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HERBALISTA HEALTH NETWORK

2016 Service Report

Building Community Through Herbalism!  

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This past year Herbalista continued our mission of building community through herbalism by offering clinical support and educational opportunities.   We expanded our reach, offering care not only in Atlanta, but around the country and the world.

Members of  Herbalista outside the Open Door Community From L to R: Courtney, Corinne, Lorna, Chelsea, and Hannah

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Our mobile clinics facilitated a total of 38 clinics and 10 health fairs in 2016.  We worked with hundreds of folks, providing holistic care to those who need it most.

Rain or shine, the Cart makes its rounds.

List of Clinics:

16 Herb Cart Clinics

  • Woodruff Park (5)
  • The Open Door Community (1)
  • The Big House on Ponce (10)

17 Herb Bus Clinics

  • The Big House on Ponce (10)
  • The Open Door Community (7)

5 First Aid Stations

  • The Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference First Aid Station
  • The “Jungle” Refugee Camp in Calais, France (2 trips)
  • Herbal First Aid Station at Standing Rock, South Dakota
  • The Home Sweet Home Foot Care and Wellness Station in Dublin, Ireland

10 Community Health Fairs

  • The Big House on Ponce (10)

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The Herbalista Health Network continued to provide educational programming and facilitated 3 Plant Rambles, 3 Grow a Row Workshops, 5 Pay-It-Forward Medicine Making Workshops, 10 educational series at the Herbalista Community Health Fairs, and 2 Herb Cart Weekend Trainings.

Plant Ramble in Kirkwood Forest on August 28, 2016. Atlanta, Ga

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Herbalista began to offer services abroad with Lorna traveling to Europe to both teach and serve.   In the summer of 2016, Lorna spent two months in Ireland, England, and France.

She taught the Herbalista model of community health care at both the HerbFeast Conference in Ireland and the Radical Herbalism Gathering in England.

Radical Herbalism Gathering 2016. Shropshire, UK.

Lorna also made 2 trips to the “Jungle” Refugee Camp in Calais, France, offering holistic foot care at an integrative First Aid Station in the heart of the camp.

Refugee First Aid and Foot Care Support Station. Calais, France. June 8, 2016

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Back in the States, Herbalista again facilitated the First Aid Station at the Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference.  This gathering is the largest herbal conference in the United States, with over 1200 women and children in attendance.  Our first aid station is an integrative clinic, staffed by both herbalists and EMT’s.

Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference First Aid Station Crew. Lake Eden, NC. October 16, 2016.

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In November of 2016, The Herb Bus drove out to the Standing Rock Reservation to offer relief work at the Oceti Sakowin Herbal First Aid Station.  Due to religious and social observances, they had a strong no alcohol policy and we were able to bring lots of non-alcoholic remedies, such as glycerites, capsules, and vinegar extracts to share at the clinic.

Standing Rock Wellness Area. Oceti Sakowin Camp, South Dakota. November 18, 2016.

Screen Shot 2013-05-13 at 8.00.20 PMIn December, Lorna traveled back to Europe to continue assisting in the development of community herbal programming.

She taught an foot care workshop in London to the Herbalists without Borders UK Chapter.

Herbalists without Borders UK Foot Care Workshop London, England December 2016

We also began planting the seeds for a new community initiative in Dublin.  On December 18th, we staged HerbShare Dublin: a Pay-It-Forward Medicine Making Workshop to prepare supportive remedies to distribute to the Homeless in Dublin to help them get through the winter months.

Medicines made at the Pay-It-Forward Medicine Making Workshop. December 18, 2016. Dublin, Ireland.

The night before our workshop, a campaign called “Home Sweet Home” to end homelessness was initiated by local housing activists and artists.  They set up  a new shelter in the Apollo House to provide a safe place for those who had been sleeping rough on the streets for the holiday season.  Lorna helped form the wellness committee which established rotating practitioners offering massage, physical therapy, herbal support, and foot care for both residents and volunteer staff.  We were able to distribute much of our medicine via the Home Sweet Home Campaign!

Foot Care Station at the Apollo House. December 22, 2016. Dublin, Ireland

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We felt so fortunate for all of the inspiring people we met along our journey this past year!  Here are a few of the great folks who dedicate their lives to building a more compassionate and caring world!

Sister Mary who offers a free foot care clinic for the homeless at the Capuchin Day Shelter in Dublin, Ireland.
All of the health care workers and activists at Standing Rock!
Nurse Cecilia Ibeabuchi of St. Francis House, who provides foot care as a part of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program.
Maggie O’Keeffe, Herbalista and Housing Justice Activist at a Resource Station outside of the GPO in Dublin, Ireland.

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Thanks to all of our supporters, sponsors, and volunteers who make this work possible!

We look forward to building a healthier future together!

~The Herbalista Crew