When: October 9, 2009 from 7pm – ?

Where: Inside the Bungalow has donated the use of their beautiful facilities for the event. They are at 48 N. Robson
Mesa, AZ 85201

What: Dinner, auction and good times with food donated from Green Vegetarian Restaurant to benefit the Farm Sanctuary

How: The cost is $30 per person if you order your tickets before Oct. 2nd and $40 if you wait too long. Go to the official donation webpage, http://firstgiving.com/azfarmparty, to buy your tickets.

Why: Farm Sanctuary is a national, non-profit animal protection organization. Each year they rescue, rehabilitate and provide lifelong care for hundreds of animals rescued from factory farms, stockyards and slaughterhouses. In addition to operating the shelters, we work to gain legal protection for animals used in food production and to raise public awareness about factory farm cruelty and cruelty-free alternatives. Working against factory farming, from any angle, works against not just the cruelty inflicted therein but also against the huge environmental waste and pollution generated by those farms. If nothing else it is going to be a beautiful evening with fabulous food and compassionate people.

I hope to see you there! Please buy your tickets now.

Do you know where your food is coming from? Food Inc is a fascinating and disturbing look at where our food in the US comes from. You’ll definitely not look at food the same again. http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Click here to find a showing at Harkins Camelview in Scottsdale.

Image from PBS story on the Basha Family
It seems everywhere I look another small locally owned shop is going out of business. With a small business, especially in the first few years, there isn’t much keeping you afloat and when customers draw back it is hard to keep your head above water. This seems understandable for the little guy but what about the larger locally owned places? I heard the bad news this week that Bashas’, our locally owned grocer, has filed for bankruptcy. This is bad news personally as I know people who work there who are concerned for their jobs. This is also bad news for our community as with the zillions of grocery stores we have here in the valley, Bashas’ is the only one that is Arizonan owned. I must admit, I do a lot of grocery shopping from various places. I am pretty picky and it seems like I can only find certain things certain places. After hearing this news though, I am going to try to do my part to help Bashas’ by choosing to support them with my dollars as much as possible. Other than their being locally owned, why shop there? Their Full Circle line of organics is really good and reasonably priced, they are always the only place I can find really good fire roasted green chilis, and their natural foods section is well stocked. So here it is.. my pledge to focus my grocery shopping at Bashas’.. what will you do to try to save local businesses?

Click here to read about the Basha family from an interview with Eddie Basha, Jr.

Click here to find the Basha’s closest to you.

Here is some more info from Kimber Lanning over at Local First AZ:

As a proud Arizonan, I was alarmed at Bashas’ Chapter 11 filing last week. As our hometown grocer, Bashas’ family of stores holds a special place in our hearts. In addition to being one of the biggest contributors to Arizona charities, Bashas’ is also the state’s 12th largest employer.

I have no doubt Bashas’ will emerge from these bankruptcy proceedings a better company, but right now I can not encourage you enough to make the effort to shop locally. This is the time for Arizona to stand up and say ENOUGH!

We understand that investing in ourselves is the smartest, most sustainable thing we can do for our communities. In addition to their staff, Bashas’ also employs a team of accountants, attorneys, sign makers and web developers, to name a few, who live right here in Arizona. Bashas’ makes the effort to buy their office products from Wist, another Arizona company, and they have a credit union for their workers, which means more money staying here to be invested.

If you are a service provider of any kind, you know first hand how important it is to have strong Arizona businesses. Out of state corporations, even those operating here among us, do not hire locals for their administrative work, and that includes marketers, graphic designers, promotions people and a whole host of other jobs that are outsourced every day.

We are all in this together. Remember, almost three times more of our money stays here in Arizona when we shop locally, and that money goes to our libraries, our parks, our fire departments.

We are seeking long-term solutions for our great state, and a big part of that is supporting Arizona’s own companies. Please take a moment to reflect on a personal story that you have that relates to the Basha family. Perhaps it was the cookies donated to your child’s Little League team, or a charity that Eddie’s wife Nadine funded. Or, like me, maybe Eddie Basha came to your Coalition for World Peace class at ASU in 1985 and significantly changed the way you thought about the world.

These are hometown folks that need us now. Go the extra mile to reach a Bashas’, AJ’s, or Food City store near you. Because of your effort, Arizona will be a better place.

Locally yours,

Kimber Lanning
Director
Local First Arizona
(602) 956-0909
kimber@localfirstaz.com
_____________________________________________

Here’s what one community member is doing for Bashas’:

CLICK HERE

Read more about what Bashas’ has done for our community:

CLICK HERE

Vegan bake sale to benefit Animal Place!

Vegan baked goods are fantastic! Just take a gander at my vegan baked good recipes and you’ll see that omitting the eggs and dairy from your recipes not only decreases environmental impact and cruelty but is also darn tasty! This is a great way to give back while indulging in delicious baked goodies.

Tuesday June 23rd —
Sunflower Farmer’s Market, (Southern & McClintock) 12pm – 6pm
Friday June 26th —
Sunflower Farmer’s Market, (Southern & McClintock) 12pm – 6pm
Saturday June 27th —
Changing Hands Bookstore, (Guadalupe & McClintock) 9:30am – 5:30pm

Contact mollyandritar1st@aol.com for more info or visit the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale website.

Take the pledge to shop local June 19th thru July 5th and help keep independent business alive in Arizona! Why support local business?

• For every two jobs national retailers bring to a community, three jobs are lost as a result of local businesses closing down.
• When you shop locally-owned businesses, your money is re-circulated over and over and creates up to 75% more tax revenue to our community and state.
• Independent businesses raise the standard of living in your community because they take their profits and buy products and services from other local businesses, thus creating more and more tax revenues needed for the community to thrive.
• Millions of dollars of tax revenue subsidies handed to chains by financially-starved local governments drain even more tax revenue from our community and state.
• Blighted empty shopping areas are created in your community when chain stores re-locate to a more lucrative shopping center, or leave altogether. Literally hundreds of big stores are abandoned each year across the United States.
• Independent businesses are unique enterprises that contribute to the character of our community by offering a more diverse selections of goods and services.
• Independent businesses provide meaningful service with a personal touch. It matters to them that you are satisfied and will come back again.
• Carefully planned predatory pricing practices have allowed national chains to establish virtual monopolies as they drive local competition out of business. And then they raise their prices.

Check out Local First Arizona’s site for more information about this event.