ACME Impact Stories 2022

2022 Impact Stories

INSPIRING AND IMPORTANT WORK

Since late 2021, the PS It Matters Nonprofit Engagement Team has conducted interviews with over 70 nonprofits that have benefited from Bags 4 My Cause or Bloomin’ 4 Good. The resulting Impact Stories highlight each nonprofit’s mission, services they provide and the needs they fill. Learning from these organizations firsthand is inspiring and emphasizes the importance of the GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program and its effects on the local ACME community.

Enclosed are four stories of nonprofits that have benefited from the ACME GIVE BACK

WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program. More stories can be found on the ACME Program Website: acme.2givelocal.com/stories.

In 2023, the Nonprofit Engagement Team will continue conversations with nonprofits creating additional Impact Stories—at least one a month—and feedback calls with 200 to 300 organizations. These calls will focus on how nonprofits interact with the program, the marketing tools they use, additional tools they would like to see on the Program Website and how the GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program fits into their overall fundraising strategy. We plan to adjust our outreach to nonprofits based on feedback and report overall findings in early 2024.

We look forward to continuing the success of the ACME GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program in 2023. We truly value your partnership and the impact we have together on local nonprofits in your banner’s footprint. Thank you for contributing to the positive outcomes for ACME, PS It Matters and the local community!

Meals and more to end senior hunger.

MEALS ON WHEELS DELAWARE

In 2021, 898,509 hot and nutritious meals were delivered to over 6,600 seniors statewide in Delaware. The number of homebound seniors using Meals on Wheels services has increased by more than 5% in the past year. ACME supports this nonprofit through its GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program.

Tell us about the Meals on Wheels Delaware.

In Delaware, in 1995, it became apparent that the state wasn’t going to have enough funding to support the need that was coming from the community for Meals on Wheels programs. Meals on Wheels is a national organization, but it’s very much a set of local networks that all work independently.

So, Meals on Wheels Delaware was created to be a voice for advocacy and fundraising for the Meals on Wheels programs within the state of Delaware. We really were formed as a public-private partnership because the Division of Aging leadership discovered that there was a funding mismatch.

There also was a desire that there wouldn’t be a waiting list. Nobody wanted to have their grandma or their mom sitting, waiting for months for a meal. That was in 1996, and we’re proud to say that to this day, there is not a waiting list for Meals on Wheels in the state of Delaware, which is wonderful and pretty unusual across the country.

Our mission, to raise funds and advocate in support of the Meals on Wheels programs in the state of Delaware, has not changed since 1996. The world has changed round us for sure, but we’ve stayed consistent to that mission and been able to deliver on it.

We support five individual programs in Delaware that provide Meals on Wheels: City Fare, CHEER, Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth, The Modern Maturity Center, and Newark Senior Center. Four out of the five also have very active senior centers and are hubs of

activity for their senior communities. These activities range from early memory loss programs to swimming to computer labs. They do the heavy lifting in preparing and delivering meals every day, but we’re focused on the fundraising aspect. That’s where we put our time and our energy, and we partner alongside with them.

We’re in communication all the time. We understand what’s changing with them, what they might need. We can give that statewide point of view where we can see changes happening. And we can reflect that back to the leadership at the state level also. With the recent rise in gas prices, for example, we saw that the volunteers who turned up every day, who drive the miles to get the meals from the centers to the senior homes, were struggling. They were vocalizing that they really couldn’t continue to deliver as much as they had with the increase in gas prices. We were able to help them with some funding towards gas reimbursement for the volunteers.

We’re there to support, we’re there to listen, and we’re there to make sure there’s funding for the things that the programs need.

What sets you apart from other nonprofits in the community?

What sets us apart is that we are focused on the fundraising piece, and we’re also focused on homebound seniors, making sure that they have good nutrition and that they have someone who’s there every day. That’s different from a lot of other service organizations where they might be there to do an assessment one day, and then they might not be back for three months or so. But because of the way that the Meals on Wheels program

is set up, five days a week, there’s a human being that comes to the door of that senior’s home and really gets a chance to assess if there’s a sudden decline.

