tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:/bg/projects?page=12 2024-02-12T21:07:36Z tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/217144 2024-02-12T00:00:00Z 2024-02-12T21:07:36Z The Rocky Horror Picture Show was made for misfits. It was made for outcasts, weirdos, and freaks and it does so in a way that is both humorous and empowering. This is a film that was ahead of its time in terms of its representation of LGBTQ+ characters. In the years since its release, TRHPS has become a cult classic, but the play has never been acted out on the Georgian stage. Georgia has struggled to end discrimination against the LGBTQ+ communities, even though the country's parliament passed an anti-discrimination law that includes protections for gender identity and sexual orientation. Queer people living in Georgia know how hard it is to live a day-to-day life. They are often refused service by businesses and hospitals, bullied in schools, and harassed by the police or civilians, not to mention the more severe cases. Despite all the challenges, the LGBTQ+ community in Georgia faces, It still tries to make a stand and fight back in a non-violent fashion, by organizing parties, theatrical plays, fashion shows, and such. Due to the relentless work of the community, there have been some advances in promoting acceptance, tolerance, and diversity. Queer party series "Horoom Nights" at the renowned Georgian club Bassiani, the first Georgian Drag Ball, the opening of the first Queer Bar "Succes", have all been major in tackling the problem of homophobia in Georgia. By Staging the Rocky Horror Picture Show in Georgia, The community has the power to present themselves in a playful and entertaining manner, offering a new and positive outlook without encountering negative judgment. It’ll have a big cultural and social benefit by bringing polarized and divided people together. Most importantly, it brings opportunities for LGBTQ+ people to have a way of self-expression, another safe and inclusive place to celebrate their identities, and a meaningful source of income, which today in Georgia is so hard to come by because of the oppressed. Elene Garuchava TRHPS Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Неактивен) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247277 2024-02-11T00:00:00Z 2024-02-13T18:00:57Z Mic Drop is an "ALL the Way Open" Mic Community that meets once per month, every last Sunday located at The 418 Project in Downtown Santa Cruz. Our Mic Drop! community is built on a desire to build space where difference is celebrated, not only just tolerated in a brave safe space, but also in an inclusive environment, particularly for those persons who have been excluded from venue access & the arts. We seek out and support a wide variety of creators who might otherwise be on a journey of sharing their creative endeavors at various points of the process & from a variety of shared perspectives. Our intention is to come together to provide a safe space for unseen, unheard groups allowing folks to realize they are valuable, worthy of being heard, seen, & have great potential. Funds will be used to offset costs of producing these events including paying featured artists to perform. Suzanne Connolly and Jessie Marie Mic Drop! Open Mic https://www.instagram.com/__.mic.drop.__/ United States Santa Cruz, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/santacruz tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/248570 2024-02-09T00:00:00Z 2024-02-09T23:13:33Z Established in May 2023, Hot Spell Farm is a woman-and-nonbinary operated, diversified vegetable farm located in the farthest eastern corner of Travis County. Hot Spell emerged from a desire to contribute to Austin's local food system and create a farm operation that broke the individualistic norms of how farms are traditionally operated. Compost can be the most expensive yet critical input on a farm. Whether for soil tilth, good fungal and microbial diversity, or water retention, farmers call it black gold for a reason! A $1000 grant from the Awesome Foundation will fund Hot Spell Farm's first bulk compost order and a volunteer compost project day on the farm. Hayley Wood Composting for a Soil-Rich Farming Future https://hotspellfarm.com/ United States Austin, TX https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/austin tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/225808 2024-02-07T00:00:00Z 2024-02-28T03:53:02Z At Meals on Wheels Wellness, our mission is to uplift and empower isolated seniors, reigniting their connection to the community and helping them rediscover the joys of life. It all began when we noticed that many of our clients, whom we initially served by delivering meals, were facing a profound sense of isolation and disconnection from the world around them. Determined to make a positive impact, we launched our innovative Wellness Program. Through this program, we go beyond delivering meals to address the deeper needs of our seniors. We organize engaging activities, heartwarming outings, and create a supportive network that fosters meaningful connections. Our aim is to bring these isolated seniors back into the vibrant embrace of their community, where they can once again enjoy the richness of life. By providing opportunities for social interaction, physical and mental well-being, and a sense of belonging, we witness incredible transformations. Seniors who were once disconnected and lonely find themselves surrounded by friendship, laughter, and support. Meals on Wheels Wellness is more than just a program; it's a lifeline that helps our seniors reclaim their place in the world. We believe that every individual deserves to live a fulfilling and vibrant life, regardless of age or circumstance. Susannah Kelly Elderly Wellness Program https://mow.net.au/wellness-program/ Australia Newcastle https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/newcastle tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/244340 2024-02-07T00:00:00Z 2024-02-14T10:42:13Z I am working with a volunteer rescuer/carer Helen Coy from Sydney Wildlife Rescue to help build a much needed kangaroo rehabilitation and orphan joey enclosure in the Windsor area. Helen is an aged pensioner and the sole supporter of her husband, an ex NSW police officer suffering from dementia. Her respite from looking after him is volunteering to save native animals. Sadly this much needed service is unfunded in our communities right across Australia and all costs are borne by the individuals who help. Sydney Wildlife Rescue is in need of an enclosure for kangaroos injured by cars and their orphaned joeys. There are a lot of kangaroos and joeys in Sydney that are euthanased because of a lack of rehabilitation facilities so Helen very generously offered that it could be constructed at her property. To build this enclosure means saving many animal lives not only now but into the future so that they can be returned to a safe environment in nature. Our native animals are born to live healthy and free instead of being a victim of urbanisation and societal apathy. It is wrong that these beautiful Australian animals are killed unnecessarily because of a lack of resources and money. I believe our wildlife and the people who care for them deserve to, and should be helped. I know Helen very well and she is a dedicated and sincere lady who puts all her spare time and money into our precious wildlife. I've never applied for a grant before and do not want assistance for myself. If funds were granted I would like them allocated to Helen Coy on behalf of Sydney Wildlife Rescue to help save our kangaroos and joeys. I have secured the best quotes for the materials to build the enclosure and have organised volunteers for its construction. Your grant would mean making this project possible. The future of wildlife is everyones responsibility and making that a reality is more than awesome. A $1000 would be the difference between life and death for our wildlife. Jill Gilbert Kangaroo & Joey Rehabilitation Enclosure Australia Sydney https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/sydney tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/248708 2024-02-07T00:00:00Z 2024-02-14T10:46:46Z MYST Katoomba brings Sydney city to the Blue Mountains for one night to entertain and celebrate Mardi Gras for the local youth. The Mountains Youth Service Team (MYST) is hosting a live stream of the 2024 Gay & Lesbian Sydney Mardi Gras on a big outdoor screen. The event is specifically for LGBTQAI+ individuals and supporters aged between 12 to 17 years living in the Blue Mountains area. It is designed to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all. Another community service from the region will support the event by providing activities and prizes. These activities include a fashion parade, a Bop it Passes competition, a glitter stand for making pronoun badges, a sexual health wheel, felting and decorating pot plants, planting flower seeds, a pool table, Xbox, and PlayStation. Flinn Donovan MYST Madi Gras parade screening party https://www.mardigras.org.au/event/myst-parade-screening-party Australia Sydney https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/sydney tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/245538 2024-02-06T00:00:00Z 2024-03-03T17:28:25Z