FEBRUARY 8, 2021
by Tracey Tief, Organizer

Dear You,
It has been three days since the campaign has received a donation. First of all, this means to me that our customers and Kindred Spirits stepped up quickly and generously to help. THANK YOU!

It also may mean that we are running out of steam, or have stopped reaching potential supporters. I realize that my reach on platforms other than Facebook has been shabby, so I am asking my talented savvy eldest spawn, Petra, to create some compelling Instagram posts.

I'm a Pisces money person. I get a chocolate bar, I share it around, and sometimes I forget to grab a piece for myself I'm so happy to have gathered for my band. I love tweaking budgets and spreadsheets in the dead of night, but at the same time, money seems abstract and ever abundant. Hitting rock bottom has never been anticipated emotionally - when I had to lay off Kat and Marina after our move to Bloor street and the incumbent 1-year slump, I waited until payroll required literally 100% of our operating funds. I am both careful, and care-free.
Goddess only knows how I got through 10 months of pandemic slump pivoting like a ballerina, grumbling about funding formulas and changing protocols, without a thought of actually hitting bottom. Then one night, the budget would suffer tweaks no more!

This moment feels like a particularly spectacular pivot.

The clockwork of factors is in motion. I hope to hear a lot of news this week - that my Kindred Spirit employees will be able to access EI or CERB, that an application will be approved, that I have forward movement on my new website, that I'll have a new website for natural contraception thanks to Digital Mainstreet's Shop Here program. That a new organization of Anarres that protects me and our finances. It's in motion, and I am ever faithful despite my grumbling ways.
If you can think of anyone who will need handmade, healthy body care products, or who will want to learn how to make them, please invite them to invest in our survival. As always, monies will be received as a gift, or as a gift certificate towards future purchases.
Thanks for being here with us, Kindred Spirits!

In Love & RRRRRevolution, Tracey
Reduce
Recycle
Repair
Reclaim
Renew Relearn Rethink....

FEBRUARY 4, 2021
by Tracey Tief, Organizer

I am so encouraged by your support. We are halfway there! Our survival fund and your precommitment will carry us to the end of March when hopefully, I can resume offering small group workshops safely.

In the meantime, I've been busy applying for the 37 funding sources recommended to me on a government website. Unfortunately, this has been a frustrating process. While we do qualify for some payroll-related discounts, now that we've had to lay off store staff, these breaks will not continue. We were declined the two loan programs. We cannot get the Ontario subsidies for rent, PPE and energy costs because of the way the subsidies are calculated. But I went through every single option, right down to the recommended subsidy for mozzarella cheese should I choose to open a pizzaria!
I am now seeking guidance from small business services through Digital Mainstreet to up my Google Ad game, start a new, separate website for my sexual health items and I've received a small grant to pay for help with my new website, in development for over a year now!

May I ask that you share our campaign with your friends, family and contacts?

JANUARY 30, 2021
by Tracey Tief, Organizer

HELLO FROM US ON THIS FINE SUNNY DAY IN TORONTO!
I have a request. Would you please share this fundraiser on your Facebook page and Instagram if you have it? We are a little more than 1/3 of the way towards our goal, but we've lost momentum!
THANK YOU to all who have been able to contribute.

JANUARY 28, 2021
by Tracey Tief, Organizer
One-third of the way towards our goal, and nearly enough to make up for January's shortfall in sales. THANK YOU. Your support is freeing up space in the Productive-Worry-Centre of my brain to deal with a few little grant possibilities. Would you believe that rent and hydro subsidies are only available if a business has been FORCED to close? If your business is closed, isn't your hydro bill much lower? Are "revenue" and "sales" the same? They shouldn't be... I'm going to make some calls!
In Love & RRRRRevolution, Tracey

JANUARY 27, 2021
by Tracey Tief, Organizer
Basking in gratitude...

JANUARY 27, 2021
by Tracey Tief, Organizer
EVERY comment makes my day.

JANUARY 26, 2021
by Tracey Tief, Organizer

TODAY I WORKED THE CASH ON THE VERGE OF TEARS... tears of gratitude for so much help, and of discomfort for accepting so much help. I know with every brain cell that I need the help - the figures on paper don't lie. As much of a grumpy curmudgeon as I am, I sway towards optimism, and despite New Age thinking, this is not always a good thing. I fault myself for not taking action sooner. I feel guilty for not running a profitable operation. I question my decisions.

AS I SHOULD. Crisis is useless unless I use it to learn and do better.

I promise you, with all the faith and trust you have put in me, I will do better. I will do the best for my staff, my students, my customers. Our Anarres community.
And inside my sometimes big, often crumpled heart, I will learn to feel comfortable accepting help!

I am fond of ideas about the Gift Economy that I was taught by Charles Eisenstein, and the best lesson I learned is that when we owe one another, we stay in relationship. The other teacher who I hear in my head is Susun Weed, who blasted in her yell-y Baba Yaga way "BALANCE! The only things that are balanced are DEAD!" And so with the weight of your generosity on the teeter-totter of our lives, I look forward to taking a turn serving you again.

In Love & RRRRRevolution, Tracey

JANUARY 25, 2021
by Tracey Tief, Organizer

If I had any doubts that Anarres is a community project, after all of your support and sharing, the surprise I came on my arrival at Anarres today set them aside. After running my weekly banking errand, I stopped by to get orders ready for posting tomorrow and organize pick up orders for the week.

Lo! and Behold! Two Anarres pepes - student makers Charlotte and Xandra - were cleaning the kitchen and clearing the dish pit! I donated twenty bins to a fellow small business owner who has had to close, and she sent us a delicious meal I've been pining for at Banjara that we all shared.

Whenever I have doubts about the value of sharing our love of natural health and DIY, the Universe comes through, through you.
Once again thank you.
Please continue to share our campaign so we can keep our project going.
In Love & RRRRRevolution, Tracey

JANUARY 23, 2021
by Tracey Tief, Organizer

Thank you for your kind words and your support.
I look forward to continuing to serve you through thick and thin.
You might notice I've rewritten the story based on gracious feedback. I've also reframed because many of you have insisted that I keep the donation rather than issue a Gift Certificate. "I also strongly urge you to let people just give you money. Having been through this ... I can tell you folks want to help. "
However you want me to treat your investment in Anarres, I am grateful!

JANUARY 22, 2021
by Tracey Tief, Organizer

Hello Kindred Spirits!
I am unspeakably touched by your support at this moment. We have reached the first milestone, raising the minimum of $500 that may be matched by GoFundMe's #SmallBusinessRelief grant that we've applied for! I am gladly filling out cards with your names and contributions on them, representing your kind faith in our future. Today again we had a shortfall in sales, but with your help, I think we'll be able to make it through this slow period.

In Love & RRRRRevolution, Tracey
pictured here with WWOOFer (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) volunteer Kalleigh.