Awesome Foundation - Projects

South Bend, IN – South Bend Scholastic Chess Championship

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z

This project will bring together elementary and middle school students in a fun, competitive, and stimulating environment. The South Bend Scholastic Chess Championship will be a hallmark event of Michiana Chess Inc, held bi-annually. Students who may have only had the opportunity to play their classmates and family members will be able to test their mettle against cross-town opponents, and possibly bring home a trophy for their school. We are aiming to host 40-80 participants in an all-day, non-elimination team tournament, with each participant playing 5 games, and each team representing an area school. Lunch and snacks will be provided to all participants. Prizes will be given to the 1st place team and top 3 individuals. The date is scheduled tentatively for the first or second Saturday in May. If awarded the grant, we would hope to work with the Awesome Foundation board to find an ideal DTSB location. Our first tournament was made possible by private and corporate donors, who contributed over $2000 to our cause. This allowed us to purchase the boards, pieces, chess clocks, notation sheets, tournament pairing software, name tags, pencils, and prizes necessary, as well as rent a suitable space. Just last month, 29 students from South Bend's public and private schools, a Mishawaka private school, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County gathered at the Ray and Joan Kroc Center to crown a chess champion. The event was a huge success, and parents and children alike showed how excited they were for more opportunities to play chess. We hope to give that to them! *Michiana Chess Inc is a registered non-profit with the state of Indiana, and is currently applying for 501(c)(3) status.

Sarnia (Inactive) – 25th Anniversary Lambton College Pow Wow

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z

2017 will be the 25th anniversary of the annual Pow Wow held at Lambton College coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Lambton College and the 150th anniversary of Canada. For 24 years Lambton College has celebrated an annual Pow Wow hosted by the Aboriginal Student Council and the Aboriginal Cultural/Learning Centre. Each year, the half day Pow Wow is scheduled for the first week in April attracting dancers, singers, and spectators from across Southern Ontario. The Pow Wow at Lambton College has been a way for Aboriginal students to celebrate their cultural heritage and to serve as an awareness and educational event for the entire student population as well as the local community. In celebration of the 25th anniversary, we are hoping to make this cultural event a major community experience that everyone is welcome to attend. The event will be a three-day event, April 7, 8, & 9, 2017 with the first day as an educational awareness day for local secondary students and the following days as a two day Pow Wow open to the general public. For the educational awareness piece, several workshops will take place providing our local secondary students and teachers the opportunity to learn about First Nation culture and heritage. The two day competition pow wow, will draw in dancers, drummers and singers from many different First Nation cultures and communities providing the community the opportunity to experience a full scale pow wow within the city limits. As a larger scaled event, we are seeking out your financial assistance as any support will be greatly appreciated. Although if this is not a possibility at this time, we thank you for your time and consideration.

San Jose, CA – Loving Day 2017: San Jose

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z

San Jose is considered the “most diverse metro” in the U.S., according to Forbes. Taking this into account, add-in the fact that over half of 1000 polled, 18-34 year-olds have dated outside of their racial group. The results will include an increase of interracial relationships, marriages, and ultimately, children, and families. It was a short 50-years ago, that anti-miscegenation laws were in place in 42 states. Twelve of these states overturned these laws before 1887; fourteen of these states overturned these laws between 1948 and 1967; and sixteen of these states overturned these laws on June 12, 1967 (Loving v. Virginia) when the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Lovings, legalizing interracial marriages in all fifty states. Even though Loving Day is not yet recognized federally, many cities and municipalities do officially recognize it. I'm hoping San Jose is added to the list, which includes Washington DC, Caroline County, Virginia, and El Cerrito, California. In June 2015, I attended El Cerrito's Loving Day celebration and was blown away that San Jose, a city of a million, had not held a Loving Day event, while El Cerrito, a city of under 25,000, was successful in holding such an important event. I am currently working with a small group of dedicated volunteers and the city of San Jose on the inaugural Loving Day 2017: San Jose celebration. Attendees of Loving Day 2017: San Jose will enjoy music & cultural dance performances, hear from community-leader guest speakers, and will be able to interface with educational & community resources over the course of four hours (11-3 pm) on Saturday, June 10th at Loving Day 2017: San Jose. We hope you, along with other San Jose community members, come out to enjoy learning about Mildred & Richard Loving, their story, and the historical significance of the 1967 US Supreme Court decision. Thank you for your consideration in awarding funds for the very first Loving Day 2017: San Jose celebration.

Newmarket – STEM MINDS & Girls Inc.: Girls in STEM

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z

As part of the ongoing partnership between STEM MINDS and Girls Incorporated of York Region, we are hoping to further our combined mission of getting more girls involved in STEM. STEM MINDS will provide quality STEM-based after school programming developed to meet the needs and interests of participants in Girls Inc. programs on an ongoing basis. Through the provision of such programs and activities, STEM MINDS and Girls Inc. will share their knowledge, skills, and resources to break down the barriers that girls face when entering the world of STEM, increase confidence and self-esteem in participants, and provide participants with a chance to develop important skills and competencies for success in the 21st century. Some opportunities for participants include: 1. 3D Design and Printing: Our 3D Design program gives participants an introduction to digital design. Participants will learn a whole new way of thinking in three dimensions and are sure to enjoy having their digital designs come to life with our 3D printing technology. 2. Digital Media: Convinced you’re going to be YouTube famous? Well, here’s the chance to learn the skills you’ll need. We offer a variety of options including digital film, digital photography, digital music and more that give participants the chance to explore their artistic side in a digital context. 3. Coding: Participants will get the opportunity to learn another language; the language of programming! Through a variety of game-based activities that promote problem-solving and creativity, participants will get to explore the world of coding and maybe even learn what they want to be when they grow up. The opportunities with coding are endless! 4. Robotics: Our LEGO EV3 Robotics program gives students an opportunity to learn about Robotics and Coding. Using the ever-popular LEGO EV3 Robot, students will experience a variety of challenges and learn to problem-solve and collaborate in the process.

Antigonish, NS (Inactive) – Awesome to share.

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z

My name is Tyler Maceachern. My mom is Kate MacEachern. I have an idea for awesome antigonish and to help people share their ideas and thoughts. Also as a great way to have people communicate and stop and listen or read. It's all about being positive. Sometimes having a good distraction is a great thing. My idea is to put chalkboards on the side of buildings. In permanent paint or whatever you write the question or the sentence. Like for example. "I love antigonish because:" And then underneath you have a bunch of lines. People can write why they love antigonish in chalk. Or things like. "If I had one wish it would be" it's a great way to have people communicate and also really nice to see the amazing things written. I saw this done in a very small community in BC two years ago and I'll always remember it. There are lots of ideas for questions. Because it's chalk it's super easy to clean up once a week. Also great for tourists because they can also contribute. Thank you for your time.

Boston, MA – Boston #popscope: urban public astronomy

2017-04-19T00:00:00Z

When was the last time you looked at the Moon’s craters, Saturn’s rings, or Jupiter’s moons? #popscope, short for “pop-up telescope,” brings free astronomy observing to the public. When the skies are clear, we “pop-up” in different neighborhoods to promote community-building through science. We aim to 1) encourage social interactions that challenge norms and spatial boundaries, 2) contribute to discourse about how public spaces are used and allocated, and 3) educate diverse communities about science and astronomy. #popscope was started in Ottawa, Canada in 2014 and now has a presence in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, and NYC. The #popscope network is entirely volunteer-run and operates on a very lean budget. #popscope is highly mobile: we aim to bring science to the people by visiting diverse neighborhoods that can vary by race and class. To make our gatherings as successful as possible, we work with community leaders to bring telescopes to neighborhoods in an inclusive, safe, sensitive manner. We use social media to announce the location and date of events, and we encourage guests to post photos and ask questions on #popscope’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Though Boston is home to world-class institutions of higher learning, popular science museums, and a strong amateur astronomy community, there is appetite for more public astronomy outreach. With just one telescope over the last three months, for example, our team has hosted a dozen pop-up astronomy events for over 300 Bostonians of all ages and backgrounds. We also partnered with the Boston Children’s Museum to host two successful daytime solar observation events event for children. With the support of an Awesome Boston grant, Boston #popscope can do even more: connect the dots among Boston’s residents, K-12 schools, universities, museums, and amateur astronomers and make Boston a “Hub” for exciting community-based astronomy!