When we talk about seniors, there could often be a very sudden change in their health. Small changes can really accelerate quickly to the point where they need some type of intervention. So that is something that’s unique to Meals on Wheels, that consistent contact with the individual.

What services do you provide to the community?

Nutrition is the most essential thing we provide, which really is a bedrock for health. When you look at how seniors decline, many of them decline because they really don’t take care of their nutritional needs.

Left to their own devices, they’ll have cereal for breakfast, and they might have piece of cheese or an apple for lunch. With Meals on Wheels, they get at least one meal a day that’s nutritionally balanced. It covers everything that someone needs to stay healthy. And it has been proven that when seniors go on Meals on Wheels, their health improves.

Tell us a story that illustrates the good work you are doing.

We have a lot of stories about the connections that get formed between the volunteers who deliver meals and the seniors they deliver to regularly. The volunteer becomes more than an acquaintance to the senior; they really become a friend, and they become someone that the senior can count on.

We had a story recently where a lady’s husband actually had been in hospice and he was on the edge of passing, but she didn’t have a way to get to the hospital. She called her Meals on Wheels volunteer to see if they could come out and give her that transportation, which the volunteer did. It’s just a sign of how strong that connection can be.

Some of the seniors who go on Meals on Wheels are not in the best of health and have an underlying condition or disability. They end up unable to stay in their homes, but volunteers continue to visit those seniors after they have moved into more of a residential care setting. I think that the enduring connection is fantastic.

Last week I was with a volunteer delivering meals, and we were delivering to a lady who had some early memory loss. The instructions on the meals were— please sit and encourage her to eat. She initially said she wasn’t really hungry. But we sat with her and ate the meal and chatted with her. If we hadn’t been there, she probably would just have put the meal to the side and ignored it.

I’m most proud of the response of the Meals on Wheels organization to the COVID crisis. In mid-March 2020,

What is your greatest achievement or contribution to the community?

We’re there to support, we’re there to listen, and we’re there to make sure there’s funding for the things that the programs need.

everybody closed their office doors and walked away. But the Meals on Wheels programs, instead of closing the doors and walking away, ramped up their service because they were effectively emergency responders. The seniors who’d been previously coming into their centers to eat couldn’t do that anymore. It was a priority, to make sure that those people were taken of care first. They switched their service model and not one day of service was missed. And the volunteers kept coming.

What do you want people to know about Meals on Wheels Delaware?

The most important thing is that it’s not a service that’s based on income. A lot of people have the preconception that if you have an income that’s above a certain level, then you wouldn’t be eligible for Meals on Wheels, and that’s not the case. It’s really based on your ability to make and source a good meal. And if a senior is not able to do that, then they are eligible. There’s a suggestion that, if someone feels comfortable to pay a little towards it and has the resources, that’s welcome, but it’s certainly not required.

And the other thing is volunteers are always needed, people who are able to spend a couple of hours out of a day, week, or month to deliver meals. It’s such a rewarding experience.

I’m just so proud of the response because it wasn’t, how are we going to manage it? It was, what do we need to do and how can we do it? And not only were many more seniors taken on board, but the number of meals served increased 25% in that year.

We also collaborated with the Food Bank to put together food deliveries for seniors and included basic household supplies and even food for their pets. As the COVID vaccines rolled out, we got those to seniors, too.

Overall, the response was just outstanding. And the collaborations that were built with organizations are still going strong.

How are you using the funds you’ve received from the ACME GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program?

All of the funds raised go towards whatever are the most urgent needs of the Meals on Wheels programs. That can be the costs of meals or insulated containers or replacement of kitchen equipment, for example. When you have a kitchen delivering 1,500 meals a day, equipment wears out! When a freezer breaks down, it’s an emergency. We also like to be able to take care of our volunteers and do a little something that lets them know how much we appreciate them, like a gas card.

Is there anything you’d like to add?

