Copper Beech Institute

Copper Beech Institute is a community dedicated to mindfulness practice, compasionate action, and social justice in our interconnected world. We believe that the pursuit of justice and the practice of contemplation are intrinsically linked journeys that contribute to the liberation of all beings. To this end, we seek to dismantle systems of oppression and to further healing and justice within and beyond our walls. We recognize that as a result of historically and intentionally constructed systems, many groups, specifically Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), have been excluded from various spaces, including mindfulness and meditation communities. As a community that values awareness, connection, transformation, open-heartedness, and compassionate action above all else, we strive to cultivate an environment where healing and justice is possible for all. Collaboration with communities most impacted by trauma, poverty, and oppression is at the heart of our work.We have served over 50,000 people from 50 countries around the world with our 100+ annual programs, including free, twice-daily meditation sessions, our monthly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Meditation group, our Recovery Dharma group for folks struggling with addiction, and through our Community Collaborationa and Resilience Exchange (CARE). Through CARE, we have supported 8,000 of our community members who are veterans, incarcerated folks, people dealing with homelessness, and those struggling with mental health challenges and addiction. We believe access to mindfulness and resilience practices is a human right.With guidance from our Healing & Justice Collaborative (HJC), a women-of-color led consultative committee, we enact the goals laid out in our Healing & Justice Accountability Plan. Developed in collaboration with the HJC and two DEI experts, this plan articulates goals at all levels of our organization, from budget, operations, and hiring to progamming, marketing, fundraising, grant-making and to goals for our Board of Directors.This year, we were selected to partner with the United Way of Greater Waterbury to offer Mindfulness programming to youth of the Greater Waterbury area. This includes the towns of Bethlehem, Cheshire, Middlebury, Prospect, Southbury, Thomaston, Watertown, Wolcott and Waterbury, Connecticut. Between January 2023 June 2023, we provided 67 student sessions reaching over 1,350 youth and 15 staff sessions working with over 150 staff members. While working with the students and staff, we have been able to support social, emotional learning which is so important during this time. .Program expenses totaled $602,158.