If you are on a vegan diet, you will have to go for some specific protein supplements that will give you the right kind of nutrients without making any compromise with your existing diet plan. With options like pea protein, rice protein and more available for vegans, you can easily find the ideal pack of protein powder even for your special diet needs. If you are looking for a pack of pea protein powder for your fitness needs, you have plenty of options available online. We have a list of some of the most popular choices in pea protein powder packs that you can consider for your fitness needs. Choose from this list to buy the perfect options when you are shopping for your fitness essentials online.

AS-IT-IS Nutrition Pea Protein Isolate

OZiva Organic Plant Protein

bGREEN by MuscleBlaze Plant Protein Powder

Mypro Sport Nutrition Plant Protein Powder Pea & Brown Rice Protein

Fast&Up Vegan Plant Protein

MyFitFuel MFF Plant Pea Protein

Urban Platter Pure Pea Protein Powder

Unived Pea Protein Isolate

Excerpt from:

Pea protein powder: Trusted options for vegan fitness enthusiasts - Times of India

Mayonnaise is one of the most divisive of all condiments you either love it or hate it but no matter what side you fall on, there is no denying that this integral condiment is a pantry staple that's not going anywhere.Mayo is acore ingredient in most popular dressings and dipping sauces and can elevate a regular sandwich effortlessly. While it's abundant on grocery shelves, it'sa bit more difficult to find many vegan mayo options.

Vegan and dairy-free mayo is agrowing area of thevegan market but it might surprise you to know that it has been around for decades. Vegan mayooriginally became popularinthe surge of independent vvegan cafs in the 1970s. The founders of the Follow Your Heart Cafe popularized their non-dairy mayoiteration in 1970 eventually growing to become one of the biggest players in the vegan world. Fifty years later, Follow Your Hearts Vegenaise is a household brand for plant-based, flexitarian, and non-vegan consumers everywhere.

Since the 1970s, countless companies have joined Follow Your Heart inoffering vegan mayonnaise, butnon-dairymayo can be made from several different ingredients. Plant-based mayonnaise recipes feature all sorts of ingredients including avocado oils, tofu, and aquafaba (chickpea brine) a trend that has become increasingly popular in recent years.

Other popular vegan mayos have attempted to avoid oil-based recipes. Food developers and companies have developed several options that feature oil-free options that instead use nut bases such as cashews. To provide the same flavor as traditional mayo, the recipes will also contain mustard, vinegar, salt, and occasionally liquid sweeteners. JUST Mayo stands out as one of the most experimental varieties, using yellow pea protein and amino acids as its thickening and binding agents.

When JUST Egg (originally Hampton Creek) launched JUST Mayo, Unilever sued the company for using plants instead of chicken eggs. In response, the company released a report with sustainability stats that revealed that vegan mayo produces 157.3 grams fewer carbon emissions than traditional egg-based mayonnaise. The report asserted that conventional chicken egg-based mayo uses 4.3 square feet of land and 278.4 quarts of water more than vegan mayo alternatives.

Choosing vegan mayo significantly lowers the burden on the egg and poultry industry. The New York Times docu-series Life of Chickens detailed the unsanitary, unsustainable, and unsafe conditions of chicken factory farms. By shifting to plant-based mayo, consumers can begin to hold major animal agriculture industries accountable for these unsafe practices.

Vegan mayo is also substantially healthier than traditional mayo. Many shoppers will avoid mayonnaise due to its fatty recipes and high-calorie count. Vegan mayo typically contains 20 to 22 percent fewer calories and no cholesterol in contrast to its animal-based counterpart. For shoppers worried about heart health, most vegan mayo also contains far less saturated fats than conventional egg-based varieties.

With plenty of vegan mayo options to choose from, here is The Beets guide to the best vegan mayos available, and where to buy them.

Chosen Foods earns its healthy-for-you chops by only including heart-healthy ingredients. This vegan mayo is made of avocado oil, aquafaba (the liquid brine of chickpeas), and fava beans. Chosen Foods is healthiest, but not necessarily tastiest since its on the bland side. That makes it a perfect choice for spreading on a stacked plant-based burger or healthier plant-based B.L.T. With 90 calories, it lines up with traditional mayos, but since this plant-based mayo is full of heart-healthy ingredients, go ahead and make it a pantry staple.