Արցախում 9 ամիս տևած շրջափակման պայմաններում 2023-ի ապրիլին Ստեփանակերտում կայացավ արցախյան վերջին համերգը՝ ջազի միջազգային օրվա կապակցությամբ։ Արցախահայերի բռնի տեղահանման և Ադրբեջանի կողմից էթնիկ զտման քաղաքականության պայմաններում՝ նվագախմբի ղեկավար Տիգրան Սուչյանը կազմակերպեց նաև նվագախմբի երաժշտական գործիքների տարհանումը, իսկ Հայաստանում նվագախմբի անդամների բնակեցման առաջին իսկ օրերից հոգեբանական աջակցությամբ՝ կարողացավ մոտիվացնել երիտասարդ երաժիշտներին՝ շարունակելու իրենց սիրելի գործը։ Ջազը միավորում է մարդկանց, հետևաբար մենք ևս նպատակ ենք հետապնդում նվագախմբի անխափան գործունեությամբ միավորել մեր հայրենակիցներին՝ խրախուսելով սիրել, զարգացնել և տարածել երաժշտարվեստը։ Նվագախմբի գործունեության հանրահռչակման համար նախատեսում ենք իրականացնել հայկական հեղինակային ստեղծագործությունների պրոֆեսիոնալ աուդիո ձայնագրություն, որի միջոցով հայ և արտասահմանյան երաժշտասեր հանրությունը հաղորդ կդառնա ժամանակակից հայկական ջազ ստեղծագործություններին։ Anna Kostanyan Սիրված երգի ջազային ձայնագրություն https://www.youtube.com/@artsakhstatejazzorchestra Armenia Artsakh https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/artsakh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247593 2024-02-06T00:00:00Z 2024-03-05T05:22:51Z Objective: Empower 25 homeless individuals by providing free haircuts, professional attire, and comprehensive job readiness training, enhancing their confidence and employability. Components: Free Haircuts (Barbershop Collaboration): Partner with local barbershops to provide free haircuts for participants. Estimate cost: $5 per haircut x 25 individuals = $125 Professional Attire Distribution: Collaborate with thrift stores or seek donations to secure affordable professional attire (suits, business attire). Estimate cost: $20 per outfit x 25 individuals = $500 Resume Writing Workshop: Hire a professional resume writing coach or consultant to conduct a comprehensive workshop. Include sessions on resume building, cover letter writing, and LinkedIn profile enhancement. Provide writing materials for participants. Estimate cost: $300 Mock Job Interview Session: Arrange for career professionals or HR experts to conduct mock job interviews. Create a realistic interview environment to help participants gain confidence and polish their interview skills. Offer constructive feedback and tips for improvement. Estimate cost: $75 for refreshments and materials Transportation Assistance: Allocate a portion for transportation assistance to ensure participants can attend the workshop and interview sessions. Estimate cost: $100 Documentation and Photography: Capture the transformations and success stories through photography. Document the journey for potential future collaborations or fundraising efforts. Estimate cost: $50 for photography services Total Estimated Budget: $1,050 Timeline: Week 1-2: Secure collaboration agreements with barbershops, thrift stores, and workshop facilitators. Week 3-4: Collect professional attire and distribute to participants. Week 5: Host the Resume Writing Workshop. Week 6: Conduct the Mock Job Interview Session. Week 7: Follow up with participants for feedback and further support. Impact Evaluation: Nasihah Jones Shape Up & Shape the World United States Newburgh, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/newburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249249 2024-02-06T00:00:00Z 2024-02-07T04:52:35Z The most fun I've ever had volunteering was when my kids (now in their 20s) were in kindergarten. At a school science fair, I taught a class called "Bubbles: 101." It was a blast! We had lots of bubble solution for the kids to play with, a bubble machine, a foam machine, giant bubbles that kids could stand inside, square bubbles (yes, it's real), dry ice bubbles, and bubble painting. Everyone got messy and had fun while I explained the science behind bubbles like surface tension, air pressure, and light diffraction. I want to teach Bubbles: 101 at several different venues this spring: First, for the kids in my neighborhood. I live a in low-income public housing development with about 30 kids around 5-15 years old who never get to participate in wholesome fun activities. Second, at the Tracy Earth Day Community Event on April 22. Earth Day events here are free to the community and always have hundreds of young visitors. It is the perfect place for Bubbles: 101. Third, on the first Saturday that the farmers market opens in the spring (date TBA). For several months each spring and fall, Tracy closes off the streets downtown on Saturday mornings for lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, food trucks, arts and crafts, music, and more. I want to have my bubble class on one or more of these Saturdays. This would require me to pay a vendor fee. Melinda Ramirez Bubbles: 101 United States San Francisco, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/sf tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249868 2024-02-05T00:00:00Z 2024-02-05T19:21:25Z Love Shouldn't Hurt Kids. We have a program that we currently run that is called Love Shouldn't Hurt. We have decided to launch Love Shouldn't Hurt Kids and Love Shouldn't Hurt Babies for those adults who have kids and babies but want to attend our program. We have had to turn participants away because we didn't have a program for their kids or offer childcare. Other times we invited them into the program which we identified as both, not age appropriate and a total distraction for the other participants. We developed an anti-bullying program for kids ages 5-12. And childcare for kids 6months-4. We created an ambassador program for teens ages 13-17 (who have gone through our program) to facilitate this class. We currently have 3 ambassadors facilitating the program. We also have one volunteer who is assigned to the childcare program. We currently do not have any participants who have babies, but participants in the past have not attended a class on days that they could not get childcare. Our Love Shouldn't Hurt Kids Program, mirrors our Love Shouldn't Hurt Program, as much as possible, replacing the different domestic violence discussions with bullying discussions. The goal of this program is to address the do's and dont's of healthy friendships, identifying signs of bullying, and how to identify and express feelings. It is a 12-week program designed to run alongside the 12-week program, Love Shouldn't Hurt that is on the other side of the wall. Therefore, both programs are running concurrently. Tracy Evanson Love Shouldn't Hurt http://www.healedwomenheal.org Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Неактивен) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249436 2024-02-02T00:00:00Z 2024-03-25T22:13:35Z The 'Felt by the Community' project supports a series of four felting workshops in the Adelaide Women's Prison for women who are in direct contact with Aboriginal leader, Aunty Pat through the Salt and Pepper program. Aunty Pat and Margie -Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women - started Salt and Pepper to support and liaise with women in prison, their families and support services, including on release. Aunty Pat has invited me to conduct felt-making workshops that will be for the women inside prison hence the title of the project 'Felt by the Community'-Inside. The women will learn the basics of felting and design their own 3D artpiece that we will hopefully be able to display. Our aim is to provide an expressive and creative opportunity for the women to learn skills that will be of benefit to them on release. Felt-making is a mindful process with many wellbeing benefits. These workshops are beginner friendly with an open access point. These workshops have the benefit of providing Aunty Pat to engage with the women during and after the process. This additionally gives longed-for support to the women - inside. Louise Davies 'Felt by the Community' Inside Australia Adelaide https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/adelaide tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/253590 2024-02-02T00:00:00Z 2024-07-16T00:50:17Z This project is diverting unbooked council kerbside furniture to people in need. The Awesome grant has funded vouchers for households looking to donate furniture. This stops people leaving furniture by the side of the road that would otherwise go to landfill and also helps provide free furniture for those in need, such as women fleeing domestic violence who have to start over and more. The application was submitted by the founder and director of Cobber Technologies Pty Ltd (“Uber for secondhand furniture”). She is an entrepreneur with lived experience around transport barriers with secondhand furniture (in the process of being rehomed following domestic violence issues). Roann Junio-Hartmann Secondhand furniture for those in need http://www.cobber.app Australia Adelaide https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/adelaide tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/239436 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z 2025-03-11T20:42:22Z iAmMe Girls is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2015 by Camelia Wyman, a clinical social worker and native of North Carolina. The organization is based in Durham, N.C., and provides services to girls between the ages of 10 and 