Annual Report 2003

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Outreach
• Future
• Finances
• Honorary Board of Directors

Annual Report for 2003

Introduction

Alternatives was founded in 1973 as a protest against the commercialization of Christmas.

Up till August, 1995, the organization produced:

• The Alternatives Quarterly (10 years)
• Best and Worst Christmas Gift Contest
• Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway? booklet for families (10 years)
• Christmas Campaign for Congregations (packet for church leaders) (10 years)
• Lent/Easter packets (5 years)
• Alternate Celebrations Catalogs (6 editions)
• Various titles: "Voluntary Simplicity," "Simply Delicious: Quantity Cooking for Churches," "Those Who Speak for God." "Guide to World Hunger Organizations" (with Seeds Magazine), "Shalom Connections" and "Wedding Alternatives"
• Book Service Catalog
• A series of Bulletin Inserts for holidays and special occasions
• Three videos: "Alexander Scrooge," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Break Forth into Joy!"

Also, the organization:

• bought an old general store and moved to Ellenwood, Georgia
• established a membership plan and member newsletter

Since moving Alternatives from Georgia, to Sioux City, Iowa, in August, 1995, the new staff:

• Published three titles of reissued material with WoodLake Books: "Treasury of Celebrations," "Alternative Wedding Book" and "Simplify & Celebrate"
• Established a local corps of volunteers, a national Speakers Bureau (SLOw Down Network), and a national Support Service (ASSIST)
• Established an extensive web site: www.SimpleLiving.org
• Opened the Corner Store and Reading Room, and cataloged and organized an expanding library of over 3000 volumes
• Produced and marketed "Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?" in some 25 customized versions annually, including the Advent-Christmas calendar bulletin insert. Over two million copies have been circulated!
• Produced a Spanish version called "Adviento" annually since 1997
• Produced a 40-Day Lenten Guide in English annually and in Spanish (four years)
• Re-issued from other publishers' "Leader's Guide to 'Unplug the Christmas Machine' Workshop" and an updated edition of "Living More with Less Study Action Guide"
• Repackaged and marketed past resources, such as "The Christmas Game," "Christmas Campaign Kit" and "Who's Risen from the Dead, Anyway?"
• Produced many new titles: "Stories and Songs of Simple Living" book, cassette and CD; "Simple Living Calendar for Any Year," "Sing Justice! Do Justice!" "Simple  Living 101: Toolbook for Activists," "Carols with Justice," "Spirit of Simplicity: Quotes & Art" - CD ROM and loose-leaf collection on voluntary simplicity and global justice; and a CD-ROM, "Simply the Best: 30 Years of Alternatives," that included the bulk of our work to date

•In 2003, we produced:

• Version 2 of "Simply the Best" CD-ROM
• An upgraded "Christmas Campaign Kit," included an audio CD of "Whose Birthday," an Advent journal, the Gratitude Card and a Christmas Pageant based on "Carols with Justice"
• "Spirit of Simplicity" greeting cards and guided journal
• "The Vision of Simpler Living," our two videos on DVD
• "Living Simply and Loving It!" audio CD, which compliments "Simple Living 101"
• "Unplug the Christmas Machine" Worshop-on-a-CD (audio)
• Expanded Trade Book titles and sales, introducing more videos, magazines and sidelines, such as bumper stickers, greeting cards, and Fair Trade items from Developing Countries

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OUTREACH

We produce a quarterly Resource Guide, a regional newsletter: "Living More Simply" and a member/volunteer "Update" newsletter. We issue about a dozen national media releases per year and a free weekly email newsletter for over 7000 subscribers. We maintain an extensive, growing web site archive that can be used for personal inspiration and by editors, including "Alternatives' Reader" e-zine.

Our national Speakers Bureau called the SLOw Down Network has over 800 volunteers who are Speakers, Workshop Leaders, Alternative Event Organizers and Simplicity Circle/Discussion Group Consultants.

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FUTURE

In spring, 2004, we will move into The Earth Dome - our headquarters and environmental demonstration project in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.

In 2004 we plan to issue a "gift" version of our annual Advent booklet for families "Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?"

To conserve natural resources and to utilize North Americans' changing learning styles, we use more CDs and DVDs and no more audio or video tape. Also, we plan more web-based services and resources with briefer messages.

In the next five years we plan to issue:

• "Whose Birthday?" audio CD for customers and religious radio stations
• Updated versions of CD-ROM, "Simply the Best"
• Web-based audio service
• "The Anytime Game" (modeled after the popular "The Christmas Game")
• "Simple Choices" (adult game).

      Other resources being considered are:

• Vacation Bible School curriculum
• Worship Alternatives CD ROM and packet
• Funeral Alternatives
• Alternate Celebrations (8th ed.)

Goals for our 30th anniversary celebration, March, 2003-2004, include:

• establishing a planned giving fund
• establishing an Honorary Board of Directors (see below)

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FINANCES

As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, we receive income from grants, memberships, donations and sale of resources. Since this is a mission-driven rather than profit-driven organization, surplus income goes into projects to advance the mission.

Alternatives is operated by a small, committed staff. Our whole operation is lean and frugal. We practice as fully as possible the message we espouse every day.

If you would like to read our business and privacy policies, visit http://www.SimpleLiving.org/main/Policies.php

If you are in a position to help us reach some of our goals, please be in touch.

Thank you for your interest and support.

Gerald Iversen, National Coordinator

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Honorary Board of Directors

David Beckman
President, Bread for the World

Walter Brueggemann
Professor, Columbia Theological Seminary

Tony Campolo
author, speaker, educator
Eastern University

Millard Fuller
Founder & President,
Habitat For Humanity International

Alisa Gravitz
Executive Director
Co-op America (publisher of The National Green Pages)

John McConnell, founder of Earthday

Vicki Robin
author of Your Money or Your Life; Convenor of The Simplicity Forum

Ronald J Sider
President: Evangelicals For Social Action

Betsy Taylor
Executive Director Center for a New American Dream

Jim Wallis
Executive Director
Sojourners Magazine; Convener, Call to Renewal

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	This page last updated 15 February 2013 (20 November 2004)

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