Greetings ,

Where do I begin? Most people in this time of uncertainty don’t have the answer, and neither do we. I imagine the founders of Dancing Rabbit were trying to answer questions similar to the ones we are all asking today. How does one function in the world so that the net value is additive? How do I support this world that is incongruent with the values I hold dear? The answer was community; the answer was Dancing Rabbit.

You have supported us in this project. You have helped it continue, grow, and morph into the Dancing Rabbit you see today. You have made an impression on us in many forms, one most importantly, that we can care for the planet and each other collectively. We’d like to remind you of that as well. We are here, we are strong and we will persist. 

On May 7th you can continue to support us by joining us for Give STL. This type of direct support allows us to continue to model the type of living that can see the world through the dark patches. Regardless of your physical location, we hope the lessons we learn here and the example we set, inspires you in ways that create the world we all want to live in. 

To create this world Dancing Rabbit has learned many lessons. We feel fortunate to have a plethora of wild foraging connoisseur in our midst, a robust cooperative kitchen scene that ensures we are all well fed and socially engaged, and a mindset to make do or do without. The ever changing model of living lightly makes times of tribulation seem much like business as usual. Creating a culture that is so connected makes creating care teams and plans flow at a moment’s notice. 

Amid all of these successes we have our own troubles. Creating a culture of shared space, especially kitchens and bathrooms, makes social distancing a real tango. While we produce much of our food on premises, we still rely on the same food system as everyone else, and this requires us to expose ourselves to community spread as well. This is not a utopia, immune from the troubles of the world. We are a humble experiment that gets some things right and tries to keep those things in the limelight. 

Thank you for being on the journey with us. Some of you have lived here, or have a loved one that lives here. Some of you have been to one of our many programs and perhaps have a soft spot for your time in Northeast Missouri. Some of you follow us on the digital rabbit trails we leave. No matter how you are connected to us you make our social web stronger. You make our efforts to catalyze change. That is a gift worth appreciating, and we appreciate you. 

Take care in the wake of COVID-19. We care about the welfare of all of the planet, and that includes you!

Well Wishes,
Matthew Bunge
Development Director
The Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture

P.S. May 7th is Give STL, our locally supported fundraising effort. There is now going to be a GivingTuesdayNow campaign in May as well. Mark your calendar for the 7th to better support our efforts.