Back to Work
Well, I'm back from my week-long trip to Manhattan tonight, and it feels good to be back in sunny Santa Barbara. But it's not just the weather I look forward to; it's also the chance to get back to work and be with the rest of the foundation crew. Honestly, while I was away I missed getting down to work every day with Dave and David F. at the International Headquarters. I know however that a lot of work awaits me this week as it's time to play catch up with the action that happened while I was away, and I welcome the task with an anxious and positive attitude. It's time to get back to work, and I'm ready. Here we go...
A First Step...
The word today is that the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles will feature the Forest Foundation in one of their artilcles this week. This is great news considering we've only just begun dispersing information about the foundation outside the greater Santa Barbara area. It is a tremendous first step to be included in such a publication as the Jewish Journal. Not only will this expand our California base and increase our scope of achievement, but it may also lead other Jewish publications to take note of what the foundation is achieving. And then who knows how far we can go? One thing builds upon another, and this exposure is merely the first brick in what will hopefully become a very large building. We have taken a positive first step in the right direction, and we will continue to build upon this stride.
Holiday Season
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving yesterday. Hopefully everyone could be with their friends and family sharing good times and good memories. And as the holiday season moves forward, hopefully the Forest Foundation will be creating quite a few more good memories. After all, that's one of the things we're here for: to provide happy, memorable experiences for the community. So anticipate an exciting and fun few weeks this December; we're going to make it a month to remember.
Progression
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I hope that everyone is able to spend the holiday with friends and family, eating loads of turkey or celebrating however you like to celebrate. As I said yesterday, the work for the Forest Foundation never stops, but one thing we do know how to do is take a break when we need to and analyze where we've come from and where we're going. In order to keep the foundation moving in a positive and fulfilling direction, we'll take this holiday as a time of introspection. With our friends and family, we can reaffirm our own values and attitudes, and then apply any positive affirmations to the way we do things in the foundation. In doing so, we are sure to never let what the foundation does become stagnant and unchanging, and instead ensure the foundation remains dynamic and ambitious in attitude and in practice. So, while we will take this opportunity to relax wholeheartedly, we will also take the opportunity to continue innovating and progressing.
Have a happy Thanksgiving.
Results
Well, I arrived in New York today about 7:00pm eastern time, and this blog is proof that although many organizations cease their operations for the holidays, the Forest Foundation is always at work for the community. This is because what we do cannot be measured in typical work hours, but rather in results. The Forest Foundation is not an organization based on the time its employess put in; rather, it is an organization that prides itself on doing the best job for the community that it possibly can. It is this attitude that will continue to propel the foundation into more and more projects in more and more communities as time goes on. We at the Forest Foundation wish everyone the happiest of holidays, and guarantee that we will keep on working for you.
Hypnosis
The Sunday night trainings seem to be just getting better and better. Last night, Mrs. Peal taught us the techniques for self-hypnosis. We learned how to put ourselves in a trance for a predetermined amount of time and while in trance name a goal we'd like to accomplish.
An avid critic of hypnosis, I was skeptical about the session at first. I'd been to two hypnosist shows before, where participants are randomly picked from the audience to do absurd things, and never really believed it was authentic. But last night was different, for some reason. Probably because it wasn't in a "show" atmosphere and was instead approached as a serious tool for relaxation and motivation I was able to open up to it a little more. And by opening up to the techniques, I was really able to find myself in a trance. I felt completely at ease and empowered, if you can believe that. It really was quite remarkable, the sensation of complete relaxation; it's not something many of us feel very often, I believe. The best part is that the hypnosis wasn't a one time thing - we were taught how to put ourselves into a trance whenever we feel it to be useful. This is the type of thing that I feel is extremely empowering, yet for some reason rejected or not taught to so many people. It is this type of beneficial and extraordinary learning that makes working for the Forest Foundation truly unique and enlightening.
Extra, Extra!!