Calories90

Total Fat10g, Saturated Fat1.5g

Protein0g

Follow Your Heart is considered the standard-bearer of the vegan mayonnaise parade. With only eight ingredients, their Veganaise plant-based mayo delivers a simple, clean alternative to the essential condiment without forfeiting flavor. Compared to regular mayo, which is made from eggs, Vegenaise is made from canola oil and delivers less total fat and saturated fat per serving (.5 grams for a tablespoon vs. regular mayo which has 1.5 grams). This vegan mayo is an excellent sandwich spread or salad dressing base and if you switch it for the real thing no one will notice.

Calories80

Total Fat9g, Saturated Fat0.5g

Protein0g

Targets house brand, Good & Gather, would have the inside lane for loyal Target shoppers, but we didnt love the taste, and if you look at reviews on the Target site, were not alone. Give props to Good & Gather for the fact that they use pea-protein in the blend (along with Canola oil), and they nailed it with the texture and creaminess. But overall we found the taste to be abrasively sour. Targets vegan mayo is an affordable option that is low in sodium and sat fat. Its tolerable if you spice it up or add hot sauce or use it as a base for coleslaw or a vinaigrette.

Calories90

Total Fat10g, Saturated Fat 0.5g

Protein0g

Who didnt grow up on Hellmanns? Well, what you may not know is that back in 2016 the company introduced its first plant-based version. With over a century of mayo expertise to bring to bear on the task, Hellmanns vegan mayo is tasty and affordable. You can buy a 24-ounce container for $4.99. Though health-minded consumers avoid Canola oil because it is high in polyunsaturated fats (which are less healthy than monounsaturated fats such as avocado oil) this option is popular because of the brand name, plus the fact that it is allergen-friendly and free of soy.

Calories90

Total Fat10g, Saturated Fat1g

Protein0g

If you are avoiding eggs, make sure to grab the Primal Kitchen mayo that is clearly marked vegan, because they also make one that is a blend of avocado and eggs. If your looking for healthier options consider that Primal Kitchens vegan mayo contains the same amount of sat fat and more total fat than leading mayos. However, with six ingredients, this is one of the cleanest options around. This vegan mayo is mouthwateringly delicious, managing to be both creamy and tangy. Making Primal Kitchen a great option for coleslaws and potato salads.

Calories90

Total Fat11g,Saturated Fat1.5g

Protein0g

Sir Kensingtons Vegan Mayo deserves to be called aioli because it is a step above the rest with a wonderfully rich and creamy flavor it is almost a dip that you could see being served with cheese fries at a restaurant. This chickpea-based mayo has a bold flavor that works perfectly to create flavorful specialty dipping sauces so use it for your chipotle aioli. Its richness comes at a price: Sir Kensingtons contains as many calories as conventional mayo (90 per tablespoon). Yet this vegan variation is healthier, containing less fat than most with just .5 per serving.

Calories90

Total Fat10g, Saturated Fat0.5g

Protein0g

Wicked Kitchens Garlic Mayo with Carmelized Onion is so tasty and full-flavored that it will convince anyone to love plant-based mayo. Made of rape-seed oil, vinegar, garlic, and caramelized onion flavor, this vegan mayo transforms your favorite plant-based burger into a gourmet experience. Make sure not to start your grilling season without this condiment on hand, since it is going to be an essential addition to your BBQ routine.

Calories80

Total Fat9g, Saturated Fat 0.5g

Protein0g

Read the original post:

The Best Vegan Mayo Brands Review - The Beet

If you're someone who lives with food allergies, dietary restrictions, or both, then you know how difficult it can be to find reliably safe prepared foods. And if you happen to be a vegan with any kind of nut allergy, then you probably know frustrating this can be, as many vegan products such as dairy-free cheeses, spreads and dips, and desserts are based on nuts and variousnut milks. So if you recently bought a pint of Van Leeuwen ice cream's vegan Oat Milk Brown Sugar Chunk, listen up, because the brand just recalled 2,185 containers of this flavor due to the likely presence of undeclared tree nuts.

According to a notice published yesterday by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), 14-ounce containers of this ice cream flavor have been recalled because they might contain trace amounts of undeclared cashews or pistachios. According to the ice cream's ingredients list, its base is made from oat milk, but the FDA reported that a consumer called in a complaint after suffering an allergic reaction. Oat MilkBrown Sugar Chunk ice creams with a lot number of 21V194 and a best by date of 1/13/2023 have been removed from store shelves, and the FDA's notice advises anyone allergic or sensitive to peanuts, chestnuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, or cashews to dispose of the dessert or return it to its place of purchase for a full refund.

