Do You Believe in Miracles?

Do You Believe in Miracles?

Our school needs to buy the land that it sits on or we’re out. Homeless.

Due to current events in Ethiopia, things were put on hold for a few months. Now that things are better, the owner of the land the school sits on is moving forward with the sale of the land. He has a new buyer lined up if we do not make the purchase in four weeks! We are still $219,000 short.Please help us raise the rest of the amount needed, by making a donation and spreading the word! Tweet, post, intsa. Tell your friends! Together we can keep the kids from having to go back into the streets to beg for food.

Click to Help Us Buy the Land

Fresh and Green Academy has been taking impoverished kids off the street in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for 16 years. The school educates and feeds these children at no cost to their poor, mostly single parents. With the help of Friends of Fresh and Green, a New York-based 501 (c)(3) non-profit, the school has managed to grow from a simple Pre-K and Kindergarten to now include Grades 1-8.

Relying completely on donations, the school has faced rising rent costs and the land has recently been sold to a new owner. Fortunately, this generous individual saw the good work that the school was doing in breaking the cycle of poverty, and has offered to sell the land to the school.

So we need you to help with a Miracle: raise $219,000 before May 20th so Fresh and Green Academy can buy the property it sits on. Otherwise, the land will be sold and developed and we will have to find another location that will be even more expensive or charge the kind of rent that will put it out of business and put the kids and their parents back on the street.

Please help us with any amount you can. it is people like yourself who are able to put us over the top with a US tax-deductible donation. Thank you so much!

Click to Help Us Buy the Land

 

The Power of Personality by Neil Jones

The Power of Personality by Neil Jones

 

How did I end up in the middle of Africa? This was not even on my radar 3 months ago. Wasn’t Ethiopia the place where they had that terrible famine when I was a kid? Surely it’s better now but why would I want to go there? The answer: personality.

The first personality I encountered was Trish Hack-Rubinstein, at a bus stop in outer San Francisco. The kind of idle conversation where somebody casually mentions that they have a Non-Profit Organization in their pocket (run largely from an iPhone). This person radiates an energy that affects everyone within speaking distance, and suddenly we are learning in leaps and bounds about Ethiopia’s history and the challenges they face.

And then a huge collection of gregarious, generous and kind-hearted personalities at a fund-raising event in New York City, and I’m hooked! I once met Mr. Munroe Ashkenase, who founded Foster Parents Plan (now Plan Canada). His favourite expression was, “I never met a man who didn’t want to help – you just had to make it easy for him.” Well these people were making it easy for me.

Just over a month later, I have navigated the customs and immigration hall of Addis Ababa airport clinging to my only clue: “Someone will be there to pick you up.” That someone was the personality that created this whole enterprise: Muday Mitiku. Constantly in motion, keeping an organization the size of a village in her head (and on her mobile phone), she is a wonder to watch. Her staff and family provide seamless support.

And finally I meet the collective personality whom I knew before only in pictures: the beautiful children who make a stranger feel like he is part of the family. The characters! The laughter! The schoolyard games! If only I spoke their language as well as they speak mine – but they will teach me, throughout the course of a week. Amharica kwanka tamari naw – I am a student of Amharic.

I am the beneficiary of the generosity of all of these personalities, these perfect hosts. That is why I do my small part to help with their challenges.

Join the all new Friendship Club!

Join the all new Friendship Club!

On #GivingTuesday we launched our new Friendship Club!

Please join us in this amazing gift of nourishment and education!

What is the Friendship Club?

Friendship Club logo

A new twist on our old child sponsorship program! 

This new program gives you the opportunity to help our students and the school in a way that fits your lifestyle.

 

We are offering three new “Friendship” tiers to give you ample opportunity to help the children.

Our current general sponsorship opportunity,

Friend level-$35 a month will feed one child three meals a day for a month.

Our new Friendship Club levels include:

Good Friend level-$50 a month will assist in the purchase of a uniform and school supplies for two students for a year.

Best Friend level-$75 a month helps cover monthly costs for any student who needs medical attention.

Friend for Life level-$100 a month contributes to the cost of one teacher’s monthly salary. The students’ education would not be possible without these hard working men and women!

No matter what level you choose, you will be making a difference. We will pair you with a student and you will receive communication and periodic updates about him or her and the school.

Friendship Club Perks

Join the club today!

Become a Friendship Club member!

 

Spreading Love, Happiness and Hope for the Holidays

Spreading Love, Happiness and Hope for the Holidays

All beings are connected and helping one can impact millions!

-Michael Mike-E Ellison

Fresh and Green Academy is proof that it is simple to make a difference. Since the school opened in 2000, hundreds of children have been saved from having to live in the streets. The school is operated and the children are fed and educated entirely by the generosity of others.
Holiday donate button

Your end of the year donation will continue supporting the beautiful and energetic children at Fresh and Green Academy in Ethiopia.

One of our favorite compliments from our donors and supporters is that our children look happy! Yes, indeed they are. The reason for this is because of years of care that includes nutrition, education, and unconditional support that these children would not have if it were not for donors such as yourself.

Dancing With the Stews 2014 Festivites Feed Ethiopia!

Dancing With the Stews 2014 Festivites Feed Ethiopia!

On May 8th, 2014 we hosted our second annual “Dancing With the Stews” fundraiser! We paired six flight attendants with six world class, champion, professional dancers for a night of entertainment and generosity.

The dancers were judged in three categories: Pre-Event Fundraising, Peoples Choice, and Judges Favorite.  Tobi Kretschmer and Cindee Gennaro Sperry took home the Mirror Ball Trophy by winning overall! Fernanda Deren and Solomon Singer won the “Peoples Choice”,  Andrew Williams and Esther Frances won the “Judges Favorite” and Tobi and Cindee also won the “Pre-Event Fundraising!

The night started off with a spectacular VIP reception produced by Valerie Jensen and Lou Rudy. Thank you to Juice Press and Freddy Quintos for providing the delicious raw, vegan, kosher, organic food and Dublin 6 for stocking the Bar.

Arthur Murry Manhattan provided practice space, Capezio gave shoes to all of our flight attendants and Jordy let us use their exquisite gowns.

Our Master of Ceremonies was Fox Business News anchor Cheryl Casone and she presented us with a night to remember!

This year was spectacular and everyone there had a great time. If you were unable to make it you can watch the recording of the live stream and still make a donation to help the children at Fresh and Green Academy!

We are already thinking about next year and if you think you want to be a “Dancing Stew” add your name to the list.

View photos from the show!

DWTS 2015 is already in the works!
Click the button below and complete

the web form on the following page

Keep me updated!

Sign up today and stay tuned for more information!

 

(photo by Bill Brady Photography)