The idea of the press release has proven to be absolutely essential to the proliferation of the name and agenda of the Forest Foundation. It seems that no matter what angle of the foundation we are trying to publicize, the importance of the press release is inescapable. We need something that clenches the attention of our intended audience, and any bright ideas will certainly be appreciated. Be prepared to hear about the Forest Foundation in many local and not so local publications.
Media Exposure
As the Forest Foundation expands its reach to cities outside of Santa Barbara and Berkeley, it is important for us to gain exposure in various media. The desire for exposure is not bred from an egotistical sense of pride, but rather is due to the desire to show others our method. We believe that what the Forest Foundation has achieved in such a short time (under one year) is remarkable, especially when you consider the work is done almost completely by full time college students. Response from the organizations we work with and the increasing number of organizations that ask for our assistance indicate this to be true. It is therefore important that we let other foundations that are looking to impact their community know of our system. And the best way to do this is through media exposure, in magazines, books, radio, and television. This week the Forest Foundation will be sending out its first press release to various Jewish magazines in the hope that others can see the remarkable things that are being done in Santa Barbara and Berkeley, and know that these things can be done in their community as well.
Tropical Paradise
Today was such a great Schmooze Room! The theme was Tropical Paradise, and it seemed as if everyone at the Federation really felt as if they truly were on some Caribbean beach or in the South Pacific. Stefan and Jordan definitely were dressed the part; Jordan wearing a large sun hat, hawaiian shirt, and shorts, and Stefan took the cake wearing nothing but a grass skirt and coconut bra. He looked hilarious! The food fit the motif perfectly as well: salmon with pineapple, asparagus, and fruit salad. Many of the schmoozers dressed up for the theme as well, including a belly dancer who gave an impromptu dancing lesson after lunch. The program also included coconut bowling, an event that looked as if it came straight out of an episode of Gilligan's Island. All in all, it was a great Schmooze Room program, the kind we have come to expect from Jordan and Stefan and one that leaves us eagerly anticipating what's coming next at the Schmooze Room.
Nice to meet you
Working for the Forest Foundation has thrown me into an entirely new realm of the professional world...MEETINGS. While I attend numerous meetings on a daily basis, there are a few that truly leave a lasting impression on my life. The Matanah meetings and those with Jim Peal have opened me up to an entirely new form of introspection, a greatly appreciated one. To find a constructive time that promotes self-analysis and self-awareness is one more way that the Forest Foundation is truly progressive and innovative. I look forward to our future discussions within the group and with the seasoned professionals that have been brought in to help us all realize our full potential.
Smoggy
Discrimination
Last night we had our weekly training with Jim Peal, this one about diversity. Jim explained to us that stereotypes can lead to prejudice which in turn can lead to discrimination, or any other form of "ism." According to Jim, discrimination is part of a cycle formed by one's perception of an event. It is interesting to think, then, that discrimination is rooted in our own psyche; it is not something created from the outer environment, but something we create and nurture in ourselves. Discrimination is a product of decisions we make. When discrimination can be broken down into such an apparently simple equation, it is hard to imagine that it can exist at all. I think that knowing where prejudice and discrimination is born from is one of the most interesting things I've learned yet.
A Thanks
I would like to use this blog today as a simple thanks to everyone involved in the Forest Foundation, especially our tireless and committed student staff. Truly, I have never seen such a group of motivated and united college students as we have here in Santa Barbara. The work they are doing is without a doubt far beyond what the typical college student accomplishes, and for their efforts we are truly grateful.
Then there is David Cygielman and David Fingerote. There is indeed never a day off for these gentlemen, and we know that they would have it no other way. The enthusiasm and dedication they bring to their positions sets the standard for the work we do in the Foundation.
And lastly, Morris Squire, without whom none of this would be possible. For everyone involved, know that what you are doing is great and appreciated. Enjoy your weekend.
