The Moon Hut Project Update

Dear Red Tent Women's Project members,

Here is a sample of our update letter. You are invited to join our e-mailing list or our networking site for periodic updates. I hope you find this inspiring. It has been a lot of work! If anyone is thinking of starting a nonprofit, contact me. I've learned a few things. Here it is:

TMHP Quarterly Update*
Volume I Number 1.1, November 2, 2009

In this issue:
End of Year Goals
Articles of Incorporation Filed!
Umbrella Organization
Thank you!
More Currents in the River

Welcome to the TMHP Quarterly Update! We appreciate this opportunity to keep you informed about what’s new with The Moon Hut Project.

End of Year Goals
The Moon Hut Project has come a long way toward manifesting as a nonprofit organization. We now have a home website, a women’s community networking website, a Facebook group, an e-mailing list, and we are well on the way to navigating all the government paperwork to make us official. While important goals like putting together a traveling Red Tent Village and compiling a library of women’s holistic health resources are a ways off yet, there are a couple of things we hope to accomplish by the end of 2009.

The first meeting of our board of directors is scheduled to occur in late November. We are currently seeking talented, passionate board candidates to fill out the board, so we can consider electing more directors at our first meeting. Please contact us for more information: themoonhutproject(at)gmail(dot)com

We hope to send a representative to the gathering for the seventh council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers in Sedona, AZ this December, in order to facilitate education/information exchange and networking between our organization and a variety of women. We calculate that it will take $600 to send someone, including tuition, travel, and food. See their website for more information: http://www.grandmotherscouncil.com

Articles of Incorporation Filed!
The Moon Hut Project’s Articles of Corporation are currently under review in the office of the Oregon Secretary of State. It looks like the official file date is November 2, though it was submitted online October 30. So, if all goes well, today will be the date TMHP officially came into being as a nonprofit corporation! Please keep your fingers crossed with me that I did everything right. I had a book to help me, but I am no expert. (Not yet, anyway!) We should hear back in a couple of weeks.

Umbrella Organization
TMHP is in the exciting process of forming a relationship with an existing Oregon nonprofit organization to act as our fiscal sponsor (or umbrella organization) until we complete the process of filing for 501(c)(3) status. Once this relationship is solidified, donations made to us through this organization will qualify as tax deductible, and certain grants will be a possibility for us. I will keep you updated about any progress on this front.

Thank you!
Thank you to all our generous supporters who have made donations to make it possible for The Moon Hut Project to file for incorporation. We are also coming closer to reaching the amount needed to file with the IRS for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. This is $300 bare bones without the help of a lawyer. Every little bit helps, so again, thank you!

And thank you to the rest of you who support us by joining our Facebook group, our e-mailing list, our women’s community networking website (Your Moon Hut Project – see below), or by passing our information along. I have been deeply touched by the amount of positive feedback I have received about this project. This is an area of women’s lives that is in need of healing, as even the few negative responses illustrate.

More Currents in the River
Please keep checking back on the TMHP Home website to see what is new. Our “Related Links” page is growing with links to women’s organizations, information, and service providers to facilitate holistic health, healing, growth, consciousness-raising, and networking. Also, please contact us to suggest other relevant links.


Thank you for staying in touch. May you be abundantly blessed!


--
Sincerely,

Amber X. Van Cleave
The Moon Hut Project
http://themoonhutprojecthome.blogspot.com

We also now have a women's community networking site on Ning:
http://yourmoonhutproject.ning.com


If you need to send us an urgent or private message, please send it to axanthy(at)gmail(dot)com
with Urgent or Private in the subject line.
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*Moon-quarterly, that is. ;)