LA South Bay, CA (Inactive) – Generating a Generation of Givers in LA South Bay

2017-04-19T00:00:00Z

We believe that when people get involved in giving while they are young it establishes a pattern of giving that will follow them throughout their entire life. For most students, money isn’t often set aside to help others. As a result, world issues often revolve around what’s going on in their own lives instead of what’s going on around them. We believe that giving students the opportunity to learn about humanitarian issues and empowering them with a voice in how we should find and fund sustainable solutions is a giant step towards generating a generation of givers who espouse empathy, engage social issues globally, and are overall better neighbours to those around them. The Kutoa Classrooms platform addresses this head on by educating students and giving each one a vote, which in the end funds great projects that make a lasting difference to those in need. Kutoa provides educators with free curriculum that allows them to talk about sensitive humanitarian issues in age appropriate ways. From food security through the World Food Program to borderless medicine through Doctors Without Borders, Kutoa presents a different humanitarian theme each month and 3 project through our charitable partner that will address the need at hand. Each student is then given 1 vote for one of those 3 projects and the projects. Our platform is socially integrated so students can share what they are for with those they know and give them a chance to join in as well. The project with most votes at the end of the month is granted all of the funds collected that month. It’s that simple and it is that easy to engage a whole generation of future leaders. At present, Kutoa has classrooms in 4 countries (CAN/USA/AUS/NZ) and, as word gets out, is growing quickly at raising awareness, engaging youth and making a real impact through the projects we fund. Being web-based has allowed us a global reach while keeping our operating costs at a level way less than a bricks and mortar operation.

Ottawa – Torchlight Shakespeare: Fools in Your Park!

2017-04-19T00:00:00Z

April’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Alexandra Isenor and A Company of Fools to bring Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream to parks in the rural areas around Ottawa this summer. “Our goal,” explains Alexandra, “is to break down barriers between people and experiencing culture and art. One big barrier is distance and location. We overcome this by bringing our our work to our audiences, and this year we want to go to four new rural communities — Merrickville, Navan, Kemptville, and Carp — bringing our total to nine parks in such communities.” If you’d like to support this summer’s production, a fundraiser is taking place this Saturday, April 22nd — tickets are available at fools.ca. We’re told there will be trivia, “bardaoke,” dancing, a silent auction, food, games, prizes, and more. Alexandra is a local arts manager, director, actor, and creator, and the General Manager of A Company of Fools.

Oahu, HI – Lullaby Project

2017-04-19T00:00:00Z

The Lullaby Project began as a pilot project through Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2011. Musicians there facilitated lullaby writing with young pregnant teens at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx in an effort to help create a positive support system for these new moms and to facilitate a loving bond between mother and infant. The project has grown over the past six years to include not only teen moms, but parents and caregivers who find themselves facing challenging situations as they care for their children (e.g., those who are incarcerated, living in homeless shelters). Last year was Hawaiʻi's first Lullaby Project with Leeward Community College's Hawaiian Ensemble performing and recording with singer-songwriters from the community who volunteered to help moms and dads create original lullabies for their children. There is no cost to participate in the project and typically parents have little or no musical training -- simply a desire to create an original lullaby for their baby, or infant that is on the way. Last year's partnering organization was Catholic Charities Mary Jane Home, and they have joined us once again along with parents from Pūlama I Nā Keiki (Alu Like), Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, and the foster/adoptive community for this spring's Lullaby Project. The local sponsoring arts organizations are Leeward Community College (LCC) Theatre and UH-West Oʻahu (UHWO) Humanities Department, whose students will be involved as musicians, volunteers, and parent-participants. Musicians from the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra will also assist with accompanying some of the performances. Our workshop with songwriting teams took place at the beginning of February. Song arranging is planned through March. Rehearsals and the final performance will occur in April 2017.

Bend, OR (Inactive) – Cycling Without Age Bend

2017-04-19T00:00:00Z

Cycling Without Age is based in Copenhagen, Denmark and has chapters all around the world. CWA brings the experience of riding a bike to our aging community members through the use of a "trishaw," a three-wheeled bike that comfortably carries two riders up front while a volunteer pedals. This enables those who are unable to ride a bike to feel "the wind in their hair." the exhilaration and pure joy that riding a bike elicits. The Guiding Principles of CWA are: Generosity: Cycling Without Age is based on generosity and kindness. It starts with the obvious generous act of taking one or two elderly or less-abled people out on a bike ride. It’s a simple act that everyone can do. Slow Cycling: Slow cycling allows you to sense the environment, be present in the moment and it allows people you meet along the way to be curious and gain knowledge about Cycling Without Age because you make time to stop and talk. Storytelling: Elderly people have so many stories that will be forgotten if we don’t reach out and listen to them. We tell stories, we listen to stories on the bike and we also document the stories when we share them via word of mouth or on social media. Relationships: Cycling Without Age is about creating a multitude of new relationships: between generations, among the elderly, between pilots and passengers, nursing homes employees and family members. Relationships build trust, happiness and quality of life. Without Age: Life does not end when you turn 75. Life unfolds at all ages, young and old, and can be thrilling, fun, sad, beautiful and meaningful. Cycling Without Age is about letting people age in a positive context – fully aware of the opportunities that lie ahead when interacting in their local community. A great origination story and description of CWA is in the TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Ti4qUa-OU In the future, I'd like to incorporate the use of therapy dogs, especially for solo riders, for companionship and stress reduction.

Northampton, MA (Inactive) – New Century Theatre's Staged Reading Series

2017-04-17T00:00:00Z

This summer New Century Theatre, a Northampton based theatre company is performing in three new venues, two of which are in Northampton. In June NCT will present two staged readings of brand new plays that feature local authors Ellen Wittlinger and Eric Henry Sanders. Each play will receive a week of rehearsals and then present two performances to the public at First Churches in their sanctuary space. Both plays will feature locals actors and directors.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Neka Fieldwork Society

2017-04-17T00:00:00Z

The fishing villages of Southeast Alaska are separated by icy fjords, foggy bays, and forested mountains. Roads don't go anywhere. With my merry crew of intrepid makers, I'm preparing to expand on an experience we created in 2016. In a remote part of Chichagof Island we created a boat-in classical music concert. Now we're going to bring the concert experience on the road. But since there are no roads, we're doing it on the water. We have an historic 100' tugboat, and are preparing to tour villages and remote homesteads around Admiralty, and Baranof, and Chichagof Islands.

Pittsburgh, PA – Allentown Then & Now

2017-04-17T00:00:00Z

The Allentown Then & Now project will give students at the ALEC(Allentown Learning and Engagement Center) an opportunity to develop visual literacy skills and form a deeper connection to the history and identity of their neighborhood through photography. Archived images from the Historic Pittsburgh Image Collections will be used as a reference for youth to capture modern day images of the historic archived scenes. Printed and framed modern “Now” images will be presented alongside the historical “Then” images as a photography showcase in a space in the Allentown community. These images will go on to be displayed in various businesses and organizations throughout the community with information cards detailing the context of the archived images as well as links to the Historic Pittsburgh Image Collection and its contributors. “Now” images will also be submitted to a Pittsburgh image archive (Historic Pittsburgh Image Collection or Heinz History Center) and be made available for non-commercial use by non-profit organizations, schools, as well as the general public. Youth photographers will receive credit for their contributions within the archive, as well as a framed print featuring a collage of their “Now” image and the “Then” image it references. This project is made possible through the Arts MODE programming of New Sun Rising. Project partners include ALEC, The Hilltop Alliance, The Archives Service Center at University of Pittsburgh, and Work Hard Pittsburgh.

