In Cahoots operates on the premise that the community is richer when its members contribute by giving their time and skills in some way to help one another. In Cahoots creates new opportunities to meet community needs and looks to form partnerships with existing community organizations to enhance and extend their benefits.
By bringing people together with a common goal, In Cahoots hopes to foster a "can do" and partnership attitude that will extend into other areas. It will demonstrate the rich benefits of working together to support the varied needs of the community.
The Artistic Exchange
The model for the Artistic Exchange, like all other In Cahoots programs, is one of reciprocity: The artists give their time and talent in return for the use of studio space, equipment, and materials. They will conduct classes in their field, share their skills, and mentor participants who will gain knowledge from hands-on experiences in the creative process. Participants will also gain confidence by succeeding at something new.
In addition to conducting classes, as well as sharing their skills and experience, participating artists will be contributing members of the In Cahoots community. The environment of the Exchange is one in which the artists are encouraged to collaborate, to experiment, and to stretch their creativity. By doing so, the artists will extend and expand their ability to enrich the community.
By bringing together Monmouth County artists and interested members of the community - young children, teens, adults, senior citizens, and disadvantaged/at risk youths - in a creatively rich environment that encourages interaction, new relationships can be forged. From these relationships new patterns and new ways of being that can benefit individuals and the community at large will emerge.
The Community Garden
The Community Garden was established in conjuntion with the Parks Department of the City of Long Branch. Under the expert direction of Lisa Bagwell, an unused city plot has been turned into a bountiful garden - seeds and lumber courtesy of Long Branch. Since its development, the Seventh Avenue Garden has drawn a variety of visitors and volunteers to tend to the plantings. A second, smaller plot has been planted with potatoes that will mature in the fall. The volunteers who work in the Garden will benefit by getting some of the vegetables and herbs they have taken care of. This concept of having volunteers receive the "fruits" of their labor is at the heart of In Cahoots' mission.
The Garden, though only a few months old, has already become a magnet for children who visit to plant, help maintain the plot, and learn about how food is actually produced. The harvest is distributed on a weekly basis to senior living centers and food pantries throughout Long Branch.