RECENT DONATIONS

A Thank You For...

alt Windy Flat RV, San Pablo, donates a trailer for the 2.2 acre farm.  (September, 2015).

treeDave Wilson Nursery donates 230 peach and nectarine trees for Richmond residents.  (February 2015). 

Bill Graham Supporting Foundation, awards Self-Sustaining Communities a supporting grant. (December, 2014)

         Robert J. and Lim Duca donate 2.2 acres in San Pablo (December, 2014)

cherryDuarte Trees and Vines donates 450 citrus and fruit trees (October, 2014) for residents in Richmond, CA.

altAnnie's Annuals for hundreds of vegetable starts for home, community gardens and urban farms in Richmond, CA.  2014

altNutiva partners with Self-Sustaining Communities to provide for organic gardens in the backyards of transitional homes of Bary Dugar for the formerly incarcerated and the homeless in Richmond, CA.  July, 2014.

cherryTom Burchell of Burchell Nursery personally delivers 850 cherry, apricot, nectarine and peach trees to Richmond residents in honor of Cesar Chavez.  Burchell Nursery (March, 2014)

awardThe Strong Foundation for Environmental Values, awards Self-Sustaining Communities a grant. (March, 2014)

altThe Lifchitz Family Foundation for their donation for social justice in Richmond, California.

altTerroir Seeds, Cornucopia Seeds, Redwood Seeds, Bountiful Gardens, and SmartSeedStore for the donation of surplus 2013 seeds (January and February 2014)

treeDave Wilson Nursery donates 500 plum, cherry, apricot, Asian pear and peach trees for the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service in Richmond, CA.  (Jan. 2014)

awardBill Graham Supporting Foundation, awards Self-Sustaining Communities a supporting grant. (December, 2013)

cherryDuarte Trees and Vines donates 300 citrus and fruit trees (October, 2013) for residents in Richmond, CA.

cherryTom Burchell of Burchell Nursery does it again by making a donation of 320 pomegranate trees, olive trees and blueberry bushes specifically for the North Richmond Green Festival.  Burchell Nursery (October, 2013)

cherryTom Burchell of Burchell Nursery personally appears to make a donation of and distribute 800 peach, nectarine, cherry, apricot, apple, pear and plum trees to Richmond.  Burchell Nursery (March, 2013)

treeDave Wilson Nursery donates 210 fruit trees and the City of Richmond staff pick them up and distribute them.  (Feb. 2013)

awardPiton Engineering for their donation and support.  (January, 2013)

awardBill Graham Supporting Foundation, awards Self-Sustaining Communities a supporting grant. (December, 2012)

awardThe Rose Foundation, Environmental Grassroots Fund, awards Self-Sustaining Communities a Watershed protection grant and an Environmental Grassroots grants.  (November and December, 2012).

cherryDuarte Trees and Vines donates 250 bluberry bushes, raspberry canes and table grape vines (November, 2012) for residents in Richmond, CA.

tree McEvoy Ranch donates 1,000 Tuscan olive trees for Richmond residents. (September, 2012) and an additional 1,000 in October of 2012.

Thanks to the El Cerrito United Methodist Church for including in their ministry plan a partnership with Self-Sustaining Communities.

cherry Pro-Tree Nurseries donates 1,308 Apple and Cherry trees. (April, 2012)

Read more ...

Welcome

The Self directs the functioning of the whole psyche in an integrated way. According to Carl Jung, conscious and unconscious are not necessarily in opposition to one another, but complement one another to form a totality, which is the Self.
(Excerpt from Personality and Personal Growth 6th ed. Frager & Fadiman, 2005)

  • Warre Beehive Workshop
  • Garden Tool and Hose Drive
  • A Convenient Truth Movie
  • Global Work Party Day

Check out these upcoming events and more by clicking the link below!

Volunteers are always welcome.  To volunteer at the Richmond Annex site, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  To volunteer at the Happy Lot Farm & Garden, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  To volunteer at the Parchester Village site, call Paula at (925) 493-1312.  To help create the natural playlot, contact Antonio,  tonyThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Warre Beehive making workshop:  Simone Dippone will demonstrate the making of two hives in the style of French beekeeper, Warre, on Saturday, November 6, 2010.  B&B Demolition donates the use of recycled wood; Urban Farmer Store in the Richmond Annex donates the use of their classroom, and Simone donates her mentoring of beekeeping.  To be followed in the Spring with in-the-field instructions on catching a swarm. 

Garden Tool and Hose Drive:  Marvin Gardens Real Estate, the Urban Farmer Store, Westbrae Nursery, Mira Vista Church, the San Rafael 1st United Methodist Church all participate in a garden tool and garden hose drive to contribute to residents of North Richmond wishing to create sustainable environments and grow food within the community. 

A CONVENIENT TRUTH Movie, Discussion & Speaker
Sunday, October 3, 1:30 - 4 pm
Albany Library, Edith Stone Room, 1247 Marin Ave.
Here is a film about a city where "things are done right." Visionary leadership in the 1970s in the areas of urban transport, city planning and waste management in Brazil's city of Curitiba has created an inspiring example of what can be done to make our cities sustainable and livable. Speaker TBA.

GLOBAL WORK PARTY DAY, 10/10/10
Sunday, October 10, all day
In Your Neighborhood!
Join communities worldwide by getting together with your neighbors to reduce your individual and collective carbon footprint. Some ideas? Plant a new food-bearing garden or build a chicken coop and have a party, join with neighboring households to see how you could increase your homes' energy efficiency and reduce bills, establish a lending library of tools or appliances, set up a skill sharing cooperative, have a "low carbon party"! For ideas or support as you devise and implement a project for your neighborhood, please call 510-528-2261.

BOOK DISCUSSION: "FARM CITY" by Novella Carpenter
Wednesday, October 24, 7-8 pm
Albany Library Edith Stone Room with Rosalie Gonzales of Albany Reads
(For information about the Albany Reads program, please call Ronnie at 526-3720 ext 16)

NOVELLA CARPENTER at Albany Community Center
Sunday, October 17, 2-4 pm
Our local urban farming anti-guru, Novella will talk about her book, Farm City

HOW TO GROW AN URBAN FARM
Wednesday, October 20, 7-8 pm
Tony Wolcott, "Treeman Tony," Albany's famed urban forester, gives urban farming tips for free!

MAD CITY CHICKENS Movie, Discussion & Speaker
Sunday, October 31, 1:30 - 4 pm
Albany Library, Edith Stone Room, 1247 Marin Ave
A fun and endearing movie about keeping chickens in the city, with Halloween-inspired moments. A donation of $5 per adult will help us cover the hefty screening fee for this movie but is not required. We'll aim to have information about the many opportunities to learn about keeping chickens at home.

Our Commitment

Our work/mission is to assist in creating a systemic change in the SF East Bay of Northern California which meets environmental, social, and sustainability needs by addressing those areas upon which survival is dependent, specifically food, energy, transportation, shelter and social inclusion.  We focus on low-income, high crime areas, but are not necessarily limited thereto.  We approach these areas as part of an integrated larger area where coming together to make a systemic change can effect greater well-being for all members of the community.

Given the collapse and dysfunction of the current economic situation, the unemployment, environmental issues and crime, creating a new model is an opportunity we have at hand, by utilizing grassroot efforts, community building and social technology, among others.