On November 2, 2009, a group of more than 20 members of the Austin Shambhala Meditation Center met to receive Care Team training from the Care Communities, a local non-profit organization dedicated to providing “practical and compassionate support” for people in the Austin area suffering from HIV/AIDS and cancer.

Typical support tasks provided by a Care Team include practical tasks (housework, errands, shopping, yard work) and emotional support (companionship, conversation). The training provided much useful information about how to offer support to a Care Partner, how to listen with full presence, how to set reasonable boundaries, and how to work with and communicate with one’s Care Team to avoid burnout.

The team’s first assignment will be to care for a fellow ASMC member, but the training received last night enables team members to provide care for any Care Partner identified by the Care Communities.

If you would like to join the Care Team or receive training, please contact either:

Roger Temme
Outreach Coordinator
Care Communities
roger@thecarecommunities.org

or

Melinda Rothouse
Austin Shambhala Center Care Team Coordinator
austinshambhala@gmail.com

Austin sangha member Brennan McDonald recently spearheaded an effort to gather blankets, coats, and other warm clothing to donate to the estimated 4000 homeless persons who sleep outside on our cold winter streets. Her efforts were extremely successful, with coats and blankets piling up quickly at the Austin Shambhala Center in a matter of days.

On January 12, Brennan delivered 21 blankets, 11 coats/jackets and several stocking caps to ARCH, the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless. ARCH is a downtown facility that provides an overnight shelter, day resource center, and health clinic for homeless persons. ARCH is operated by Front Steps, an Austin organization dedicated to the belief “that all people deserve the dignity of a safe place to call home”. (http://www.frontsteps.org/)