To all our Friends of The Meetinghouse,
Imagine my joy when I arrive back on campus—whether from a trip or a simple run into town—and find the parking lot filled.
It thrills me to see:
- Classes in the Wellness Center expanding,
- Concerts now on the calendar each month,
- More and more people walking the wetlands paths—with and without our Environmentalist in Residence,
- Poet-Prophets emerging in response to our times,
- And The Market filled with both familiar faces and new friends.
As Brené Brown reminds us, “Belonging is an irreducible need.” Thank you for helping us co-create community in these tumultuous times. Thank you for helping us launch The Market. Because of you, The Market at The Meetinghouse is becoming what we dreamed it could be: a welcoming “third space” where neighbors gather, are nourished and restored, and are readied to go back out into the world.
Over these past months, your presence, purchases, encouragement, and generosity have helped us:
- Create a warm, hospitable place to meet friends and make new ones
- Offer good coffee and baked goods as simple gifts of care
- Begin to knit together community across ages, backgrounds, and stories
We are deeply grateful.
The next step: building the kitchen
Now we are ready for the next chapter: constructing a real kitchen so that we can:
- Prepare food fresh daily
- Offer lower prices while sustaining our operations
- Increase our profit margin to strengthen our mission
- Cater retreats and offsites as we expand our arts, community, environmental, wellness, and wisdom programming
This kitchen is not just about equipment and countertops. It’s about making The Meetinghouse more fully a commons: a place where body, mind, and spirit are nourished so our wider community can flourish.
We’re almost there.
Thanks to the generosity of several early donors, we already have $35,000 in lead gifts committed.
To complete the kitchen build-out, we now need to raise the final $15,000.
Would you consider a gift of $50, $100, $250, $500, $1000 or whatever is right for you (no gift is too small) to help us cross the finish line?
If you prefer to give by check, you can mail it to:
The Meetinghouse
602 Ridgebury Rd
Ridgefield CT, 06877
Please note “Kitchen Fund” in the check memo line.
A second way to support The Market this winter: Open a House Account
In addition to supporting the kitchen build-out, we invite you to consider opening a House Account at The Market.
- A $500 House Account helps us with cash flow through the winter months
- It also becomes a tangible way to root yourself in our shared life together
- Once your account is established, we’ll invite you to choose your mug for our Community Cupboard—your cup will be waiting for you whenever you come in
If you already have a House Account, you are invited to open a second account for a family member or friend with a $250 balance—a meaningful gift of hospitality and belonging.
Or you can open an account when you’re next in the Market. Either way, we will need you to come pick out your mug!
Every gift and every House Account—of every size—helps ensure that The Market can continue to be a place of welcome, nourishment, and renewal for our whole community.
Together, we are co-creating a place to be, belong, and become. Thank you for your presence and support.
With deep gratitude,