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Van Leeuwen Fans Need To Know About This Vegan Ice Cream Recall - Tasting Table

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Wedged into a recliner in the corner of her assisted living apartment in Portland, Skylar Freimann, who has a terminal heart condition and pulmonary illness, anxiously eyed her newly arrived hospital bed on a recent day and worried over how she would maintain independence as she further loses mobility.

There to guide her along the journey was the Rev. Jo Laurence, a hospice and palliative care chaplain. But rather than invoking God or a Christian prayer, she talked of meditation, chanting and other Eastern spiritual traditions: The body can weigh us down sometimes, she counseled. Where is the divine or the sacred in your decline?

An ordained Sufi minister and practicing Zen Buddhist who brings years of meditation practice and scriptural training to support end-of-life patients, Laurence is part of a burgeoning generation of Buddhist chaplains who are increasingly common in hospitals, hospices and prisons, where the need for their services rose dramatically during the pandemic.

In a profession long dominated in the U.S. by Christian clergy, Buddhists are leading an ever more diverse field that includes Muslim, Hindu, Wiccan and even secular humanist chaplains. Buddhist chaplains say theyre uniquely positioned for the times due to their ability to appeal to a broad cultural and religious spectrum, including the growing number of Americans roughly one-third who identify as nonreligious.

RELATED: How Hindu chaplains went from anomaly to necessity

In response, study and training opportunities have been established or expanded in recent years. They include the Buddhist Ministry Initiative at Harvard Divinity School and the Buddhism track at Union Theological Seminary, an ecumenical Christian liberal seminary in New York City. Colorados Naropa University, a Buddhist-inspired liberal arts college, recently launched a low-residency hybrid degree chaplaincy program. Non-accredited certifications such as those offered by the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care or the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, are also popular.

The programs keep expanding, so it seems clear that theres a growing demand from students. And the students appear to be finding jobs after graduation, said Monica Sanford, assistant dean for Multireligious Ministry at Harvard Divinity School and an ordained Buddhist minister.

In the past, Buddhist chaplains were often hired by the likes of hospitals and police departments specifically to minister to Asian immigrant communities. During World War II, they served Japanese American soldiers in the military. Today, however, they are more mainstream.

In a first-of-its-kind report published this month, Sanford and a colleague identified 425 chaplains in the United States, Canada and Mexico representing all major branches of Buddhism, though the researchers say there are likely many more. More than 40% work in health care, the Mapping Buddhist Chaplains in North America report found, while others serve in schools, in prisons or as self-employed counselors.

Two-thirds of respondents reported holding a Master of Divinity, another graduate degree or a chaplaincy certificate. Most of those working as staff chaplains also completed clinical pastoral education internships and residencies in health care and other settings.

Maitripa College, a Tibetan Buddhist college also in Portland, has seen increased interest in its Master of Divinity track since its launch 10 years ago, said Leigh Miller, director of academic and public programs. It appeals to a broad range, from older Buddhists with 20 years of practice to new college graduates who just started meditating, from spiritual seekers to people with multiple religious belongings.

Hospitals and other institutions are eager to hire Buddhist chaplains, Miller said, in part to boost staff diversity and also because they are adept at relating to others using inclusive, neutral language.

Buddhist chaplains are in the habit of speaking in more universal terms, focusing on compassion, being grounded, feeling at peace, she said. A lot of Christian chaplains fall back on God language, leading prayers or reading Bible scriptures.

Meanwhile, training in mindfulness and meditation, as well as beliefs regarding the nature of self, reality and the impermanence of suffering, give Buddhists unique tools to confront pain and death.

The fruit of those hours on the (meditation) cushion really shows up in the ability to be present, to drop ones own personal agenda and to have a kind of awareness of self and other that allows for an interdependent relationship to arise, Miller said.

Buddhist chaplaincy also faces challenges, including how to become more accessible to Buddhists of color. The Mapping Buddhist Chaplains in North America report found that most professional Buddhist chaplains today are white and have a Christian family background, even though nearly two-thirds of the faiths followers in the U.S. are Asian American, according to the Pew Research Center.

Traditional Buddhist communities tend to be small and run by volunteers so they often lack the resources to offer endorsements to chaplains a necessary step for board certification, which is often required for employment.

And non-Christian chaplains can struggle with feelings of isolation and a need to code-switch in Christian-founded health care institutions where crosses hang on walls, prayers are offered at staff meetings and Jesus and the Bible are regularly invoked.

