As we turn 20 this year we find ourselves in the need for a permanent office. Having grown from a volunteer-run organization to a countywide nonprofit with a seven-person staff; we feel the need to settle in. However, we will always be very grateful to the Heritage Presbyterian Church in Benicia for providing a part-time office for the last few years.
For our new office, we envision a safe and beautiful place where we can create and exhibit the solutions we’ve been teaching and demonstrating for two decades. These may include a permaculture garden, sustainable water techniques, solar energy and maybe even chickens. We need a shared workspace and a place to gather around a table for large team meetings. Ideally, this space would serve as a place to teach public education classes. Along with a separate area to house the ever-growing tools and equipment for our landscaping and cooking classes, promotional materials and office files.
While we are open to ideas, we envision a small house in a residential area or a larger shared space with a commercial kitchen. We are intrigued with the idea of an agrihood – is anyone in the county exploring it too? For locations, we are looking at the central county (Fairfield / Suisun) or southern (Vallejo / Benicia), and we are open to different options ranging from a lease to a property donation.
If you have any ideas, leads, suggestions or something to share – please drop us a line at info@sustainablesolano.org.
