Building Bridges Capital Campaign

For Our New Center

Message from IDP Executive Director Patrick Groneman - 12/31/2011

Progress Update

We have currently funded 1,611 of the 2,500 square feet we need to open our new community center. 224 People have donated, or committed to donating to the campaign.

Get Involved

Click here to make a contribution.

If you donate $36 or more to the campaign, you can choose to receieve a FREE IDP ecobags tote. Designed by Seth Freedman.

Connect Your Family and Friends to the Campaign. We've put together an e-mail template to help you reach out to those who can help make the vision for a new space a reality. You can get the template here, and begin e-mailing folks today.

You can keep track of who you are donating to by downloading this pledge sheet.

Help us build the core of the community by becoming an IDP Member. You'll receive discounts on classes, and merchandise. Click here to sign-up.

Tell everyone you know how important the IDP is to you, and why you think it's important for the world. You can write a journal on the IDP Website, or link them to our website, facebook page, or twitter feed

You can also send folks this short video, which explains the basic mission of the IDP, and why a new space is so dearly needed.

Our Vision

We’ve loved calling the Lila Center our home for the past three years, but as we approach the end of 2011, it’s become clear that the opportunity for the IDP to continue to grow energetically also comes with the need for the IDP to physically grow into its own community center. We sometimes use the metaphor that the IDP is about “building bridges” between studying secular Buddhism and applying mindfulness to all aspects of modern life. It's about bridging the gap between changing your own mind and changing the world. In 2012, we’ll be building a physical bridge as well, between our current temporary home and our new center in downtown Manhattan. And so we are officially announcing our "Building Bridges" capital campaign.

What Can I Give, What Can I Get?
December 2010 - Dec 2011

Donate or Pledge:

Floorboard: $36 = 1 square foot for the year
Brick: $108 = 3 square feet, plus it’s auspicious!
Mortar: $216 = 6 square feet, space for one new meditator!
Foundation: $540 = 15 square feet, space for one office workstation - Match Ethan!
Cornerstone: $1080 = 30 square feet, super auspicious!

Each year since we began just a little over three years ago, the Interdependence Project has grown not only in terms of the meditation, Buddhist psychology, arts, and activism programming we offer, but also in terms of sheer numbers of members both in New York City and all around the world. With more than two hundred monthly local members, dozens of Global members, hundreds more drop-in visitors, and thousands of people worldwide listening to our podcasts or taking our online courses, we’ve reached critical mass.

Benefits of the New Space

Handicap Access. Right now, IDP's programming is only available after a long walk up two flights of a stair case, prohibiting handicapped and disabled participants from joining our programming.

(IDP Staircase)
Dedicated space that can be used for IDP classes all day. This will allow more offerings at more times of the day, which will mean more convenient times for the everyone.
Dedicated Office and Meeting Space. Currently our staff - Ethan, Patrick, Nadxi and Lani - must build and breakdown their office each day. A dedicated office and meeting space is a dire need so that they can focus on the important work of maintaining and expanding the IDP. Having a dedicated office space will save them each approximately two and a half hours of work time every week.

(IDP Office Station - January 2011)
More Drop in Meditation. With a 24/7 space, our drop in community meditation offerings can increase so that you can always find a convenient time to stop by and get your practice on.
Better Home Study options. It’s very difficult to set up and break down proper audio and video equipment in our current space. Our new space will be wired for Web 2.0 so that we can interact more clearly with our members outside of NYC.
Retail Space. Our new home includes space for selling books, zafus, and other basics for meditators.

Yoga and movement classes for the IDP community. Ethan and Patrick have frequently been asked about allowing yoga to be offered at the IDP by yoga teachers from our community. With a new space, this will become a reality.

Expanded Buddhist Studies offerings. Ethan has plans for many more Buddhist studies courses, and with a dedicated space we can increase the depth and breadth of what you can learn at the IDP.

More comfortable space. With our own space, we’ll be able to design it with our community in mind - everything from color choice to atmosphere will be designed for us, by us...

Improved Podcast Recordings. Thousands of people each week download our podcasts. Our new space will be designed with this in mind, wired from the beginning for recording the podcast more clearly from both the teacher and the community.

More Arts and Activism. Our new space will be able to be used for expanding our arts and activism offerings. With a real home, these programs will finally be able to take root and grow..

Facilitator Training. One of our other goals for 2011 is the launch of our facilitator training program. Having our own space means that this program can be more fully realized.

Training for Satellite Groups. There is interest from IDP members in cities all over the USA in starting local chapters. Our own space means that we can run training conferences for these people to go back to their hometowns and start a local IDP.

Building Connections to Other Organizations. Many NYC groups have already expressed interest in renting space from us. From neo-Natal yoga to other Buddhist organizations, our new home will become a hub of interconnected activity for like-minded people.

But most importantly, Building Bridges is about building a bridge between the intimate origins of the IDP and the next phase of the organization’s growth, while deepening a personal connection to you and every other member of the community. Everything about the IDP has grown but our space, and so we're calling on every member and friend of the IDP to help take us to the next level.

Get Involved Now and Help Us Invest in the Future of Our Community

Click here to make a contribution.

You can keep track of who you are donating to by downloading this pledge sheet.

Help us build the core of the community by becoming an IDP Member. You'll receive discounts on classes, and merchandise. Click here to sign-up.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Thank you in advance for your support and for being part of this incredible community.