Today we live in a country where it is easy to eat less than optimal food. As college students it makes a huge difference when you eat good healthy food that will fuel you through the all-nighter to study for that final tomorrow as opposed to junky food that makes you feel tired and inattentive! Food affects our bodies as well as our earth so its important to take the time to realize how the food you eat impacts you as well as the world economically, socially, and environmentally. Chef Rod Rotandi, the owner and creator of Leaf Organics, makes it easier for everybody to eat healthy food...on the go!!
At Leaf I had coconut cream cheese, falafel, and chocolate pudding. At first I was hesitant and curious about what the food would taste like and look like with such limitations in the kitchen; raw, vegan, and organic? I honestly thought I would receive a boring plate of veggies. But, from my experience, once you try it, there is no going back! After trying Chef Rod’s amazing recipes I cannot explain how excited I was to hear that you can find Leaf Organics at Whole Foods and that its popularity has also spread to Northern California! (He'll be debuting his new product line of raw vegan organic foods soon.)


Currently the Leaf Organics product line that you find at Whole Foods stays true to Chef Rod's mission. It is produced locally in Downtown LA, is packaged in biodegradable materials, and is delivered by bio diesel powered vehicles!

So get back to nature, keep it simple or as Chef Rod said, “Wake up and smell the wheat grass!”

You look up The Rainmaker Network on Google search and what comes up is a career website looking to connect motivated students with visionary employers. There is much more to this organization however, than meets the eye. While the Rainmaker Network is only 3 years old from conception until the present, they are attracting an interest from progressive companies that have established and expansive global markets.

Five months ago when I first secured an internship position with The Rainmaker Network, I never imagined the journey it would take me on. At first I was apprehensive to fully give myself over to a company so young and that I had never heard about. Luckily, I was willing to hang on to see where the experience took me, and boy am I glad I did. I can now say that I have helped a company grow to be a great investment for both students and companies alike.

Today, the Rainmaker’s days are filled with teleconferences, presentations, meetings, as well as attending fundraising events. The Rainmaker Network has networked itself into a circle of well respected partnerships which have provided opportunities to give back. Included in these is Up ‘til Dawn, Action: Darfur, International Green Shield, Visionary Boutique, and Twestival.

The first of these, Up ‘til Dawn is both a student organization and event at Cal State Long Beach that raises money for the children at St. Jude’s Research Hospital. Since September of 2008 the Rainmaker Network has been involved with Up ‘til Dawn. For the annual event in March, Rainmakers were seen not only attending the event, but created a movie that was shown highlighting the student’s connections to St. Jude’s to educate others about the work they are doing right on the Long Beach campus. The Rainmaker Network also provided student scholarships to help their St. Jude’s drive.

Visionary Boutique has been another partnership that has provided opportunity to give back. Visionary’s mission is to inspire others to think about their wish for the world that ultimately results in positive action and change. Our own CEO, Lance Stacy helped make this vision possible by aiding in the transformation of a 1966 airstream trailer into an eco-friendly mobile store that allows others to explore fashionable and earth friendly products found both in the store and online.

Twestival brought together the rapidly growing Twitter community to raise awareness and money for charity: water. Although new to this community, The Rainmaker Network helped promote action through online marketing as well as volunteering at Twestival in LA.

The last two I have been fortunate enough to be a part of. For International Green Shield, The Rainmaker Network has not only volunteered their time at events, but have also created a documentary of the organization as well as generated awareness through promotional efforts leading up to events. For Action: Darfur, a fundraiser put on by Aisle 7 Events to raise money for Relief International’s ongoing work in Darfur, The Rainmaker Network contributed by setting up a media campaign, found eco-friendly & free-trade based donors for the silent auction, and as always, volunteered their time for a night full of great entertainment.

While I have learned a lot from the people involved with The Rainmaker Network through my five months with them, one of the most important lessons is that you don’t have to be well established to make powerful impacts on those around you. They have shown me that by generating relationships with forward thinking global or local companies, forces can combine for the greater good of humanity.

Over the past couple of years I have received numerous emails asking me to sign a petition that says I am aware of the crisis in Darfur and would like something to be done about it. While I have signed it a couple of times, it did not make me feel like I had made my mark on the world, or changed any situation dramatically. I have always been a firm believer that if you want something to get done, you probably will have to do it yourself (or rely on someone who you know is really reliable). Not to downplay the efforts that these organizations are making, I just wonder how long it takes, or how many signatures are required before any of the minds in power are changed.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend Action: Darfur with The Rainmaker Network. This event was a fundraiser, put on by Aisle 7 Events, to raise money for Relief International’s continuous aid in Darfur. Throughout the event, I was in a constant state of awe. The effort put into this event really showed how dedicated these people were to making an impact on the lives of others, whether it was the lives of the attendees, or those in Darfur living in a constant state of crisis.

Leaving the event, a feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction came over me, and not as a result of all the delicious food I ate. These feelings came to me because of the noticeable effort individuals were putting forth, contributing towards a common goal. I was able to see and experience both the numerous amounts of people who had taken the time to attend the event as well as make donations towards Relief International’s effort to better the lives of the individuals living in distress. This event was put on to show and educate others, about the limitless help needed in Darfur, and the ways in which we can help. Fortunately, for everyone involved, I believe it was met with success.

While I was able to enjoy myself at the event (apart from some of the disturbing statistics presented about Darfur), it made me realize that volunteering can be an enjoyable experience. It does not only have to bring up images of manual labor such as weeding a hillside or repainting buildings. It can actually mean socializing and enjoying the company of others who share your beliefs for a night. It might even include laughing until you want to cry (if the lineup of performers includes hilarious comedians).

Although I have not attended many fundraising events in my lifetime of 22 years, I could still sense overall feelings of respect, gratitude, and desire to help Relief International with their relentless efforts in Darfur from those who were present. Attending Action: Darfur made me realize the simple ways in which I could get involved in my own community and impact the lives of those around me. It is not everyday that you get to see people coming together and making a collective effort to help the lives of others that they may not even know. It is through these events that my desire to help those in need increases. While I still may be young and without much influence, I do understand the power that determination, speech, and community can make when combined and put to good use.