18. The mission of iAmMe Girls is to empower and inspire young girls to love themselves unconditionally, regardless of their circumstances, to become leaders within their communities, and make informed and healthy life choices. iAmMe Girls has developed a comprehensive program to address these needs. The program focuses on providing year-round support and initiatives dedicated to the growth and development of girls. By providing a supportive environment and offering various programs and services, such as workshops, mental health support, mentoring programs, and community engagement, the organization aims to equip young girls with the necessary tools to navigate through life's challenges successfully and to help girls develop a positive self-image and build resilience against societal pressures and negative influences. Camelia Wyman IAmMe Girls Mentorship http://www.iammegirlsrock.org United States Durham, NC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/durham tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/243445 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z 2024-04-21T17:24:36Z Bread of the Mighty Food Bank (BOTM)-a branch of Feeding Northeast Florida-has been a community staple for over 3 decades, providing +57,000 local family members experiencing food insecurity with reliable, nutritious food. BOTM collects, sorts, stores, and distributes food and basic essentials to over 200 nonprofit agency partners with pantries and feeding programs. Our dedicated team travels five days a week to collect donations from generous retailers and wholesalers. Our service area supports families throughout Alachua, Gilchrist, Levy, and Union counties-as part of the twelve-county reach of Feeding Northeast Florida. To sort, inspect, and prepare items for redistribution, we depend on the generous time gifted by thousands of volunteers every year. When students, families, and team members from local businesses come together through volunteerism, we are able to spread awareness about local hunger as well as move nearly 7 million pounds of charitable food out of BOTM and to community hands quickly to be enjoyed vs. languishing in a landfill. The food bank is overdue for renovations, including an expansion to the volunteer working space. Although construction is in process now, we seek partnership with The AWESOME Foundation to support a hydration station. A water bottle refill station would ensure clean (contactless) access to water for volunteers that breaks the reliance on plastic bottles, promoting sustainable practices. According to The Urban Institute, there are numerous critical aspects of volunteer retention, including allocating sufficient resources to the volunteer experience. A pleasing environment with adequate resources fosters a sense of community and engagement where volunteers can connect, collaborate, and share their experiences. This promotes volunteer retention and satisfaction, as well as encourages long-term commitment and ongoing support-essential to our food bank’s plan to double our food output in 2024 to nearly 16 million pounds. Kelly N. Brenner Bread of the Mighty Food Bank-Hydrating Volunteers https://breadofthemighty.org/ United States Gainesville, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/gainesville tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/245518 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z 2024-05-07T15:24:30Z Nosso Coletivo LLGBQTIA+ existe a mais de 06 anos,representando a comunidade lgbt+ de Santa luzia,organizando e pleiteando as demandas nas politicas publicas e canais de participação social.Realizamos no último dia 26/11/23 a nossa 1º parada LBGTQIA+ de Santa luzia com tema : Por um mundo sem racismo,machismo e LGBtfobia.No total de 07 horas de enevnto alcançamos o público de 1.000 pessoas,um marco histórico na cidade e dentro do coletivo. Agradeço a oportunidade e o apoio que a A Nossa cidade nos possibilitou com a ajuda de r$ 500,00.Grata em nome de todo o Coletivo LGBT. Santa Luzia VANESSA DE SOUZA PEREIRA 1º PARADA LGBTQI+ SANTA LUZIA https://www.instagram.com/ Brazil Grande Belo Horizonte https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/rmbh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249865 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2025-03-13T15:44:30Z I created an Instagram account about four months ago in order to share my favorite parts of Happy Valley. I had no idea that the account would grow at the rate it has and with the excitement surrounding it! I was approached several months ago by Nan Barash, the daughter of Mimi Barash Coppersmith, local philanthropist and former PSU Board of Trustee. Nan asked if I would like to meet with her mother, and suggested that I consider carrying on my own version of “Lunch with Mimi” (interviews published monthly in Town and Gown). I was honored to be asked by Nan and excited about the idea of sharing the ideas and stories of locals in the area. My first interview is with Mimi herself, where we discuss what Happy Valley means to her. These interviews will be published on YouTube, as well as other social media channels and will hopefully help to build community, document history and share the love that is Happy Valley. Hannah Morris Happy Valley Hannah- Happy Hour with Hannah http://HappyValleyHannah.com United States State College, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/statecollege tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/244418 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-16T09:16:37Z We're happy to announce that our January grant has been awarded to "Fatherhood and Fades: Barbershop Talks," a new initiative which celebrates the bond between fathers and children through engaging panel discussions and free haircuts for kids. This initiative is being organized by Cambria Heights, Queens-based BeingEgypt Cares which focuses on eradicating youth illiteracy and combating bullying. They partner with schools and organizations, providing reading materials and writing services to encourage innovative literacy exploration. Children will be gifted with books at the event, promoting literacy and education and each participating barbershop receives a bookcase filled with children's books, turning these spaces into nurturing environments for learning and dialogue. _"Beyond promoting literacy, this event plays a crucial role in strengthening the relationship between fathers and children. Through engaging panel discussions on fatherhood, fathers not only bond with their kids but also find support among other men, sharing insights and experiences. This collective dialogue equips fathers with valuable guidance and fosters a supportive environment for effective parenting. Ultimately, it's not just about books and haircuts; it's about creating a community where literacy thrives, familial bonds strengthen, and fathers find the support they need in nurturing their children."_ Their first event will be held on **June 11th, 2024**. Follow them on [Instagram](https://instagram.com/beingegypt) and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/beingegypt) or visit their website http://www.beingegypt.com for more information. Shaleem Bush Fatherhood and Fades: Barbershop Talks http://www.beingegypt.com United States New York City, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/nyc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/246790 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-02T18:58:15Z COVID taught us how to pivot and be creative in our teaching. COVID forced us to either learn online or in small communities on campus. I teach an Adaptive Living Skills, Community Based Instruction Program. My students work towards a Certificate of Completion rather than a diploma. During COVID we were not able to practice our work skills at off campus work sites and thus our on campus coffee cart was born. The students serve coffee, tea, homemade lemonade and baked goods to the staff on campus. Through this they practice real life work skills both technical and soft skills. They learn how to be on time for worked, dress and presentable, create drinks and snacks, take orders, prepare the orders, compute totals and make change. They are also able to work on their communication skills while working on the coffee cart. The special education students are joined by general education students who help to work at the coffee cart creating an inclusive environment. Shariann Ikeda SURF's Coffee Cart United States Oahu, HI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/oahu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247060 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-02T18:57:52Z Middle school students will collaborate with community gardening experts to create a natural learning environment for their elementary school partnership. The middle schoolers interviewed the staff and students of the new elementary school, and brainstormed different ideas to beautify the new campus and to make it a safe and welcoming learning environment. An emphasis is placed on creating outdoor spaces that add a learning component opportunity to the beautification. They will: 1) add native Hawaiian shade trees to one end of an open play area, 2) add in a butterfly garden to the back side of the largest open play area, 3) create