San Francisco, CA – Cyclecide Moving Fund

2017-04-17T00:00:00Z

Cyclecide is being forced to exit a wondrous and longtime workspace. SF Awesome Foundation’s support of the related costs may help in keeping this important network of inventors, educators and lunatics semi-functioning. In the tumult of legal and bureaucratic scrutiny that art spaces have encountered since the Oakland Ghost Ship fire, much of the intense focus of projects past will, sadly, be dissipated into practical matters. We must make sure some semblance of the creative and collective efforts that once flourished will endure. We can’t depend on municipalities to make it happen. We need to do it ourselves as a community.

Miami, FL – Ansanm

2017-04-15T00:00:00Z

Ansanm, meaning together in Kreyol, is a cultural project that aims to bring the arts to Miami's diverse working class communities through community-based events centered around the greatest equalizer: food. The act of eating dinner with a group of people is usually a joyous occasion and allows for long conversations. My hope is that by inviting members and participants from institutions such as FANM, which focuses on the Haitian-American community, and ICA Miami, which focuses on contemporary art, to have a meal together and share their ideas for progressing the communities that they share. Each event would happen in spaces within underserved communities and would include an activation from an artists/arts organization and activists like O Miami or the Dream Defenders to jump start the conversations amongst guests. Additionally, we would purchase food from local markets and restaurants to encourage the shared economic opportunity that exists within our city. I believe that Miami’s cultural community has been so closed off to working class communities because as cultural producers we find ourselves focussed on people we work with closely. Accessible is not always as accessible as we think and this working model aims to find a more accessible model for inviting community participation.

Cass Clay – Crack the Code: Summer Technology Camp for Girls

2017-04-15T00:00:00Z

uCodeGirl is hosting Crack the Code: Summer Technology Day Camp for Girls (June 19-29, 2017) is intended to bring together a diverse group of teen girls residing in the Fargo-Moorhead and surrounding counties attending public, private, including home school who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to come together. Together they experience cutting edge technology lessons from industry professionals, independent time to work on their individual projects, and opportunities to bond with new friends. Crack the Code summer event is focused on the three tenants of uCodeGirl: to inspire and build confidence, to equip with the knowledge and skills; and to connect to like-minded girls as well as STEM professionals for sustainable engagement, such as mentorship, networking, job shadowing. This eight days long summer immersion event for young girls will include programming through leadership training, and inspiring speeches by female role models, skill-building through entrepreneurial brainstorming and prototyping as well as coding web development, app development and programming robotics. This unique event is made possible through the collaboration of the STEM ecosystem of higher institutions of learning, such as North Dakota State University, Moorhead State University Minnesota and Concordia. Technology companies and STEM professionals as instructors dedicated to inspiring, connecting and equipping the next generation of leaders and innovators will also be involved.

New York City, NY – Devised Theatre Project

2017-04-14T00:00:00Z

The Devised Theatre Project is building a theatre and leadership-building program for young people currently living in the NYC shelter system. During the 12-week pilot, participants will collaboratively create an original piece of theatre, providing them with opportunities to practice creativity, build community, play, explore ideas, build confidence and cultivate leadership skills in a fun and supportive environment. The pilot is being run in collaboration with the CAMBA Flagstone Family Center in Brownsville Brooklyn and was launched in March 2017. Although centers such as CAMBA have funding for after school programming through city programs like School's Out, this funding does not cover weekend programming (Fri, Sat, Sun) and there's typically less for the kids to do during these times. The program's goal is to fill this gap with engaging programming that builds community, provides snacks, and allow participants to play and express themselves. Consistent programming like this provides these kids in transition a positive, stable place where they can build community, release stress, laugh, and express themselves creatively. In addition to providing participants with the opportunity to learn and engage in a theatre-arts practice; the workshop will build leadership skills in participants by providing opportunities to practice collaborative problem solving, negotiation, decision making, flexibility, and communication (presence, listening and responding, eye contact) throughout the process - all of which provide a foundation for success later in life.

Ann Arbor, MI – Parisa Ghaderi

2017-04-12T00:00:00Z

YES (YpsiExperimentalSpace) will be supporting a custom-built month long installation by recent U-M MFA graduate, Iranian born artist, Parisa Ghaderi. Parisa’s current work explores the humanitarian, historical, and emotional complexities inherent in the act of immigration. Parisa draws on her personal immigration experiences transforming this fundamental human odyssey into a visceral experience bridging the gap between immigration as concept and policy and immigration as a human condition. This creative installation aims to paint a portrait of immigration/emigration through the construction of a series of human-scaled “boxes” that reveal myriad cultural differences and connections through the presentation of a collection of focused sensory experiences. A teaser exhibit of Parisa’s work is currently on view at YES. (8 N. Washington St., Ypsilanti, 24/7) Parisa’s exhibition/installation is scheduled to be open to the public the entire month of June, 2017.

Chicago, IL – Prison Interview Series

2017-04-12T00:00:00Z

I was released from state prison in 2015. Before being locked up, I had never done any creative writing. I always told myself I would write (eventually) but I was too afraid to try—too afraid to fail. It took failing in a big way—finding myself a convicted felon, a loser—to make me realize I had nothing to lose. During the two years I spent incarcerated, I discovered how empowering and liberating the written word can be. I wrote every day, both in my journal and in letters to friends and family. I began to imagine a life that wasn’t necessarily destined for failure and ignominy. Writing gave me back my identity, my pride and sense of self. It allowed me to reclaim my personal narrative from a system that thought it could write my story for me. As someone who spent years being told his voice isn’t worthwhile or important, that his identity is stained, nothing could be more valuable. After my release, I engaged my local literary community in earnest. Part of this process involved starting an interview series for the Chicago arts magazine Sixty Inches from Center. So far, the series has interviewed only formerly incarcerated artists currently living in Chicago. My awesome project is to expand the scope of the series and begin conducting in-person interviews with artists who are still locked up, both in Chicago and throughout Illinois. (I've found that many inmates don't feel they can speak freely over the phone or by mail, both of which are heavily monitored by the DOC.) I want to help tell the personal stories of those still subjected to the Prison Industrial Complex, to share their artistic voices with the outside world. I hope that in doing so, I can generate a sense of empathy and inclusion for the millions of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people in our city and across the country.

Gloucester, MA – VR Classroom

2017-04-11T00:00:00Z

Gloucester, MA – Anchor Program - Stress Reduction

2017-04-11T00:00:00Z

I am looking to purchase Fidget Cubes (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/antsylabs/fidget-cube-a-vinyl-desk-toy) for my Social/Emotional Special Education Classes to help the students improve their attention and focus during academic classes. These toys are intended to reduce stress and increase focus, which is exactly what my students need.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Sue Shelton White Public Art Committee

2017-04-10T00:00:00Z

Public art created by Jackson, TN, sculptor Wanda Stanfill to be unveiled on May 25, 2017, will honor this suffragist, attorney, and general counsel who implemented the Social Security Act. In 1905, White took a job as a stenographer and clerk for the Southern Engine and Boiler Works in Jackson. In 1907, she became Jackson’s court reporter and, later, private secretary to the Tennessee Supreme Court. In 1918, she served as chair of the National Woman’s Party in Tennessee and editor of NWP’s national paper, the Suffragist. In 1913, recording secretary, Jackson league of the Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association (TESA), an affiliate of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). 1917, chair of TESA's Eighth Congressional District. Participated in NWP's Washington demonstrations, burning an effigy of President Wilson in front of the White House on Feb. 9, 1919. Arrested and sentenced to five days in prison. From 1920-26, she worked as a clerk and legal secretary for TN Sen. Kenneth McKellar in Washington, D.C. In 1926, she returned to Jackson as the city's first female attorney and to work for her own law firm, Anderson and White. She was also active in the state's Democratic Party. She helped write Tennessee's first married women's property bill, an old age pension act, and a mother's pension act. She served as President of the Jackson Area Business and Professional Women, 1929-1931. The New Deal: In 1928, she befriended Eleanor Roosevelt and Molly Dewson, director of the Women's Division of the Democratic Party. Through 1933, White worked as executive secretary of the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee; executive assistant to the vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee. She became legal counsel helping implement the Social Security Act. Then she served as principal attorney and assistant to the general counsel of the Federal Security Agency before becoming ill with cancer in the early 1940s. She died in 1943.