Looking Forward to a Fresh Face
As the Forest Foundation continues to work for the betterment of the Santa Barbara and Berkely Jewish communities, we are also currently looking for several ways to extend our reach. That is why we are anxiously awaiting the New Year, when Jordan Fruchtman will join the Forest Foundation team full-time. Jordan will be in charge of organizing a new team of college students to work in any area of the community that might request our services. We have already been in contact with several non-profit organizations in and around Santa Barbara to see if they could use our services, and the outlook is promising. In addition to organizing our overall community outreach program, Jordan will also be taking the lead on the development of a public access television program and radio show about the foundation. By utilizing these media, the Forest Foundation can continue to promote our services for any organization that may desire them. We look forward to Jordan joining the Forest Foundation team, and expect nothing but great things from this effevescent and caring young man.
Allowing College Students to be Students
Part of what we're doing in the Forest Foundation is prove that by giving college students the opportunity to work in leadership roles within their community and paying them a significantly higher amount than minimum wage to do so not only benefits the community, but the students as well. The benefit to the students, however, is more than merely monetary; we believe that this type of work will benefit students in the academic arena as well, allowing them to invest more time and money into their studies than would be otherwise possible. According to Jonathan M. Orszag, Peter R. Orszag, and Diane M. Whitmore in their article
Learning and Earning: Working in college, "Since 1984, the fraction of college students...who work full- or part-time has increased from 49 to 57 percent." Furthermore, they report that "working college students earn roughly $7.50 per hour." One benefit of our system, then, is that students earn over 25% higher wages than the average college student. Moreover, the Forest Foundation system puts the student in a position of leadership for the benefit of the community, rather than placing them at the bottom of the corporate totem pole, as it were. As I said, however, the benefits reach far beyond the monetary spectrum. According to the same report, 40% of students report "that work limits their class schedule; 36 percent report it reduces their class choices; 30 percent report it limits the number of classes they take; and 26 percent report it limits access to the library." The Forest Foundation's working system negates these drawbacks. By allowing students the freedom to select the number of hours they work per week and the flexibility to change when and where they work daily, students are completely free to take the classes they need or desire and study whenever and however they want. In effect, the Forest Foundation allows college students to remain students, rather than "workers who study." And this is just the beginning to the advantages we are seeing created from the Forest Foundation's working practice. As time goes on, we expect to find a significant amount of positive effects for the college students we employ in addition to the advantages we see for the community. Truly, time will tell the tale.
Meeting
Tonight is our weekly meeting at Hillel, and as the year progresses, our Tuesday meetings will continue to grow more and more important. It is necessary to realize that the meetings are more than just the opportunity for individuals to present Dave with the work they've done for the week. Rather, the meetings are an opportunity for everyone in the foundation to come together and learn from one another. To get on the same page. To become a team. By keeping up to date and cognizant of what is going on within the foundation apart from one's personal projects, we are better equipped to deal with any programs we might want to become active in down the line. In listening to one another, we can learn the successes and failures others have experienced and apply it to whatever we are working on, ensuring that one mistake will never be repeated. More importantly, the meetings allow us to maintain our approach as a team, rather than as a loose group of individuals. Only by working interdependently will we be able to leave our mark, and only by maintaining the team will we be able to successfully work interdependently, and meetings allow us to grow as a team.
Men and Women
The difference between men and women is clearly an issue that people the world over seek an answer to. After our training session with Jim Peal last night, I feel that although we will probably never be able to truly "figure out" the other sex, we are much better equipped to deal with problems when they arise. The ability to identify the emotion or emotions we are feeling during a time of conflict or strife and successfully communicate those emotions to the other party of the conflict is something, I believe, that we would not normally site as key to a successful conflict resolution. Indeed, we often think of emotions as the result, rather than solution, of many conflicts in the first place. However, as we learned last night, this is not the case: successful conflict resolution relies on our ability to clearly and elaborately convey our emotions to the other party. Whether the other party is man, woman, a group, or anything else is inconsequential; what matters is our method and style of communication. As we look to resolve current or future conflicts in our own lives, it is important to remember that communication is just as important to a conflict's resolution as the issue itself.