Providence Health & Services, a Catholic nonprofit based in Washington state that runs hospitals in seven Western states, is one Christian health care system seeking to change that.

Mark Thomas, a chief mission officer in Oregon, said the system employs 10 Buddhist chaplains not despite but precisely because of its Catholic identity. The aim is to ensure patients get good spiritual care however it best suits them.

Many patients resonate with some aspect or even just a perception of Buddhism, said Thomas, citing practices like meditation and breathing that can help them cope with suffering. These tools have been enormously valuable.

Laurence, the hospice chaplain at Portlands Providence Home and Community Services, grew up in London and felt called to Buddhism after witnessing poverty, violence and racism as a caregiver in Mississippi.

She said that as more people become unchurched, many patients dont have a language for their spirituality or its tied up with religious trauma. Laurence supports them in whatever way they need, be it through Christian prayer, the comfort of a cool washcloth on a forehead or a Buddhist-inspired blessing.

RELATED: Muslim chaplains forge a new way of thinking about Islam in secular places

For some people the language of Buddhism is a respite, she said. It doesnt have the baggage, and it feels so soothing to them.

Freimann, her patient, said she has practiced Eastern spiritual traditions and therefore was delighted to receive Laurence.

I dont think of God the way traditionally religious people do, Freimann told her during the visit. What a joy youre here. It would be so much harder to talk with a Christian chaplain.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Continued here:
Buddhist chaplains on the rise in US, offering broad appeal - Religion News Service

The Pittsburgh Buddhist Center in West Deer on Sunday celebrated Vesak, a holiday that commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.

The belief is that all of these events happened on a full moon in May, said Bhante Pemaratana, chief abbot at the temple, explaining Sunday is Mays full moon. Its a time for us to be grateful for the Buddha, because he rediscovered the idea we could be enlightened.

The idea of enlightenment, Pemaratana said, means that people have room to evolve their minds and better cultivate compassion.

During Vesak, one of the holiest holidays in the Buddhist faith, people try to follow the practices of Buddhas teachings, he said. That often includes practicing generosity, focusing on compassion and spending time in meditation.

Sundays services included meditations, discussions about the Buddhist faith and activities for children.

Its tradition for children to make lanterns of perishable materials such as sticks and tissue paper that they decorate in honor of the Buddha, Pemaratana said. But, because they are perishable, they will decay.

Its learning about impermanence, he said.

Monks often offer additional programs or participate in retreats to mark the holiday, he said.

For Pemaratana, the objective of Vesak celebrations is to encourage people to be more kind and help them to be wiser and more intentional.

Kindness and compassion is something you can grow, he said.

Sundays celebration brought about 50 people, though the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center has about 100 consistent members, he said.

Padma Karunarante said she attends the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center regularly. She said she particularly enjoys discussions with messages that help her overcome challenges, and she was eager to commemorate Vesak on Sunday as a reminder of what Buddha did for humanity.

It gives you a nice perspective, she said.

Another element she loves about the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center is that it welcomes people of all religions and beliefs, she said.

The best thing is you can be whatever religion, she said. You can come and get what you want.

Pemaratana said people of any faith are welcome at the center, and people interested in learning more about Buddhism can call to schedule appointments for personal visits. The Pittsburgh Buddhist Center, he said, can help people find new perspectives or ways to come to terms with challenges they encounter in life.

We like people to know more techniques to handle their emotions and stay balanced in these difficult times, he said. Peoples lives are hard. Everyone goes through different hardships, pains and sufferings. Everybody needs a place to get some solace and a new perspective on their problems.

For Ramona Fernando, the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center provides that. She is Catholic but has been going to the center for about 15 years.

I just came for interests sake, because its part of our culture, she said, explaining she is from Sri Lanka. It really filled my soul. It resonated with me. I like the Buddhist teachings. Its another way of looking at things.

For Nancy Sargent, who became a Buddhist at 17, the faith helped her to find meaning in life.

When I was young, I wondered why we were on this ball going around another ball in the middle of nowhere, she said.

She tried attending various Christian functions and exploring different ways of thinking, but ultimately found purpose and comfort in Buddhism.

In addition to services at its West Deer site, the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center organizes meditations at local libraries, Pemaratana said.

Though the Vesak holiday was celebrated Sunday, the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center will be joining next week with other Buddhist organizations in the region to again commemorate the holiday and meditate for world peace.

