Mike Feuer’s Open House

Alternative Funding

Thursday, April 19, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Assembly Member Mike Feuer’s Open House
Westwood Branch Public Library, 1246 Glendon Ave., Los Angeles
Parking:  FREE parking available onsite.
RSVP/Questions:  You do not need to RSVP to come to this FREE event


Activities:  There will be a special interactive transportation planning activity for kids, teens and adults!  Additionally, your donations of new or gently used children’s books will benefit BookEnds’ project to fill libraries in elementary schools and youth organizations.  There will be light refreshments provided by local restaurants.

Access to Capital Small Business Workshop

Mike participated on a panel in the Access to Capital workshop.

Earlier this month approximately fifty small business owners attended a workshop on how small business owners can gain access to capital.  The event, sponsored by my office and the Valley Economic Development Center (VEDC), provided small business owners an overview of funding options available through the VEDC and California Capital Access Program (CalCAP).  VEDC is the largest small business development non-profit organization in Los Angeles, serving more than 6,000 businesses yearly with financing, training and direct business assistance. 

Contact me for details of the Access to Capital information.

Ingrid Cheng

Empowering women

http://fit-twist.blogspot.com

Green Message

Change

"Green Messaging: How to Change Consumer Behavior" Awards Luncheon on May 2nd. The Sustainable Quality Awards (SQA) were created in 1995 to honor businesses in  Santa Monica that have made significant achievements in the areas of sustainable economic development, social responsibility and stewardship of the natural environment.

The Environmental Media Association (EMA) is partnering with this year's Sustainable Quality Awards to highlight the power of the entertainment industry and the media to educate the public on environmental issues, as well as to motivate others to embrace a sustainable lifestyle.

"This is an exciting time for the entertainment industry as many leading companies such as Yahoo, and MTV Networks understand the importance of incorporating sustainability into their everyday operations, as well as into their media outreach,"says Laurel Rosen, President of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. 

Sarah Backhouse, TV host, speaker and sustainability expert, will emcee the event as well as moderate a panel composed of former SQA winners, and EMA's president, Debbie Levin.

By recognizing local businesses that have thrived through the adoption of more sustainable practices, the Sustainable Quality Awards hope to inspire other companies and individuals to adopt their own environmental measures to help conserve our natural resources.The Sustainable Quality Awards Grand Prize is awarded for combined excellence in three areas: economic development, social responsibility, and stewardship of the
natural environment. In addition, excellence awards will be awarded to businesses with outstanding achievements in any one of the three areas. Judging will take place at the end of March. SQA winners will be announced in early April, and recognized at an awards luncheon held at the Sheraton Santa Monica on May 2, 2012.

Pre-paid tickets are $55 for Chamber members and $60 for non-members until April  24th. Please reserve tickets by calling             310.393.9825      .  Tickets can also be purchased at smchamber.com/SQA

Ingrid Cheng
Writer, Health Advocate
http://fit-twist.blogspot.com

Make Good

Community Event

A Celebration of Empowerment

Food, Drink and World Music to Benefit Whole Planet Foundation

Saturday, March 31st | 5 pm-8 pm

Barcode Studio (Helms Bakery Building) | 8735 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA

$20 presale | $25 at the door | 21 & over only

For more information and to get tickets, please visit http://makegoodlosangeles.eventbrite.com.

Celebrate Whole Planet Foundation's Annual Prosperity Campaign with food, drink and world music. Help support their mission of alleviating poverty through micro loans in communities worldwide that supply Whole Foods Market stores with products.

The cost of each ticket includes Indian street food, local oysters, French macaroons, gourmet ice-cream treats and more. To pair with each food item, there will be both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages available for guests, including an assortment of beer, wine and sake.

While guests take a tasty trip around the world, they can also jam to beats played by a few of Los Angeles' finest entertainers, including Tom Schnabel and Garth Trinidad, a producer and deejay for KCRW.