Singapore – #ImEdible

2017-04-10T00:00:00Z

80% of Singaporeans will only buy beautiful food. At the same time, food waste increased 1.5 times in the last decade. We want to change this. ImEdible aims to show people that “ugly” food is the same as pretty food in both taste and nutritional value. Instagram will be our main channel of publicity. We’ll change the views of the public, then use a petition to persuade supermarkets to give ugly food a chance. We’ve already started on our project. We set up a booth demonstration at Victoria Junior College. 2 plates of oranges were cut up to look alike. We then asked students to taste if there’s any difference in the oranges from the two plates. Most participants said they tasted similar. At the end, we revealed to them the original appearance of the “ugly” and “pretty” oranges. Then, we asked them to sign a petition and fill in a survey. We collected 76 signatures. Before the booth, half of our respondents rarely or never bought ugly fruits. After our booth, all our respondents were willing to try ugly fruits out. Our demonstration booth: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0kCeNO2Q3kwUExnNzNZeXBXQUE We also worked with Vegetarian Society Singapore for their smoothie bike - students could cycle and make their own fruit juice. This brought home the message that while fruits may look different, their nutritional value is still the same. Fruits, no matter their appearance, make great juice. The bike in action: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0kCeNO2Q3kwUmtKa2FiUUZCRXM Next, we’ll work with fruit stall owners in schools. Fruit stores in schools sell a lot of fruit juice. For school canteen vendors, cost is important - the cheaper the better. To save ugly fruits and also help vendors cut costs, we’ll link them up with grocers to buy the much-cheaper ugly fruits for fruit juice. This way, it’s a win-win situation. We plan on expanding this to hawker centres, and eventually, we’ll convince supermarkets to sell ugly fruits, too. Let’s reduce food waste together!

Birmingham, AL (Inactive) – Dream Makerz

2017-04-10T00:00:00Z

In January 2016, Hiranda Brock, a master cosmetologist and licensed cosmetology instructor started Dream Makerz in order to provide young girls and women with motivation and empowerment to move forward and follow their dreams. She created the organization to inspire others to "look good, feel better, and do best." With her organization, Hiranda creates beautiful opportunities through professional salon experiences and through those experiences she inspires a mindset transformation, daring those she serves to discover and develop their own dreamz by tapping into their life purpose

Los Angeles, CA – Culinary Arts Kids Eat

2017-04-08T00:00:00Z

Culinary Arts Kids Eat (“CAKE”) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization created in 2012 to enrich, engage and educate youth in South Central Los Angeles. The C A K E program, empowers youth with opportunities to develop professional culinary skills, offering hands on training in the restaurant and hospitality industry as well as developing important life skills through a dynamic wellness program. C A K E currently operates as an after-school program at Santee Educational Complex, one of the most under served communities in Los Angeles. The South Central neighborhood where our students live is considered a food desert, whereby fresh, healthy, affordable food is not available. Most students suffer from preventable diseases; diabetes and obesity. With the knowledge our students gain they now make healthy food choices. Youth enrolled in the After School w/ CAKE program will learn how to set up a hydroponic grow system and how to grow organic produce in the soil. They will be trained in professional culinary arts and create a healthy recipe. Students will design a brand and logo for their product and learn the art of entrepreneurship. They will sell their item at the Farmers Market and keep the profits. Our goal (2018) is to open a local co-op market café in the neighborhood where fresh, locally grown food may be sold along with “High Quality Rapid Cuisine” (fresh health already prepared meals). Students study health, wellness and nutrition. They learn about the brain, the heart and which foods will keep them in balance. They practice mindful meditation, stress management and yoga. These tools will help keep them grounded and able to cope with the many challenges that life might have. Sports are also played, encouraging our youth to stay active and recognizing that with not much green space in their community, it is difficult.

Annapolis, NS (Inactive) – AWEC Dance Marathon

2017-04-07T00:00:00Z

"This generation fighting for the next". That's how Gemma Tompkins won the hearts of the trustees of Annapolis to support her pitch for the IWK Children's Miracle Network dance marathon fundraiser being held at AWEC on May 4th. The dance marathon brings the community together, from adults to children, in raising money, supporting a good cause, having fun, and raising awareness. 100% of the funds raised stay local and support local kids. They invited the other local high schools to join them to make the event bigger and reach a larger audience. They are hoping to be able to make this an annual event with setting even bigger goals for raising money next year than the $10K they're aiming for this year. There will not only be a dance, but zumba, face painting, crafts with the IWK kids, food, bouncy castles, and much much more. Join them - May 4th.

Oakland, CA (Inactive) – Four Headed Records

2017-04-06T00:00:00Z

Being a musician is genuinely hard. Simply affording instruments is a barrier to creativity. Beyond that, the cost to record, manufacture and distribute an album is monetarily impossible for many musicians. For this reason, creativity becomes stifled, community suffers and self-expression is repressed. To solve this problem, we are developing a DIY, VHS Tape Label called Four Headed Records. It will be the only VHS Tape Label in existence and will be the first of its kind. Simply put, Four Headed Records will release albums on VHS Tapes instead of Cassette Tapes, CDs or Vinyl. But why VHS? There are many reasons! It hasn't been done before, the medium is inexpensive, it allows musicians to release music and video in one package and VHS tape quality is surprisingly awesome! Our project will be free and will benefit underserved musicians from Oakland. To get the community on-board, we will feature new artists each month. Each release will include two bands, one from Oakland, and one from any other part of the world. By connecting underserved musicians from different parts of the world, we inspire new creative bonds while simultaneously building a bridge between various underserved music communities. With each new release, Four Headed Records will gradually archive Oakland’s distinct musical voice. In this way, we will impact thousands of Oakland based musicians for generations to come. Our outreach plan includes: • Getting public service announcements on college radio and public access TV stations • Teaming up with local venues like Oakland Secret • Doing outreach at local concerts, open mics, local music communities, online forums and social media • And Partnering with local recording studios like Santo Studios to find artists With your help, Four Headed Records will transform the VHS medium into a lean mean community-building machine. We will preserve our musical past, while inspiring our musical future.

Piqua, OH (Inactive) – Piqua Love Locks

2017-04-05T00:00:00Z

I would like to build a “love lock” structure as an outdoor interactive art installation in Piqua. The most famous example of a love lock structure is the bridge in Paris where lovers would place a padlock on the bridge and throw away the key as a symbol of their love. Many people write or carve their names into the locks. I would like to build a freestanding love lock structure where the people of Piqua can place their own love locks to show their love for each other or to honor those they have lost. I can build the structure and base, including a built in key trap where keys can be "thrown away" within the structure. I would need to work with the city about where the structure could be placed and getting any necessary permission for the project. (Maybe at lock 9—love locks at lock 9? But anywhere would be fine.) I want it to be a part of our city-- someplace people come to see. It would be fun to do some kind of unveiling or ribbon-cutting ceremony with a symbolic placing of the first lock on the structure by a couple from the community.

Piqua, OH (Inactive) – Farm to Table Dinner

2017-04-05T00:00:00Z

The idea is to provide a Farm to Table Dinner experience for our community members to enjoy. What does this mean? It means supporting our local growers by using their produce in a dinner menu that has been created for that particular evening. Where would this Farm to Table dinner take place? The location of the dinner has not been decided upon at the time of this application. However, there are several locations in mind, they are listed below: • Piqua’s very own community garden at Pitsenbarger Park. With this location community members may experience a place that they may have never known about until now. • Downtown Piqua, in front of the Fort Piqua Library, after the Farmer’s Market on a Thursday evening. • Johnston’s Farm • Or a place to be determined What would this dinner look like? There would be a row of tables and chairs uniquely decorated that would spread down the center of the chosen location for seating of 60 to 70 people, with white lights strung around the area. The food would be served buffet style with volunteers overseeing the serving table. We will work with the Piqua Health Dept. to know what the regulations are in regards to the food prep. and serving. The menu would include: • Several different kinds of salads • Local vegetables • Meat: possibly pork or beef from local farmer • Desserts that include fresh fruits • Several choices of beverages *all dishes mentioned made with fresh, local ingredients Who is helping support this idea? Mainstreet Piqua (Farmer’s Market), the City of Piqua, local growers and individual community members of Piqua. Who is able to attend the Farm to Table Dinner? And is there a cost? This dinner would be open to anyone who would like to attend. The cost would be a $15.00 donation per ticket. With the idea being, the donations would be seed money for next year’s farm to table dinner.

