In July, the Humanity Healing STREETteam met with the Founders and Board Members of Sweet Water Sustainable Institute to visit the campus and see first hand what a 9 Million dollar gift looks like!  The first thing you notice as you drive up is the sheer magnitude of the campus and the potential to bring eco-tourism to Tennessee while providing classes on sustainability as well as Health & Wellness modalities.  

I had already made a few trips to the breathtaking campus prior to it being donated to SWSI.   Sweet Water Sustainability Institute (SWSI) is an educational organization that offers workshops, seminars and classes for the cultivation of ecological sustainability with the practices of chemical free farming and gardening, permaculture, composting systems, green buildings, alternative and appropriate energy technologies including solar and wind power and locally sourced arts and hand craft instruction.
The historic property of the non-profit campus includes 144 acres of land, 14 buildings including two gymnasiums, fitness center, indoor competition size pool, recreation center with cafe', multiple classrooms, administrative offices, three dormitory buildings, apartments, science lab, 250 seat dining hall, ¼ mile track, forests, fields and a stable. 

As a non-profit organization SWSI will receive support in the form of cash or in-kind services through grants and contracts from government agencies or foundations, contributions from individuals and businesses and earned income from fee-for-service tuition, investments and other ventures. Besides funding from individual donors, estates, private foundations and corporations, funding will be through tuition fees and fee-for-services/tuition arrangements.

Historic preservation and sustainability go hand in hand. Green development and preservation will be achieved while rehabilitating the historic buildings and meeting green building standards providing a working model for teaching how preservation, energy efficiency and sustainable facility management practices can be achieved together.

Workshops, classes, seminars and educational opportunitites will be conducted in the areas of  wellness, personal growth, creative expression, agriculture, and sustainable living practices.