Julia Felton is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Julia at 724-226-7724, jfelton@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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Pittsburgh Buddhist Center celebrates Vesak, a holiday celebrating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha - TribLIVE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday in Lumbini, on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, that his birthplace Vadnagar in Gujarats Mehsana district had been a great centre for Buddhist learning centuries ago.

Even today, there are relics being recovered from there and the excavation work is still on, PM Modi had said.

Vadnagars ties with Buddhism

The Gujarat state archaeology department began excavations in Vadnagar, a small town in Mehsana district of north Gujarat, in 2006, when Modi was chief minister.

In 2014, the excavation work was taken over by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the combined efforts have thrown up Buddhist relics and around 20,000 artefacts, some dating back to the 2nd century.

Among these, senior ASI officials revealed, are an elliptical structure and a circular stupa along with a square memorial stupa of 22 metres and 130 centimetres in height with a wall enclosure. It is like a platform which has a chamber in the centre that resembles a pradakshina path, a senior ASI official told The Indian Express.

Further, bowls said to be used by monks have been found during the excavations, which have a terracotta sealing with inscriptions of namassarvagyaya and a face-shaped pendant with tritatva symbol.

The excavation work is still underway at two sites in Vadnagar Ambha Ghat, and the Anaaj or grain godown along the railway track, or near Ambaji Kotha Lake.

In Taranga, nearly 30 km from Vadnagar, the ASI has found around 64 natural rock shelters modified into a dwelling place for monks, around 40 votive stupa, a large stupa found on the top of a hill, and another six stupas found near Taran-Dharan Mata shrine.

In another excavation site in Vihar village in Mansa taluka, temple remains dating back to 10th-11th century have been found, revealed the senior ASI official privy to these developments.

According to the Gujarat Tourism website, Vadnagar is mentioned often in the Puranas and even in the travelogue of the great Chinese traveler, Hiuen Tsang (7th century), as a rich and flourishing town. It adds how some of the names attributed to Vadnagar in history are Chamatkarpur, Anandpur, Snehpur and Vimalpur.

How PM Narendra Modi has highlighted Vadnagars Buddhist connect over the years

PM Modi first mentioned the connection between his hometown and Buddhism in 2014 ahead of Chinese Premier Xi Jinpings visit to Gujarat.

An article posted on PM Modis website in English and Mandarin talked at length about the Buddhist heritage in Gujarat.

In the same year, during his trip to Japan, PM Modi visited two ancient Buddhist temples in Kyoto with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

The feature posted on PM Modis website in 2014 talked about the connections Gujarat, especially his hometown Vadnagar, had with famous Chinese explorer and Buddhist priest Hiuen Tsang, who is believed to have visited the state in 641 AD. It also had snippets about other Buddhist heritage sites in Gujarat, such as Junagadh, Kutch and Bharuch.

Buddhism is a very strong bond between China and India. In fact, Gujarat too has a very rich Buddhist heritage, he had tweeted then.

The article carried a picture of Hiuen Tsang and a map of the route he took in 641 AD while travelling to Gujarat from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. On his visit to Gujarat, Tsang noted the presence of 200 monasteries housing 10,000 monks located at Bharukaccha, Atali, Kheta, Valabhi, Anandapura and Saurashtra, the article on PM Modis website said.

The feature also carried a map of Gujarat, listing the various Buddhist sites in the state, including Siyot, Vadnagar, Taranga Hill, Bharuch, Khambhalida, Junagadh, Sana and Talaja.

Sacred relics of the Buddha were even found in Devni Mori in Aravalli district of Gujarat.

The Govts push to highlight Vadnagar as a heritage destination

The PMs mention about Vadnagar came two days ahead of the Vadnagar International Conference to be held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar on World Museum Day on May 18, which will be attended by Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, along with representatives from UNESCO.

The push for Vadnagar as a historical and cultural destination began during Modis time as chief minister, when the Gujarat government launched the Tana-Riri annual music festival at Vadnagar in the name of two sisters, who were gifted singers, and who, by Gujarati folk lore, gave up their lives instead of agreeing to sing in the court of Emperor Akbar. The Kirti Toran of Vadnagar, which is an arch from the Solanki dynasty, was adopted as the symbol of Gujarat.

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The Ministry of Culture is helming a project along with the Gujarat government to develop Vadnagar as a Landmark Heritage Destination and the international conference will discuss the history of Vadnagar, heritage and cultural significance, development of Vadnagar archaeological sites, water management, traditional methods of water storage, Buddhist heritage, and development of archaeological museums, among other things.

