“Nature is the antidote to humanity’s wounds.”—Zach Bush
Happy 222!! I’m so excited to announce this year’s Taz Grout 222 Foundation grants. Our mission, as you know, is to create a new normal so, as Buckminster Fuller said, the old normal will become obsolete.
We don’t seek to change things per se (that, my friends, is counterproductive and only creates resistance), but to celebrate a more nourishing way of life, a bigger possibility. We intend that our new vision will be SO compelling, SO alluring that people CAN’T WAIT to jump on board.
Rather than railing about injustice, we honor people and projects that bring health, wholeness and big love to the world. We showcase restorative stories, new ways of approaching life with joy and creativity. We celebrate all efforts to move our world from a consumption model to a production model. After all, each of us has so much to give!!!!
After seeing the excellent movie, Common Ground, (go see it if you can), we decided to focus our grants this year on regenerative agriculture. Like the Taz Grout 222 Foundation, regenerative agriculture celebrates the web of life that connects us all.
It restores soil, sequesters carbon, creates beauty, boosts health, brings people together and basically relies on Mother Nature to do her glorious thing.
So with no further adieu, here are the honorees of this year’s Taz Grout 222 Foundation:
Gilliard Farms. Jupiter Gilliard bought 457 acres of farmland in coastal Brunswick, Georgia in 1874 soon after being freed from slavery. Today, his great-great-great grandchildren, Matthew and Althea Raiford and Matthew’s wife, Tia, are restoring the land, growing medicinal gardens and promoting the Gullah/Geechee culture from which they hail.
Tia and Matthew are both professional chefs. In fact, they first met at the Culinary Institute of America and have worked at some pretty impressive venues—from the House of Representative to the Olympics. Their mission is to awaken the soil, awaken people and as Tia says, create ever more opportunities for abundance and inner-connections.
I first learned about the Raifords from Farmer’s Footprint, an innovative nonprofit working “to accelerate regenerative food systems as a way to restore human and planetary health.” It was co-founded by Dr. Zach Bush who noticed the link between industrialized agriculture practices and plummeting health. Bush, who also happens to be a Course in Miracles student, continuously inspires me with this beautiful vision for humanity’s future.
2. The second honoree is AGILE International, a program in Mali, Africa, that secures farmland for rural women who have been pushed out by large-scale industrial farms. Started by Fatou Doumbia, who moved to the States in the 90’s, Agile International gives women the opportunity to own their own land and therefore control their own destiny. Agile’s motto is “Growing Food, Nourishing Minds and Flourishing Culture.” And, yes, they use regenerative farming methods that restore their ancient lands and ancient wisdom.
3. The Sunrise Project. This project, right here in my hometown, is not only growing food, but it brings people together with free community meals, weekly gatherings and what I call “Show and Tell,” a monthly forum letting people stand and brag about their creative gifts. As I said in Art and Soul, Reloaded, “Why is this not a normal thing?”
We are sponsoring the Taz Grout 222 Community Orchard, a free food park where anyone can pick ripe fruit. Located near the William S. Burroughs Trail (Yes, the famous beat poet spent the last 16 years of his life in Lawrence, Kansas), the orchard is part of Sunrise Project’s mission to build an equitable community for people of all ages and experience to live self-determined, healthy and meaningful lives.
Thank you to everyone who has supported our mission over the years—from sending hedgehogs and 222’s to lavishing me with non-stop love.
Here’s to Taz who always stood for loving fiercely, creating relentlessly and doing quiet, kind things for the underdog.
She also just reminded me to add this little bit: “Hug a tree, plant a seed and walk barefoot whenever you can. Nature will take it from there.”
So as always, #222 Forever!
Pam Grout is the author of 20 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her latest book, The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind (And Therefore Your World)
27 Responses
Thank you for everything you and Taz do. And the reminder to do my yearly 22.22 donation
Thank you so much for your kind words and your apropos donation!!!!
LOVE IT!! Thank you and Taz for supporting these marvelous projects. They are inspirational!!
And Happy 2/22!!
So inspirational! In fact, I think that’s my favorite part of running the foundation is being inspired by so many people doing so many amazing things!!!
You make the world and all of us in it- happier and more connected
Thank you from the bottom of my heart
You are SO inspiring Miss Pam, along with your celestial daughter Taz.
As one of your faithful followers for at least 15 years, I am moved to get up off my ass-pirations and do some good somewhere.
Thanks for sharing your life with us all.
Beautiful! May we all be inspired to spread our light!!!!
Wow, Pam! Such wonderful projects. Thank you for stepping up to create a new normal that will make the old normal obsolete. Way to embody the principles of the Course.
The old normal is already obsolete. We just don’t know it yet!!!
Here’s to Taz! Happy 222!!!
To Taz!!!! Here! Here!!!
Love, love, LOVE this!!
What fantabulous causes. I do believe this is a growing phenomenon and that one day (in this lifetime) we will have an edible community garden in every town. It speaks volumes for the spiritually awakening movement that is growing every day. Just like the gardens.
Amazing projects
These are really exciting projects Pam! Thank you to you and Taz for creating a foundation that supports the blossoming of humanity and our earth home in so many wonderful ways. We are so blessed to have you in our world. 🌏⭐️🌱🦋
Happy 222!
Congratulations to all the recipients!
Their projects all sound wonderful.
xox
Love to you, Pam, today and always! Xo
BRAVO FOR SEIZING THE DAY 222.
With Great ❤️
Kate
Hi Pam! I love all that you and Taz are doing. Her there and you here oh my goodness so much. May I send you a copy of my book. I know…so many requests but this is truly a gift from me to you. Here is a link for a look – You’re Okay Arlow Mae (2MoMos: Books that Comfort Kids) https://a.co/d/heBP1Nu
Feel free to email me your address and I will send along. A 2024 happy birthday to you both. 💝💫
Thank you for all you do and your inspirational words. Your words and work gives me hope for people and the earth we live on. I want to get involved somehow – I plan on donating to these kinds of causes, the groups and people that work hard and compassionately to make the Earth and its inhabitants healthy, happy and hopeful enough to spread the love to more and more people! Happy 222 !!
💚 🌎 🎁 🦔
🙂 Donna R.
Yay! I love all of this so much! Happy 222!
Fantastic, Pam! 222 forever!!!
That is so wonderful. Thank you.
Beautiful and inspiring
I absolutely love the organizations chosen this year! Sending so much love and light your way. 🤍
Excellent beautiful bountiful winners
May every year multiply
You are so thoughtful grateful full of life and joy Pam
222 forever
WOW! This article gives me goosebumps. “We are sponsoring the Taz Grout 222 Community Orchard, a free food park where anyone can pick ripe fruit.” This is how I grew up. For some reason, I am recreating it without thinking or knowing it. I had forgotten completely the connection between “free fruits” I had growing up and my work at AGILE-International. This brings childhood memories filled with joy, a sense of freedom and community where everyone owned everything together. Next time I am heading to Kansas, I’ll visit the 222 Foundation and the park. Thank you for your heartfelt work and for making my day. Last year we planted 1500 trees. This week of Feb/27/2024, we are in the process of planting 800 paya trees. Together, we can leave a positive mark on the earth. 222 forever!!! Fatou, AGILE-International.