First, to thank ACME for including us in this pro-

Nutrition is the most essential thing we provide, which really is a bedrock for health. When you look at how seniors decline, many of them decline because they really don’t take care of their nutritional needs.

gram! ACME is also a major sponsor of one of our primary fundraising events. But importantly to make the point that seniors who receive meals really do feel more comfortable staying at home. They report that they feel healthier. There’s been a study that suggests that they actually have less falls, and that is so important. They know that someone is going to be there five days a week and their families also know that. It does give a sense of comfort, beyond the nutritional aspects.

The favorite part of my job is when I go into a room and say that I’m from Meals on Wheels, somebody in that room has a story of a relative, friend or family member who’s received meals. We had a lady who emailed the other day and said, “My grandmother received meals and I want to start to volunteer.” It touches so many lives, which is something that always make me feel grateful.

Anne Love has led Meals on Wheels Delaware as Executive Director for almost seven years, first joining the organization in 2011 as Director of Donor Relations.

Making positive social change for

marginalized and vulnerable populations.

SAGA COMMUNITY CENTER

The SAGA Community Center may be relatively new, founded in 2017, but led by a passionate team, this nonprofit has already driven change and had an impact. ACME has supported the organization through its GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program.

Tell us about the SAGA Community Center.

SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Acceptance) Community Center is housed under Welcome Project PA (WPPA), which strives to be a diverse, safe place for marginalized and vulnerable populations. We seek to bring about positive social change to improve the quality of life for these individuals and families in greater Philadelphia. The WPPA was founded in 2019, and SAGA Community Center, which started in 2017, is the largest program of WPPA.

SAGA started with a very small group of people, intending to create a safe meeting space for LGBT+ individuals. We started by hosting weekly programming, including support groups and activity nights, and within less than a year group participation had tripled. However, because of the pandemic, 2020 and part of 2021 were really challenging for us. We made it through the worst of it, and we are so pleased to be in a much better position to continue to grow.

What sets you apart from other nonprofits in your community?

SAGA is the only LGBT+ Community Center within a 20-mile radius. We are a completely grassroots organization and have been a staff of three for the long haul. We now have added staff for the first time, which is exciting. But, from top to bottom, the three of us have done pretty much all the work. We wear many hats, which really makes us unique; when people come to our programs, we’re so engaged at every level. People are our job, and we want to stay as engaged even as we grow because the relationships that we form and the collaborations that we have are real.

What services do you provide to the community?

We provide a range of essential services. We have a queer library, various family-friendly events, six different support groups, and we provide diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training for anyone who asks. We also have a new therapy collective, which opened in May, and is now up to five therapists who offer sliding-scale therapy for children, youth, adults and all kinds of identities across the spectrum.

The Bucks-Mont PRIDE Festival (PRIDE) is another essential service we provide. PRIDE is like a lifeline for a lot of people in the community. This year we had people come who had never attended a PRIDE event, some even from out of state, and it just changes

perspectives. For example, there are very few places where LGBT+ people and allies can safely gather to build friendships and learn from one another. Moreover, the 80+ vendors at our PRIDE represent organizations that many festival attendees would never have access to otherwise. PRIDE gives people a lot of tangible community that really matters, especially in these times when we’re so polarized and isolated.

Tell us a story that illustrates the good work you are doing.

Around three years ago, we started hearing the same conversation about healthcare disparities among LGBT+ community members. Some of our constituents who are trans or non-binary would say that they didn’t want to go to the doctor or they were afraid to go to the doctor; some wouldn’t get a simple procedure done because they’ve never been treated well by medical professionals. We started asking the question, can we do anything about this? It’s a big problem in society, so what can we do for Montgomery County?

We found out that some local doctors and medical students had similar concerns, asking, why aren’t we taught pronouns or hormone treatment in medical school? All this conversation led to our creating a cohort group of LGBT+ people that get together with doctors and medical students to teach them healthcare best practices through sharing their stories and providing space for questions. For example, a med student can ask a transgender person, what are the things you need? Our cohort group is enthusiastic and energized to make a lasting systemic change, and that is very impactful.