Last year, the Railways Ministry redeveloped the Vadnagar Railway Station where PM Modi is said to have sold tea as a young boy.

Read more from the original source:
Explained: Vadnagars ties with Buddhism, and Govts push to make it a heritage site - The Indian Express

An exhibition of artifacts, replicas, and photographs was organized in Islamabad on Tuesday to showcase Pakistans Buddhist cultural heritage and Gandhara civilization.

Ambassadors of countries observing Vesak were invited to celebrate their Buddhist civilizational linkages with Pakistan.

The Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Nepal attended the event. Pakistani experts and scholars on the subject also participated.

Addressing the occasion, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar underlined the multicultural and diverse heritage of Pakistan.

She also highlighted the significance of Pakistans cultural connectivity with the South East and South Asian countries.

She invited Buddhist tourists to visit Pakistans Gandhara, which consists of UNESCO world heritage sites.

Celebrating Vesak Day Ambassador of Thailand Chakkrid Krachaiwong shared his thoughts on the message of Lord Buddha and appreciated Pakistan as a guardian of the religious sites of Buddhism and its role in the region as the center of Buddhist civilization.

The event brought together a display of Gandhara artifacts in Pakistan, a screening of a documentary on Buddhist heritage, and an exhibition of Buddhist artifacts, photographs, and crafts by participating embassies.

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Hina Khar invites Buddhist tourists to visit Pakistan's Gandhara sites - The Nation

Students, staff, alumni and community members gathered on April 21 to celebrate those winning nonprofits and the work of the Damus Board. The event marked the culmination of a yearlong program. Since last fall, the students on the board have been collaborating to create a grant application, determine criteria to evaluate organizations, visit and interview the finalists, and select the final awardees.

It has allowed me to better understand the complexity of perspectives and backgrounds that people bring into big decisions, said one student Damus Board member. It allowed me to become a better listener, a more thoughtful leader and a more considerate facilitator.

We were inspired and energized working with the students of the Damus Board, who approached this process with thoughtful questions, curiosity, and a clear vision of how they wanted to make a difference in our communities, said Rae Wood of The Family Partnership. We were blown away by their professionalism, organization and passion, and we felt so invigorated to be able to share our work with such compassionate and insightful students.

Elizer Darris, board chair of The Legal Revolution, accepted the award on behalf of his organization. Receiving the Damus Award will allow us to continue supporting our clients and serves as social proof that the time for change is now and the energy to change is here.

The students on the board channeled their energy into learning about racial injustice in our communities. They invited Dr. Yohuru Williams to talk with them about the history of racism in the Twin Cities, and learned from a panel of professional grant-makers about important considerations when funding organizations working on racial equity issues. Ive become much more passionate about racial equity, commented one board member, and despite knowing theres still so much to do, it gives me hope that there are regular people out there in our community collectively working toward this goal and that anyone can pitch in and make a difference.

The Damus Board was born in 2009 when Jackie Gibney sold the university on her idea to give students an opportunity to practice philanthropy, and learn about themselves and their passions through the process. Gibney has been funding the program every year since that time. This year, the board received additional contributions from a second donor, who was inspired to give after hearing about the boards work, and from the family of a Damus Board alumnus, Nicholas Hughes, because of the positive impactful experience he had serving on the board.

Indeed, alumni frequently call out the Damus Board experience as the best experience they had at St. Thomas. The Damus Board is truly such a rare opportunity and a beautiful gift to anyone lucky enough to be a part of it, said a current Damus Board member. I am beyond grateful to have made lifelong friendships with fellow board members and to share in the gift of giving to nonprofits doing profound work in our communities.

The four Damus Award winners for 2022 are:

The 2021-22 Damus Board members are:

View original post here:
Gaining Philanthropy Experience Through the Damus Board - Newsroom | University of St. Thomas - University of St. Thomas Newsroom

By Laura Leonard Doctor of ChiropracticLos Alamos

Getting sick isnt exactly all in your head but your thoughts about things do play a critical part in how well your bodys physiology handles stress. Psychoneuroimmunology is a field of study that investigates the interactions between thoughts and physiology.

Since the 1960s, research into this field has shown that our thinking patterns directly affect immune, nervous and hormonal systems. Thoughts about life stressors have such a large impact on health that we cant afford to ignore this interaction as we go through life.

Research on patients with various types of cancer tells us that patients with depression and/or a history of multiple stressful life events have lower survival rates. In fact, these risk factors have more impact on survival than a history of alcohol and tobacco use. Perceived social isolation and loneliness are also predictors of cancer survival.

