Since Common Ground began in Boise in the fall of 2008, over 300 hundred volunteers, more than 70 refugees and more than a dozen organizations, schools and churches have been involved.

If you were to ask each individual involved with us, you would get a variety of answers, such as, Common Ground is

• about refugees
• about job training
• about organic farming
• about English as a second language
• a great place to volunteer
• a place to learn about gardening
• where I get to know people from all over the world
• a place to fulfill my longing to contribute to the “greening” of America
• a group of the most energetic folks I  know
• a place my whole family can work together to make a difference
• changing lives
• fun and innovative
• and more…

While all this is true, Common Ground is officially, a program of The Momentum Group focused on providing experiential job training for the refugee community resulting in our trainees’ ability to find, perform and retain jobs. Whether we are teaching in the class room, on a job site visit, working in the garden, interacting with the Mayor’s Council on Refugee Resettlement, the International Refugee Committee or the Boise Fry Company, everything we do focuses on helping our newest Americans become economically independent in their new home country.

In the next post, we’ll explore what it looks like to be “Common Ground.”

What do sewing machines, business consultants, purses and Thailand have in common? The Momentum Group (TMG)!  Here is one story of how TMG helped folks make a difference in Thailand

Purses + Contract Work = Family Life

Imagine this choice: You could work in a factory almost every waking hour for small pay and hope your children were doing ok raising themselves or absent the factory option, you could be a prostitute at night, keep some food on that table and see your children (but lose your self-esteem, health and hope) OR you could learn to sew, have a sewing machine in your home, work flexible hours and support your family, with your children near you in the home. Which would you choose?

Every mother I know would leap for the third choice. Often, in Thailand, women from poverty stricken rural areas are faced with only the first two choices, grueling lives in the factory or prostitution.

Thanks to several dedicated people, and help from TMG, many women in Bangkok, Thailand have had an opportunity to learn to sew beautiful purses, which are then  marketed around the world.  In addition, they’re able to take on contract factory work in their homes that is both flexible and fitting to their unique situations.  These women work flexible shifts, some from their own homes, share childcare when necessary, provide for their families and can raise their children in dignity. All it took was sewing machines, material, willing teachers, willing students, someone to market the goods and a lot of love.

Sounds easy, but like looking at the underside of a tapestry, the nitty-gritty details, all those threads that must be woven together to create something beautiful, are often very challenging for the compassionate-socially-conscious micro-enterprise enthusiast. That’s where TMG came in. We helped create solid buisness foundations and systems that would ensure the sustainability of the enterprises. We also helped connect those with critical expertise (sewing, marketing) with the “idea people.” The result was restored families, women living in dignity instead of prostitution and children growing up healthy with a good education.

The Momentum Group reminds me of ballroom dancing. Often, in ballroom dancing, though the man provides the stability and strength and “leads” his partners, his actions and strength is most often focused on showcasing the grace and beauty of his partner. The Momentum Group(TMG) is a little like that.

TMG is the non-profit organization which provides the strength, leadership and stability for Common Ground. In other words, Common Ground a project of TMG, they flow together. TMG  is pretty much the “unsung hero” of our endeavor. And Common Ground is not the only project that TMG has initiated or helped with.

Our mission as The Momentum Group is to create economic independence for those who have the least within the international community, right here in your neighborhood.

A little history

In 1999, TMG formed to blend business with enhancing the lives of those most in need in society around the world. Our focus was and still is to make a difference through helping emerging micro-business owners and providing or supporting professional services.  We helped people help people around the world, beginning in Thailand.

The leadership of The Momentum Group consists of people who have been in ‘both worlds.’ We have worked within Fortune 500 corporations and in the fields of Papau New Guinea. We’ve managed US university departments and served women and children at risk in Southeast Asia.  We’ve consulted for global high-tech corporations, managed complex supply chains, done consumer product development, and yet our passions come alive when we’re serving the poor.

 In the next post, we’ll tell a few stories of how The Momentum Group has made a difference over the past decade.

“Now we feel like we belong, like we have a home here, in America.”

“ElAda and the teachers make us feel like we have a family here.”

“You have helped us. We can never repay your for what you have done, but God will.”

These are just some of the comments that touched our hearts at our recent graduation ceremony celebrating the completion of a 6 week job training program we conducted in conjunction El-Ada Community Action. 

Now you know why we do what we do!

Eight dedicated, persistent and good-humored trainees, refugees from Congo and Burundi, attended daily, learning language and job skills to help them enter a variety of job markets from hotel and hospitality work to warehouse and restaurant work.

More important than the job skills and specific language skills we worked on together was the confidence that grew in each trainee as we talked and learned and worked and did site visits throughout the fall. We had the privilege of watching each training blossom and to discover the depth, beauty and abilities each has brought with them to this new country.

I hope you get to meet them someday!

We’ve created a short video of our first year. You can view it on You Tube: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nkI8Uq2FfU

Our hearts are filled with grattitude for everyone who has been a part of Common Ground this past year. We’re looking forward to working together again in the year to come. Thank you all!