Whole Planet Foundation is a Whole Foods Market foundation that funds poverty alleviation worldwide where the company sources products. The nonprofit's mission is to empower the poor living in developing-world communities with micro-credit and the chance to create or expand a home-based business and lift themselves and their families out of poverty. http://www.wholeplanetfoundation.org

Ingrid Cheng

Writer, Health Advocate

http://fit-twist.blogspot.com

Edible Garden

Edible Plants

The Office of Mayor Villaraigosa and the Los Angeles Food Policy Council are sponsoring a city-wide Good Food Day! Join the Brentwood/Palisades Community at the "Edible Garden"

Who:    Everyone of all ages invited

What:   Learn to garden and enhance Brentwood's Paul Revere's Middle School "Edible Garden"

When:  Saturday, March 31   9AM-Noon

Where: Paul Rever Middle School - 1450 Allenford Ave, LA 90049

Why:    City-wide "Good Food Day of Service"

After a welcome by Revere's Agriculture teacher Carrie Robertson, local Master Gardener Nancy Cipes will discuss aspects of growing your own edible garden including plant selection, soil, fertilizing and pest control. Afterwards, volunteers will break into groups to clear, amend and plant the vegetable beds and to weed the vineyard.

Volunteers will receive seedlings and seeds and instructions for growing food in containers. Please join in beautifying the one-acre Paul Revere Middle School Farm. For further information contact            310-459-1614       or info (at) palisadescares.org. Volunteers are asked to bring a reusable water bottle. Light refreshments will be served. Thanks to the following donors to the event: Whole Foods:Brentwood, Robek's, Agromin, and Home Depot. The Revere event is coordinated by Revere teacher, Carrie Robertson, PRIDE Co-president Bonnie Rejaei and Marie Steckmest of Palisades Cares.

Ingrid Cheng

Writer, Health Advocate

http://fit-twist.blogspot.com 

Community

e-Book

Airport community discussion group tomorrow, March 24, at 10 a.m.  This meeting is taking place at the 2^nd floor conference room in the Airport Administration Building.  The address is 3223 Donald Douglas Loop South in Santa Monica.  This is the two-story building behind the Airport Park and next to the Typhoon restaurant.

3/25 Free to Breathe Yoga Fundraiser for lung cancer. http://participate.freetobreathe.org/goto/fitnesswla

3/30 Vision & Goals Part 2 at Lululemon Brentwood, 8-10 pm RSVP to Kelsey at 310-442-3605 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            310-442-3605      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

3/31 Good Food Fest! http://www.goodfoodla.org

4/4 Sustainable Biz Networking at Pepperdine West LA, Howard Hughes Center 6100 Center Dr. 6-10 pm

4/8 The Wake Up Tour meditation at UCLA 10 am – 4 pm

4/10 Green Biz Networking at CODA, Westfield Century City 6-9 pm

4/11 Green Food Demo at Santa Monica Farmer's Market 9-11:30 am 

4/14 Spring Fashion Show by the Culver City Woman’s Club 11 am – 2 pm. Lunch, fashion, door prizes, raffles and more! $40/ person – funds go to scholarships for students, Meals on Wheels, etc. 

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, April 15 - 21, 2012, Volunteer Los Angeles is holding a series of free Volunteer Management Trainings sessions. As non-profits and public agencies in Los Angeles cope with the ongoing effects of economic hardship, they need to generate creative solutions to deliver services, including establishing new partnerships and more strategic ways to engage volunteers. Volunteer Los Angeles's series of trainings for non-profits and public agencies will help them learn how to strategically engage volunteers for maximum impact. All sessions are 10:00 am to 12:00 pm or 1:00 to 3:00 pm. For more information, call Rafael Castellanos at (323) 450-5053 or email  rcastellanos (at) volunteerlosangeles.org, or Pedro Barrientos at (323) 450-5087 or email pbarrientos (at) volunteerlosangeles.org. 


