From: ""Urban Zen" on behalf of "Urban Zen" To: "Jeffrey" <[email protected]> Subject: December Newsletter - Gift from the Heart Date: Wed, 01 Dec 2010 12:31:31 +0000 GIFT FROM THE HEART DECEMBER 2010 DONNA'S VOICE Every time I travel abroad I am immediately reminded about how important the preservation of culture is. My travels to Bali and Australia inspired me to continue Urban Zen's dedication to supporting indigenous cultures. But, no less inspiring was my return home to New York. The city twinkles and shines as the holiday season is upon us. The Storefront windows come to life with holiday scenes and Central Park sparkles in snow. Family and friends gather to celebrate and worship. The holiday season also brings the year to a close and 2010 has been extraordinary. I look back on the past twelve months and I'm amazed at the accomplishments and partnerships this year has brought to Urban Zen. The Urban Zen Foundation graduated i s first class of Urban Zen Integrative Therapists, concluded its pilot program at Beth Israel Medical Center and expanded the UZIT program to include Kent State University's nursing school to teach self-care to our future nurses. The Foundation raised more then $1,000,000 after the devastating earthquake in Haiti and provided temporary housing for more than 7,000 Haitians with its partners Mary J Blige (FFAWN), Andre Harrell and Andre Balazs with Help Hope & Relief Haiti. A few months ago, I visited the earthquake ravaged island as a member of the Clinton Global Initiative's Task Force on Haiti on a fact-finding mission to create models of sustainability for EFTA00780001