Support the Olympia Free Herbal Clinic!

Enjoy live music by June Madrona and other artists over a three-course sit-down dinner featuring cob-oven pizza, locally grown produce and a variety of herbal treats, wild edibles salad, decadent desserts, wine and beverage bar, and raffle/silent auction. Vegan, meat, vegetarian, and gluten-free pizzas and more available!

Saturday, July 12, 5 to 9pm 

Fertile Ground Community Center; 311 9th Ave SE (across from Olympia Timberland Library)

$10 to $20 Donation

Contact: olyfreeherbalclinic@riseup.net

The Olympia Free Herbal Clinic is an umbrella project of Done & Done 501(c)3. We're raising funds to open a free clinic at the Bread & Roses Advocacy Center during the summer of 2008. We hope to have walk-in hours one to two days per week. We'll offer education, personalized health consultations, botanical remedies and other supplies free of charge. We serve to empower anyone and everyone, regardless of financial or other circumstances, to take charge of their own health care.

Summer is here and it's always a crazy time for us at B&R. If you've got some spare time, think about spending a few hours of it with us. We've got lots of volunteer opportunities, from outreach to fundraising to providing hospitality at our advocacy center. If you're interested, just give us a call at 360.359.3293.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Beginning June 1st, Bread and Roses is joining forces with Capital Clubhouse in order to expand the reach and effectiveness of the Bread and Roses Mail and Vouchers Program. For nearly five years now, B&R has been providing the homeless and low income of Thurston County with mail service, laundry vouchers, and shower vouchers. As the economy worsens and times get tougher, the needs have quickly outgrown our small advocacy center. To combat this we are teaming up with, and moving those services to, Capital Clubhouse, which is located in a large building on the corner of Cherry and 7th in downtown Olympia.

We're looking for volunteers to help us make this transition a smooth one by helping people with change of address forms and by staffing the voucher desk at the new location, which will consist of handing out mail, laundry vouchers, and showers vouchers. It's a very easy way to be involved, help people, and make new friends in the process.

If interested, please call Rob Richards at 360.359.3293.

Regarding the earlier post about the dire financial straits of Bread and Roses, I think it may be instructive, for those who may be unfamiliar with the amazing stuff B&R does in this community, to explain what it does and why it is important to keep it going. The work that you all do is hard work, done with love, for those who are marginalized. I think it is important to tell that story as we are facing a future when more and more are going to need the kind of services you provide.

So, Rob, please give us a rundown of the importance of B&R.

The B&R advocacy center is currently facing a severe shortage of operating and maintenance funds, preventing us from providing services to those in need. Any donations will allow us to continue to give dynamic financial assistance to low- and no-income people experiencing crises.

Donations of any amount are welcome and can be mailed to or dropped off at the Bread & Roses Advocacy Center at 1009 4th Ave E., Olympia, 98506. We are open Monday-Friday 9am-1130am & 1pm-430pm.

Any questions can be directed to 754-4588 or 481-2559.

The Women's Guesthouse is transitional housing for women in Olympia designed to empower women while developing sustainable permanent housing plans. The Women's Guesthouse is a duplex- one side provides housing for women and children, and the other provides housing for single women.

We are trying to provide a comfortable space for the women on their journeys to self-sufficiency. The women have made a list of several items that would help them out a great deal.

*Kitchen supplies: can opener, cookie sheet, pizza tray, pizza cutter, cheese slicer, food storage containers, spatula, serving spoons, whisk, potato masher, ladle, mason jars, canisters for flour/sugar/etc, silverware

*Towels: dish towels, hand towels, wash cloths

*House supplies: night lights, flashlight, desk lamp, storage bins, shoe boxes, shower mats, shower curtain liner, door mats, curtains, batteries, house plants

*Tools/supplies: Hammer, screwdrivers, and basic tools, ceiling hooks, nails, screws, wall anchors

*Furniture: 4 dressers, bathroom shelf, bookcase, computer desk, office chair, tv stand, 5 laundry baskets

Small items such as these can make a huge difference in the atmosphere of a house. Please help us turn the Bread and Roses Women's Guesthouse from a house into a home where women can prosper and grow. Contact the Bread and Roses Advocacy Center at (360) 754-4588 during business hours, 9-4:30 M-F, visit us at 1009 4th Ave E Olympia, WA, or contact Sarah after hours at (630)336-8000.

The housing crisis is hitting Thurston County pretty hard and we're seeing record numbers of people coming into our Advocacy Center. Every year it seems, there's more and more need. Thankfully, we've got an awesome group of interns who are up to the challenge.

At Bread and Roses, we are building a street library so that houseless folks can have regular access to books as well as a place to sit and read them. This will be in conjunction with our developing literacy and GED programs. There is a book drop off point in Cafe Vita.

I saw this by Rob Richards in the Book exchange thread and I want to help publicize it. A street library is an excellent idea.

Plus as the weather warms it is time for spring cleaning. We can clear out books in good shape that we don't need anymore, help out the library, and free up more room for ourselves. We all win.

Bread and Roses

1009 4th Ave in downtown Olympia

The National Weather Service is predicting some much lower temps for us soon - low Sunday night of 21, Monday night 19, and that isn't taking wind chill into account.

If you can help Bread and Roses out with winter needs, give them a call at 360.754.4588.

Although we are not a clothing bank, we do run a Winter Clothing Drive every year. Keep us in mind for your good-condition jackets, sweaters, hoodies, sweatshirts, heavy pants, boots, scarves, gloves and knit hats. We accept blanket donations year-round as well as donations of tents, tarps, and other camping related materials.