Paris (Inactive) – Un regard pour toi

2017-04-04T00:00:00Z

Face à l'habillement, les déficients visuels sont soit dépendants de leur entourage, soit livrés à eux-mêmes. Soigner son apparence est un vecteur essentiel d'insertion sociale et professionnelle pour des non-voyants dans la société. « Un regard pour toi » intervient pour rendre les déficients visuels autonomes dans leurs achats vestimentaires, en trouvant des moyens pour décrire le vêtement, l'allure, les codes vestimentaires. Nous venons de mettre au point un système de marquage qui permettra de broder sur les vêtements du braille ou des symboles grâce auxquels les déficients visuels pourront assortir leurs vêtements en toute autonomie. When it comes to dressing, visually impaired people are either dependent on others, or left to themselves. Taking care of your appearance is essential for your social and professional integration. “Un regard pour toi” helps visually impaired people to become autonomous in their shopping, by finding ways to describe the clothes, the style, the fashion codes. We recently developed a tagging system of Braille and symbols that are embroidered on clothes, and thanks to which visually impaired people can choose and match their clothes in complete autonomy.

Atlanta, GA (Inactive) – First Generation Hope Scholarship

2017-04-03T00:00:00Z

First Generation Hope Scholarship is an annual project hosted by Elite Sisterhood, Inc, that provides the graduating seniors with book scholarships for college. Founded in 2016, the initiative has been supported through individual donors and fundraising activities. In the spring of 2016, Atlanta based designer Tracy Nicole hosted 'Shop For a Purpose" a pop up shop that dedicated a portion of each sale to the First Generation Hope Scholarship Fund. Last year, 75 % of the participants of the senior members in Elite Sisterhood, Inc. were first generation college attendees. 33% of the members were first generation high school graduates. As we strive to promote education among our young ladies, we offer the scholarships as a level of support to inspire and encourage them to remain steadfast in their academic journeys. Furthermore, the First Generation Hope Scholarship fosters a sense of accomplishment and encourages the young ladies to continue to achieve their dreams. According to the New York Times, "70% of college students who drop out attribute it to finances." Our goal is to provide a foundation for the young ladies to receive a jumpstart with a positive experience in college. In May 2017, we will have 7 of our 10 Elite Sisterhood, Inc. members who will be first generation college attendees. It is vital that our organization supports these young ambitious leaders. The Awesome Foundation Grant will enable us to provide book scholarships for these deserving scholars.

Liverpool (Inactive) – Around The World in 80 Films!

2017-04-03T00:00:00Z

In 2018 I'm aiming to travel the world and produce 80 short films. I'd like the first of these films to be made in my home City of Liverpool. Along my route I want produce interesting and engaging short video projects with creative and unique organisations. I will be visiting 5 continents and dozens of countries, painting a picture of some of the incredible events, people, places and organisations that occupy this wonderful planet we all share. I would like my first project to be a short film about some of the amazing projects YOU have funded, in exchange for your £500 donation. This would then be the first of my 80 films.

Stockholm (Inactive) – Tech Missionary

2017-04-03T00:00:00Z

Tech missionary has found that the fastest way to empower young people is to get hands-on with technology. Through creative technology young people can explore and grow and learn leadership and confidence skills from working together in a team. Oh, and did we mention its also a hell of a lot of fun? Tech missionary runs creative maths courses for 14 year olds in the Stockholm suburbs. Awesome Foundation Stockholm will fund a 3-week course in Fittja for 20 students with diverse cultural backgrounds with the aim of making a difference through technology. The course includes tailor-made visits to the coolest companies and researchers in Stockholm to inspire and expand their horizons. “I think this is one of the most important issues for the future - that more people understand that their ideas matter and that they can change the world.”

Washington, DC – Elementary School Vertical Gardening

2017-04-02T00:00:00Z

We currently work with three DC elementary schools, one of which is in a food dessert in SE DC. We teach the students how to use minimal space to maximize a harvest by using vertical gardening systems and hydroponics. We teach children every aspect of urban gardening, from composting, the importance of bees and worms, seeds, zoning and crop planning for harvest and retail. Our unique vertical system illustrates to the children and their families that even a small space - a balcony or window - can provide healthy, cost-effective, locally grown produce. We also encourage projects such as creative ways to recycle commonly used school items, such as milk cartons. And, we offer a CSA program pick-up at all three schools that include fresh DC -grown produce (some from the school garden), recipes and samples of finished products that they can make from the produce, such as hot sauce. We also have locations that students can travel to and learn more about urban farming, such as the rooftop garden at Nationals Stadium and Barracks Grow, a formerly unused space that is now a community hub.

Newcastle – Flexible Food Bus Hire

2017-03-31T00:00:00Z

Flexible Food is about supporting socially isolated over 65's, with a meal component. Lack of socialisation is the root cause of many ongoing issues with older people. It can cause: Depression Lack of appetite Poor nutrition leading to malnutrition Falls due to malnutrition 60% of hospitalisations of over 65's can be directly related to malnutrition and its ongoing affects on a person's health. During our Meal Program Assessments, we identify those at risk of social isolation and encourage them to join our small group outings. Trained staff and volunteers work with these clients individually and as a group to ensure they feel valued and supported. Clients are encouraged to take ownership of the outings, helping devise the monthly calendar. Some attend Cooking for One or Two classes, to encourage them to enjoy producing meals again, and our Lunch with a Sailor initiative is very popular, particularly with our veterans. However, most just enjoy a visit to their local club to have a beer (or a glass of wine) and a meal with good company, something they are unable to do with out our support. Our program has had some 'awesome' results: -clients have developed a social network, something many of us take for granted - who wants to eat a meal on their own all the time? -appetites have improved as clients are enjoying eating again -health has improved as better meal choices are encouraged -reduction in depressive episodes and use of medication -light exercise, such as seniors ten pin bowling, is improving mobility, considerably reducing risk of falls -most importantly, our clients have learned to laugh and enjoy life again! As an added bonus, our volunteers who support this group are giving back to their community and are generating their own self worth and esteem. This grant will help us to help more over 65's!!

San Jose, CA – Spartan Keyes Spring Egg Hunt and Pet Parade

2017-03-31T00:00:00Z

CommUniverCity is teaming up with Spartan Keyes community to host a Spring celebration at a Spartan Keyes neighborhood park. Our goal is to gather the members of the community together and present an opportunity for neighbors to get to know each other. We are planning a two-hour event with a children's egg hunt, holiday crafts, costume pet parade, and a special appearance from the Easter Bunny, himself.

