Community Programs

Events! We've held a variety of community events which strive to have an educational purpose. Below are some recent examples:

  • Community potlucks
    We hold monthly community potlucks. The potlucks offer an excellent opportunity to enjoy a food-filled evening and meet new friends.
  • A Women's Gathering
    The second Sunday of every month, please join us as we encourage solidarity amongst women through friendship. There are speakers, crafts, discussion topics and outings to facilitate our mission. Hope to see you there!
  • Sewing Workshops
  • Grand Opening Shindig
    When we first opened Meristem in August 2006, this grand opening shindig included live music, information from local social justice organizations, and plenty of fun.
  • Uprise Counter-Recruitment Tour
    We hosted a stop on this tour of mid-west and mid-Atlantic states aimed at advancing regional counter-recruitment efforts and linking the issues of war and military recruitment to corporate globalization and environmental sustainability. Uprise tour website.
  • Voter Education Dance Party
    Just before the November 2006 election, we invited the community to come browse campaign materials, proposal info, voter guides, and dance the night away! We had an array of information on all the candidates and proposals and enjoyed fruitful election discussion.
  • We co-sponsored the 2007 Social Justice Training Series in Kalamazoo
  • Lost Film Fest
  • Weekly Spanish Gathering
  • Reuse-a-ball Benefit Concert
  • Annual Solstice Celebration
  • Gardening workshops

Sustainability Initiatives

We do many things to act on our values of creating a more ecologically sustainable society in which future generations can enjoy access to necessary resources. Many of these simple practices also save us money. The following is a brief list of what's happening in our house to use our resources wisely:

  • Food is a major aspect of our impact on our environment and society. Through our collective purchasing power, we support as much organic, bulk, and local food as possible. This encourages healthy agricultural practices, reduces waste, and supports our local economy.
  • We compost all food waste
  • We strive to reuse as much as possible to reduce our solid waste headed to landfills. This includes packaging, office materials, etc.
  • We conserve electricity (currently supplied by fossil fuels) by using flourescent lights
  • We recycle waste whenever possible
  • Many of our members use mass transit and bicycles rather than private cars
  • When making purchasing decisions, we work to support local and environmentally responsible business, which is important in sustaining the local economy
  • We use non-toxic household supplies
  • Our house hosts a Freestore in which our community may take free household items and clothes that are in good condition but no longer needed by us. This helps us keep useful products out of landfills.
  • We are building an indoor vegetable garden, supported by a grant from Youth Venture and the WMU College of Arts and Sciences
  • One member will be studying and implementing household water conservation techniques