Hi friends 🌱

It’s my birthday — and this year, all I want is mushrooms.

But not for me. For an incredible group of people in Uganda to be able to grow more mushrooms.

I’m asking for donations of mycology supplies or funds for the Hodari Foundation. They are a phenomenal refugee-led nonprofit who help people with refugee status, and their local host community, to grow mushrooms as a way to build self-sufficiency, food security, and regenerative livelihoods.

Learn more about them at www.hodarifoundation.org

Full disclosure: I currently serve as Hodari’s Board Vice Chair in a pro bono advisory role. In early November, I’ll be travelling to Kyaka II Refugee Settlement in Uganda to celebrate Hodari’s 5th birthday 🎉 and to work with my colleagues to help evolve their funding strategy.

So...I want my suitcase full of mycology supplies.

I'm gathering mycology supplies from the London mushroom communities, such as oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) liquid culture, petri dishes and grow bags.

Here on Metalabel, proceeds from this birthday card will help us procure more supplies.

To support, please buy a birthday card. Pay as much as you like - every $5 goes a long way in Ugandan Shillings.

WHY MUSHROOMS?

Mushrooms work very well in the context of a refugee settlement. Hodari Foundation teaches people with refugee status how to grow, harvest, and sell mushrooms — even turning them into products like mushroom flour, porridge, coffee, juice and skincare. It’s a brilliant, sustainable and community-led initiative.

But right now, global aid funding cuts are making it harder for organisations like Hodari to remain resilient.

If you're curious to learn more about this, I wrote about in a Substack some time ago: https://sporesight.substack.com/p/reimagining-desirable-living

This is an urgent appeal. We need to secure supplies by the end of October before my trip (at which point this release will end).

So, for my birthday and for Hodari’s 5th, help me fill my suitcase with spores of hope 💚🍄

Yours in spores,

Jess Jorgensen Founder of Sporesight