Creating community spaces that spark joy

How these spaces are used

1.

Gathered Hearts provides inspiring and accessible spaces to host events or just enjoy.

We acquire properties and shape them into event and garden areas.

Imagine a single property with spaces for outdoor yoga, an indoor art gallery, 1:1 reiki session rooms, and rooms to craft or sit by a cozy fireplace for discussions.

These properties sit within neighborhoods and towns that welcome them. Some are small and on the edge of neighborhoods, some are larger to support towns.

2.

Hosts rent the space and offer public or private events that support healing, growth and/or celebrations.

Creators, instructors and group leaders rent spaces that suites their needs at an affordable rate.

Hosts set a ticket or session price per person that covers the cost of the event space, plus any extra that they would like to get paid for their time/services.

Public events are posted to the Gathered Hearts events calendar for anyone to purchase a ticket. Hosts are encouraged to advertise events through their own channels.

3.

Individuals and the community have a place to thrive, and access to a plethora of public and private sessions, workshops and events all at one location.

Check your local Gathered Hearts events calendar to see what’s being offered in your community, or just come for a visit to wonder the public garden space or sit in the cafe.

Profits from the event space rentals, café, gift shop go back into that property for maintenance, taxes/fees, and scholarships to provide free workshops or event space to those in need.

Who these spaces support

Vin diagram showing that if hosts, individuals and towns come together they can support each other, and Gathered Hearts is at the center.

Hosts, such as creators, instructors, or group leaders need great and affordable spaces to teach, lead, share and reach those that need them.

Individuals need support, to feel included, inspiration to grow, and fun places to gather together, connect and find joy.

Towns and communities need happy and full-filled residents, which reduces crime and violence, and someone to breathe new life in abandoned places (you know those tough properties on the edge of neighborhoods between commercial space that isn’t ideal to live next to, yet doesn’t meet large development needs? Those are perfect spots for the Gathered Hearts concept).

If we all come together, we can lift each other up.

Example Use Cases

Every community is different. You may already have fantastic options that meet your needs near you (congrats!). Here is what we’re experiencing near the pilot project in the Boston area of Massachusetts.

Book club meet-up

Current options:

  • Cram into someones home, often sitting on the floor

  • Book restaurant space, eating their food, in a restaurant atmosphere

Gathered Hearts offers gathering spaces for small and large groups. Imagine a modern, yet cozy room surrounded by comfortable couches and pillows to seat 20 people. Perhaps there is even a fireplace. If desired, food and drinks can be ordered for delivery, catered, brought in form home or purchased from the cafe.

Family reunion

Current options:

  • Book a large outdoor space or backyard and hope the weather is nice

  • Book a hotel ballroom

Gathered Hearts offers a welcoming, comfortable atmosphere to celebrate as a family, group or club. Certain locations can offer BBQ areas with outdoor seating, covered pavilions for inclement weather, and comfortable indoor gathering options. Enjoy clean restrooms, catering or food delivery options, and an atmosphere that feels more like home, but can house your very large extended family.

Wreath making craft night to raise money for a charity

Current options:

  • Clear out the garage or find space on the lawn (if the weather is nice). Then set up folding tables to work from. Likely standing unless you rent or bring-your-own chairs

Gathered Hearts offers workshop spaces with large working tables, space to set up resources, comfortable, chairs, ample lighting, microphone headsets to talk to larger groups and even a projector with an option for downward live video, so everyone in the room can see what the instructor is doing.

Career coaching

Current options:

  • Attend a virtual session

  • Meet up at a restaurant or café

  • Meet in the coaches or participants home

Gathered Hearts offers modern, comfortable and affordable spaces for 1:1 sessions. Come and enjoy a refreshing, comfortable, private space to meet in-person that encourages focus and inspiration.

A rough day escape

Current options:

  • Pop into a coffee shop, which can be a little noisy

  • Walk through your neighborhood, a local trail or public garden if you have one

  • Book a massage to unwind or head to the local mall for some retail therapy

Gathered Hearts offers a peaceful and inspirational gardens to enjoy. Explore thought-provoking sculptures and interactive art. There is plenty of seating (indoors and out) to sit and meditate in comfortable and quiet space. Grab a drink or a treat in the cafe while you’re here or pop into the gift shop to find a helpful book. See if there are any openings on the event calendar to incorporate a yoga or try a reiki session to de-stress.

How we make this work

1

Aquire land. Donations and grants fund the purchase and renovations of small and large properties that support our mission.

2

Design and build. Volunteers, members, and collaborators design and build accessible, inspiring, indoor and outdoor event spaces and supporting elements like parking, bathrooms and micro-business spaces (cafés and gift shops).

3

Launch self-sustaining micro-businesses. Long-term maintenance of the spaces, taxes, livable wages, and the ability provide scholarships and free programs require ongoing funding. We achieve this via on-site, businesses that directly support our spaces, such as:

  • Rentable in-door and outdoor spaces for events, workshops and classes

  • Small café offering healthy and delicious refreshments

  • Gift shop and book store selling items by local artists, honey from local bee keepers, wellness books, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • It is local to a majority of founding board members, which is helpful when you’ve got a small, yet mighty team trying to figure something new out.

    The pilot project will directly benefit Massachusetts residents, but what we learn and do here can affect the future of humanity everywhere. This is just the start and we are planning on expanding to neighborhoods across the United States, as well as offering free open source guides for anyone to use, anywhere.

  • Of course we can heal, grow and find joy online! What an amazing time we live in to have access to almost anything at our fingertips. However, getting out of the house/office and interacting with nature and others has benefits too. https://www.mhanational.org/connect-othersConnecting in-person adds another dimension that can highly impact our quality of life.

  • It is a big vision. It requires planning, resilience, research and leaning into others’ skills and expertise. We can’t do it alone, nor do we plan to. We’ll bring in the experts, give it a shot and learn as we go. We feel it’s worth the effort in trying.

  • Please see our dissolution plan at the bottom of our About Us page. We think you’ll be please to find that our funds and assets would be passed on to other non-profits in-need.

  • If your business is celebrating something, or sharing information that revolves around healing, personal growth or finding joy, then yes, these spaces may be rented by businesses on a first-come first serve basis.

  • Yes, if that specific property’s facilities and size support your number of attendees, it would be possible to reserve either a single event space or a majority of the property with advance notice.

Have an unanswered question?

We need your support

Help us provide our first intentional place to nourish healing, growth and joy for individuals, creators and communities.