Ingrid Cheng
http://ingridcheng.com 

http://fit-twist.blogspot.com 

Call to Action

Advocacy

District 11: Bill Rosendahl, City Council

District 3: Zev Yaroslavsky, County Supervisor

District 28: Ted Lieu, State Senate

District 42: Mike Feuer, State Assembly

District 30: Henry Waxman, US Congress If you want to make a difference, contact your local representatives. Introduce yourself with a planned agenda. Say "Hi, my name is ___________. I'm with ____________(e.g. Brentwood Community Council) We represent _______(number of people). I want you to support or oppose _________."  The Brentwood Community Council is the broadest based Brentwood community organization, representing approximately 50,000 stakeholders of the 90049 community, including homeowner associations, multi-family residential dwellers, business organizations, schools, etc. Board Meetings occur on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm at the Kaufman Brentwood Branch Library – 11820 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, 90049. Get more information on our Board Meetings including a map.  http://www.brentwoodcommunitycouncil.org  Ingrid Cheng Writer, Activist http://fit-twist.blogspot.com

2.7 Million Are Uninsured!

Free health clinic at Westside Family Health Center (WFHC), 1711 Ocean Park Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405

4/5 Mammograms at WFHC
4/7 Saturday Diabetes Class (English) at WFHC from 1-2 p.m.

4/7 Saturday Diabetes Class (Spanish) at WFHC from 2-3 p.m.  

e-News

WFHC Mobile Medical Unit

Programs:

·         Community Outreach & Education (All)

·         Family Practice (Women, Men)

·         Prenatal (Women)

·         Pediatrics (ages 0-18 years)

·         Reproductive Health Services (Women, Men, Teens)

For 37 years WFHC have been an integral part of the Westside community, serving low-income men, women, children, and the uninsured population. Last year WFHC saw 9,202 patients in 29,601 visits. Calling all volunteers! The Development Department needs volunteers. Be trained to raise money from your friends, family and professional connections on behalf of WFHC. Past development experience helpful. Minimum commitment is six months. The Women’s Health Care Project (WHCP) began in 1974 as part of a larger social justice movement in Santa Monica, California. WHCP helped women learn more about their bodies and their health, share experiences and be empowered with knowledge. What is now Westside Family Health Center expanded to include prenatal care, pediatric services, adolescent health care and a family practice program that includes a strong healthy aging part. http://wfhcenter.org 

P.S. 3/25 Free to Breathe Yoga Fundraiser for lung cancer. Donate at: http://participate.freetobreathe.org/goto/fitnesswla 

Ingrid Cheng

Writer, Health Advocate

http://fit-twist.blogspot.com 

Deal of the Week!

Are you too busy to go to the gym or a yoga class? Try this exercise at home - Engage your core or stomach muscles and use the Back Flex to ensure good posture. Inhale, lift your right leg with knee bent to about 90 degrees. Exhale, lower it to the floor. Switch side. Do this for 15 minutes at home or outside. I recommend varying your physical activities to make exercise fun and move around for 30-60 minutes a day. Go for a walk, take a mini break to stretch and remember to breathe fully. Exercise increases blood flow, burns calories or fat, improves circulation and promotes your well-being.


Yoga changed my life. That's why I joined Free to Breath yoga fundraiser for lung cancer on March 25! Please donate at: http://participate.freetobreathe.org/goto/fitnesswla


I am partnering with Hanna Kim at Sae Arc to cross-market our businesses. I blog about healthy living. My mission is to be a health/ wellness referral service and resource for L.A. County. Did you know that the wooden pillow was used over 2,000 years ago to relieve migraines and bring back the natural curve of the spines in Asia? http://www.saearc.com/#/information

3 for 1 Special at $40 off! http://saearc.com 
Sae Arc hand-crafted products are highly recommended by acupuncturists, chiropractors, doctors and customers. Made in U.S.A with a 30-day money back guarantee.
http://saearc.com/#/testimonials 


Ingrid Cheng
Writer, Health Advocate
http://fit-twist.blogspot.com 
http://fitnesswla.wordpress.com