Stout House Party

Guests braved the Central Valley heat to enjoy a relaxing evening at Connie Stout's House Party on Wednesday, June 20th. There was food and drink aplenty as well as great conversation.

The group was inspired by the presentation, beautiful products, and stimulating discussion. 4 people volunteered to host a house party and help spread the word about NamasteDirect. Everyone decided to form a Giving Circle with an initial goal of $5,000. The group felt that by forming a circle, everyone together could make a more substantial contribution. They are still coming up with a name, but check back soon on the webpage for more information! If you would like to join the group, please contact Connie.

Connie's party made a good dent in the group already - they raised $750 on Wednesday! If you would like to contribute to Connie's party and the Giving Circle, please indicate this in the notes section.

Save the Date! Wednesday, July 11

The Red Victorian Peace Cafe and NamasteDirect present
“An Evening of Peaceful Discussion"

Please join us at the Red Victorian Peace Café to learn more about easy ways that you can contribute towards making the world a more peaceful place. NamasteDirect, a San Francisco based non-profit organization, raises money to provide microcredit loans to women in Guatemala and Mexico. After the short presentation, we will split up into small groups to discuss ideas and actions for a Peaceful World.

Where: Red Victorian Peace Café
1665 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
415-864-1978
http://www.redvic.com/

When: Wednesday, July 11. 6pm – 8pm

A selection of prix fix dinners will be available during your discussions for a very reasonable price. You can also indulge in some of the Peace Café’s regular treats and beverages.

Schedule 6:30pm – Welcome & Introduction
of Events: 6:35pm – NamasteDirect Video
6:45pm – Question & Answer
7:00pm – Peaceful Discussion Groups & Dinner

Chesbrough House Party

Many thanks to Katherine, Hank, Emily, and Sarah Chesbrough for hosting a NamasteDirect House Party on Saturday, June 9th. The event featured wine tasting by the Wine Thieves, countless yummy treats prepared by Katherine and Susan Foord Catering. The Chesbrough home seems as if it were designed for parties - everyone gathered in the library, surrounded by a 6,000 volume collection of books, to hear the presentation and watch a short DVD.




What made the party unique was the attendance of several Miramonte High School students.
One of the students will be going on the NamasteDirect Donor Journey to Chiapas and Guatemala this summer. Emily is excited about the trip and plans to speak at her school about the experience when she returns.



The party was also a fundraising success - at $1,955, we're just short of our $2,000 goal. As an added incentive, each $100 donation will receive an autographed copy of a Hank Chesbrough book: Open Innovation: The New Imperative for Creating and Profiting from Technology or Open Business Models: How to Thrive in the New Innovative Landscape. It's not too late to participate in the event and contribute to the San Antonio group of women borrowers in Guatemala.

Chiapas Fundraiser at the San Francisco Mexican Consulate

On May 2nd, the San Francisco Mexican Consulate generously hosted a fundraiser at their beautiful office on Folsom Street. The funds raised will benefit the Nachij community in Chiapas, Mexico. To date, the fundraiser has raised $4,406 which will be put towards the Nachij group. To show your support for the Mexican Consulate and the women in Chiapas, click here:

The event featured live music, dancers, authentic Chiapatecan appetizers prepared and served by Toni Moore Catering, a silent auction, and video presentations. The Chiapatecan goods were of particular interest to all who attended - the entire supply sold out in a matter of hours! Featured speakers were Katia Corroy, the Executive Director for NamasteDirect's partner in Chiapas - AlSol; Alejandra Garcia Williams, the Consul General; and Bob Graham, the founder of NamasteDirect.

Thank-you to the San Francisco Mexico Consulate for hosting this fun, entertaining, and worthwhile event!