It is deeply moving, to realize how many large and small business have been involved in Common Ground this year. Not only have more than 300 individuals been part of the Common Ground experiential job training and the Common Ground farm, business around the valley have stepped up, too.

Here are just a few ways businesses had helped:

• Materials
  • Tools
  • Equipment
  • Two work sheds
  • Plants
  • Supplies (from wooden spikes to gloves)
  • Tents
  • Organic fertilizer (nice word for “aged” manure)
• Work days, with dozens of employees showing up in their “off” time
• Consulting, great advice
• Funds

How can we quantitate the impact corporate generosity has had on the Common Ground project? Dozens of refugees are now gainfully employed because you were willing to get involved and make a difference. We thank you:

• Home Depot
• Albertsons
• Zion’s Bank
• Easy Office
• Wells Fargo
• Bright Horizons
• Sage Land Design

Common Ground began without any misconceptions. We knew we would be receiving way more than we were giving! We knew that the refugees would teach us more than we could ever teach them and that we would be forever changed by the friendships we developed. And we weren’t wrong!

We are so thankful for every friend we have made, every trainee who has come through the program, every man and woman who has overcome intense hardship to survive and come to this country. We are thankful to have heard their stories, shared in their challenges and to be watching them grow and flourish.

Life in the U.S. is not easy for our friends. Expecting the “American Dream” they came to a country in economic turmoil where jobs were scarce and those who would serve them were overwhelmed by the needs of more folks than they could possible care for. But…they are making it!  Their resiliency is inspiring.  We love to laugh together, plan together and work together.

Thank you, our international friends!! Thank you so very  much for letting us be part of your lives!

PS: In days to come, we’ll be telling some of their stories. Stay tuned!

What a year this has been for Common Ground! And what a great season to spend time reflecting on all that’s happened. Looking back over the past months, a deep sense of grattitude wells up inside of us. We’ve learned so much, become a community, seen generosity of soul and resiliency of spirit that has changed our lives.
For the next week, we’ll be posting Common Ground’s seeds of grattitude. We call them “seeds” because as we think on them, the impact of each person, action, incident, experience grows and blossoms into a full-blossomed garden of thankfulness.

Today, we are grateful for the more than 300 volunteers who came together over the year to make Common Ground a reality. We don’t have space to name each of you individually, but we know who you are and remember your contribution. Words are sometimes not sufficient and this is one of those times. To each volunteer, Thank you, thank you for being part of Common Ground.

Our volunteers were instrumental in:

• Training refugees via conversational English courses
• Guest training during refugee job-training courses
• Procuring the land for the Common Ground Garden
• Creating our logo
• Donating sweatshirts + printing services
• Planning the garden layout
• Providing transportation for workers and trainees
• Providing training tools and props
• Training women in house-cleaning service skills
• Preparing the land
• Working with the refugee agencies
• Installing irrigation
• Choosing crops and planting them
• Maintaining the garden
• Purchasing produce
• Donating materials
• Spreading the word
• Creating the web page
• Fundraising and event planning
• And more

We cannot think of one tiny piece of Common Ground that does not have the fingerprint of a willing volunteer embedded in it. Thank you ALL!

Common Ground farm in full bloom

Here’s your chance to enjoy fresh, organic produce, buy local and make a difference in the lives of those who have the least among us – buy Common Ground farm shares for 2010.

What’s a farm share?

The Common Ground farm produces mixed greens, carrots, radishes, beets, chard, a variety of tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, peppers, beans, potatoes…and much more.  A Common Ground farm share allows you to enjoy 5 – 8 different farm fresh produce  weekly from mid-May through mid-October (possibly longer, depending on growing conditions).

How do shares work?

Each week you get to choose which produce you will take home from whatever is ready to harvest. Our head farmer, Devi Kharel, will be happy to help you with your choices and even give you gardening pointers, if you’re interested. We will pick the produce for you. You choose one of two pick-up days – the weekday option or the weekend option – and pick up your week’s supply at the farm located at 4750 S. Surprise Way in southeast Boise.

Note: If there is enough interest, we may provide an alternative pick-up location for our share-holders’ convenience.

And the cost?

Shares provide 5 – 8 vegetable and herb varieties. Each variety will provide roughly enough for a family-sized meal portion.

Current Share Prices:

$400.00 for a full share (approximately 20 weeks of produce)

$250.00 for a half share (approximately 10 weeks of produce)

Note: There are a limited number of shares available. Shares will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis until we are sold out.

Prices may increase in 2010, so buy now to get your share at the best price.

How do I buy a Common Ground farm share?

Glad you asked. You have two purchase options

• Purchase your share online by choosing your 2010 farm share option to the right of this blog and clicking on Pay Now to complete your purchase.
• Contact us via email for more information – tara@themomentumgroup.org

Common Ground is a program of The Momentum Group, a 501c3 organization.

Harvest is still growing strong at the Common Ground gardens. We have lettuce and tomatoes and potatoes and…you guessed it, PUMPKINS!  Seven different kinds to be exact.

Even as the weather turns cold, the fall harvest is bountiful. Enjoy these last few weeks of fall with fresh vegetables from Common Ground. Come on by and fill you bag, or basket, or trunk with garden fresh veggies!