Chronic daily stress also leads to disease especially when we feel like we have no control over our circumstances. Emotions like anger are well known to increase the likelihood of having a heart attack. Mind-body-health interactions are the reason why I teach my patients to take control of their thoughts and personal actions rather than worrying about other people and events they have no influence over.

At the end of the day that is where health starts, with personal empowerment and choosing not to be a victim to the things going on around us. Where the tough work begins is being willing to look at your subconscious thoughts. Negative thinking patterns that are acquired in childhood and filed away until something triggers us.

Our brains are wired to keep these traumas filed away until something in the environment brings it up. PTSD, anxiety and depression are manifestations of these triggers. When our brain gets triggered in the now, our physiology has no idea if this is an imminent threat or if its overreacting. Dealing with our active thoughts in an empowering way is only part of the puzzle. Many of our beliefs about ourselves and the world are subconscious and stored away until something triggers those thoughts to come out. Sadly, most of what we store in the subconscious is negative because that is what allowed our ancestors to survive. In the modern world, these stored thoughts are responsible for making us sick.

Awareness of mind-body-health is becoming mainstream thinking and there are many online resources to get you started. Apps like Headspace, UCLA Mindful, iBreathe and Mindset: Daily Motivation all provide simple ways to start shifting your mind and physiology on the daily. If you are ready to dig into your subconscious, my personal preference is paying attention to emotional triggers and journaling about them when they arise. Triggers always have a deeper origin and I believe those roots exist in childhood and past traumas.

If you like apps, ThinkUp is a useful tool to get positive affirmations for healing old patterns once you start peeling back the onion.

Dr. Leonards practice focuses on posture and performance using a combination of soft tissue release, adjustments and exercise recommendations. She also coaches patients on nutrition, self-care and body awareness so they can manage themselves in between visits. Los Alamos Chiropractic Center is located in the Mary Deal building on Trinity.

See more here:
Leonard: Is It All In Your Head? Stress, Disease And The Mind-Body Connection - Los Alamos Daily Post

Pontiac is a place where opportunities abound for nonprofits to collaborate, says LaToya Morgan, consultant to the Pontiac Funders Collaborative (PFC). Having identified city-wide goals by engaging with community members from its founding in 2018 through 2020, the PFC provides funding for organizations and local leaders to build capacity to achieve those goals. It supports organizations of any size that are led by or serve people from underrepresented groups, low-income backgrounds, and those lacking access to basic resources.

To strengthen nonprofit partnerships that meet the communitys needs, in 2021, the PFC created a Collaborative Development Grant its only competitive grant to fund collaborative projects. E-Community Outreach Services andCenter for Success(CFS), two Pontiac nonprofits focused on serving youth and families, were selected in to receive $15,000 to fund their year-long Parent and Literacy program. The most recent eight-week cohort closed with a celebratory family night at Center for Success that included awarding parent certificates as well as reading and literacy games. Both nonprofits are eager to continue working together in the future.

It's a learning opportunity for organizations when they collaborate an opportunity to not only learn from one another, but to also learn about the work [the other is] doing and the work that needs to be done, Morgan says. It gives them an opportunity to test new experiences or new ideas...and provides the necessary support to learn to do the necessary work in community.

E-Community Outreach Services offers parents the experiential wisdom of its founder and CEO, Eisha Branner. As a woman of color, Branner has confronted personal, financial, and inherent social equity constraints while parenting through difficult socioeconomic conditions. Her nonprofit offers youth programming and mentoring, and uses a case management approach to connect parents in Pontiac with community resources such as workforce training, employment opportunities, emergency food, and housing.

When COVID-19 hit, the organization shifted its programming to a virtual format and met with great success. Since 2020, its weekly, virtual Parents Social Hour has been pulling in 35 to 40 families each session. In 2021, Branner opened the Parent Empowerment Center to increase support to those raising families, offering a variety of educational workshops on site, and through community partners like Center for Success.

Parents celebrate the culmination of the Parent and Literacy program at Center for Success. From left to right: Romona Greenlee and Brooke Myers pose with Eisha Branner and parent program coordinator, Kendra Pitts

"Because we were two different organizations, Andrea [Meyer, from CFS] was focusing on youth literacy and I was focused on engaging parents and connecting them with resources, says Branner. We got to know each other and see where our challenges were. I remember her saying, We interact with kids, but we don't interact with their parents. And I'm like, We have a lot of families, but we don't have space or funding. So, the first thing she did was offer a space.

