On to Canton, Ohio

Good neighbors Al Nuski and Don Theis bringing over vegetables for Mother and me

Celebrating with highschool friends Mariana Boyanides and Teresa Carmen-Beckett and Bob Beckett at the Avenues Wine Shop

Back home in Canton, Ohio with family and friends.  Tomorrow is the Hall of Fame Parade and if I get up in time I will show you pictures!!!

On to Boston !

You have to love Boston, what a great city.  Board member Debbi Cassini and I went to meet with Ron Shaich, Kate Antonacci and Marianne Gaziadie of Panera Cares. We were in town just in time for their biggest heat way!!!

Debbi and I also got a chance to meet with Kristina Simes, a wonderfully inspired woman who is thinking of bring the One World concept to her home town of Santa Anna, CA.

I was also able to meet my dear friend Gloria's son Stephen Zeitler before I left Boston. Gloria is always talking about him or about me to him so we were happy to connect!!

Debbi Cassini(left) and Kristina as we talked by the pool

denise and Stephen ( Gloria's son)

At the beach with Susan and Paul in Gloucester. Paul had a funny chair that day!!!

Susan and I relaxing on the back patio

I also got a chance to visit my editor Sue Bugamin and her husband Paul, (both my friends from our Heifer International/ Little Rock, Arkansas days) in Gloucester,MA.  We had a great time going to the beach on the hottest day of the year and attending a beautiful Shabbat potluck together later that evening.

COMMUNITY IN SANTA FE,NEW MEXICO

I am happy to be back home in Santa Fe. Currently I am consulting Chris and Reingard Kolon as they get close to opening Community Table Cafe in Santa Fe at the Design Center.

It is another twist on the growing number of community cafes.  Community Table Cafe is a for profit business with a priced menu, which includes one 'pay what you can' plate at lunch daily. People can also volunteer to earn a meal voucher. 
I feel the Santa Fe community will respond to their good vegetarian food along with their great concept!  Chris and Reingard are both fabulous cooks with years of experience!!

Chris, Reingard and their beautiful daughter Zoe passing out fliers at the Santa Fe  Farmers Market this Saturday

A picture I took at sunset, notice the smoke rising on the left from the Los Alamos fire and another on the far right 

July 15th is the opening party from 5-7pm at Community Table Cafe located in the Design Center on Cerrillos Road

COMMUNITY IN NEW ORLEANS

Once again I found myself in New Orleans with the group planning to open Welcome Home Cafe!! It was actually Jyaphia's 50th birthday party so I decided to visit and mix a little business with pleasure.

Things are steadily improving at the Unitarian Church and the Center for Ethical Living as New Orleans rebuilds itself.  We spent time creating a time line for a business plan and pilot project. 

Quo Vadis and Jyaphia at her birthday lunch the day I arrived.

A view of Jyaphia's big birthday bash. Her Aunt and Uncle came all the way from Scottsdale, AZ!!

We also enjoyed meeting and talking about the future cafe at Jyaphia's birthday party at the church.  Jyaphia is truly blessed to have so many people around who love and care about her.

COMMUNITY IN MARIETTA,GEORGIA

It was wonderful to arrive in Atlanta and be met by such fine gentlemen from Marietta, GA that want to be part of the food security solution in their community.  This particular group has a wide variety of skill sets that together make a great team!!  We had 3 meetings and toured one potential location for their restaurant. I originally thought that the space we looked at was too large, but after sleeping on it feel that this group, with their skilled restaurant component and connection to their community could handle it.  I especially liked their unique pricing structure: a fixed price menu and a daily 'price your own/or complimentary menu( based on need) that is driven by a mix of their profits, extra donations or corporate/business sponsorship.  This team is really on the ball and I think will continue to move their project forward!!!  I look forward to staying in the loop and helping out if I can.

The Marietta, GA Community Cafe Team:( from left around the table) Brian, Andrew, David, Dan, Forrest, Tyler and me

Community in Manhattan

Leslie, the mysterious and brilliant astrologer

Photo of Abdi's book

I went with my friend to her acupuncture treatment with Abdi Assadi, a well known healer in Manhattan.  As soon as you walk into his reception area, you can feel peace.  As I was waiting for my friend I made a wonderful connection with his receptionist, Leslie who is a historical astrologer.  She is a wealth of knowledge and I felt like I also received a treatment just by accompanying my friend that day!!

Abdi Assadi has written a book called Shadows On The Path, which I think you would enjoy if you are seeking inner peace and awakening.

COMMUNiTY IN MANHATTAN

Hi there,
I am currently in Manhattan.  Yesterday I had lunch with documentary film maker Alice Elliot.  It was good to catch up and discuss future projects!!

Saturday there will be a street fair on Bedford and I will get to see Larry Seldman, 'The Collector of Bedford Street' again.  If you have not seen Alice's Academy Award nominated film it is well worth watching.  You will be inspired!

Documentary film maker, Alice Elliot

COMMON TABLE IN BEND, OREGON

Bob, one of the founders of Common Table right after receiving their outdoor seating permit!!!!

Common Table's own currency for meals!!!!!

Inside Common Table

I am visiting Common Table in Bend, Oregon.  They are a new community cafe and I will be here for a week consulting.  It is a very nice set up with all of the usual attributes plus a pub type atmosphere!!  I am very impressed with the community here and hope many of you will stop by if you are ever in Bend!!

