The Giving Season

 

We’re coming up on the holidays.  It’s a time when we put a lot of time and attention towards giving. I think that’s a good thing.  Our lives are much richer when we give to others.  It helps to grow compassion, empathy and joy.

I’ve been reflecting on what we can truly give to others.  What is fully ours to give?  Time and attention.  Honesty and commitment.  Resources and support.  Love and laughter.   The priceless pieces of living, fully.

My aim has always been for Living Earth Naturals to be a vessel for bringing about the change I hope to see in our world.  That drive is the basis for all my business practices and products.   For some time now, I’ve been scheming to begin a monthly donation program. So, here I go!

Beginning this month, LEN will donate $1 per sale to a non-profit doing the good work for people and planet.   I will share a bit about the non-profit of choice each month through social media and newsletters.  I look forward to learning more and joining forces with people and movements that are taking action for the Earth.    I’m excited!

To begin the program, I’m choosing the nonprofits based on a theme for the month.  Giving my goal a bit of structure helped me get it in motion.  The fun part about this strategy is, the health of our planet is connected to the health of people and communities too, so the options are endless, and there are some amazing things happening.

For the month of November, I decided to focus on food, for obvious reasons. Harvest and holiday.  Particularly, I’m choosing slow food.  Food infused with time, intention, nutrition and love.

I’m a huge fan of slow food.  My family grows, harvests and hunts food.  We make the majority of our meals from scratch.  Time in the garden, the kitchen, the forests, and around the table is common for us.  We connect through our food.  I was raised this way, and it feels so honest and so natural.   My mother grew a bountiful garden and taught me how to preserve food.  My father fed our family on Elk he hunted.  Still, my parents most common gifts are honey, meat or storage food.  I’m very grateful for the blessing of soil, water, seeds, hard work and harvest.

Slow Food USA

To have and know healthy, nutritious food is a great fortune.  To share this bounty,  we will be donating to Slow Food USA for the month of November.  Slow Food USA is a global non-profit whose ambitious goal is “good, clean and fair food for all.”  Meaning:

GOOD

• Believe in delicious nutrition as a right for everyday life
• Cultivate joyful connections to community and place
• Advocate for diversity in ecosystems and societies

CLEAN

• Protect natural resources for future generations
• Help people and the environment depend on each other
• Promote food that is local, seasonal, and sustainably grown

FAIR

• Build local cooperation and global collaboration while respecting all laws
• Require no prerequisite or credential for participation
• Fight for dignity of labor from field to fork

To learn more, check out Slow Food USA.  To join me in supporting good, clean and fair food for all,  grab your Earth friendly body care this month!