Community Fund
The Lichen Community Fund provides financial support to practitioners and small businesses providing services to the community, often under great financial stress due to our current economic and political climate. While they seldom get enough credit, it is often the land and animals around us that hold both healers and their clients. As such, funds can be used to protect, cultivate and support the land, flora, fauna, elements and natural resources stewarded by practitioners focused on community health. Weaving pooled resources into a collaborative network empowers the scaled implementation of Holistic Healing Centers plugged into a network that integrates the best of western medical science with the plant, animal and elemental medicines in community; for community, by community.*
Environmental Restoration
Repairing damage and protecting natural ecosystems is the foundation for social and individual healing. From the antidepressant effects of putting your hands in the soil,* to the measurable nervous system benefits of Equine Therapy,* to the direct relationship between temperature rise and interpersonal violence in cities;* we must prioritize and protect the elements, flora and fauna of the land heals, sustains and regulates us.
Community Reparations
50% of applicable funds raised to support populations of privilege are redistributed to environmental, social and individual healing efforts in underprivileged communities. This ensures that diversity, equity and autonomy are operationalized from day one, not just once lucrative initiatives in high income areas become profitable. In addition, profits from high income centers flow directly in to subsidizing facilities in lower income communities, allowing High SES/Low SES dyads to ensure the equitable and sustainable expansion of the Lichen Network. Because health is balance, operationalizing social justice into our model from day one is a strategic healing initiative.
Individual Autonomy
Participation in any relationship should be fully voluntary and devoid of power differentials and control. Gifts delivered to small businesses and sole proprietorships within the network are fully transparent and do not have any strings attached. The goal of the community trust is to protect value aligned individuals and organizations who often sacrifice their own personal balance and wellbeing to ensure that they can continue to support they communities they serve.
