January Change for Good Recipient: Rogue Valley Mentoring
Since 2005, Rogue Valley Mentoring (formerly the Rose Circle Mentoring Network) has trained over 500 adults who have mentored over 2,000 youth in our valley; letting young people know that they are not alone. A caring and compassionate ear shows them that they matter, and they they are experts of their own experience.
Research tells us that close relationships with caring, competent adults foster resiliency and mitigates the effects of childhood trauma. By providing emotional support to young people using trauma-informed and strength-based approaches we encourage positive youth development.
This past year has looked different for all of us and we have experienced isolation. Youth in particular struggle developmentally as they work to formulate who they are without community to reflect back to them. Rogue Valley Mentoring continued to support our valley through 2020: Their one-to-one mentors found creative ways to spend time with their mentees through phone calls, online chess tournaments, reading books over Zoom, building a bike together, hiking, and mountain biking. Mentors also adapted: supporting youth through the loss of family members, becoming academic advocates and partners, remaining curious, and listening deeply. Mentors contacted teachers, made early morning calls to encourage youth to sign on for school, and worked to help a family receive wi-fi after the fire.
A high school boy walking with his mentor said, “When I say the words to you, things slow down in my head, and I can see more clearly.”
Mentors cultivate resilience.
At the end of this month, Rogue Valley Mentoring will be offering Mentoring Essentials Training on January 29th & 30th.
Support Rogue Valley Mentoring when you round up your purchase at the register throughout the month of January!
To learn more about this organization or becoming a mentor, click here to visit their website
More Co-op News
September Change for Good: AFC Community Fund
As we enter the beautiful month of September here in Southern Oregon, we're excited to share that our Change for Good partner this month is our very own Community Fund. As many of you know, the Community Fund allows us to support amazing local projects and organizations doing great work right here in Southern Oregon.
August Change for Good - Partnering with ACCESS to Make a Difference!
We are honored to partner with ACCESS this August - a fantastic organization that has been serving our community for over four decades. ACCESS, which stands for "A Community in Action, Connecting, Empowering, and Strengthening Self-Sufficiency," is dedicated to addressing hunger, homelessness, and poverty in Southern Oregon.
Empowering Our Community: AFC's Community Grants Now Accepting Applications
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the local community, AFC is thrilled to announce the that we are accepting applications for our Community Grants program.
Ashland Food Co-op's Community Grants program is designed to foster meaningful change in the Southern Oregon region. Through these grants, we seek to support projects that align with our mission of promoting local and sustainable food systems, addressing food insecurity, and promoting community engagement.
July's Change for Good Partner - Maslow Project
Ashland Food Co-op is thrilled to partner with Maslow Project for our Change for Good program! Maslow Project is an incredible organization that works tirelessly to support homeless youth and families in Southern Oregon. Their mission is to empower individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency, and they do this through a range of services including housing assistance, medical care, and educational support.
June 2023 Change for Good Partner: Southern Oregon Land Conservancy
The Ashland Food Co-op is teaming up with the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy (SOLC) as its Change for Good partner for this month. This collaboration aims to support SOLC's mission of conserving Southern Oregon's natural landscapes and habitats.
Bicycle Benefits
Here at the Co-op we are on a mission to promote healthy lifestyles and sustainable practices within our community.
May 2023 Change for Good Partner: Talent Maker City
Talent Maker City's mission is to build a more connected, prosperous, and resilient community through hands-on creativity and innovative STEAM-based learning. (STEAM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math.) They have a bustling Makerspace facility, brimming with creative energy in downtown Talent offering hands-on STEAM-based workshops and programming for curious minds of all ages!
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo
We're always learning and growing here at the Co-op and with the approach of Cinco de Mayo we thought we would share a (very) brief history lesson and some thoughts on celebrating this holiday here in the United States.
April 2023 Change for Good Partner: Pollinator Project Rogue Valley
From Kristina Lefever, Pollinator Project Rogue Valley President
March 2023 Change for Good: Klamath Bird Observatory
From Klamath Bird Observatory, March 2023's Change for Good partner:
Frederick Douglass And Co-ops in 1846
When Douglass Came to Rochdale, England a Slave and Left a Free Man
By David J Thompson
February's Change for Good partner: OHRA
OHRA helps low-income people build better lives through access to social service resources. By helping
people move from crisis to stability, OHRA builds more capable individuals, stronger families, and a
better community. We have three core programs:
January Change for Good Partner: Ashland Food Angels
December Change for Good Partner: Rogue Action Center
December's Change for Good Partner is
Rogue Action Center
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The Rogue Action Center (RAC) builds organizing infrastructure, leaders, and community power for a just, inclusive, and sustainable Southern Oregon for everyone.