Healthcare disparities are a story that’s bigger than us, but we also think it’s a story that starts small, and you must take baby steps to make a difference. We have been given the opportunity to tell this story in a documentary film, thanks to a grant we received last year. We’re in stage five of the seven stages of filming, so we’re getting closer to completion. It should be released at some point in 2023. This has been a dream of ours: to tell the story of healthcare disparities for trans, non-binary and intersex people through the media.

What is your greatest achievement or contribution to the community?

Our proudest achievement is having this organization blossom. Seeing over 1,500 people at PRIDE this year was a wonderful moment, especially since this was only our second year hosting PRIDE. We built it from the ground up, having no idea if anybody was going to show up. But the event was amazing, and we’re impressed with the collaboration between our whole staff and volunteers to have everything come together with such success.

What makes Welcome Project PA and SAGA unique is knowing we work with other LGBT+ community centers and like-minded organizations collaboratively. We strive to be inclusive in other ways such as creating

PRIDE gives people a lot of tangible community that really matters, especially in these times when we’re so polarized and isolated.

awareness around the intersectional identities that exist within our communities. Some intersectional identities include Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) LGBT+ people, recent immigrants, interreligious identities and allies of the LGBT+ community.

with us, we truly appreciate the support. It’s not just another box that we check off.

Every time we write a grant or host a program, it’s because we are striving to build something that creates more community and more healing where it’s needed.

We’re passionate about this work because it’s so important. We listen, take feedback and see what the community needs. Then we adjust our programming to assist those needs. We want our programs to make a difference.

SAGA hosts programs open to allies; you don’t have to identify as LGBT+ to participate. This is an important aspect because we’re promoting a community that’s together, breaking down any types of barriers that exist between people.

We’ve noticed in the short life of our organization that there have been major changes in the ways that our community views things like the PRIDE flag. Now straight and cisgender individuals begin not to see the PRIDE flag as something foreign to them but as something that helps create safe spaces and fosters solidarity. We all hope for a world where we don’t even need to focus on these things, where we could just all be ourselves.

What do you want people to know about SAGA Community Center?

We do this work not just because it is our job but because we’re passionate about the people. When we go to a foundation or a company to potentially partner

How are you using the funds you’ve received from the ACME GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program?

Definitely to support the PRIDE Festival; that was the main goal.

We also have consultants and our cohort groups that we want to be able to pay. As a nonprofit, we don’t want anyone to contribute professional work on an inkind basis, which means for free. We want to be the opposite, knowing that many queer-identifying people never get paid. Even PRIDE performers sometimes don’t get paid. So, any amount of money that we get, even small amounts, goes directly to ensuring that our folks get compensated fairly for their talents.

Is there anything you’d like to add?

We’re located in Montgomery County, a central area in greater Philadelphia. While we are connected to many different communities in a highly populated area, there are places in upper Montgomery County where we do have constituents drive a distance to

Now straight and cisgender individuals begin not to see the PRIDE flag as something foreign to them but as something that helps create safe spaces and fosters solidarity.

our events. They have expressed an interest in having events closer to them. This has created a conversation with some groups to have a satellite office farther away to support folks in rural areas.

Without spreading ourselves too thin, we’re trying to mentor and support people in other areas to help us continue the good work we do here in Hatboro, so that LGBT+ community members in other towns and counties feel welcomed and accepted.

Josh Blakesley is Executive Director of The Welcome Project PA (he/him pronouns). Josh has 20+ years of experience working with children, youth, and adults in various intraand interfaith settings. He is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.

Aimee Goldsmith is Assistant Director of SAGA Community Center (she/her or they/them pronouns). She helped to cofound SAGA and has been integral in program development, planning, implementation, web design and marketing.

Helping our neighbors in need for 40 years.

HUMAN NEEDS FOOD PANTRY

As it celebrates 40 years of service in 2022, Human Needs Food Pantry sees more people coming through it’s doors than ever, a result of the pandemic and inflation combined. ACME has supported this nonprofit through its GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program.

