M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence
2014-15 Annual Report
Welcome to the Gandhi Institute’s annual report. During
the past year we hosted over 1,000 visitors at Gandhi House
and organized trainings and dialogues off site for hundreds
of people of all ages.
Responding to requests from school partners, we worked
on a daily and weekly basis with more than 250 middle
and high school students, most of them labeled with that
troubling judgment of “at-risk.”
We created opportunities for local college students to get
involved as individuals and in groups, from internships to
a greenhouse design project to cleaning the Genesee River,
located three blocks from our site.
All of this was accomplished with a modest (under $300k)
and balanced budget and a small staff of young people
including full time staff, interns and volunteers. Our staff
members are being actively developed as leaders through
mentoring roles and trips abroad to study nonviolence.
Even more importantly, this was accomplished with a consistent focus on respect, love, choice and trust.
We are a ‘proof of concept’ project that the principles of nonviolence are consistent with and can enable
the running and growing of an effective organization. Keep reading and tell us what you think. Most of
all, thank you for your support.
In peace and hope,
Kit Miller
For the Gandhi Institute
Gandhi Institute Operating Budget 2014-2015
EXPENSES
Personnel
Rent/Office expense
Total program expenses
TOTAL EXPENSES:
254,350.00
26,850.00
48,057.00
329,257.00
INCOME
Annual Support, University of Rochester
Training/ Event Income
Material Sales
House rental income
Fundraising and grants
Paid from Reserves
TOTAL INCOME:
80,000.00
83,715.00
3,031.00
181.00
152,540.00
25,000.00
344,467.00
NET paid forward to 2015-2016
ACTUAL
15,210
Sharing Kingian Nonviolence: Interns from around the US
An Innovative Collaboration and from around the block!
The Institute continued
its commitment to
sharing nonviolence
through the lens of Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
and his extraordinary
team through our
ongoing connection
with one of those close
colleagues, Dr. Bernard
Lafayette, Jr.
Dr.
Lafayette (Doc) has
worked since the 1960s
to institutionalize the
Once again, passionate people from around the US and
the world visited and volunteered, with stays ranging in
length from days to a year.
approach and training that supported thousands of civil
rights workers.
I couldn’t imagine a better way to kick start my life
after graduating from school. The Gandhi Institute
cultivates an atmosphere of peace and empathy and
enriches the community surrounding it. During
my time as an intern, I learned some crucial life
skills. Such as, check for slugs before pulling the
weed, what a currant looks like and how to teach
nonviolence to energetic 5 and 6-year-olds who
also just learned what a currant looks like. I may be
an ocean away now, but these lessons are what will
shape my future. Thank you Gandhi Institute for a
solid foundation.
Through direct training and creating curriculum for
internationally known programs like the Alternative to
Violence Project, Doc’s work has affected the lives of
several thousands of people.
Following a training for youth here in February, 2014
hosted by the University of Rochester, Dr. Lafayette
returned to lead a five day ‘Train the Trainer’ event in
July 2014 hosted by Rochester Institute of Technology.
Forty-five youth and adults trained to lead two-hour
workshops.
Malik Thompson from Washington, DC and
Yahoda (Hoody) Miller from the Plymouth Exchange
neighborhood served as paid interns, primarily to
support school programs. Both received the extraordinary
opportunity to visit South Africa in June with Director
Kit Miller and Institute founder Arun Gandhi for two
weeks, including a visit with Archbishop Desmond Tutu!
Interns from area colleges brought joy, energy and new
ideas to us all year, including Kayla Vodacek, a 2015 RIT
graduate:
Tuition for this training was not money. Instead,
participants made a commitment to carry their learning
forward by offering at least two workshops within 60
days of completing the training. Over 500 people in the
Rochester area and beyond participated in workshops
and discussions led by participants in this week of
training.
“I learned that there are a lot of others of all ages who feel just as passionate as I and my
co-facilitators about nonviolence but don’t often get the opportunity to discuss this particular
subject or are bashed for their opinions, making them not want to speak.”
2 Lorem Sit
Month 00, 0000
Work in Schools
In 2014-2015, the Institute expanded daily schoolbased programming. Programming served youth in both
top-performing school districts such as Brighton and
Pittsford-Mendon, as well as at-risk students and schools
burdened with high poverty, suspension, and dropout
rates. Students of all demographics face challenges. The
Institute specifically partnered with schools implementing
Restorative Practices to decrease suspension rates and
facilitate healthy school climates. Using needs-centered
approaches, our curriculum facilitates experiential spaces
to build skills in responding to conflict, anger and
stress management, mindfulness, self-awareness, and selfexpression through hands-on art projects. We actively
support adults in schools both formally and informally,
recognizing the challenges they face and their ability to
affect the lives of students.
