newsbrief
Rooster Sharing Community Launches in Austin
R
ooster, a movement of localized sharing com- munities that originated in Northern California, now has a presence in Austin. The group connects neighbors to share free resources, thus reducing waste and spend-
ing; connecting neighbors; and spreading acts of kindness. Rooster members practice unconditional giving and focus on contributing. Everything done through Rooster is completely free, without expectation of pay or reciprocity. The effort was originally dubbed “Rooster – the Pay
It Forward Movement,” as a place where neighbors could help, borrow, swap and share with one another. “There is no money on Rooster, only gratitude,” says Rooster co-founder Tali Saar. “When someone does something nice for you, you simply say ‘thank you’ and then pay it forward to someone else when you can.” Rooster was born from a desire to help people recon- nect with one another and build trusting communities. Since forming in California, the Rooster movement has spread to Portland, Oregon, where it was immensely successful. Examples of sharing and giving through Rooster includes kids receiving used toys from neighbors, people getting together for potluck dinners, moms exchanging kids clothes, injured folks receiving crutches and wheelchairs, neighbors arrang- ing car pools and poetry nights, needy students receiving furnishings for their apartments, and more. Organizers report that more than 6,000 Austin neigh-
bors have signed up to kick off a local Rooster movement. “We’re a small team, but we have a big dream. And more importantly, Portland and Austin have given us the belief that it can be done, that we’re not crazy to believe in it, and that many, many people out there are just like us. We love you, Austin, and let’s continue to set an example for everyone, everywhere,” Saar says.
For more information, visit
Austin.TheRooster.co.
eventspotlight
Grief Center Establishes Camp Red Bird to Help Children Cope
T
he Austin Center for Grief and Loss (for- merly My Healing Place) is a nonprofit bereave- ment-counseling center that will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year. From August 7 to 11, the center will launch Camp Red Bird, a one-week day camp for children ages 6 through 12 that have experienced a loss. A licensed therapist will lead Camp Red Bird, incor- porating therapeutic arts and crafts, games and traditional outdoor activities. Children will interact with their peers that have suffered similar losses. The goal is to develop healthy coping skills, identify and acknowledge grief and restore a sense of normalcy in the child’s life space. Nearly 1 in 20 children in the United States will lose a parent before the age of 16. Children that lose a par- ent often suffer in silence and are at much greater risk for depression, suicide and substance abuse. According to the New York Life Foundation, 41 percent of grieving children pretend to be okay because of concerns about upsetting the surviving parent; 73 percent believe their lives would have been much better off if their parent had survived; and 57 percent report they would trade a year of their life to spend one more day with their deceased parent. Children suffer similar responses when they lose siblings or those close to them.
As a premier center for grief, loss and trauma therapy,
the Austin Center for Grief and Loss offers individual therapy and group sessions. They serve individuals that have experienced the death of a loved one from illness, accident, suicide or violence, as well as non-death losses such as abuse, traumatic accident, divorce and job loss.
For more information, call 512-472-7878 or visit
AustinGrief.org. See ad, page 13.
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Austin Edition
AustinAwakenings.com
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