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A REPORT ON THE FUTURE:
To Friends of The Institute For Poetic Medicine
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It is difficult to get the news from poems,
yet men die miserably every day
for lack of what is found there.
~ William Carlos Williams ~
from "Asphodel, That Greeny Flower"
Dear Friends,
2009 is going to be a hard year. . . funds will be cut for the poor. . .
for rehabilitation. . . 
And for the arts, even the healing arts.
IPM does all this and more!
In December you received a newsletter from John Fox, Founder and President of IPM, describing some of the work he and our other grantees are doing. If you didn't get to read it, you can visit IPM's new archive site of previous newsletters by CLICKING BELOW:
In that letter John mentioned that donations from Friends of the Institute directly fund projects. We are grateful to those of you who sent your support and wish to expand that circle by asking more directly now.
 To date, we have funded almost all of our activities from fees charged. We have as little overhead as possible. John is our one full-time staff; the IPM office resides in half of his apartment. John is paid 100% out of the work he is invited to do around the country and overseas. Even our fundraising (including this letter) is supported by an outside grant. Thus, almost every cent you send us to become a Friend of the Institute goes to programs, goes to results.
Don't Stop Reading - Here Comes the Pitch. . .
I'm asking you renew or join us as a Friend of the Institute at whatever level you feel good about. (Please see the levels of support section below). Friends of the Institute will receive the few gifts we can come up with, including finely printed and wonderful poems by people who didn't believe they were poets. We actually don't have much to offer in the way of "goodies." We think you'd be happier to have us open a program in a new VA hospital; to encourage elder people who were regressing to delight in their own poem-making capacity; to work with more children in more school systems...
And next year, for the first time, to create a training program
so that the people who have studied with John over the years
can be supported to learn more!
We have been given a grant by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation for $10,000 to develop and offer training programs: one leading to a certificate in poetry as healer; others offering a less intense training for health workers who wish to add poetry healing to their own skills, or for those of us who just want to learn how to organize poetry healing groups in our school systems or places of worship.
 What the prior letter didn't talk about was the programs we will fund if you join us. Because poetry healing doesn't need expensive equipment or special facilities, we find that $1000 or $1500.00 is enough to get a program launched and running. More often than not, the institution then sees its value and funds it from there.
We can plant the seeds that then
become self-funded.
Our role is to find the programs, support the poet healers and demonstrate value to those they serve, as well as for the institutions that invite us in. Your role is to decide how many programs we can sponsor and how many scholarships we can give to students asking for training.
A nation that is rebuilding itself, as we are doing, needs poetry more than ever. . .
Our work inspires;
Our work elevates;
Our work includes;
Our work heals.
We invite you to join us! Let us know who might need our help - and above all, keep in mind one of the best ways to fill your own heart is by being generous.
 On behalf of John Fox and the Friends of the Institute,James FadimanBoard of DirectorsThe Institute for Poetic Medicine
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You can make our mission to "awaken soulfulness within the human voice," a reality through your financial support of The Institute for Poetic Medicine. Without the kindness and generosity of people like
you, we would not be able to inspire and help people develop their creative gifts, who in turn, help and inspire many others.
As a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, the Institute is able to pursue grants and receive tax-deductible donations for our programs.
Your Donation Will Provide Poetry as Healer For:
✔ Cancer & Wellness Support Centers
✔ Underserved Communities
✔ Third World Youth Traumatized by War
✔ Hospice Patients, Staff and Volunteers
✔ Veterans
✔ Incarcerated and Recently Released Youth
✔ Medical Students, Nurses and Physicians
✔ Homeless Shelters
✔ Pastoral Care Counselors
✔ School Children, Community College Students & Educators
✔ Drug and Alcohol Recovery
✔ Raising Environmental Awareness
✔ Arts-in-Medicine Programs
✔ International Settings
 Ways You Can Give: Friend of the Institute
$50 - $149
Supporting Hands
$150 - $349
Heart of Community
$350 - $999
Spirit of the Muse
$1,000+
Every donation is put to effective and efficient use.
Your contribution will make a difference!
 REMEMBER. . .Donations to The Institute for Poetic Medicine are tax-deductible!
HERE'S HOW TO DONATE:
➙ By Mail To:
Institute for Poetic Medicine
P.O. Box 60189
Palo Alto, CA 93950
➙ Click Here For More Options
On IPM's Website Donor Page:
Acknowledgement of your contribution for the IRS will be provided!
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~ TESTIMONIALS ~
Where Poetic Medicine Is Found
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MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY GROUPS
 "From our initial discussion to the implementation of the program, Lisa DeVuono (pictured) displayed a clear focus for the project, very keen listening skills, creative thinking, organization, and professionalism. Our discussions resulted in Lisa facilitating a 4-week Poetry in Recovery Group for adults with very serious psychiatric diagnoses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Lisa has a gift of interacting with people in the most compassionate, healing and empowering manner."