Political Activism
This week, everyone in the Forest Foundation was give the unique opportunity to campaign for a cause or political candidate that they truly believed in. Regardless of our political differences, each of us was given the chance to air our views in a public forum for something that is close to our hearts. When we take a step back from the diverse array of agendas and causes that we all worked to advance, I believe that we can truly see what a great opportunity we were given; each of us was asked to take something they are deeply passionate about and given the support to see it realized. It is important to note what a rare and special opportunity this is. Seldom do we get the chance to take something deeply important to us and work for its actualization, whether it be due to a lack of resources, a lack of time, pressure from outside forces, or what have you. It was more than just a political exercise - we were given the chance to mold our passion into reality. Indeed, it was a truly unique and special opportunity.
blogdotcom
I am sorta nervous cause this is my very first blog. It was a good day for me that started at 3:30 this morning. I found out that I will be working for the Foundation full time starting in January and I also found out that part of my new job will be to host a television and radio program. So if you are reading this you are now invited to be a guest on the show, it will be a mix between a talk show, a game show, and MTV's Punk'd, but with senior citizens and a forum to show the world our excellent work.
If you have any ideas for the radio and TV shows, post your comments, I promise to read them.
Love,
Jordan
Expanding our wings
Since summer the Forest Foundation has had a solid team of five students doing outreach for UCSB Hillel. After being at all the orientations, giving all the incoming freshmen welcome baskets and having a program every week of welcome week, we had to figure out what to do next. We found out that Hillel has two basic types of people: type A - people who would come no matter what was happening and type B - people who need a personal invitation, one-on-one connections and programs specifically for their personality to come to Hillel. Our mission is to reach type B, specifically students in the greek system, freshmen and males. After just a week of work, here's what we have on the table for the next two months:
- Freshmen ropes course (already 25 signed up)
- Greek dinner at Santa Barbara estate to start the Jewish Greek Council
- Three day freshmen retreat in Malibu
- Two-on-two foosball tournament (50 teams total)
- Freshmen dinner downtown
The number one lesson that the foundation is teaching me is that no matter how old someone is, if motivated and given the tools, they can do incredible work far beyond their years. By getting the guidance of established leaders like Abe and Molly Presser last night and applying it to the work of college students, we can go a long way.
Enjoy your wednesdays.
The Next Steps
The Forest Foundation has been doing a very good job, we've supported our community and really added value to the lives of many college students. Our model seems to be working, everyone is winning...but what's next?
The Forest Foundation is a community organization, its success depends on the hard work and willingness to learn of its workers and the acceptence and appreciation of the community. So, to take next steps, we have to ask the community what they want. Since Morris' departure last week I have met with Neal Rabin, former CEO of Miramar systems and father of two, as well as Julie Friedman, an incredibly intelligent and generous mother, also of two. Neal challenged me to create a business plan, mapping out the next 6 months and year, giving us the opportunity to explore expansion. Julie gave me a much more humanistic approach, she loves how we involve young minds and great energy with much needed community staffing for non-profits.
After meeting with them both, I have new insight on how we need to tell the stories of individual staffing efforts by the 20+ young and energetic minds working for the Forest Foundation. Once we can tell those stories, we can expand and have others see the great miracles we are creating here in Santa Barbara and Berkeley.
Halloween
After a long Halloween weekend full of willing self abuse, I've come to realize that I'm not the spry college student I once was. Recovering from a night of drinking now takes a full day, although when I was a student it only took me a couple glasses of water and a big greasy breakfast before I was as good as new. So after three loooooong consecutive nights of drinking (I mean the kind of drinking you do when eight good friends come in to town for the biggest party of the year), I realize I might not be right for the next week or so. It's been about a day and half since I last touched a drink, and I still feel like I'm carrying 3000 pounds of weights all over my body, particularly on my head. But it was all worth it, and I know I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Halloween in Santa Barbara is just too much fun not to celebrate. I did a little of both the downtown scene and Isla Vista, and I think that not allowing any cars on Del Playa was one of the best ideas the planners have had yet. I felt like it really opened up the street and there was actually some breathing room for everyone. Overall, I think it's hard to beat Halloween in Santa Barbara, however you like to celebrate. I just need to let my head clear.