COMMUNITY FUND RAISER FOR F.A.R.M. CAFE IN BOONE, NC !!!!!!!!!!!

It was an exciting weekend up in High Country!  I arrived in Boone, NC Friday evening and settled in at a charming Inn in Blowing Rock called the Ragged Garden.  They were kind enough to donate the room as part of their contribution to the FARM Cafe fundraiser.

Saturday morning Renee, Chris, Tracey and I met for brunch and talked about the evening event.  THIS GROUP REALLY HAS IT TOGETHER!!!!!  There are so many people excited about the project and involved.  They had many committees taking care of the food, silent auction, raffle, entertainment,...nothing was left undone.  It was time to just show up and let it happen!! 

At 3pm we could get into the venue and start setting up.  Everything went smooth!!!!

The evening was a HUGE success.  When the doors opened at 5pm there were already people lined up to get in.

Tracey unveiling the FARM Cafe fundraiser T-shirt!!

Shelly in the first One World Everybody Eats Summit T-shirt from New Orleans

Right at 5pm the crowds started to come!!!

One of the many local bands that performed on stage

I will just say the rest in pictures.

Community in Stuart, Florida

I am now in Stuart, Florida.  A place my mother and I have been coming to together for the last 5 years.

This year the local grocery which was just 1 block from our condo closed.  I was not surprised because each year I saw the store struggle more and more to survive.  This was a big deal for us since we do not keep a car here.  Fortunately since the day I arrived neighbors have offered to take me to the grocery store with them when they go.  My friends Dave and Jane Hutchins stopped at Publix on the way in from picking me up at the airport just so I could stock up.

Yesterday my friend Joyce called me and said her husband Don was going to the produce stand that afternoon, so be sure to give him a call later, he was waiting to take me.

I bought a ton of fresh produce for around $20. Example: 10 oranges for $1, 10 grapefruit for $1......

The Produce stand Don Staub took me to yesterday in Stuart, Florida

I realize now how hard it would be when the major grocery store goes out in a neighborhood , especially a low income one, where people do not have cars or access to efficient transportation, and there are no fresh fruit and vegetable stands near.  Are there any non profits yet that travel around to low income communities with a produce van?  I would like to do something like this if I get the opportunity as an outreach of One World Everybody Eats.  A sort of farmers market on wheels!!!  So much to do, so little time.

Community with the Sancta Clara Nuns in Canton, Ohio

Sister Gretchen and Sister Mary Ischmel having fun making the soup!!!!!

The best Tomato Soup!!

The third weekend of every month there is soup and bread for sale at the Santa Clara Monastery.  When I am home in Canton I like to help the Sisters.  We have fun making bread and soups and filling to go orders for three days. I love spending time with the Sisters. The environment is very peaceful.

They make a wonderful tomato soup, lentil, chicken noodle and wedding soup. Every soup comes with a bread stick. 

The money earned is used so that the nuns can sustain their monastery.  The sisters take special requests for prayers of the community and beyond. I learned today that they have been praying around the clock and each take a shift.  I forgot to find out how long this has been going on for.  I also heard they are turning their guest house into a small retreat center if you need a place to contemplate for a while.

Today I was filling orders with a woman and I thought she looked familiar......she was a high school teacher I had over 30 years ago!! Janet Tilletski.

ONE WORLD EVERYBODY EATS 2nd annual summit in SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

Hello everybody!! sorry I have not blogged in so long. 

We held our 2nd annual summit in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  I used to live in Santa Fe and it was so nice being there again.  It really made me homesick.  Perhaps I will get to live there agian some day.................

Our summit was fantastic!!   It was just like a family reunion.  All the cafes from Denver were there, Spokane, Salt Lake and people who are in the planning stages from all over.  What a great group and we had a lot to celebrate and many new plans to make.

Our guest speakers were Mark Winne and Regan Koch who were both excellent in their own right.

Giovanni speaking to the group about his year at One World Salt Lake     

Sandy ( Comfort Cafe) Brad and Libby ( SAME Cafe) and Cathy Mathews( Cafe 180) look on as Libby  (from Cafe 180)speaks on relevant issues

One of our summit posters from the lobby of The La Fonda Hotel     



Michael Patterson ( California) and Regan Koch ( UK) talk at the lounge after a full day, Keith and Jan Raschko ( One World Spokane) in background

 The summit next year will be in either Denver or Philly.  See you there!!!

COMMUNITY IN PEACEDALE,RHODE ISLAND

I met Susan Gustaitis when I was on location in Denver, Colorado this June.  Susan was chosen as one of the ten top executive directors in RI as a fellow to pursue her next " Big Idea".  It just so happens that Susan's next big idea  is a community kitchen in Peacedale, Rhode Island!!

So this December I went to Peacedale and Susan and I co-facilitated a community meeting to raise awareness about a possible community kitchen project. It was a great meeting with about 30 people in attendance. Many important questions were asked.

We spent the rest of my visit touring The JohnnyCake facilities and other non profit organizations and even attended a fund raiser event for a neighboring 501c3. It was a great trip!

We had lunch one day at a local soup kitchen.

Susan will know in January if she has the green light for her vision!