Prout Inspired Projects
These projects were founded by individuals inspired by the ideals of the Progressive Utilization Theory.
Food for All DC was established in 1984 in Washington DC in affiliation with Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team (AMURT). FFA started as a small operation providing cooked food for unhoused people across DC. In 1990, FFA transitioned to a grocery delivery program for anyone facing food insecurity.
Since FFA is specialized in home delivery, demand for our services exploded during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, every week we provide 12,000 pounds of food to 200 households and 12 partner organizations, helping more than 1,500 people.
Our story is one of building local capacities in rural Haitian communities since 2004, resulting in strong and sustainable local partnerships that are thriving today.
First founded by a small group of international and Haitian yoga practitioners in 1991, AMURT-Haiti considerably expanded its development initiatives to a growing number of rural communities. Within 5 years our programs built more than 30 village drinking and irrigation water systems, tens of miles of roads, 5 schools, 3 clinics, and hundreds of acres of watershed conservation areas.
Following an intense 2-year long child-centered humanitarian intervention responding to the January 2010 earthquake disaster, AMURT decided to narrow its programmatic focus and build local capacities, choosing to develop a specialty in the domains where the greatest needs of children and women and the potential for impact intersect. Since then its staff of 200 mostly Haitian staff is responsible for designing and managing long-term development programs with a focus on innovation in three areas – progressive education, social entrepreneurship, and environmental stewardship.
Economic Democracy Advocates was launched on January 1, 2017, to advocate for equitable and sustainable management of food, water and energy systems in the United States. They are a full-service agency providing research, education and advocacy training to link citizens with legislation and elected officials in support of economic democracy.
Kailash Ecovillage, located in SE Portland, Oregon, is an intentional community offering a model for sustainable urban living.
The housing, garden landscape, and learning space at Kailash has been fostered by the vision of Ole and Maitri Ersson, who wished to create a model of sustainability in the city.
Residents have their own private spaces but also enjoy shared activities and a sense of community. Principles of co-housing within a rental model maintain affordability and create opportunity for people looking to experience an intentional community.
Since 1974, the consumer-owned natural foods market, has provided quality whole foods to shoppers and members in Atlanta and surrounding cities throughout Georgia. The fresh market was co-founded in part by individuals inspired by Prout’s ideas of worker ownership, and the business is now owned and operated by its members.
Local Harvest was started by Steve and Ana Phillips in 2011. Local Harvest is dedicated to local sustainability for Maui County. Steve Phillips is a co-founder of Upcountry Sustainability, and founder of West Maui Sustainability and the local representative of PROUT, an organization working for local cooperative-based economies worldwide. He oversees Local Harvest operations, which includes local produce distribution to stores and restaurants, Island Fresh Delivery (delivering produce boxes to homes), the Sattvic Kitchen brand of products (mac nut spreads, salad dressings, juices, nut butters and honey), and Napili Farmers Market.
Local Harvest works with 100 Maui growers to supply more than 60 wholesale accounts (restaurants, stores, and producers) and farmers markets with fresh, local produce. The goal of Local Harvest is to build the local food supply on Maui.
Founded in 1975, Community Housing Partners (CHP) provides quality-built, responsibly managed, service-enriched homes for low-income individuals and families across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.
During Janaka Casper’s tenure with CHP, the organization’s programs and activities have expanded across seven states in the southeast to include Real Estate Development, Housing Services, and Energy Solutions. CHP has assets of over $500 million, revenue of $87 million, and a portfolio of over 100 multifamily rental communities serving the elderly, formerly homeless, and disabled persons, as well as other individuals and families of low wealth and low income.
The Resilient Communities Project is comprised of landholders in the U.S. Pacific Northwest with from 14 to 120 acres and an experienced support team with a combined skillset in organizing, permaculture, land use, architecture, natural building, communications, interpersonal relations, business, and technology. We value People care, Land care, and Fair share; love of the natural world; healthy bodies and minds; harmonious interpersonal relationships; cooperative economic democracy, and an individual or collective spiritual foundation.
To explore the possibility of joining this project contact Brad Smith:
bsmith.interplay@gmail.com (805) 705-5844