For the first time ever, Gandhi staff offered a webinar
to Los Angeles school educators on sharing nonviolence
with youth. We plan to continue these educational efforts
to support long-distance partners in nonviolence work.
Outcomes include increased skills in
handling intense emotions, empathizing, and
communicating during conflicts. According
to data from pre- and post-surveys:
* 84% of student respondents improved
their ability to empathize with others;
* 53% improved their ability to
communicate to resolve a conflict;
*41% increased their awareness of healthy
options to deal with their anger; and,
* 43% improved their ability to use
nonviolence to address a problem.
When asked, “Describe one important thing you’ve learned in this class or club?”
students responded:
How to stay calm when someone is being violent.
How to handle my anger the right way rather than getting verbal or physically angry and
aggressive with someone.
I’ve learned how to reflect more on my own and other people’s actions. I strive to walk in
a person’s shoes before judging them…the Nonviolence Club has definitely helped me
become more open minded!
One thing I learned in this Nonviolence Class is some different ways to
respond to conflict other than fighting.
Month 00, 0000 Lorem Sit 3
Gandhi House
We were delighted to share the Gandhi House
with various groups for meetings, staff retreats,
dialogues, community projects, and workshops.
University of Rochester students and staff
RIT students and staff
Veterans for Peace
Seedfolk youth program
Rochester AmeriCorps
The Leading Ladies
Male Self-Awareness Project
Leading Ladies 4-H club is an intergenerational
service learning sisterhood focusing on self
empowerment, building relationships, leadership
development, arts and culture:
Since January the Leading Ladies have been
able to meet at the Gandhi Institute. We could
not have had a better meeting location to call
our home. We meet the second Sunday of every
month in this lovely space filled with positive
energy and such devoted staff. Malik and
David (Institute Staff ) have on many occasions
delivered workshops and presentations that
assist the ladies in becoming more aware of
Gandhi’s journey and philosophy. We find this
to be a fantastic supplement to our meetings.
RCSD Education Task Force
Metro Justice
School #17 staff and students
We Are Seneca Lake
Conversations on Race Facilitation Team
Shades of Sisterhood
School #19 Freedom School
Children’s School of Rochester
Teen Empowerment
4 Lorem Sit
Month 00, 0000
The Leading Ladies designed this beautiful patchwork piece
that now decorates the Gandhi House.
Gandhi Cards
The cards include original photos from Gandhi’s
life and the Indian Independence Movement on
the front. Historical information and interactive
prompts are displayed on the back.
A student in
Shanghai helps
translate the
Gandhi cards
into Mandarin
for the iPhone
App.
In harmony with Gandhi’s principles of
supporting local economics, five thousand
Gandhi decks were manufactured this year
right here in the city of Rochester. We
printed a large number to decrease unit cost
and increase our flexibility to distribute and
sell these decks. Hundreds of decks have
been sold nationally. We have also heard they
are in use abroad in S. Africa, India, Kenya,
Brazil, Japan, and Singapore. We delight
in the creative uses people are putting these
decks to and will continue to find ways to
distribute them to teachers, leaders, students
and all lovers of nonviolence. Next year we
seek to partner with schools, especially parent
organizations, to use the decks in school
fundraisers and to support young salespeople
to learn about nonviolence.
Purchase your own deck
through our website:
www.gandhiinstitute.org
Greenhouse Plans
A terrific collaboration with students from
RIT’s Golisano Institute yielded rich meetings
with neighbors and supporters as well as a
proposed design for an off-the-grid greenhouse.
The project was part of a course for Masters
students in the School of Environmental
Architecture. The greenhouse will offer year-round
food production. Goals include: neighborhood
youth employment, education in sustainability
and systems thinking, and a source of fresh
food and seedlings for neighbors. Currently in
the preliminary discussion stage, we are seeking
funding. If you have connections to potential
funders, please let us know!
Above: An RIT student from the Golisano
Institute for Sustainablitiy presents the
proposal.
Thank You!
The Gandhi Institute extends heartfelt gratitude to all of the individuals, organizations and
foundations that have made our work possible this fiscal year (July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015).