Serving both Pontiac and Detroit, CFSs literacy program focuses on mentoring elementary and middle school students in after-school sessions that include transportation from partner schools, a nourishing meal, enrichment activities, and one-on-one individualized literacy coaching. The Center also provides virtual and summer literacy programming. In addition to the capacity-building collaboration with E-Community Outreach Services, CFS partners with a dozen other community nonprofits to provide youth with robust programming.

Eisha and her team are incredibly dedicated, says Meyer, executive director of CFS. We worked hard in this program to not only ensure that our families were getting the support they needed, but also that we were thinking very carefully about how our two organizations can enhance their own mission and support each other through this partnership.

Meyer and Branner created a plan for their parent engagement program through ongoing, informal weekly conversations, before funding was even available. The program, led by Branner, included topics such as balancing life and kids, literary resources, how to advocate for your child, positive behavior and goal setting. Parents of children in CFS's literacy programs are able to participate, and at the same time, those who get involved through E-Community Outreach are encouraged to sign their kids up at Center for Success.Andrea Meyer and Eisha BrannerThese two ladies had already been working on their collaboration before they sought funding. This is what added value to their efforts, Morgan says. It's also probably why they are having some good success. When the grant came out, they said, Oh, here's an opportunity for funding,' [and] were happy it could add value to their work at a point where it was helpful.

Some organizations come together for the funding," she says. "Those collaborations struggle because you don't know the who, the what, the why, or the how if you come together strictly to split a larger pot of money.

The Center for Success Networkserves students in Detroit and Pontiac, where schools report a high percentage of students unable to read at grade level literacy is known to be the foundation of success in other subject areas. By collaborating to create the Parent and Literacy program, CFS extends its mentorship programs into the home, giving families more opportunities to hone their reading skills.

If what we're doing with the youth is reinforced and supported at home, it's always going to provide increased impact, says Meyer. Parents know there's a need, and want their kids to be supported in their literacy goals, but don't always know how they can play a role. When they start to learn some of the strategies, and network with the other parents and families who are involved, it gives them a greater awareness of ways to create this culture of learning and literacy in the home environment.Parent and child read together at Parent and Literacy celebration

The Parent and Literacy cohorts began last fall, and met at CFS on Monday evenings over eight consecutive weeks. On Saturdays, parents could opt to take part in workshops led by community experts on housing stability, financial literacy, mental health and education. A brief fitness activity helped keep participants engaged.

"Overall parents felt like they were gaining the knowledge to assist their kids," says Branner.

"In our community, we have a lot of great programs. We have a lot of great resources. But we also have a disconnect, especially in the last few years with COVID-19," she says. "There was nowhere near enough support for our families. A lot of their kids have fallen back in school. If you look in our schools, you see a lot of low scores and very little parent involvement."

Yet, over the past school year, the average attendance for students in CFS's literacy programs with caregivers enrolled in E-Community Outreach programs was 12% higher than for students whose families were not involved in both programs, she says.We're going to be that group that goes to get those families, that engages with them and connects them with the services and support they need," she says.

While working toward this goal, Branner and Meyer are also a part of a larger nonprofit cohort, consisting of all the organizations receiving PFC capacity building grants. The dozen grantees meet together each month, and encompass a wide range of community services, everything from health care and family counseling to after-school music programs. Cohort members offer each other lived experience and broader community connections.

People are able to build relationships across different communities that they may not be connected with, and they can build on those relationships outside of the group, Morgan says. Folks really enjoy learning about what one another are doing, and having the opportunity to connect in different ways, or provide opportunities to serve different constituencies.

Meyer says she hopes that by continuing to engage parents and children together in literacy activities, more parents will turn to E-Community Outreach for access to community resources and in turn, even more children will become involved, and more consistent, in CFS literacy activities.It's powerful for students and parents to be learning together, she says, as it instills a "lifelong learning mentality. I'm just really excited about how we'll continue to work together.

This entry is part of ourNonprofit Journal Project, an initiative inviting nonprofit leaders across Metro Detroit to contribute their thoughts via journal entries on how COVID-19, a heightened awareness of racial injustice and inequality, issues of climate change and more are affecting their work--and how they are responding. This series is made possible with the generous support of our partners, the Michigan Nonprofit Association and Co.act Detroit.

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Pontiac nonprofits find strength through collaboration to boost youth literacy and empower parents - Second Wave Media