Oosterhout, Noord-Brabant (Inactive) – BOMBAST

2017-03-31T00:00:00Z

BOMBAST Dé oernar die door een vloek onder Oosterhout is gegroeid en van daaruit deze bourgondische stad voedt met al het goeds. Hij is hét DNA van alles wat er in deze stad groeit, bloeit en leeft en eeuwige vechter tegen zuurpruimerij en chagrijn. Zo luidt de korte omschrijving van BOMBAST. Bombast is meer! Het is een totaalconcept. Naast een nieuw ontdekte sage welke dit jaar in boekvorm uit zal komen is het een concept met vele uitwerkingen. De stichting zelf gaat aan de slag met: - Het boek - Het kinderboek - Een aantal landmarks - Een stadstour middels een augmented reality app welke de kunstwerken door BOMBAST zelf virtueel met elkaar gaat verbinden. Het project is niet alleen van de stichting, BOMBAST is aan Oosterhout geschonken. Een aantal Oosterhouters zijn al aan de slag gegaan. Zo is er inmiddels: - BOMBAST bier - BOMBASTJES (kleine Oosterhoutse Kaneelstokjes) - BOMBASTOOFSCHOTEL (een gerecht wat op iedere menukaart past) - BOMBAST brood - BOMBAST burger Daarnaast zijn er een 25 tal initiatieven ingediend waar men mee aan de slag wil. Op een speciale terugkomdag gaan we deze verzamelen, combineren en verder brengen. Wie officieel via de stichting zijn idee verder brengt, maakt kans op ons BOMBAST predicaat. Wie dit ontvangt krijgt steun vanuit onze stichting o.a. in promotie en organisatie. Alle gelden welke Stichting BOMBAST int komen ten goede aan de Stichting en haar doelen!

Libraries (Inactive) – 100 Years...100 Selfies!

2017-03-31T00:00:00Z

We are pleased to announce our very first grant recipient: 100 years…100 selfies. The Warehouse Project & Gallery {TWP&G} is located in Summit, Illinois and is a brave space for all young people looking for creative and artistic ways to create positive social and neighborhood change. This initiative encourages youth to take artistic risks, explore issues they are passionate about, engage in challenging conversations, and offer creative and artistic solutions to issues in their community. Founded in April of 2013, TWP&G aims to provide all youth in the community with a voice and an opportunity to be heard while encouraging them to use artistic avenues to explore and create art in all forms that inspire change. In collaboration with the Summit Public Library, TWP&G youth will profile 100 residents from the Summit community to celebrate the library’s upcoming centennial. The exhibit, 100 years…100 selfies, consisting of interviews and photographs, will be displayed in library throughout the year. This project will honor the tremendous contributions the library has made to the community over the last 100 years and allow the members of TWP&G to utilize their artistic talents to document and narrate the community’s appreciation for its public library. By documenting the 100 years…100 selfies project, TWP&G will create a template for other communities to replicate in showing support for their public libraries. What our grantee has to say: “TWPG is forever grateful to the Summit Public Library for its commitment to the community and for allowing us a physical space to hold programming when we were in our infancy. This project is our way of giving back for the many things they have given us and the community at large.” -Meredith Schilsky, President & Chief Creative Director at The Warehouse Project & Gallery What our trustees have to say: “I was impressed by the way this project brought together community collaboration and engagement with creativity, social history and library advocacy activities. This sounds like a wonderful way to rally the community around the library. The physical exhibition sounds like an excellent opportunity to bring your community together.” The approach to celebrating the centennial for the library is a great idea and I am sure many library patrons will enjoy the exhibition.” “This application is timely for the events they wish to promote. It is well thought out and includes elements of research, conducting oral histories, photography and design.” “Really lovely way to recognize the library and its patrons for their commitment to this institution.” You can learn more about the Summit Public Library here Learn more about The Warehouse Project & Gallery by watching this video

San Antonio, TX – Vertical Dance Wall

2017-03-31T00:00:00Z

I can completely change your perspective on dance by shifting the floor we stand on to a wall. Through this project, not only can I change your perspective on viewing dance, you and the San Antonio community can experience it yourself! Vertical dance is a physical art form that suspends dancers on a wall with ropes and harnesses to seemingly defy gravity by dancing on vertical surfaces. This type of performance provokes awe, wonder, and inspiration through its innate beauty. Audience members and participants will experience flight and movement through an entirely different visual and gravitational pull. Vertical dance is also an effective full body work out that strengthens the core, upper and lower body, and builds endurance. I want to bring vertical dance to San Antonio and make it accessible to everyone here. My company, Aerial Horizon, is San Antonio’s only professional aerial performance company and school. Since 2009, Aerial Horizon has created a thriving aerial community where none existed before. We are currently building one of the only custom aerial studios in the nation that is putting San Antonio on the map as an aerial arts hub. We have the necessary equipment to continue offering classes on aerial silks, hoop, trapeze, rope, sling, and more, but we’re looking for funding to create a new vertical dance program with ropes and harnesses. Many students find harness work more accessible than other aerial classes because it doesn’t require climbing fabric or doing pull ups on your first day of class. After putting on a harness and clipping into a rope, you’re ready to go! The feeling of flying is immediate. Students and professionals alike squeal with glee and joy is a part of every class. Our classes are designed for all body types, ages, genders–-everyone is welcome! Conquering the aerial arts makes you feel like you can overcome anything. You’ll leave every aerial harness class feeling empowered, strong, and free after flying through the air!

North Minneapolis, MN – North Community Theater Presents Shrek The Musical

2017-03-31T00:00:00Z

North Community Theater is a new effort to bring accessible, intergenerational theater experiences to the Northside. Community theaters have a robust presence around the metro, providing groups of all ages and experience a fun way to be part of something, be it on stage, backstage, in the pit or in the audience. With the support of North HS (letting us rehearse and perform in the Auditorium, covering the costs of rights and script rentals), and the energy of an ever widening circle of support, we have gotten off the ground. Shrek is more than halfway through the rehearsal process and has attracted North HS students and staff, neighbors and their kids, theater lovers, volunteers to work on sets and now musicians to play in the pit orchestra. Partnerships have naturally emerged, the North HS Dance Ensemble and students from Brightwater Montessori will each be featured in a dance number i in the show. Sanctuary Convenant Church is hosting a community meal before the Sunday matinee, Hopewell Music School, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Morris Park Players, Edison HS and many more have donated space, costumes, set pieces etc. all signaling a desire to this project succeed and continue. The amount of enthusiasm and joy in the room is moving. Seeing teens mentor younger kids, Moms forge new friendships, alumni and others with ties to the community work hard and learn things together, reinforces that our process will leave just as lasting an imprint on the cast as we hope the performance will leave on the audience. In fact, it is amazing to us that we have not spent more than a few hundred dollars so far to produce a show that will see close to 50 on stage, with more in the orchestra and backstage and even more who have dropped by a scenic work day to pitch in. Tickets for the 4 performances will be pay what you can, in order to make it accessible to all.

Rio de Janeiro (Inactive) – doebem

2017-03-30T00:00:00Z

De acordo com pesquisa do Instituto para Desenvolvimento do Investimento Social (IDIS - 2015), os três principais motivos que impedem as pessoas de doarem são a falta de recursos, a desconfiança nas organizações sem fins lucrativos e más experiências com doação. Existe uma preocupação em encontrar organizações de confiança que usem seus recursos de forma eficiente na promoção de impacto positivo. Por isso, a doebem foi criada como uma nova experiência de doação, baseada na confiança e na eficiência. Através de uma plataforma online, a doebem conecta pessoas dispostas a realizarem doações financeiras com organizações sociais eficientes, aquelas que proporcionam o maior impacto pelo valor doado. As organizações são selecionadas com base em critérios rigorosos de gestão (ex. equipe, foco e organização), transparência (ex. relatórios financeiros e prestação de contas) e impacto social (ex. relatórios de atividades, estudos científicos sobre a intervenção e impacto pelo valor investido). Dessa forma, a doebem promove a cultura de doação, capta recursos para organizações eficientes e, assim, maximiza impacto positivo. Para fazer uma doação, o potencial doador acessa a plataforma da doebem (www.doebem.org.br), seleciona a causa com a qual mais se identifica, e, então, visualiza as organizações recomendadas e suas respectivas análises. Em seguida, seleciona o período e o valor de sua doação. O doador também terá acesso a um dashboard para que possa acompanhar o impacto da sua doação. A doebem tem como missão reinventar o processo de doação, tornando-o mais seguro, simples e confiável. No longo prazo, além da expansão para outros países da América Latina, a doebem estuda o seu funcionamento na estrutura do blockchain, proporcionando ao processo uma transparência e confiança nunca antes experimentadas entre quem ajuda e quem está sendo ajudado.

