Participate
We are currently looking for people to join our community who are interested in a sustainable lifestyle, healthy diet, the beauty of being close to nature, and who seek to learn and grow to attain their full human potential.
We welcome you ask questions, come for a visit, and explore the possibilities.
Visiting the Sanctuary
We do not charge for visits up to two weeks, but visitors are expected to contribute at least an hour of labor each day. Donations are also welcomed.
Contribution requirements for long-term members
We encourage members of the community to be financially self-sufficient and donate resources and time to the community according to their ability. Our guidelines are:
| Option | Monetary Contribution (Monthly) | Time Contribution (Hours Weekly) |
| #1 | $400.00 | 0 |
| #2 | $300.00 | 5 |
| #3 | $200.00 | 10 |
| #4 | $100.00 | 15 |
| #5 | $0.00~ | 20 or more |
~ A very limited number can participate in the Option #5 category until the Sanctuary's cash flow increases.
Of course additional contributions are always welcome.
Housing
Personal Housing
Participants are responsible for their own housing. Larger housing options will be reserved for couples when practical and appropriate. If no vacant housing is available, the particpants will together construct the needed structures, and all material cost will be paid by the participant who will be living in the new structure. The hours spent on construction do count as contributed labor per the above chart. Approximate capital costs for materials are shown below. All capital costs for permanent structures are considered donations to the community, so there are no refunds when you leave. However, you are free to resell or take with you any solar equipment and other movable items you have purchased.
When we have sufficient funds and the time, we may pre-build some eco-domes, to be reimbursed by the participants who will be living in them. Vacant housing is assigned to permanent participants on a first-come-first-served basis when available.
If you already have an RV you can bring it to live in; however, we do not encourage the purchase of RVs, as we don't want to become an RV park. Also, RVs are not very heat-retentive in the winter and use excessive fuel to keep warm.
| Item | Estimated Materials Cost (USD) |
| 200W solar system, enough to operate a laptop computer, lights, and other light-load appliances | $1600-2500** |
| Additional 200W solar panels for more capacity (each)† | $500 |
| A 11ft dome shelter* | $500 |
| A 15ft dome with one apse | $1000 |
| Separate shared bathroom with Sun-Mar composting toilet (shared with 2 others) | $1500/3=$500♦ |
| Separate Shared Kitchen | $2400/6=$400 |
* Estimated dome costs DO NOT include solar, composting toilet, and other amenities. Price on solar panels may continue to go down, so cost may be less. The primary materials costs are for cement and the tubing material to form the adobe, plus windows, doors, electrical, plumbing.
** The low end of the price range should provide a minimum cost functional system with 6 golf car batteries. The high end should provide higher quality components (inverter and charge controller) and 8 golf car batteries.
† We have found that a single 200W solar panel is adequate for lighting, a laptop computer, and light use of other appliances such as blenders and vacuums. However, if you want your own small refrigerator, an extra 200W panel is needed, as well as the 2 extra golf car batteries, to provide sufficient power. Larger refrigerators will substantially increase the cost of the solar system.
♦ The Sun-Mar toilet is a deluxe composting toilet. There are other low-cost alternatives.
We have some limited intermittent availability of pickup-type campers for temporary housing, which have or can have running water and 12V electricity for lights. For these units, the composting toilet is shared and in a separate but convenient location.
Community Kitchens/Bathrooms
Our plans are to have housing which is kitchenless and bathroomless, and have multiple shared kitchens and bathrooms at a ratio of 6 people per kitchen and 3 per bathroom. This will make total housing costs substantially less than building individual amenities for each unit. However, if individuals want to fund the building of their own private kitchen and/or bathroom, there is that option available.
Profit Sharing
Living in our community is an investment. After a 1-year probationary period, as a permanent member you will be eligible for profit sharing from the community market garden and other community businesses. One half of all income from community businesses will be returned to the community for infrastructure, maintenance, property taxes, etc. The other half will be divided among participants in the businesses, according to the level of participation. Within the next two or three years our goal is to create positive cash flow for permanent members, so that even though members are paying monthly the monthly contributions outlined above, the amount they receive back from the community business will more than offset it.
Currently, we are focusing on the community garden. However, there are other possible future businesses, including edible gourmet mushrooms, pomegranate juice (we plan to have at least 50 pomegranate bushes), eco-tourism, workshop hosting, etc.
Community life
We encourage on-site members to interact and integrate with the larger community of Douglas and Cochise County. This may involve part-time jobs or volunteer work for charitable organizations. Edwin is currently on the advisory board for the Douglas Mercado, the Douglas farmer's market.
Reasonably good physical condition is helpful to participate, especially during housing construction, but we would like to work with anyone who is interested to improve their strength and endurance if those are issues for you..
For probably the next 2-3 years, the land will not be fully providing most of the food we need, and you will need to obtain your own food to supplement what the gardens can produce. There are a number of free and low-cost sources of food in Douglas, and food stamps are easy to obtain for those with no financial resources of their own. The Sanctuary will help out as much as it can in cases of hardship but currently the Sanctuary's resources are limited, and we are not able to bear the responsibility of feeding participants at this time.
We try to balance individual freedom with the needs and rights of others. We prefer participants are non-smokers, and little or no alcohol and we do not allow illegal drugs. We do not reject smokers if they respect non-smokers to be in smoke-free areas. This means community areas will be smoke-free. Those who consume excessive alcohol or who use illegal drugs are subject to ejection. A healthy diet is encouraged -- we encourage vegetarianism, but we allow individual choice in this matter.
Craft skills, trade skills (carpentry, plumbing, electrical, mechanical), healing arts, relationship/leadership skills, and organic gardening and permaculture skills are especially desired. Art and music are encouraged and welcome.
Participants are free to pursue their spiritual paths according to their own needs and beliefs. Bring or create group ceremonies and practices you are comfortable with. No ceremonies or spiritual practices are compulsory. Proseletyzing (attempting to convince others of one's beliefs or trying to convince others that their belief system is wrong) will not be permitted.
Contact us for further details concerning the Sanctuary and participation.
