Annual Report
Chaos and violence continues at an increasing pace.
Grief is everywhere.
And yet, for a second year now, we continued to come together and to create a space to transform our grief into gratitude, through ritual, workshops, community building and capacity building.
What follows is a snapshot of the what we offered, the communities we served, and what we are planning to offer in the coming year.
Year in Review
2025 Impact Snapshot
500 people joined our grief & gratitude offerings
20+ weekly Good Mourning multimedia sessions
Two emergency-response sessions after the LA fires
Holding Solstice and Interdependence Day events
$10,000+ moved into solidarity project for Gaza
$10,000 for programs amplified by volunteer support
Testimonials
“The work of the sanctuary enabled me to better understand differences in worldviews.”
- Participant of Interdependence Day
“Participating in this ritual helped me me move from me to we. I felt I’m not alone in this hard time.”
- Participant of Solstice
“The rituals really helped me to ground and feel I can reconnect with my routines.”
- Participant from LA fires
Weekly Practice
Good Mourning Multimedia Practice
Eva Orbuch and Alison Avigayil held more than 20+ Friday morning sessions of Good Mourning, a weekly 30 minute multimedia mourning practice that helps people move through the horrors of the news with music, movement, and community. Together we DJ, dance, draw, cry and share a little bit about what it means to be moving through this challenging times together.
Workshop
The Mekonenet’s Journey - Songs for Grief and Gratitude
The Social Change Sanctuary held a Grief & Gratitude workshop at KOL Retreat: Jewish Music in the Diaspora facilitated by Alison Avigayil and Jaco Cohen. The workshop focused on the Mekonenet— sacred grief tenders of Jewish communities—and included learning of melodies, rituals, and practices for repair. Twenty participants joined and we provided a song sheet to support continued learning and practice.
Rapid Response
Vigils for LA Fires
After the LA fires, Social Change Sanctuary provided grief and gratitude workshops for the School of Wise Innovation and Jewish Voice for Peace. These sessions focused on nervous system regulation, honest witnessing, and restoring capacity—so people could keep meeting the moment without burning out or turning on each other. Special thanks to Rabbi Cat Zavis for her co-facilitation of these sessions.
Vigil
October 7th Community Vigil
The Social Change Sanctuary supported the second year of an October 7th vigil organized by SF Bay for Peace, offering witness and prayer in a time when both are contested. The vigil was held in Albany for 40 participants who came to commemorate the massacre and call for an end to the violence, war and genocide.
Interspiritual Work
Indigenous Interspiritual Work
Over the course of the year, Social Change Sanctuary supported the Sespe Bioregional Alliance, a Chumash led cultural and ecological community building project led by Debra Hopkins, Gloria Montelongo and Ma’ye’wo.
Together, with the support of Solstice Unites the group held the first solstice ceremony at Eden Forest Collective in Fillmore, CA.
The community also held several work parties to help restore native-owned land in Cuyama, CA, which is threatened by industrial agriculture.
The Social Change Sanctuary also supported a research trip for participation in Hoshana Raba Raindance in Sebastapol, CA.
Community Building
Creating New Traditions - Interdependence Day
Interdependence Day was inspired by the roots of participatory democracy—especially the governance traditions of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
In cooperation with HAPPI and Divine Mother’s Love, the Social Change Sanctuary gathered 40 people in Northern California to remember a core democratic insight: governance begins in relationship, leadership must be accountable to the people, and democracy is rooted in care—for each other and for future generations.
Mutual Aid
Supporting Educational Organization in Gaza
Over the course of the year, the Social Change Sanctuary community raised $10,000 for an educational organization in Gaza, Youth Without Borders, and their leadership. If you are interested in directly supporting Ayman Abu Rouk, the Executive Director and his family, you can make a contribution here.
Funding & Volunteer Power
In 2025, Social Change Sanctuary delivered a year of programming with a budget under $15,000—made possible through deep volunteer support, in-kind contributions, and a community that keeps showing up.
This included a generous donation of $5,000 from Solstice Unites & $5,000 from Interfaith America as an innovation fellowship awarded to Alison Avigayil Ramer.
The $10,000 raised for Youth Without Borders in Gaza was sent directly in solidarity, and not included in our operating budget.
Gratitude for Volunteers & In-Kind Support
This year was carried by volunteers—co-facilitators, musicians, outreach support, and community members who offered time, skill, and care. If you contributed your labor or resources, we are very grateful.
We are particularly grateful for the support of: Gabi Jubran, Mark Farell, Eva Orbuch, Andrew Dunn, Jaco Cohen, Ejna Jean Fleury, Rabbi Cat Zavis, Yael Levy, Debra Hopkins, Gloria Montelongo, Jon Ramer, Harry Uvegi, Krishnan Thyagarajan, Rachelle Padgett, Sara Jolena Walcott, Eden Forest Collective, Michael Gerald-Yamaskai.
Upcoming Activities 2026
Weekly 30 Minute Practice
Weekly Good Mourning: Multimedia Morning Practice
Join Eva Orbuch and Alison Avigayil Friday mornings at 8:00 AM PST for a 30 minute multimedia experience. We will listen to the news mixed with music, dance, draw and reflection together as we move through our grief.
Monthly 90 Minute Practice
Collective Mourning Salon with Guest Teachers
Join Alison Avigayil and a guest grief tender the last Sunday of every month at 9 AM PST for a 90 minute collective mourning session and to experience different grief tending practices. Come and experience the power of mourning with others — either sharing or as a witness.
Research Initiative
In 2026, we’re conducting research about grief work and develop a shared set of resources and framework for community care.
This initiative will include interviews with grief practitioners, a mapping of practices and resources, a toolkit and framework for future evaluations of grief practice.
Have someone we should interview? Is it you?
Support Our Work
Donations helps us offer space and resources to anyone in grief.
If everyone who benefited from this work in the past year, gave $50 dollars a year, or $5 per month, we would double our budget from last year and be able to provide more sustainable support.
If you are able, please consider giving a one time or ongoing contribution and make a tax-deductible donation.