Twin Cities, MN (Inactive) – The Wildflower Project

2017-03-29T00:00:00Z

We are The Wildflower Project (TWP). We install wildflower gardens in urban environments and underutilized or vacant spaces. Our mission is to revitalize and restore the health & wellness of pollinator habitats; to bring vibrant, natural beauty to our urban, industrialized communities; to foster education and community development through volunteerism and partnerships; and to take spaces with no hope, and give them a purpose. We’re a grassroots organization founded in St. Paul, Minn. in the summer of 2015. We are three guys who care about the environment and our community. We see an opportunity to be a good neighbor – to all those who inhabit our ecosystem. These gardens are vital to the rehabilitation of pollinator habitats. Our project aims to reconcile with nature in a way. Human development has destroyed countless ecosystems, and we're only now learning the harsh impact that it has on our agriculture and food supply. By targeting areas that have fallen between the cracks, or partnering with like-minded organizations, we can begin to bring pockets of nature (and the pollinators) back to our urban communities. In our short time working on this project, we have partnered with 2 community gardens, a local rec center/city park, and our local community council. We believe these partnerships are the most effective way to draw in volunteers and show them first hand how be good stewards of the Earth. Our 2016 goal is to plant 2,000 sq. ft. of wildflower garden. We have 3 more garden installations planned for this fall which will exceed our year-one goal. In 2017, our goal is to plant 5,000 sq. feet around Minneapolis and St. Paul, build 5 additional partnerships, and host 2 volunteer events. The idea is simple. The impact could be substantial. And it only starts with a seed. Simply put, we are planting with a purpose. #TWP

Melbourne (Inactive) – Pay A sack Forward

2017-03-29T00:00:00Z

Pay A Sack Forward (PASF) offers frontline support to those experiencing homelessness, sleeping rough, or individuals at risk of homelessness. As we grow we'll endeavour to look into the needs of our dinosaur community. PASF offers survival sacks containing essential food, hygiene and warmth supplies, which are distributed through supporting service channels and by our own volunteer staff. Our Melbourne headquarters “St Kilda Courtyard” doubles as a social enterprise cafe. The space is open to the community, offering an educational and hands on experience to the public. The community is encouraged to become engaged with issues surrounding homelessness. One way this is encouraged is through our on-site packing station, stocked with all the items that fill the survival sacks. Community members are offered an interactive and tangible experience that contributes to helping people in need. The sacks help meet a basic human need to those that are at a disadvantage and the space itself promotes a inclusive, shared and positive community that does not shy away from the issues in their community. A fully stocked packing station will allows us to hold a Winter Warmer Packing and Education day. This will be an organised event outside our walk in packing opportunities. The education day will allow the community to come together, pack some sacks, discuss the issues surrounding homelessness, how they can make a difference and how we, as a whole can make a difference. Pay A Sack is entirely community supported. This means we don’t always have the resources to keep our packing station stocked and ready to go for the community and packing days. We would love to keep this wall stocked throughout our quieter winter months and have supplies for a packing event. As this is when we know donations slow down and we struggle to keep the space open.

Antigonish, NS (Inactive) – Awesome Pink Envelopes

2017-03-29T00:00:00Z

Dozens of stories of charitable actions flowed back to us on our recent Awesome Pink Envelope Campaign. We saw everything from the good old fashion coffee buy, to free stamps at the post office, getting people free lunches, flowers for an awesome mom and donations to charities and families in need. We also saw a lot of smiles.. a lot of folks who clearly appreciated the notion of folks doing something nice for one another for no other reason then to do it. This was especially true for the young kids both giving and receiving. We made a lot of news with this event, the CBC, Huffington Post Post, CTV National and Atlantic News, Sirius XM Radio and so on. We have put together an archive to collect all this goodness and you can find that in the links section below, interviews can also be found in the comments section. If you or someone you know have a story related to the event please send it to us, we want to share them. Now for some shout outs... big thanks to all the trustee's, those that gave out the envelopes and those who couldn't make it but donated their hard earned money.. you guys are the bee's knees. Shout out to Bounty Print here in Antigonish, Dave, Greg, the whole crew, they covered the free inserts and have done a bunch of free promotional materials for us in the past. Big thanks to our community, all the people of Antigonish town and county... the fabric of our community is sewn with the threads of kind, selfless actions, Mr. Coady would be proud. Photo, Press & Story Archive: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15L3s2bPYmjlaKmpZAKSZBwaqrBNJF-xClT0f1GuwmK8/edit?usp=sharing

Buffalo, NY (Inactive) – Rainbows on Allen

2017-03-28T00:00:00Z

'Rainbows on Allen' is an ongoing collaborative project created by the Allentown Association and the Pride Center of WNY meant to create an enduring visual display of acceptance and inclusiveness in Allentown. For many years Allentown has been considered the center of the LGBTQ community and to strengthen our community as a whole we envision Allen Street with rainbow crosswalks. This may seem bold but we believe this global symbol of acceptance is most important in recent uncertain times. Not to mention the numerous custom crosswalk precedents made around the world. While the image is not hard to picture, the impact of this symbolic imagery will be a strong reminder to our community and WNY. We understand that a project of this scale at every crosswalk may be daunting, and have logistical challenges, but we are confident that with our combined organizational experience and positive support of Councilman Franczyk that the project has wings. It is also our intent that this is not only a collaborative project between our two organizations, but with the community at large. We will organize the event to have team leaders who will work with people from the community to make this project a realization at a single event. What better way than to do this together. The first rainbows were painted on sidewalks during Buffalo Pride Week 2017, as well as, on the Allentown Association's First Friday Gallery Walk providing maximum enthusiasm and impact. The Allentown Association and The Pride Center of WNY stand for opportunity and inclusiveness and we believe Rainbows on Allen contributes toward that vision.

Check out photos from Awesome Buffalo Pitch Night.

Read more about Rainbows on Allen in these articles:

Minas Gerais (Inactive) – Ocupa Mídia

2017-03-28T00:00:00Z

"Ocupa a mídia" é um projeto que deseja e atua para capacitar jovens comunicadores nas ocupações urbanas da grande BH. Como pregado pelo movimento por moradia: “Enquanto morar for um privilégio, ocupar é um direito.” Direito de ter o mínimo para se viver com dignidade. Direito de se orgulhar do seu espaço e do ser o que somos. Sofremos ameaças contínuas de despejo e somos maltratados por grande parte da mídia que nos chama de “invasores”, eles não reconhecem a legitimidade da nossa luta. Com condições de vida precárias e, muitas das vezes, ausência dos serviços públicos básicos, precisamos de atenção especial para estudar, crescer e dar continuidade a nossas conquistas. Quem sabe assim, auxiliando para um crescimento plural e uma sociedade mais justa e igualitária. Por estes motivos considero o projeto "Ocupa a mídia" tão importante. Quero que nossos jovens possam falar por eles mesmos. Queremos a nossa própria mídia, um grupo de comunicação para ampliar nossa voz. Nossa Ocupação se chama Izidora (norte de BH-divisa com Santa Luzia) com 20.000 moradores que recebem ameaças constantemente. Capacitando esses jovens para utilização de câmeras, celulares, redação de texto e comunicação nas redes sociais, esperamos que a voz da ocupação seja ouvida. A sociedade precisa saber da nossa luta e dos nossos valores de solidariedade e igualdade. Assim constituímos um grupo ativo de jovens que se tornarão os porta-vozes da ocupação, desejamos também, despertar o desejo por mais conhecimento e que, os que desejarem, tenham as ferramentas para se especializarem e traçarem os seus caminhos pelas lentes e aos olhos atentos da sociedade. O projeto começou no final de 2016 por iniciativa de duas jornalistas da ONG internet Sem Fronteiras, elas elaboraram o projeto junto com o MLB (Movimento de lutas, nos bairros, vilas e favelas) e as Brigadas Populares e conseguiram um incentivo da igreja católica para compra do equipamento audiovisual e cobertura de despesas básicas. ***Confira o vídeo do projeto: https://youtu.be/cSdPf8pkxbg***