Tell us about the Human Needs Food Pantry.

We’ve been in existence since 1982. The food pantry started in the basement of a Baptist church, serving about 20 of their congregants. From there it expanded, eventually becoming a private nonprofit. This year is our 40th anniversary year.

Basically, our mission is to provide food, clothing and other services to people in need. We serve all of Essex County (NJ) on a weekly basis, and then we get people from literally all over the state on a monthly basis. We’re the largest suburban pantry in Essex County. Like anywhere else, we have very affluent areas, but also areas with Section 8 housing. Poverty is everywhere. I don’t care what town you’re in, it’s every place. Food insecurity especially is a hidden problem because people are em-

barrassed to admit it. They’re hesitant to ask for help. It takes a lot for people to walk through the door of a food pantry and ask for assistance.

Since the first month of the pandemic, we’ve added 1,700 families we didn’t have before. This year to date (late August 2022), we’ve added more than 500 additional households.

And inflation is now making that worse. Because now, even the people that already receive assistance, for example, from the SNAP program, come out of a supermarket with a lot less because everything is so expensive. We’re seeing it in our own purchases.

What services do you provide to the community?

We try to fill gaps for anybody that’s in need. We provide a wide range of items, from food and clothing to diapers and wipes for young moms, to personal products such as soap and shampoo. We provide nutritional supplements for cancer patients; for people that have dietary issues, we provide Ensure; for diabetics, we provide Glucerna; we provide PediaSure for children. And we provide pet food because we don’t want people feeding their pets at the expense of feeding themselves. So, we try to fill any gap that we see. We do medical screenings twice a month; nurses come out from the local hospital, and they do screenings for blood pressure and sugar and things like that. I’ve had vaccine events at the pantry where I’ve brought people out from Mountainside Hospital, and they’ve done vaccinations for people.

Most recently I had a mobile doctor’s office come and do physicals for them. And we also do deliveries to homebound people. Every week we do about 250 deliveries to people that are elderly, handicapped or otherwise can’t get out for their own food.

Poverty is everywhere.

I don’t care what town you’re in, it’s every place.

We’re just trying to fill their needs. When they come, the line is down the block every day. And I spend the bulk of my time walking up and down the street, talking to them and we try to find out what are they struggling with and the things that we can help them with. The bigger problems are housing and employment and even there we try to provide referrals.

I know I’ve redone a whole host of their work resumes to try to improve their chances at getting employment. I tell them, go on LinkedIn and connect to me. And then, we try to help them out with job interview pointers. We provide clothing for job interviews and things like that. We’re just trying to try to help them any way we can.

Tell us a story that illustrates the good work you are doing.

There are so many stories we could give you, but one in particular stands out to me. I had a woman come in, who was just distraught. She and her husband were in the television industry, and they both lost their jobs at the same time. They went through their savings, and she was forced to come to the food pantry. When she

came in, she just couldn’t control herself and she was sobbing for quite a while. But when she calmed down, she told me about the situation. I asked her if she had a resume, and the look on her face was priceless. What she didn’t know was that the nondescript building across the street from us is a television studio for the Food Network. I had become a bit friendly with one of the celebrity chefs there who came over and knocked on the window one night and wanted to know what we did. She was very gracious and gave us a donation.

I always tell them, “You have a lot of stress in your life. This is not going to be stressful; we make the process as easy as possible.”

So, I took this woman’s resume, and I contacted that chef and I gave it to her. She immediately adopted their family for the Christmas holiday. And then she worked on getting them both employment. And so, they both got jobs and they both didn’t need us anymore. I’d like nothing more than that to happen with everyone who comes here and to see us go out of business

What is your greatest achievement or contribution to the community?

The most generic one is that we’re keeping up with the demand; that in today’s economy, with everything that’s going on with supply chain shortages and inflation, the fact that we’re able to keep up with the hundreds and hundreds of people who come to us for help is our greatest achievement.

