Our very own Ken Aguilar dropped everything and went down to Mexico to help an orphanage build an aquaponics system for the children.

Please click here to see the whole story and Photos!

Solutions Farms
Farming Futures!

A new kind of farm is about to become part of Solutions for Change.

Construction has begun on Solutions Farms, an ambitious and hope-harvesting endeavor that will raise futures as well as food. Solutions Farms is an aquaponics farm (see sidebar, A Farm With No Soil?) that produces safe, fresh produce and fish while responding to the rapidly increasing demand for locally-sourced fresh food.

Solutions Farms is located on a two-acre property in Vista, owned by Solutions for Change, with more than 25,000 square feet of existing greenhouse structures.

The site is being rehabilitated and built out in phases. The initial phase will use just over 6,900 square feet of greenhouse and create approximately 3,500 square feet of growing surface. The farms have a projected annual yield of 86,000 pounds of leafy greens and specialty herbs and approximately 13,000 pounds of fish by the final phase. The first harvest will take place later this year.

The fish and produce raised will be sold locally to restaurants and wholesalers, and at local farmers markets and community supported agriculture co-ops (CSA). The revenues will help sustain Solutions for Change programs.

But Solutions Farms’ most important output will be neither its produce nor its fish. This is, first and foremost, a social enterprise venture that combines job training, general education, and entrepreneurship for the benefit of Solutions’ families and the community. Solutions Farms will be an in-house platform that provides Solutions families an opportunity to acquire marketable, higher-wage skills running the gamut from technology to accounting, and marketing to sales. The farm will be an integral part of our commitment to giving people access to the skills, knowledge and resources they need to permanently solve their homelessness.

Many people are homeless because their work skills simply do not command a wage that lets them pay their living expenses. Breaking this cycle of working poverty means acquiring higher value skills, and that will be what Solutions Farms enables us to provide. The farm will be a living laboratory that brings together those needing higher value skills and community professionals who are willing to volunteer their knowledge. Solutions Farms will attract community investment of the time and effort to teach, to the ongoing benefit of our families.

Watch us grow!

*****Global Plastic Sheeting is a sponsor of this project by providing Plastic Sheeting.*****

Please click here to visit our Facebook page for more pictures! 

Christie Barkley is having her 7th birthday! She gets a company lunch too since she is our esteemed CMO (Chief Morale Officer) and Head of Security. We made it a crazy hat day as well.  Here you see Lee and Nana Hinsley above and Ed Morales looking very striking, don't you think????

Global Plastic Sheeting is proud to introduce The Jeffrey Gottfurcht Children's Arthritis Foundation!  If you are looking for a great group of people who are passionate about helping children with Rheumatoid Arthritis, this is your foundation.  The founder, Jeff Gottfurcht is one of the most "alive" passionate people you will ever meet. He exudes life everywhere he goes.  He just summited Mt. Everest!  Please check out their website to learn more!

www.jgcaf.org

Here is a bit about this wonderful organization:

The Foundation is a wish-granting organization whose mission is to make dreams and wishes a reality for children living with Juvenile Arthritis.

About JGCAF

The Jeffrey Gottfurcht Children’s Arthritis Foundation (the “Foundation”) was founded in September 2009 by Jeffrey Gottfurcht. Eight years ago at the age of 27, Jeffrey was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. He had periodically experienced swollen fingers and wrists and  had stiff joints throughout his late teens and early 20’s: he thought these were  merely an allergic reactions. Finally, a Rheumatoid Arthritis specialist at Stanford  confirmed the diagnosis. An avid mountain climber, Jeffrey decided he could not  just give in and with a can-do attitude  committed to training for and climbing  Mount Everest in 2011, thereby fulfilling his number 1 dream. Jeffrey wanted to share his determination to fight Rheumatoid Arthritis while bringing joy, strength and support to others afflicted with this lifelong disease. Jeffrey chose to focus on fulfilling the dreams of children suffering from Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis because as a father of 3, he understands the importance  of creating positive memories in a child’s life. The Foundation hopes to inspire, educate and generate awareness while those suffering with this lifelong disease optimistically await a cure.

Granting Wishes

The Foundation’s mandate is to fulfill the dreams of children afflicted with Juvenile Arthritis. Referrals for dreams will come from parents, guardians,  members of the medical community, support-related  websites and children suffering from Juvenile Rheumatoid  Arthritis. The Foundation’s Dream Team will select the dreams that are prudent and possible to make a reality. The Foundation’s president will visit the child and present the dream come true. Wishes should fall under the following categories: 1) “I wish I could go…”, 2) “I wish I could meet…”, 3) “I wish to be…”, and 4) “I wish to have…”.

This year, Global Plastic Sheeting adopted Rachel's Center- a homess shelter for women in San Diego.  We donated all sorts of personal care items which we are told was something they desperately wanted and needed. 

Here is Rachel's Center's vision:

To be an exemplary leader in recognizing the intrinsic value of each woman by assisting women with few or no resources to achieve an improved quality of life, to become healthy, fulfilled and contributing members of the community.

Services

• Drop-in day center
• Medical screening
• Alcohol and drug recovery support
• Replacement clothing
• Showers and laundry facilities
• Mental health consultation and referral
• Emergency Shelter for women
• Emergency Shelter for women and children
• Parenting classes
• Transitional housing for women 50 years and older
• Case Management
• Transportation assistance
• Work Readiness Training

If you would like to contribute to their mission, or learn more about their services, please click here.

On September 27, the 22^nd civilian relief flight delivered 1,600 rolls of scrim reinforced plastic sheeting for the construction of temporary shelters. This reinforced plastic sheeting can provide temporary shelter for approximately 48,000 people! This flight brings the total amount of reinforced plastic sheeting delivered by the United States Government to 11,463 rolls, sufficient to provide temporary shelter for nearly 343,000 people. This reinforced plastic sheeting is a durable and versatile building material utilized in both emergency and early recovery contexts. Often families upon returning home will re-use the plastic sheeting to repair damaged houses.

Global Plastic Sheeting contributed to the relief effort by providing 1,367 large rolls of plastic sheeting for shelter. Hundreds of thousands of people still do not have shelter of any kind. They are sleeping in the streets- exposed to the rain and elements. Please consider ways your company can lend a helping hand.

While we all know that plastic sheeting is a solution for change when it comes to enhancing a project, this is not what you think!

Global Plastic Sheeting is EXTREMELY excited to introduce, Solutions for Change! Solutions for Change is a San Diego leader in developing communitywide initiatives, and implementing programs that SOLVE family homelessness! It's not just about providing meals and beds, but also about how many families are equipped with the skills, knowledge and resources needed to SOLVE homelessness permanently!  By using their Solutions University model, over 1000 children in 542 families have ended their homelessness.

It is our honor to team with HomeReach.com and treat a group of deserving children and their families to a San Diego Padres game! The group will be treated to a stretch limosine ride to a pre-game tailgate party, followed by the game! Many of these children have never been to a professional baseball game! Please stay tuned for pictures of this fun event!

Why has our company embraced this organization? Because they have a model where they invest 1000 days into a family. Here is the progression:

Family in Crisis → Assessment & Prevention → Get mental, emotional, behavioral & spiritual training → Get equipped with Education, Skills to go get a job → Go from living on the campus to living off campus in their own home → Get their Self Sustaining Life Back!

 Solutions for Change has graduated 542 families in 9 years!

If you want to join us, contact Solutions for Change, 760.941.6545. You don't have to invest much at all to make a difference!

Take a few minutes and watch the videos below. Thanks