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Still I Rise

2017-03-27T00:00:00Z

Still I Rise - a documentary feature Still I Rise is an intimate character driven story about the complexities of human resilience. Araceli and Leah survived child sex trafficking and refuse to be defined by their trauma. Araceli was forced into sex trafficking at the age of sixteen while living in a foster home. Weeks before her 21st birthday, her luck dramatically changes when she meets a social entrepreneur in Oakland who takes her under her wing and mentors her. Leah was fourteen when she was ensnared in a teenage sex trafficking ring in the San Francisco Bay Area. Today she bravely shines a national spotlight on sexually exploited children in America. Her remarkable story is featured on Oprah Winfrey, Katie Couric and BET TV News. Leah’s and Araceli’s warmth, humor and humanity drive us to take a closer look at child sex trafficking in America, why it disproportionately impacts girls and women of color, and how survivors are at the forefront of the anti-trafficking movement. Our incredible film team includes: four-time Academy Award winner Mark Berger, Emmy Award winning producer Layda Negrete, editors James Grisom & Maureen Gosling, and UC Berkeley Professor Dr. Nikki Jones. Our goal is to complete the film by summer 2017 and share it with a global audience. Please take a look at our latest film sample and perhaps we can discuss ways to collaborate! https://vimeo.com/194467448 password: confidential

Asheville, NC (Inactive) – Reach for the Sun

2017-03-26T00:00:00Z

In 2016 I visited a school in Port au Prince, and I saw how much Haiti is in need of alternative energy. So I came up with an idea to connect my school in Murphy, NC with the students in Haiti while we design and install solar USB device charging stations at each school. I will lead a group of students at my project-based high school to design and install a solar charging station. It will be located at an outside pavilion and used to charge devices during lunch. We live in a small rural town with a lot of economic disadvantage (about 40% of students) but not a lot of diversity (about 10% minority). Designing a solar station will help students acquire skills in an alternative energy field, and Phase 2 of the project (the Haiti installation) will encourage solidarity with students from another culture and increase our ability to think globally. Community experts (a solar company owner; a licensed electrician) and a physics teacher will mentor to ensure the project’s success. In the fall of 2017, I’ll travel to Haiti to help students there install a station based on the NC prototype with components from a Haitian solar company. Having a solar charging station at the school will be invaluable, as electricity is unreliable. Learning about solar and helping to install/maintain their own station will empower students to consider other things they might do to improve their school and/or lives. Throughout the project, community-building between the schools will take place. The NC students have already sent down a scrapbook of letters, and this exchange will continue through email, photos, letters, and videos. This project will help us understand that we are more alike than we think, that young people have the power to make change in the world, and that we can reach across borders to make the world a better place. This goal is more important than ever in these divisive times. I have support letters from the schools involved and a solar company upon request.

Alaska (Inactive) – Lakeside Learning Lab

2017-03-26T00:00:00Z

Sand Lake Park (SLP) is nestled between Sand Lake and Sand Lake Elementary (SLE) school on the west end of Anchorage, Ak. With 5.1 acres of green space, two docks, and a paved trail adjacent to the school the access to the outdoors should be easy but not enough classes take advantage of this opportunity. Many of our families are also unaware. 6th graders in my classes are partnering to improve our park through the Sand Lake Makeover Project, which actually began last year with my '15-'16 students. They are in the midst of designing a Lakeside Learning Lab to serve as an extension to our classrooms and to improve the park for the community. My students’ work began last year when we officially adopted SLP. While small, SLP is important to the community. The roughly 2 miles of shoreline are almost entirely bordered by private property limiting public access to the lake. For this reason, the park provides an excellent access point to the lake and is crucial to providing recreational and educational opportunities in the area, especially for the SLE. Residents use the lake for boating, fishing, and general outdoor enjoyment. In addition, it is home to a variety of plant and animal life that utilize the habitat in this suburban oasis. The Lakeside Learning Lab we are designing sits on the southern end of SLP on a hill just above the paved trail. The hill has an approximate 30 ft. by 30 ft. open space surrounded by birch, cottonwood, and spruce trees. The students selected this location because it has an outstanding westward view of the lake, it is relatively flat and is already cleared of many trees. Students will design, landscape, and oversee construction of the Lakeside Learning Lab. Students will choose the best route to enter and exit the space. Two Anchorage Park Foundation Schools on Trails design professionals are leading students in designing the space.

Newmarket – The Sacred Canoe

2017-03-26T00:00:00Z

The Sacred Canoe is a theatrical production being created in partnership with drummers and elders from Webequie First Nations, Georgina Island and Students and teachers from Sacred Heart CHS. It is a play that is sending a message of unity and partnership between two different cultures that also answers a call to action from The Truth and Reconciliation Report. The message of the play is we can travel together in a canoe of partnership and friendship into a promising future by learning about and from the past. The partnership will reflect the great partnerships created by early explorers and First Nations people in charting much of the Canadian water system by canoe and establishing the fur trade throughout Canada. As we head towards our Canada 150 Celebrations, this project will recognize and commemorate one of the oldest relationships in our history.

Seattle, WA – New Holly & Rainier Vista College and Career Club

2017-03-24T00:00:00Z

With the goal of connecting disengaged youth, this project is meant to provide several in-depth college and career workshops to youth from high school to age 24. Rainier Vista and New Holly neighborhoods are mostly low-income housing, and home to many immigrant and refugee families. In a partnership between Seattle Housing Authority Washington Service Corps member Mary Ruffin and Horn of Africa Services Americorps VISTA member Jenn Charoni, we will work together to provide in-depth college preparation workshops and college tours to youth during students' early dismissal days. Youth have expressed an interest in support with college and career guidance and applications- but we've lacked funds to institute resource-rich programming. With our combined outreach efforts, we're able to connect more youth with college and career resources than we are alone. Mary's work specifically targets disengaged youth between the ages of 16 and 24, and she's been making connections in both neighborhoods. Jenn works with East African immigrant and refugee youth in Rainier Vista and has relationships with these youth from the Horn of Africa Services after school tutoring program. We are specifically planning to provide 1-2 campus visits to the University of Washington and/or Seattle University where youth will go on a private tour. We will also have a college and career night where professionals and college students will come to our communities and talk about their experiences in a particular school or field. We will provide a workshop on funding, FAFSA and scholarship applications, and/or a general application workshop day. We will continue to consult youth on their needs and interests and provide them with interactive workshops concerning topics they select. We'd love to be able to bring these services to our target low income immigrant and refugee youth, and have the connections to do so. We just need a small budget to help make the workshops happen.

Seattle, WA – WHAT'S POPPIN' LADIEZ?!

2017-03-24T00:00:00Z

WHAT'S POPPIN' LADIEZ?! is an event series and movement that celebrates female poppers while providing them with a platform to exchange and tell their stories, Popping is an Urban American street dance style that started around the 1970s in the Bay Area. Popping is also a male-dominated dance culture. WPL?! serves to bring visibility to female poppers (since there is a large gender disparity) while addressing challenges the face while navigating a male-dominated dance culture and how they overcome them. Popping and non-popping communities will witness showcases, panel discussions, masterclasses, and a main event that includes an open sign up all-styles dance battle and a 2v2 popping battle with internationally invited female poppers. WPL?! is organized and led by women of color and centers female DJs, emcees, dancers and hosts. During my past three years of experience as a spectator of the hip hop dance scene and as the only female popper in Seattle, I have noticed a large gender disparity in the popping community both locally and internationally. Female poppers exude a great amount of grit to be asserting themselves in a community that easily discredits them. Gender violence, stereotypes and notions of femininity, and internalized/learned female rivalry make it difficult for female poppers to exist in hip hop and popping dance cultures. WPL?! 2016 inspired women to either begin or continue pursuing their popping, dance, and life journeys. A young woman from Portland, Oregon even stated that she decided to finally take a popping class because a fierce female popper was teaching it, and she, “wouldn’t have tried popping any other way.” It is here that women are able to see reflections of themselves in women that are unapologetically powerful. WPL?! was able to create a space for these dancers and their communities to thrive.