a vegetable garden that allows the elementary students to participate in and learn from, and 4) build bird boxes to encourage birds to visit the shaded areas. The middle grade students will meet weekly to work on this project and will help teachers find appropriate activities and lessons to use these outdoor spaces. In addition the middle school students will work with a group of elementary students taking the lead on their campus, serving as mentors to the elementary students. The new elementary school is a k- 5 grade school serving 150 students from a diverse population, including a high population of Hawaiian students. It is a school that focuses on project and place based learning. The middle school team comes from the pbHTA program (a sister school to the elementary school). They will be learning how to engage in project management; learn about soil sciences, water quality, irrigation designs, and plant sciences; use math skills for planning, drawing and construction; learn to use power tools safely, and improve research skills in developing activities/lessons for the teachers. These learning opportunities meet the middle school students' standards in multiple subject areas. The efforts of the middle school students will lend to supporting the elementary students' learning standards as well. Project will start immediately. Sharon A Schleigh Outdoor Learning Spaces United States Oahu, HI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/oahu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247085 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-01T04:43:39Z Vents Contraires provides material support for people with precarious immigration status staying in informal camps and squats in northern France. Our van is set up to refill tanks with safe drinking water, as well as setting up hot showers and a laundry service during our distribution hours. For many people, our service is the only regular access they have to take a shower or to wash their clothes. Especially during the winter months, being able to have clean and dry clothes, and take a hot shower, is so important. We've been running this project for 18 months and adapting it based on feedback from people who access different services. Therefore I really think we're offering a useful and needed service. Libby Kane "Fuelling" our generator ! and our project Worldwide Homelessness (Неактивен) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/homelessness tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247136 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-07T04:12:59Z Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users comprise a linguistic and cultural minority group that is severely underserved in healthcare education and access. Deaf adults who use ASL are approximately 7x more likely than hearing adults to have low health literacy, regardless of education level, and are 3x likely to report fair/poor health than the average American adult. Social factors including communication barriers, discrimination, lack of resources, and isolation can impact and contribute to Deaf people’s health and wellbeing. Poor mental health, including depression, anxiety, social isolation, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, and PSTD are commonly reported among this population. Availability of suicide prevention resources is extremely limited. This project by DeafHealth [http://www.deafhealthaccess.org/] promotes the mental health of the Deaf community in the U.S. who communicate in ASL through the creation and dissemination of culturally and linguistically accessible videos that focus on equipping Deaf individuals with knowledge and available resources needed to prevent suicide, including essential information about the recently implemented 9-8-8 hotline in ASL by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration this past September (https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/20230908/988-suicide-crisis-lifeline-adds-american-sign-language-services-deaf-hard-of-hearing-callers). Seven informational videos on suicide prevention, knowledge, and resources will be disseminated virtually within the Deaf community through social media platforms and email communications, such as Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/deafhealthaccess], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/deafhealthaccess/], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/deafhealthaccess]. In and around May 2024, all seven videos produced by this project will be shared and disseminated in consideration of Mental Health Awareness Month. **What our grantee is saying:** “A simple online search shows that there are very few videos on suicide prevention and available resources in American Sign Language (ASL). DeafHealth recognizes this critical gap for the Deaf community, and is grateful for the opportunity to raise more awareness to available and accessible resources, including the 9-8-8 hotline in ASL.” – Allysa Dittmar, MHS Senior Director of DeafHealth DeafHealth Suicide Prevention Awareness & Knowledge in ASL https://deafhealthaccess.org/ Worldwide Disability https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/disability tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/248044 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-04T20:34:51Z Project Valentine is an annual event that we hold, where our volunteers handwrite messages and make cards which are sent to brighten the day of front-line workers such as paramedics and hospital workers! Following the recent Covid-19 pandemic, we understand how important it is to show our love, support and appreciation for those on the frontlines. Through this project, not only can volunteers gain their hours, but they can also give back to their community in a positive way. Unlike other card-making initiatives, these cards will be given to front-line workers for their continuous efforts to keep the community safe and healthy. Since each card must also be made by hand, every card will have personalized and unique artworks with original messages coming straight from the heart of our volunteers! Project 5K was able to engage over 400 student volunteers in 6 provinces across Canada with more than 2800 cards being made. Project 5K Project Valentine https://www.project5k.ca/project-valentine Canada Toronto https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/toronto tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/248683 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-02T12:34:24Z The Georgetown Council on Aging is looking to provide opportunities for older adults to stay active and socialize. We currently offer several fitness classes as well as a small gym. We do see a need for more interactive activities. The combination of social interaction and physical activity is one reason that pickleball has taken off throughout the region. Unfortunately in the winter months we don't have an appropriate space for our seniors to play. What we would like to do is provide the opportunity for our residents to be able to play other social games indoors for cold weather months, rainy days, or extremely hot days throughout the year. In one of our rooms we currently have a pool table. We would like to convert that space into a "Game Room" that would include Ping Pong tables, Corn hole boards, indoor shuffleboard, as well as more traditional games, such as cards, cribbage, etc. We would like to make this space warm and inviting. We have received donations of a ping pong cover for a pool table, and a corn hold set. We are seeking a permanent ping pong table to allow two games at a time, indoor shuffleboard set, and new table top games. We also plan to improve the aesthetics of the space to make it more welcoming, and provide more of a fun atmosphere. Our hope is that this will provide a variety of opportunities for socialization and physical activity regardless of weather. Kristin Crockett Georgetown Senior Community Center Game Room United States Georgetown, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/georgetown tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249021 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-01T04:44:29Z As part of the work we do with our nonprofit, Global Education Connection, we want to continue and expand our programs this year. One of the programs has been providing educational materials and art supplies to an orphanage in Reynosa, Mexico. The orphanage also supports a school with over 600 children and our goal this year is to provide support to all 600 of these children. The goal of the program is to support both the orphanage and the school so children have a safe place to live as well as a safe learning environment. We plan to send art supplies, coloring books, backpacks, projectors, stationary, and books to these children to continue to assist in their learning and development. Carter Beck Mexico Orphanage Education Support http://www.globaleducationconnection.org Worldwide Homelessness (Неактивен) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/homelessness tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249587 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-11T14:20:26Z Our project is a weekly arts and craft session for community members who attend Our House Walton Community