How You Can Help the Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program: the Pepsi Refresh Project

In case you haven't noticed, it's almost officially Summer, school is out, the playgrounds and pools are filling up - but wait a minute, it's not just time for fun, all this time off can provide us with meaningful ways to assist those who might need a helping hand. What better way to teach your children to love kindness and do justice than to set examples for living in peace with others?  

Olivia Spradlin, a representative of the Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program recently provided me with some valuable information on an easy way you and I can help their shelter (see photo of the garden that the children there are excitedly watching sprout). "Pepsi decided to give away the millions they would have spent on a Superbowl commercial to projects benefiting non-profits, 
neighborhood associations, artists, and creative ideas. The whole Pepsi Refresh Project will last 12 months - I think January 2011 is the last month."

It's simple, just go to this link and vote:  

http://www.refresheverything.com/bdvpfarm  
  
There have been other Kentucky projects and there are several in this voting cycle, but Spradlin explains, "As far as I know, this is the first project from Lexington. The Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program is an advocacy agency committed to ending intimate partner abuse and its impact on families and our community. We are the primary service provider to 17 counties in central Kentucky. We provide safe shelter; legal, medical, and housing advocacy; children's programming including a Montessori style preschool to the children in shelter; financial literacy and credit repair curriculum; group, individual, and children's counseling; and outreach and education to children in our area."

The project submitted would provide 50,000 to convert the 40 acres around the agency's shelter into a working farm. "Eventually, we would like to offer CSA subscriptions to the community in addition to the food we would grow for the families at shelter. Gardening has also been proven to have therapeutic value. We also recognize the importance of being resourceful in hard economic times. Our hope is to model the philosophy of self sufficiency we teach our families," says Spradlin.

I hope you click and vote every day so this very worthy cause can be helped by Pepsi and its generosity!
peace, y'all,
Kimmy