Whole Foods Market Supports Conscious Alliance

We at Conscious Alliance have recently forged a new partnership with Whole Foods Market in an effort to combat America's ever-burgeoning hunger crisis. As part of this alliance, Whole Foods Market donated over 500,000 pounds of food. We will 'kickoff' our alliance at the Rothbury Festival in Michigan over the 4th of July weekend. For the festival, Whole Foods will be donating approximately 40,000 cans of food.

World's Largest Canned Food Sculpture

In a related partnership with the Montana State University Architecture Department, we will attempt to set the Guinness World Record for "largest canned food sculpture." Architect John Brittingham, Director of the Graduate Architecture Program at Montana State University, along with his class will design and help construct the sculpture, which will be on display throughout the four-day Rothbury Music Festival. The sculpture will help draw attention to the relationship between hunger and the environment as well as generate approximately 40,000 cans of food for us to distribute at local Rothbury, MI food pantries after the festival weekend ends.

Needless to say, this is a momentous occasion for our organization. Not only do we have the opportunity to work with both America's leading natural grocer, Whole Foods and the excellent academic program at Montana State, but we are also able to deliver large quantities of nutritious products to some of the poorest communities in the United States and abroad.

International Relief Effort

Through the aforementioned donation of non-perishable goods from Whole Foods Market, we directed an entire semi-truck of food supplies to the humanitarian relief efforts for victims in Myanmar/Burma. This international disaster relief has been made possible through Christian Disaster Response agency.

Summer 08' Festival Season

Summer is upon us again, which means you can expect us to operate food drives at your favorite summer music festivals. This year we have added a few festivals, and we hope to make them annual events. So, in addition to our usual destinations, we hope to see you at Summer Camp (IL), Rothbury (MI), High Sierra (CA), Mile High (CO), and Yarmony (CO). We have lined up a lot of amazing artists, which makes quite the incentive for you to haul those cans to the donation stations! Also, we often need additional help at many of these events, so if you are already planning on making the trip to a festival that you know we will be participating in, please email Gavin for volunteer information: gavin@consciousalliance.org.

Conscious Alliance Annual Benefit Festival: Sonic Bloom

Conscious Alliance and Zilla will once again team up to host their second annual benefit festival: Sonic Bloom. This year’s event takes place on the Unified Field at the majestic Winter Park resort in Colorado June 19-21. All patrons donating ten non-perishable food items will receive a free, limited-edition Sonic Bloom poster, designed by Adrien Robert (sAne). Food donations will be delivered to the Mountain Family Center Food Bank. We will place collection bins outside the main entrance to the festival.

Upcoming Food Drive Event Calendar

Alternative Spring Break: Service-Learning Trip

In the fall of 2007, we initiated our service-learning program with a group of students from Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC. Two months ago, we took our second group to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Students from the University of Colorado at Boulder made the trip and spent their spring break finishing construction on a community building, distributing food packages, as well as learning about the history and culture of the Lakota Nation.

Over the course of the next few months, plans will continue on the construction of an eco-friendly bunkhouse at Pine Ridge. The bunkhouse will allow easier and more adequate accommodations for this rapidly growing program.

For more information on our service learning trips or to schedule a trip contact Justin Levy: levy@consciousalliance.org

Mimi Fishman Charity Auction

The current Mimi Fishman Foundation Charity Auction focuses on VIP festival packages. The Conscious Alliance is the gracious beneficiary of this auction, which features tickets to the Wakarusa, Sonic Bloom, Rothbury, All Good and Mile High festivals. Other items up for bid include posters signed by Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson, the 2008 Jam Cruise performers as well as one signed by Phil Lesh. The auction is rounded out by a black Spencer guitar autographed by Umphrey's McGee and a Lakota Star Quilt. The latter item is fitting, as proceeds from the auction will be directed to transport, deliver, and distribute over 500,000 lbs. of food donations from Whole Foods Market to Indian Reservations. The current auction ends on June 9 (with the exception of the Wakarusa package where the bidding closed on May 25).

Growing Global Food Crisis

For several months we have documented the growing concern, both domestically and abroad, about increasing costs of staple foods and decreasing supplies of emergency food. A few weeks ago, mainstream coverage on this issue reached a fever pitch when news agencies began reporting on the escalating food-based riots in countries across the world. The World Bank estimates food prices to have risen by 83% in the last three years. These increases hit anti-hunger agencies just as hard as they hit consumers. The United Nation's World Food Program estimates needing a $500 million boost to simply meet last year's needs. Rising demand, soaring oil prices, conversion of grains to biofuels, and erratic weather patterns have all played a role in this crisis. Now more than ever, agencies like Conscious Alliance need your help. Visit our website for more informaiton on how to donate or get involved.

On-Line Store Coming in June
Conscious Alliance posters and clothing will be made available for purchase through our on-line storefront in June. Please visit our website in the next month for all of your styling needs!

View our Annual Report: http://www.consciousalliance.org/annualreport2008.pdf. We want to send a special thank you to Lauren Fagan for spending so much time to help create this year's annual report.