Hub. It is mostly people who live in Walton that attend this group but it is open to anyone and people from outside the area have attended. In 2023, Our House worked with around 750 people on various projects. I asked community members what they wanted to do which led to a collective decision of creative arts so we collaboratively began this group. The attendees at each arts and craft session is usually between 8 and 12 people each week with the highest attendance being 15. I invite every community member to attend and always make sure to make new members at Our House feel welcome. The target demographic of this group is adults and elderly people. The hub is a vital resource for our community members as they attend every day. We keep contact details of our members and we use social media to promote our services. Our House has funded the arts and craft project for the past 3 months. I have had to look for low cost items in order to keep within the small budget. Our House is a newly established charity and does not have endless amounts of funding to continue this project. We do not ask people to fund these sessions as Walton is an area that experiences poverty and disadvantage. According to the MP for Walton, Dan Carden, Walton is now the most deprived constituency in the country. A lot of the people who attend these sessions would not be able to afford to pay for the classes and materials which is why Our House has funded it so far. This project is facilitated by Our house staff and volunteers. We do plan to look for some more volunteers who could bring fresh ideas to the group. With more funding, we also plan to look into some more difficult crafts. The £500 pot will not be part of a larger pot. With this funding alone we will be able to fund the arts and craft sessions for 20 weeks as we have managed to do so since October on a limited budget. David Carney Creative Connections - Our House Walton Community https://ourhouse-walton.co.uk/ United Kingdom Liverpool https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/liverpool tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250746 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-03-04T19:49:09Z In the past our school has provided food baskets and boxes for families over holiday breaks. We used our own budget for sides for thanksgiving to subsidize donated turkeys, and for winter break we were generously given boxes of blessings from a local organization. What many often do not account for are spring breaks for students. Our students will be without their school given meals for one week in the spring which is often a hardship as some shelters and pantries may only operate in the winter months. Based on our school survey, we have the highest percentage of students in need for our district based upon food insecurity in our area. It is our goal to be able to make around 75 food baskets to give out to families right before the spring break and pre easter holiday). Previous interest forms have indicated over 90 families interested in a support such as this for breaks. Allie-Cate Phillips-Madrigal Spring Break baskets United States San Antonio, TX https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/sanantonio tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250727 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-11T14:18:55Z Our ambition is to provide serious first aid training to children and young people who have parents, siblings or loved ones with serious health conditions or long term health conditions. This will ensure the best chance for our young Carers and families to get help when it may be needed and confidence to know what to do, despite their age. The 2011 Census identified 177,918 young carers in England and Wales. One in eight of those were aged under eight; we know that these figures are much higher now, especially with people living longer and with more complex health issues. Our young people are little heroes, we know they often help in a crisis and know what to do. This training will encourage safe practice and enable us to empower our children and young with the correct tools to help the wider community. We would use this budget to provide training for us to 25 identified young people who's family member have complex needs or if they have a medical condition themselves. Sharon Munroe Young First Aiders http://www.enw.org.uk United Kingdom Liverpool https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/liverpool tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/240873 2024-01-30T00:00:00Z 2024-02-07T02:55:48Z We are small developers, investing in the Monroe Park neighborhood of South Bend. Through our work rehabbing dilapidated buildings, we are enhancing the beauty and function of the neighborhood while honoring the history and preserving the culture that already exists. We keep rents affordable and target solutions attuned to the local community’s needs. In early 2023, we acquired the Monarch Printing Co building in Monroe Park. We were awarded the Awesome Fund grant in May of 2023, with a focus on unveiling the Monarch storefronts. We used the money in conjunction with the Exterior Enhancement Grant through DTSB, so we doubled the impact! Over the summer, we acquired our second commercial building - the former Hope Ministries building at 530 S Michigan which is only separated from the Monarch by an empty lot. We now have the opportunity to develop the entire block from 516 to 530 S Michigan. Through our development of this block we will provide the South Bend community with numerous commercial spaces designed for small businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as up to 14 residential units with access to outdoor spaces. Our plans include making this a culinary destination with everything from brewery co-op, food collective, community kitchen, restaurant, and a fresh foods market. We’re also creating numerous green spaces with native and edible plantings, using regenerative practices. Not to mention, we are restoring landmark buildings neglected for years and previously in danger of demolition. Winning the Awesome Fund grant in May was a momentum boost for our small business, and now with this significant addition to our portfolio, we are hoping to do it again as we grow and continue supporting and revitalizing our neighborhood and community. Charity Stowe and Rachel Mospan The Monarch & Hope Block https://www.instagram.com/herstoricdevelopment/ United States South Bend, IN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/southbend tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247473 2024-01-30T00:00:00Z 2024-02-07T02:53:44Z The purpose of my project is to save our children from violence, death, and incarceration. On a daily basis we are hearing in the news, or reading in the newspaper about street violence that is being perpetrated by our youth. The impact of this has a negative, painful effect on the lives of these children, their families, the families of others, and the economy. By offering education, counseling, resources, and training, some of these children may be saved and violence may be reduced. Rosemarie Harris Save Our Children United States South Bend, IN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/southbend tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250396 2024-01-30T00:00:00Z 2024-02-07T02:50:37Z We give bicycles to kids 13 & under. We want to also give them helmets, but we are out of helmets. Karen Haun Provide free bicycle helmets for kids http://Sbbikegarage.com United States South Bend, IN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/southbend tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249349 2024-01-29T00:00:00Z 2024-02-01T12:15:43Z Labor of Fire is a visual arts exhibition about labor, featuring the works of emerging female and minority artists from Washington, DC and the DMV area. The exhibition will highlight the artists' critical insights into the social and political dimensions of labor. The selected artists turned their own labor into the subject as well as the means of inquiry. They reframed discounted forms of labor as foundational, and recast the art object as a fossil of labor itself As the curator, I am committed, to ensure they are compensated in proportion to their contribution to the exhibition, even though, sadly dominant trends in the art world tend to the opposite: the work of female and minority artists is often overlooked and under-funded. They are frequently expected to fund their own work with little to no compensation for the content they provide to exhibiting institutions. Too often they work just for visibility and under inequitable contracts. The DC Arts Center (DCAC), in Adams Morgan, will provide the exhibition space and part of the funds that will cover the artists' fees. More is needed to ensure performance fees are also covered , in line with the standards set by W.A.G.E. (https://wageforwork.com/fee-calculator#top), the most reputable organisation in the US advocating for equitable artists pay. If realised with adequate funding, Labor of Fire will bring together a collection of labor manifestations that explores different dimensions of labor from the most intimate to the most collective. Meditation, maintenance, care, craft, social commentary and activism will coexist in the