Lu Mauro, M.Ed, CPRP
Director of Penn Foundation
Wellspring Clubhouse - Sellersville, PA
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TRAUMATIZED AND WAR-TORN YOUTH
"The students wrote poetry about their personal experiences with loss, with war and ethnic conflicts, with the struggles related to immigration, with brokenness in a family, and many other difficult situations. In doing so, they discovered important things about themselves - pride in their creative work, excitement about tapping into the strength of their voices, and a knack for using beautiful and powerful language. As their admiration for each others' work grew, they supported each other in writing about courage in the face of loss and a belief in change. They became a community of poets who embraced a deep vulnerability with each other and with mutual support they published their poems and took their work into public places."
Merna Hecht, IPM Poetry PartnerStories of Arrival: Youth Voices ProjectFoster High School, Seattle, WA_____________________________________________
WELLNESS SUPPORT FOR CANCER SURVIVORS
"By showing me how to express my feelings through poetry John gave me the tools I needed to heal myself. His inspiration has now led me to go beyond my own healing and to help others to successfully get through their Cancer experience. Appearances on local and Cable TV shows, Public Radio, mini-workshops, lectures to medical students about the need for Compassion in Medicine, articles in print in the Wall Street Journal, all stem from that one day workshop with John. It has literally changed my life."
Don Winslow, Cancer Survivor
The Community Wellness Center - DelmarvaSalisbury, MD
CLICK BELOW to Enjoy Don's and other IPM "Community of Poets" poems:
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SERVING THE HOMELESS
"I
am impressed with the amount of self-disclosure and honesty I heard in
these guys this morning and coming out of sincerity and not cynicism."
Lydia Bailey, Volunteer Coordinator(with Jack Shierloh, poetic medicine scribe (left) & John Fox (right)2100 Lakeside Shelter for MenCleveland, OHCLICK BELOW to learn more about the 2100 Lakeside Shelter for Men:
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SUPPORT FOR NURSES AND OTHER CAREGIVERS
 "I learned the most from you, John. Or should I say that I was inspired by you, and learned how much more I have to learn. You listen to poems better than anyone I've ever seen. There is something quite magical in your ability to be with a person and a poem at the same time. To let yourself recede and the other come forward. To respond with your heart first, and then your head. If any healing took place at the conference, I'm sure it was, in large measure, thanks to your presence and example."
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DONORS TO THE INSTITUTE FOR POETIC MEDICINE
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Friends of the Institute ($50 - $149)Elma J. Ague,
Rannie Arredondo
Sally Atkins
Silvia Austerlic
Linda Bendor
John & Val Bowman
Ann Bracken
Lynn Brown
Janet Childs
Cathy Cohen
Harold Confer
Lisa Conger
Catherine Conway
Edmund Coppinger
Elaine Dallman
Barbara Dean
Janet Dinsmore
Meredith Ditmore
Gelia & Thomas Dolcimascolo
Barbara Esrig
Lisa Friedlander
Mai Lon Gittelsohn
Chuck & Jo Ann Giza
Marion Goldstein
Jeanne Gotwald
Maria Grace
Fran Hamilton
Leona S. Hamilton
Jessica Haney
Patricia Hill
Annie Holden
Mari Hoshizaki & Pat Campbell
Mary Hower & Matthew Jacob
Bob Jacob
Royce Johnston
Ralph Kani & Karen Jackson
Michael Kearney
Phyllis Klein
Robert Krohn
Deforia Lane
Jean Leary
Carole LeBarthe
Barbara Ledig
Paula Leslie
Cheryl Levinson
Eleanor Lew
Wendy Lewis
DiVoran Lites
Barbara McEnerney
Melissa Ann Merwin
Peggy Messerschmidt
Carol Mills
Muriel A. Murch
Mary O'Donnell
Sharon Pavelda & Randall Mullins
Shelley Robinson
Shelley Rodman
Barbara Rosenaur
Bobbi Rudin
Jack Sawyer
Audrey Shafer
Sylvia Sholle
Diane Skinner
David Spritzer
Janet & Bob Steinberg
Gene Suarez
Cynthia Symancyk
Toby Symington
Nancy Symington
Mary Tatman
Kate Townsend
Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge,
Wendy Von Oech
Moira Wait
Katherine Warren
Carolyn Washington
Nancy Weiss
Jack Weller
Winslow, Don
Claire Wright
Joel Yanowitz
Paula Zimlicki
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Supporting Hands ($150-$349)
AnonymousLaurie BarkinMaureen KrieckBruce Merchant & Dee KlucowDavid MookMary Noyes Rev. Carolyn Olds-Mikels Jim Olson Eva-Maria SherKenneth & Vichitra SkinnerJoan Webster Mary Willette-Hughes____________
Heart of Community ($350 - $999)
Vera Cannon
Jim & Dorothy Fadiman
Marna Hauck
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Spirit of the Muse ($1000 +)
Anonymous
Barbara Hazard
Jypsy Joe Johnson
Konny Murray
Geoffrey Oelsner
Jack & Jane Shierloh
The Silicon Valley Foundation
The Lynn Stall Family Foundation
The Lloyd Symington Foundation
Tuthill, Tim & Linda
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The Institute for Poetic Medicine also wishes to thank those who chose to support IPM through their purchases
at iGive and Amazon.
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 The Institute for Poetic Medicine invites you to share this newsletter with family, friends and associates by clicking the "Forward e-mail" option at the end of this newsletter! |
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