We try to keep it light here. These people are under a tremendous amount of stress. So, if you come to our food pantry, you’ll be surprised that you hear a lot of joking and laughing, and we try to keep it like that for them.

When I register them to receive food, I always tell them, “You have a lot of stress in your life. This is not going to be stressful; we make the process as easy as possible.”

What do you want people to know about Human Needs Food Pantry?

I want people to know that we’re here! You’d be shocked how many people, even from the local area say that they never knew we were here, and we’ve been around for 40 years. We have a vibrant social media program, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. But when people are looking for food, the first thing they do is go to the library, get on the computer and Google “food pantries.” So, we make sure that we pop up in that feed.

How are you using the funds you’ve received from the ACME GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program?

It’s going directly to the purchase of food and supplies. Last year I spent close to $320,000 on groceries and produce. We do receive two allocations a month from the Community Food Bank, but with the numbers that we’re serving, we go through that very quickly. This year to date, we’re already past the number of what we spent year.

We try to provide meat, chicken and fish plus fresh fruit and vegetables, and obviously the nonperishables

like pasta, rice and bread. Plus, we do special things for the different holidays, like hot dogs and hamburgers for Labor Day. At Thanksgiving last year, we gave out 1,300 turkeys so we really try to accommodate special events and do for them what I would like to do in my own home. That’s the way we try to run the place.

Is there anything you’d like to add?

We have a tremendous operation going out of a small building and the truth of it is, it’s completely driven by volunteers. We have upwards of 80 volunteers who handle everything from packing bags in the warehouse to handling our clothing. Our second floor is dedicated to clothing, and you would think you were in Macy’s the way it’s set up. Our volunteers go through our donations and sort them. They do presentations for Christmas and set up a holiday boutique

Then we have delivery drivers; all of our 250 deliveries a week are done by volunteers. The generosity of our volunteers, their giving of themselves, they drive the food pantry. I have the easy job!

If you think a law enforcement career doesn’t prepare you for a career in social services, think again. Mike Bruno retired in 2013 as a police chief on a Monday and unretired on Tuesday when he joined Human Needs Food Pantry as Executive Director!

Cultures + Generations + Hearts + Connected

ANTINANCO EARTH ARTS SCHOOL

Founded on a deep passion for earth and nature, education and children, Antinanco Earth

Arts School is a grassroots volunteer-led organization. ACME has supported this nonprofit through its GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program.

Tell us about Antinanco Earth Arts School.

In 2015, a group of friends came together with a deep passion for earth and nature, education and children. These individuals were activists, teachers, educators or facilitators, each with a good toolbox of skills and a capacity to share. We decided to organize and form a platform to spread all of these gifts to the community. Antinanco Earth Arts School began as a grassroots volunteer-led organization and remains so to this day.

All our work is interconnected, and there are no boundaries or fragmentation within our community programs, tree plantings, education experiences or seminars.

What services do you provide to the community?

The overarching theme here is our more profound connection with nature. Under this umbrella, we have different types of projects. One is earth-honoring education for children, families and adults. There are no boundaries; everyone is welcome.

We do a lot of environmental conservation work, restoring endangered and diminishing species to our northeastern woodlands here in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. We involve children, families and the community in planting and taking care of trees. Our specific focus is on the American chestnut tree, which is functionally extinct. We’ve been working on restoring the American chestnut tree for about five years now.

Our last project is Turtle Island United, which includes indigenous support and indigenous social action. We work with tribal groups all over the country. There is a lot of knowledge that our indigenous people have to share. Sadly, they work and live in third-world country conditions here in the United States. So, we work with the tribal groups in this mutual aid arrangement to share knowledge and resources and see how we can help each other.

What sets you apart from other nonprofit organizations in your community?

A few things make Antinanco what it is today, and the first is connection. All our work is interconnected, and there are no boundaries or fragmentation within our community programs, tree plantings, educational experiences or seminars. They are available to everyone.