show as equally important practices of world-making. Benedetta Castrioto Labor of Fire https://www.dcartscenter.org/curatorialinitiative United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/dc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249706 2024-01-29T00:00:00Z 2024-02-01T12:15:16Z DAPSN, or the DMV Abortion Practical Support Network, is extremely awesome! DAPSN provides hands-on support for those seeking abortion care in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. In collaboration with other community groups and abortion funds, DAPSN’s network of dedicated volunteers provide patients with housing, rides, escorts to their appointments, emotional support, childcare, meal assistance, and other ancillary forms of aid. The need for this type of service has only increased over the past year after Roe v. Wade was overturned and states have imposed restrictive abortion laws. DAPSN provides reassurance to patients that after all the work they have had to do to get to a state with less restrictions, they will be greeted by a friendly, supportive face who is there to listen, provide comfort, or just give them a ride when they need it most. DAPSN has seen an increase in monetary support requests in the past few months but we do not always have the resources to fulfill these requests, as we do not fundraise or receive ongoing contributions. Meriwether Beatty DAPSN Volunteers are Awesome! https://dapsn.wordpress.com/ United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/dc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249877 2024-01-29T00:00:00Z 2024-02-22T01:16:17Z The D.C. metro area routinely tops both the list for the highest median household income and the list for the worst rates of displacement of working-class and poor people. All of these trends have disproportionately harmed Black native Washingtonians, many immigrant diasporas, and queer and trans people of color. So in June 2021, we launched an awesome experiment: could neighbors replace investors and developers to create a limited-equity housing cooperative and mutual aid hub? Two years later, we did it. We mobilized as organizers from the Ward 1 DC Mutual Aid Network, a grassroots, community-led effort to take care of our neighbors. Neighbors and tenants came together to build a community-led economic structure and facilitate wealth redistribution within our networks to protect a small apartment building from being sold to a luxury redeveloper. We the Ward 1 community members resisted displacement and successfully bought an apartment building in the Howard University neighborhood to transform it into a visionary community space: an affordable housing cooperative and a hub for mutual aid among neighbors. Now, we’re a limited equity housing cooperative that preserves affordability in perpetuity while enabling self-determination by tenants and creating a new space for mutual aid organizing to continue to combat gentrification and systemic neglect in our communities. As we build a space of abundant Black joy, with regular community meals and political education events, we would love support to help kick off our grand opening celebration. Baldwin House Baldwin House Cooperative Association https://baldwin-house.org/ United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/dc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/243618 2024-01-25T00:00:00Z 2024-01-25T20:24:09Z What is our project? “Be-Sit-Ka'' is an original Awesome project that intends to encourage communal presence and participation of diverse groups in neighborhood gazebos known as "Բիսեդկա" literary from Russian - a conversation spot/place. For the first part of the project, we decided to make starter packs for bisetkas. The starter packs will have all the necessary and widely used products, such as sunflower seeds, trash bags, cards, and board games (mini-sized and multipurpose, e.g., a chess board could also work as a checkerboard) and instructions on how to use the pack. And each box can have different contents and customers can choose. This will be a helping factor in reinventing bisetka culture. Through time, the culture has become deeply rooted in our daily lives, which is why they can be seen around every building and block. The crucial question is who exactly is using them and how? Bisetkas are mainly used by men, primarily by elderly men, who play several board games such as cards or Nardi. That is their space to get together, grab some drinks, spend hours in there, and ultimately make a mess by leaving their trash cans or other kinds of waste after them. We have conducted our research around this based on our own plentiful experiences, as there have been times that we as girls, collectively and individually, could not sit for long in the neighborhood bisetkas, as the men there expect us to go soon so they could claim their usual spot instead of waiting (e.g., circling us until we leave, gazing intrusively, and making snide comments). Our Awesome project aims to redefine the bisetka culture. Yelizaveta Babayan The “Be-Sit-Ka” Project Armenia Yerevan https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/yerevan tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/244905 2024-01-25T00:00:00Z 2024-01-26T03:05:49Z In January of 2020, the Seine boat restoration project was started to repair the 3 seine boats that are used in the St Peters Fiesta sporting events. The original decayed wooded seats were replaced with new solid fiberglass. The original decks had several hairline cracks that would allow water to enter the hull and there wasn’t any access to pump out that water. There was new durable fiberglass decks installed as well as 3 deck plates in each boat to allow access to the hull to pump out any water. There were also new adjustable rack systems to adjust the foot braces on the deck of the boats. This new system allows each rower to adjust the foot brace for proper fit to match their height. With over more than 400 participants from the Cape Ann area that compete each year, family, and friends from all over will travel to Gloucester to enjoy these races, along with the other events during the week. The categories are, Men, woman (seniors and juniors) and first responders, Police and Fire and a Military Race of the U.S. Coast guard and the Navy (when in port for this weekend). Alexis Novello St. Peter's Fiesta, Seine boat restoration United States Gloucester, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/gloucester tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247923 2024-01-24T00:00:00Z 2024-01-24T03:24:26Z January’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Jason and Lindsay Machinski to support a new podcast celebrating Ottawa’s local artists and entrepreneurs. “Our primary objective,” explains Jason, “is to shine a bright spotlight on Ottawa's rich and often hidden creative landscape. We believe that behind every piece of art, every entrepreneurial venture, and every creative endeavour there is a compelling story waiting to be told.” “We want to ignite the spark of inspiration in our listeners,” he continues. “By showcasing the journeys, challenges, and triumphs of local artists and entrepreneurs, we hope to inspire others to pursue their own creative and business passions.” “In a world that often feels disconnected,” says Jason, “our podcast also aims to create a sense of belonging within our local community. By highlighting the achievements and contributions of our neighbour's, we strengthen the bonds that hold our city together.” “Ottawa's cultural fabric is a tapestry woven from the experiences of its residents,” Jason continues. “By sharing diverse talents and stories, we enrich our city's culture and heritage. We believe that a thriving arts and entrepreneurial scene not only adds vibrancy but also drives economic growth.” “Finally, we recognize that the future belongs to those who dare to dream and create. By showcasing the creative journeys of our guests, we hope to nurture the next generation of artists and entrepreneurs, providing them with the inspiration and guidance they need to succeed.” “We see this as not just a podcast,” says Jason, “but also a community-building initiative.” “[Did You Know? Unearthing Urban Creatives] (https://urbanartcollective.ca/pages/podcast)” will begin streaming by late spring or early summer 2024. Jason and Lindsay run the [Urban Art Collective] (https://urbanartcollective.ca/), a local art hub in Hintonburg that also hosts the Hintonburg Night Market. Jason and Lindsay Machinski Did You Know? Unearthing Urban Creatives https://urbanartcollective.ca/pages/podcast Canada Ottawa https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/ottawa tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/240079 2024-01-23T00:00:00Z 2024-01-23T22:51:39Z The creation and dissemination of direct, accessible information informing the Deaf community of suicide prevention resources and information including the availability of the 9-8-8 hotline fills a severely unmet need in Austin’s Deaf community. Research has shown that fear, mistrust, and frustration are most prominent in Deaf individuals’ descriptions of healthcare experiences. The Deaf community requires linguistically and culturally appropriate care and resources, and studies show that the most effective services