Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism (VCIH) does amazing work supporting affordable health & happiness in our human and natural communities. Please consider the following two opportunities to get involved! You can learn more about VCIH here: www.vtherbcenter.org

Many of you ask us periodically if there are ways you can help or get involved with VCIH. Well, now’s your chance! We’ve got lots of projects in the works right now, and would love your support!
Two ways you can pitch in right now:

1. Join us in preparing for and installing our new display gardens in the next couple of weeks.
2. Share our recently launched online crowd-funding campaign with your networks and consider contributing yourself: igg.me/at/VCIH

Read on for more details on each of these opportunities.

Please join us for a garden preparation work-party on Monday, June 16th at 5:30 pm. Bring shovels, forks, edgers and gloves, as well as sturdy shoes. Bring your appetite, too–we’ll have pizza for you! RSVP to let us know you’re coming so we have plenty of grub!!

If you’re not able to make it on the 16th, we’ll also be hosting an installation day, June 22nd from 9 am to 4 pm. From 9 to 12 that day, we’ll be offering an herb gardening workshop (see description below) as part of the Village Building Convergence’s annual weekend of workshops, skill-shares, and celebrations. After lunch, anyone not participating in the VbC can stick around for more garden fun!

Medicinal Herb Garden Installation with Betzy Bancroft, Larken Bunce, Joann Darling and Guido Masé

Join the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism for the creation of a medicinal herb garden! Learn about sustainable herb gardening practices, the use of garden herbs for health, and the basics of garden maintenance. Gain hands-on experience seeding, transplanting, and creating garden beds and have your burning herb garden questions answered! Your participation will support VCIH’s ongoing efforts to build skills and empowerment in the community through self-care with herbs. (Bring your favorite hand tools if you have them.)

Another great way to support VCIH and our sliding-scale community clinics right now is to share our newly-launched crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo! You can view/share our campaign using the following
link: igg.me/at/VCIH.
We so appreciate you helping us spread the word on social media, or even better, via email, to let folks know you support our work and invite them to do the same.

More about our Indiegogo campaign:

In 2013 VCIH doubled in physical size and student capacity (we’re now at 60!) and our provision of clinical services has grown along with our expansion. As we’ve expanded and the interest in our work and demand for our services and programs has increased, so have our expenses. At the same time, we are not yet at full capacity in terms of tuition revenue, which supports the rest of our work substantially. Since 2010, we’ve provided $204,000 worth of herbal products to our community, all at two thirds of retail cost, or below. In fact, we’ve given away $58,000 worth of herbs (an average of $15,000/year). Our apothecary provides both a direct source of herbs to our clients and a learning environment for our students. Herbs are available to clients on a sliding-scale and as gifts, when needed.

In the same period, our professional clinic has provided 1828 hours of service, while our student clinics have offered 1620 hours of service, totaling almost 3500 hours and costing us approximately $152,000 to provide. Many of our clients have taken advantage of our sliding-scale payment options to reduce their costs, and $26,695 worth of consultation time was provided as a gift, free of charge.

Our current projected deficit for this year is $15,000. We expect to reach our enrollment goals in 2015, while also continuing to fine-tune our systems and budget in our new space, returning us to sustainability. We are confident that we will land on solid ground, but we need a little help while we grow.
Thank you so much for your continual support,

All of us at VCIH
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Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism
info@vtherbcenter.org
www.vtherbcenter.org
802.224.7100