Individuals
Sarah Gardener
Kit & Dave Miller
John & Barbara Van Kerkhove
Doug Ackley & Mary Staropoli
Michael & Donna Goldberg
Scott & Susan Miller
Laura & Richard Van Nostrand
Elizabeth Agnew
Patricia & Donald Goodman
William Monteverdi, Jr
Hubert & Lois Van Tol
Athena Angelus
Suzanne Gouvernet
James Morasco
Alison Venuti-Engels
Daniel Apfel
Joanne Guarnere
Jean Morrison
Justin Vigdor
Diana Argabrite
Jill Suzanne Gussow
Rashid & Monica Muhammad
Erik & Judy Von Bucher
Eliza Bates
Michael & Jacki Hagelberg
Elizabeth Murphy & Sara Scott
Maja Bengtson
Lawrence Hargrave & Brenda Lee
Lewis & Beth Neisner
Michael Bleeg
Amy Harned
Alan & Gail Newton
Elizabeth & Don Boice
Joyce & Robert Herman
Jason Oleshefsky
Jaqueline & John Borek
Ken Hines & Pamela O’Connor Chapman Gilad Rabinovitch
A Quieter Place
Robert Brennan
Robert Horowitz
Taylor & Mary Reed
Beausoleil Consultants
Jim Bridges
Anne Kathleen Horras
Karen Reixach
Bank of America
Margaret & David Burns
Mark Horton
Elizabeth Reynolds
Challenges for Changes
Matt Burns
Martha Howden
Dennis & Kathy Richardson
Christ Episcopal Church
Paul & Mary Allison Callaway
Sebby Wilson Jacobson
Colleen Ring
Denooyer Jaguar
Nelly Campoverde
Steve Jarose
Angela Rozeboom
First Unitarian Church
Jeanne & Philip Carlivati
Lyle Jenks
Justin Sansone
Full Measure
Glenn Cerosaletti
Anne Johnson
Peggy Savlov
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Serafina Chinappi
Lawrence Johnson
Ron & Pat Schutt
Montgomery Neighborhood Center
Helen Churko
Rebecca Johnson & William Destler
Jeff Schwartz
Plymouth Exchange Neighborhood Association
Katherine Ciesinski
Sarah Jones
Tony & Gloria Sciolino
REAL Center
Ellen Ciminelli
Thomas Joyce
Marc Scruggs
RIT Leadership Institute & Community Service Center
Jeffery & Kristen Clark
Margaret Joynt
Christina Selian & Mark Cuddy
Rochester Mennonite Fellowship
Melody Cofield
Thomas & Elisabeth Judson, Jr.
Mark & Kathy Shelly
Spiritus Christi Church
Jan Cook
Leslie Kent
Katherine Simon
St. John Fisher College
Richard J. & Carol N. Crossed
Raynard Kington
Joanna Smith
TEKE Machine Corporation
Scott Crowell
William Kinzie
Jo Anne M. Smith
Temple Sinai
Barry E Culhane
Donald Kitzel
Steven Allen Smith
United Way
Don & Patricia Cushing
Mary Kitzel
Sue Gardner Smith
Vive Restaurant
Dina D’Auito
Kendal Kuneman
David Soleil
Isobel Davies & Thatcher Lyman
Barbara Lacker-Ware
Sam Sommers
Foundations
Abigail Deacon
Judith Lardner
Renata Souza
Charles & Mary Crossed Foundation
Mark Destler
Noel Legorburu
Elaine Spaull
Fenwick Foundation
Walter Destler
Jackie Levine
Ann Stevens & William Shattuck
Glover-Crask Charitable Foundation
V. Sumati Devadutt
Jonathan Lewis
Douglas & Joanne Stewart
The Hanafin Foundation, Inc.
Julie Doescher
Sarah F. Liebschutz
Thomas Stokell
John F Wegman Fund
Jeannine Dolan & Hugh Higgins
Chris Linsner-Cartwright
Henry & Jeanne Stone
John T & Leona Skalny Fund
Sheryl Faria
Joanna Macy
Megan M. Sullivan
Liberty Mutual Foundation Match
Gail Ferraioli
Ellen Mahoney
Aiko Takemura
Network for Good
Kenneth B. & Kathryn M. Fisher
John Mancarella
James & Shirley Thompson
Rochester Area Community Foundation
Mark & Christine Fitzstevens
B.J. Mann
Sally & George Thurston
Rothenberg Family Foundation
Nancy & Rob Foster
Richard & Patricia Mannix
Judy & Donald Toyer
William McGowan Charitable Fund, Inc
Lauren Frank & Annette Miller
Sarah Martyn
Rich & Sue Towsley
Thank you to our many inkind sponsors!
Betsy Frarey
Rick Smith & Barbara McMillan
Scott Turner & Mary Worboys-Turner
Peter & Mary Beth Gamba
Carmel Merrill
Lee Twyman
We wish to express particular
gratitude to the University
of Rochester for their
foundational support each
year.
Please know that we have
made every effort to include
Robert Wayland-Smith
all information accurately.
Gwendolyn Wilson & Roger Cobbs However, if you see an error
or omission, please accept our
apologies and kindly notify
Organizations
us at (585) 463-3267.