We engage the concepts that giving back to the community that supports our endeavors is a vital aspect of the sustainability of our organization. We believe that this must occur at both a local and international level. Our future goals are to be able to provide monetary assistance to those in need – maintaining the spirit of self development and self empowerment. We also realize that there are many methods of giving back to community that do not necessarily involve the exchange of money. Below you will find a description of what we are currently active in – and what we are developing for the future.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

OUR NEW GATHERING SPACE !! MAY 2008
We are so excited to announce our new gathering space - located at 24 Regina St. N. in lovely Uptown Waterloo. For those looking for directions - please visit the Holly Oak section of the website, as our gathering space is located beside the store. This gathering space is intended to be an open sacred space for people. It will house our educational events through the Opening Way…and it will be open during store hours for all people - as a place to commune, rest, relax, rejuvenate, celebrate and meditate. We welcome you and yours to come share space with us. Please also note this space is a breast-feeding friendly location.
We encourage all people using the space to do so with respect, honor and integrity - for your self, for the space and for the others using the space as well.
Blessings to all !! And much gratitude to both Spirit and you the community who have helped to make this all possible !

HOW THE SPACE WILL OPERATE
Spirit has been very clear that this space is to be available to all people, all ages, all traditions, all economic and social levels. Therefore, we are operating the space on a rental basis for events AND a donation/offering basis when being individually used.

If you are interested in general/individual use of the space:
PRINCIPLES OF EXCHANGE & DONATION
General energetic principles teach us that energy flow in living systems has a cycle that continually moves out from source and returns to source; OR moves in to source and returns out to all. When all life forms are allowing this flow to operate at its full potential…there is balance between the outgoing energy (giving) and the incoming energy (receiving). From this point, when the connected life forms/systems are existing in this balance…there is sustainability for all. No one life form, in general, is using more or taking more than any other life form. There are individual ebbs and flows where each life form may take when another is giving; or give when another is taking … and in the whole there is balance. As with all else we do here…we are living, to the best of our current abilities, in this flow. And…we also operate within the larger current North American society. To this end…we will be instituting what we are calling offering. You will see that we ask for offering with ‘free’ events and general use of sacred space. We will have an abundance (“a good dance”) container within the space, along with the teachings, easily accessible.

Below we have listed a few definitions to assist your mind in understanding our use of the word offering. We trust these definitions along with our description of process will assist your understanding of our intent.
Donation: an act or instance of presenting something as a gift, grant, or contribution.
Offer: To present in order to meet a need or satisfy a requirement:
Gift: something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.
(definitions from dictionary.com)
We humbly ask for your support of the community space in the following manner:
When you find your self in need of use of the space, we ask that you make an offering in our abundance container that will assist with the sustainability of the space. This offering operates on an honor basis – we will not monitor directly what people are contributing.
How do you determine your offering?
We ask that you take the value of what you are receiving from the space in one hand.
Then take the value of what we charge for rent (our needs to maintain the space – you don’t necessarily have to know the numbers, you can connect with the energy) in the other hand.
Take a moment to find where those two values balance themselves with one another – this is your balance point.
Now…ensure that your truth and your reality is front and center. With your truth and reality front and center…find a monetary value that represents the balance point. It is a reality of our society that money is required to sustain a physical space. Remember money is simply a natural energy yield. (My Own Natural Energy Yield, as Jonathan Randolph Price suggests)
If your finances preclude a monetary donation – create something else as representing the exchange.
Please make your offering to our abundance container.

We understand that there will be times where offerings will differ in monetary value. We understand there is no difference in offerings when people keep their truth and reality front and center. We understand that there will be times where offerings will be prayers, blessings and gratitude. We understand that there will be times where offerings will be presented in the form of volunteer activity or goods/services. We know that this space will be supported and sustained…because ‘you’ made it happen!

CALL FOR ITEMS
There are a few items that we require in order to complete our space and physical necessities. If you have one or any of these items, please give us a call and we will arrange for pick up.
3 massage tables
Folding chairs
Cotton blankets / mats
Pillows (all sizes)
Yoga mats
personal CD players

If you are interested in renting space:
Space rental is for use of the large room, including restroom facilities. For current rental fees, please contact Sandi or Steve at the store, or read our current newsletter. As with everything else we offer, we try as best as possible to support and develop community. If you are seeking a space and do not have the monetary funds in the beginning…do not hesitate to talk to us…exchange is one of our policies of operation.

Donations made to One Heart One Hand
We would like to thank the many people who have made donations throughout our existence. May your generosity return to you tenfold.

Local and International Combination:
One Heart One Hand volunteers for Artists for Development
We at One Heart One Hand believe in direct interaction with others in the world. We look for projects to become involved in where the money or items raised go directly to the people in need. Currently we are looking for both national and international groups/people to work with.

At the moment we have just completed a fundraising activity through the store for a family in Uganda. As a collective we were able to raise approximately $600 - in a short time - through the sale of paper bead necklaces. We still have some paper bead jewelry available in the store…so if you are interested - please come and visit us!

We are very interested in establishing a connection with international, and national schools who require assistance. If you have a direct connection to a school that needs help - please contact us at the store.

FUTURE ACTIVITIES
We are currently in the stage of developing the structure for a monetary community lending circle where we will obtain funds through a variety of sources…and disperse funds to a variety of individuals and groups in need. We gladly welcome anyone with experience in community lending circles, any donations or contributions, individuals or groups would like to make that will assist this dream to manifest in reality.
For further details on the development please contact Sandi through the Opening Way office.