects I have initiated and been involved with all these years is that how we think is the foundation of our lives and participating with others on work that helps, heals everyone. It is literally where giving and receiving are one in the same.