We don’t separate our educational programs by age. If a child wants to bring their younger siblings or their grandmother, they’re welcome. Because when we put everyone together in the circle, a lot of magic happens. There’s learning that happens on a totally different level. And sometimes, we are on the receiving end! We come to teach, but we often end up being the biggest beneficiaries of all the wisdom within that circle.

Another thing is community. We are very much into grassroots community work. We work with many local and national organizations to create collaborative offerings. We work with a wonderful nonprofit here in New Jersey called Touch Mother Earth, and a sister company based in Pennsylvania called PAZA, Tree of Life. We do a lot of joint projects together. We work with the Land Conservancy of New Jersey, offering collaborative educational experiences about native plant species and planting trees on the Conservancy’s sites. K’eh Native Action is our indigenous-led partner providing clean water solutions to residents of the Navajo Nation in Arizona and New Mexico. These are just a few examples, and we treasure our relationships with partners and community organizations deeply.

When the organizations and volunteers come together, we can accomplish much more than one small nonprofit alone. This is where the power is.

Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.

Initially, we offered just daylong workshops for children and families in our early years. From there, we progressed to weekend-long programs and multi-day

programs. And then eventually, we started offering international community service trips for young people and families, going to countries such as Japan and Cuba. They worked with local groups and communities, planting trees together, creating art together and learning from each other. It was quite amazing to see the positive impact of these international exchanges, especially the transformation we observed in young people suffering from depression and anxiety issues, which are so common today. And then 2020 came, and all our programs—we had about five programs at that time—were halted. We canceled all our trips.

At that time, we received an unsolicited proposal from a donor calling our attention to the issues that the Native American reservations were facing during the COVID crisis and asking if we would step in to help. This came about through our sister nonprofit PAZA, Tree of Life, a Native American-led organization.

reaction to that campaign and everything we were doing. And not only did this not end in two months, but we are still involved in this work today. We moved from providing critical aid during COVID to addressing more long-term solutions contributing to cultural and food sovereignty and clean water. We work with about 15 indigenous communities, and they are all over the country.

Our growth was pretty much organic until that moment. Taking this project on was a big transformation for our organization.

What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?

The biggest one is our people. It’s so rewarding to see young adults who came to us seven years ago as little children and are still with us. Some graduated from being participants in our programs to being wilderness guides and nature guides, teaching all kinds of wonderful things and pursuing their passions.

So, we joined forces, and at that time, there was a commitment of two to three months in my mind. We got a donation of $10,000, and we thought we’d help with critical aid during COVID.

I was really wrong with all of my predictions because before we knew it, that $10,000 turned into $100,000 in a matter of three months, just from all the public

COUNTS REUSABLE BAG PROGRAM

Another rewarding aspect of our work is planting trees. To date, we’ve planted close to 700 trees. A little over 200 of them are the American Chestnut tree, which has a low survival rate due to the disease introduced here about a hundred years ago called chestnut blight. That’s why they’re functionally extinct now. So that has been a challenging task. We would be happy to see 60% of these trees survive. As of now, we are exceeding our expectations, but the trees are still young. We are very happy to contribute to our woodlands by bringing that keystone species back.

A lot of great stuff happens when people come together and do things from their hearts.

Arts School?

We want people to know that it’s okay to come and have fun with us. We are trying to make this world a little better, one small step at a time. We are still learning and invite everyone interested in anything we do to join to share their own knowledge and participate.

A lot of great stuff happens when people come together and do things from their hearts.

How are you using the funds raised from the Acme GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program?

The funds are used for scholarships for children. Until this year, about 90% of our participants were either on full or partial scholarships.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Thank you for ACME’s support and for offering this beautiful GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Reusable Bag Program. We are very honored to be selected as a beneficiary.

Olga Sher is Founder and Managing Director of Anitinanco Earth Arts School. Olga was born in the Volga-Ural region of Russia. From an early age, she was interested in earthbased ways and herbal studies. Currently, she lives in Holmdel with her husband and their two children, practices law, and promotes charitable educational incentives, environmental education and indigenous causes.

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Jim Brennan Co-Founder & COO 207.351.6903 jimb@psitmatters.com