are provided by culturally competent resources in ASL. DeafHealth, with the support of CSD as a long-time, trusted community resource based in Austin, Texas, is working towards providing accessible and authentic virtual health information in ASL. A $1000 grant from the Austin Awesome Foundation will be used to to create seven 30-60 sec. videos on suicide prevention within the Deaf community. Allysa Dittmar Suicide Prevention Awareness & Knowledge in ASL https://deafhealthaccess.org/ United States Austin, TX https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/austin tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/248781 2024-01-23T00:00:00Z 2024-01-24T03:58:29Z My organization (The Street Trust) created WeBike, a program that provides community bonding and learning opportunities, to inspire FTW people (femme, trans, women) to incorporate a bike into their lives. WeBike events are for anyone who does not benefit from cis male privilege, including trans men, trans women, cis women, agender, gender queer, gender fluid, gender nonconforming, and Two Spirit people. These opportunities range from short bike rides within Portland to longer excursions to Washington and Clackamas County, knowledge-sharing events and lectures, bike safety and repair clinics, and multimodal bike/bus rides for folks living on low incomes. A year ago we developed a class on how to camp by bike and it was so popular that we quickly organized our first bike camping trip, which was its own massive success. Our bike camping trips have since led to new lasting friends, confidence to be more independent in all aspects of life, and one romantic relationship! Going from the urban city to forest bathing via pedaling is a life changing, creative experience. Unfortunately right now this critical program operates on a tiny budget, and bike camping is too expensive for some of our enthusiastic WeBikers to join in the fun. Helping The Street Trust pay for food, refreshments, campsite fees, and camping equipment to ensure that all of our WeBikers can join in on this transformational experience would be an incredible service to Portland’s FTW community. Check out this video OPB made about one of my bike camping trips to learn more about what WeBikers experience: https://youtu.be/06rUj0-Gljk. Madi Carlson WeBike Camping Trips https://www.thestreettrust.org/programs/webike/ United States Portland, OR https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/portland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/248789 2024-01-23T00:00:00Z 2024-01-24T02:14:12Z "Saturday Morning" is a multichannel audio + video installation based on my experiences in Chicago as an abortion clinic escort. Using interviews with my fellow clinic escorts, field recordings of protestors, and video of myself preparing for my shift, the piece Immerses the audience in the experience of working as a clinic escort. I've previously exhibited this piece as a live performance at the Chicago Laboratory for Electro-Acoustic Theatre (https://elasticarts.org/cleat). Building a smaller, traveling multi-channel system and pairing it with video (rather than live performance) will allow the piece to have a much wider life. Jeffrey Nils Gardner Saturday Morning http://www.nilsgardner.com United States Chicago, IL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/chicago tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/243432 2024-01-22T00:00:00Z 2024-01-24T20:54:14Z How The “IMatter” Project Impact Communities The “IMatter” Project helps transform the identity of communities by honoring the beauty and promise of its people of every race, age, sexual orientation, gender, and socioeconomic status. The public media campaign celebrates the sanctity and self-worth of diverse community members while instilling a sense of communal pride and promise. The "IMatter" Project reflects the vitality and strength of communities through the beauty and promise of its people in images and words. Compelling large-scale photographic portraits along with subjects’ “IMatter” statements entice and empower community members to engage in conversations about the challenges they face individually and collectively. Irresistible faces and words broadcast bold messages of positivity and pride that drive community engagement through larger-than-life banners, billboards, audio recordings, social media dialogue, interactive exhibits, and radio broadcasts. For example, Radio Kingston, in Kingston, New York currently invites “IMatter” participants onto their Let’s Talk, Kingston program, a safe, bold space where such conversations are shared with the community. The project encourages people to curb assumptions and prejudices, and invites them to “meet” community members beyond their circumstances. The aesthetic uplift of the campaign inspires people to imagine and build a healthy community while promoting compassion, belonging and dignity. Reflecting on her 20-foot-high banner, Elaine, an “IMatter” Project participant shared, “It reminds me why I keep going, why I keep trying.” The “IMatter” Project is a thought-inspiring, heart-opening “poke” of reconsideration that encourages community members to initiate constructive dialogue about vital issues, on their terms. Participants benefit by being given a face and a voice in their community, while the general public benefits from an overall sense of optimism and pride for their town or city. Rob Goldman "IMatter" Project https://www.imatterproject.org/ United States Poughkeepsie, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/poughkeepsie tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/242604 2024-01-18T00:00:00Z 2024-01-22T14:36:29Z This project aims to provide veterinary and human health services in tandem to homeless individuals and their pets residing at the Integrated Care Hub in Kingston. Many homeless individuals have an amazingly strong bond with their animals and want to seek veterinary care, but can't afford the bill. The individuals themselves may also be in need of health and/or social services, but are not in the position to access these services. Collaboration between veterinarians and human health providers allows the needs of both to be met in a wholistic manner that builds trust and understanding between everyone involved. Both veterinarian and human health services would be provided at a pop-up clinic and the Integrated Care Hub and would provide basic animal check-ups, deworming, vaccines, and tick treatment. Human health could include service referral, access to smoking cessation resources, and flu/covid vaccines, Naloxone access, and more, Myra M Emery Community Veterinary Outreach https://vetoutreach.org/ Canada Kingston https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/kingston-on tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/240302 2024-01-18T00:00:00Z 2024-08-16T13:52:50Z Black Cards Of History is an educational non-profit organization dedicated to black history awareness through trivia (instead of speeches and general talk). I would like to start doing shows - some for kids like in schools especially since some states accepted AP African American Studies as an official course and some for adults as gathering and networking events as well as little pop-up events since I eventually intent on selling trivia cards that I created the questions and template from scratch. Llewellyn Sterling Jr Black Cards Of History https://blackcardsofhistory.org/ United States Miami, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/miami tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/246842 2024-01-17T00:00:00Z 2024-01-22T17:46:51Z Youth Do Vote is excited to host the nonpartisan Youth Voter (and Poll Worker!) Fest on January 30 at Palo Alto College, bringing together high school and college students to celebrate Help America Vote Day (designated by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission) and provide an experiential opportunity to learn about voting, working elections and local civic engagement opportunities specifically for young people. The event brings together city and county departments to provide a tangible way for students to learn about programs and community leadership opportunities. Youth Do Vote will create a meet and greet space for students to engage in conversation with elected officials, journalists, and nonprofit/civic leaders to learn about their roles in our community. There will be a voting simulation station with Express Vote machines, election clerk recruitment with Bexar County election judges, interactive stations where students can register to vote, learn who represents them and make a plan to vote. In Texas, students can work elections at the age of 16. Youth Do Vote is bringing more awareness to the opportunity for students to serve as poll workers so that they can play an active, and vital, role in our democracy. Given the persistent shortage of poll workers to operate elections, it’s important to cultivate the next generation of election clerks and judges. Two main goals of the event are for students and educators to leave with new resources and relationships that will inform and prepare them for future elections and expand their knowledge of ways to get involved in their community. In support of Youth Do Vote and the Youth Voter (and Poll Worker!) Fest, Bexar County Judge Sakai approved a proclamation for Help America Vote Day, to be presented at Commissioners Court on January 23. The first Youth Voter Fest took place in September 2023 at UTSA, kicking off High School Voter Registration Week, just before the voter registration deadline for the November election. Youth Do Vote/Heather Eichling Youth Voter (and Poll Worker!) Fest https://www.instagram.com/youthdovote/ United States San Antonio, TX https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/sanantonio tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/242573 2024-01-16T00:00:00Z 2024-01-23T20:46:32Z The FarmerJawn Project, a non-profit organization, is reintroducing farming into urban lifestyles. Through sustainable agriculture, entrepreneurship, and community empowerment, FarmerJawn transforms underserved urban communities. FarmerJawn's Agriculture Business Incubator mentors and trains aspiring urban farmers, launching thriving enterprises. Community outreach initiatives empower residents to adopt sustainable practices, make healthy food choices, and shape their food systems. CornerJawn Stores provide affordable access to fresh produce in food deserts. CSA subscriptions connect consumers to local farmers, promoting sustainable food systems. FarmerJawn's impact includes increased access to fresh produce, addressing food insecurity and promoting healthy eating. The Agriculture Business Incubator creates jobs and fosters economic opportunities. Educational programs encourage sustainable agriculture practices, contributing to healthier urban environments. Participatory community engagement empowers residents to make informed choices about their food sources. FarmerJawn demonstrates how community-based organizations can positively impact underserved urban communities. By promoting sustainable agriculture, empowering entrepreneurs, and fostering equitable access to healthy food, FarmerJawn contributes to a just and sustainable future for all. Christa Barfield FarmerJawn's Regenerative Urban Farming http://Www.FarmerJawn.co United States Philadelphia, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/philadelphia tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215323 2024-01-15T00:00:00Z 2024-01-16T00:18:19Z I am a pilot and professor. Each year, in late November, volunteers, scientists and medical professionals gather to rescue hundreds of cold-stunned, critically-endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles stranded in Cape Cod Bay. As a volunteer pilot, I help Turtles Fly Too (https://www.turtlesflytoo.org/) to airlift the triaged survivors to Jekyll Island, where they are rehabilitated and released into the Gulf of Mexico. I want to inspire my students to participate in the rescue and airlift by creating videos for TF2 to use to increase awareness, recruit and train more pilots and citizen scientist volunteers. GORDON MURRAY When Turtles Fly Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Неактивен) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/246134 2024-01-15T00:00:00Z 2024-04-19T11:42:56Z Oliver Citywide Academy is a special education school dedicated to serving 3rd-12th grade students with emotional and behavioral disturbances. In the last year, OCA has been split up and dispersed throughout the city to consist of 4 satellite locations. These locations are housed in other school buildings. It has been a rough transition for students, isolated in pockets of other schools without access to regular school resources. OCA is working on rebuilding the community, while still working towards a mission of providing therapeutic support to all students. This includes granting students ownership in creating spaces that feel safe, warm, and welcoming, and supports their needs. This also includes adding resources that foster growth, social emotional competency, self-confidence, and exposure to real life skills. 2k2c is a series of "Kids Can" projects that do just that. The first 2k2c project is Tuft Together. This is a project that combines community collaboration and the development of creative and technical rug making skills, The permanent product of this project will be collaborative pieces that can be used to beautify our spaces and a source of pride for all who participated. Kiarra Little 2k2c Kids Can Create - Tuft Together United States Pittsburgh, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/pittsburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/246431 2024-01-15T00:00:00Z 2024-01-22T20:51:18Z The League of Women Voters of North Dakota creates a voter guide on VOTE411.org for the June and November elections. We cover all the candidates in the state down to the local offices. We send them 5 candidate questions, and they respond in their own words. When voters head to VOTE411, they can enter their address to see the races and ballot measures that will be on their ballot and compare candidate responses. We aim to make voting more accessible to voters! Whitney Oxendahl Translating Voting Information http://www.lwvnd.org/vote411 United States Cass Clay https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/cassclay tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/241244 2024-01-14T00:00:00Z 2024-01-15T01:51:07Z I am so excited to now be hosting a one hour radio show on WCPT 820 - Chicago's Progressive Talk to discuss my organizations' humane campaigns along with many other animal rights and animal related issues. 'If Cage Walls Could Talk' is a very interactive show with experts and speakers covering a different topic each week with listeners calling in to ask questions, learn more, find out how they can help animals and possibly even debate the issues. I can reach between 1000 - 4000 listeners each week, which will hopefully help our campaigns and advance animal protection greatly! In addition, this is a great chance to reach not only Chicagoland listeners, but also those who stream and/or listen online, so almost anyone from anywhere could tune in from their computers or phones. Jodie Wiederkehr If Cage Walls Could Talk - Radio Show https://www.chicagoallianceforanimals.org/ Worldwide Vegan (Неактивен) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/vegan tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/246017 2024-01-14T00:00:00Z 2024-01-14T21:48:48Z This grant will support the upcoming collaborative art exhibition titled "Selections: Rydell Visual Arts Fellows 2006-2021," hosted at M.K.Contemporary Art Gallery in downtown Santa Cruz. This event is a partnership between the Museum of Art and History (MAH), MK Contemporary Art, and the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County which oversees the Rydell Visual Arts Program. The Rydell Visual Arts Program awards $20,000 every two years to four Santa Cruz County artists. Entering its 14th year, the scope and breath of these artists, past and present, represents the vast richness of our art community. MK Contemporary Art will host the exhibit of past Rydell Award recipients, while the MAH will showcase the current award winners. This collaborative exhibition will take place from January 27 to March 24, 2024. Melissa Kreisa Rydell Foundation Showcase https://www.mkcontemporary.art United States Santa Cruz, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/santacruz tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/243718 2024-01-12T00:00:00Z 2024-08-12T15:22:17Z AwesomeStPaul is thrilled to be sending 52 second grade students at Expo Elementary School to the Minnesota History Museum this winter as part of their studies about the Anishinaabe Peoples. Congratulations to our Januuary 2024 grant recipient! Teacher Emily Storms explained, "I'm a 2nd grade teacher at Expo Elementary in St. Paul Public Schools! We have 52 second grade students who are learning about the Anishinaabe peoples and would love to incorporate a visit to the Anishinaabe exhibit at the MN History Museum into this unit. The cost of the museum entrance is $10 per student, and then the cost of the bus to and from the field is about $10 more per student. $20 per student makes this field trip prohibitively expensive for many of our families, so $1,000 would go a long way towards making sure all students are able to access this field trip!" Emily Storms 2nd Grade Field Trip to the MN History Museum! United States St. Paul, MN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/stpaul tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/225149 2024-01-10T00:00:00Z 2024-01-24T15:40:22Z For the past 14 years we have been helping local low income families in Carroll County that have a child that is suffering from a chronic illness or disability. In August we will help 100s of children in our program get ready to go Back to School we provide them with new book bags, supplies, lunch boxes and new shoes. Caroline Ross Live Hope Laugh Alexis Ross organization http://www.livehopelaugh.com United States Westminster, MD https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/westminster tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/244830 2024-01-10T00:00:00Z 2024-01-11T00:56:04Z We would like to update our school playground at Roger’s Public School Newmarket Erika MacNeil Rogers PS Playscape Canada Newmarket https://www.awesomefoundation.org/bg/chapters/newmarket-ontario