Awesome Foundation - Projects

San Antonio, TX – 1005 Faces

2013-06-28T00:00:00Z

1005 faces is my personal photography project in which I am re-imagining the face of San Antonio as a cosmopolitan multicultural epicenter of interesting people looking to create an awesome place to live. The desire is to showcase the diversity of San Antonio through the faces and thoughts of our community, and in doing so provide a clear image of what our city really looks like. Promoting the movement of DreamWeek San Antonio, and moving away from cliche's of Riverwalk and margaritas; San Antonio is a cosmopolitan, multicultural epicenter with eclectic people looking to create an awesome place to live and celebrate our talents and interests. 1005 faces is a collaborative art project as it can only be created by the coming together of friends and strangers to create the full scope, and fulfill the goal of photographing 1005 distinct faces. The hope is to be able to create different forms of public art largely displayed for everyone in the city and beyond to view, enjoy, and ponder.

Kingston – the Claire Closet

2013-06-27T00:00:00Z

The Claire Closet seeks to inspire confidence in girls by showing them how finding your personal style can make you feel as good on the inside as you look on the outside. CC exists both online and on the runway. Targeted audience; high school girls (particularly grade nine and ten girls). The Claire Closet website features Claire's thrifty outfits that help inspire the girls to learn how to budget wardrobe and be creative in making beautiful outfits for a small price. We also have a blog that focuses on specific topics and people that are inspiring and provide positive role models for the girls to look up to or relate to. We also have instagram, twitter, facebook, pinterest, and vine pages that allow the girls to interact and share their personal styles. The social media platforms are a place to celebrate the awesomeness of each girl and give them confidence to ROCK who they are. The Claire Closet "offline" exists in the studio workshops. The girls come together every week and learn about their personal style and share who they are with others around them. For example, we will have topics that help girls learn about their best colours, how to do their hair, how to thrift shop, how to do DIY (Do It Yourself) Fashion, how to be entrepreneurs for their art etc. Each workshop prepares the girls to put together a final show that features all of their personal styles. This is an opportunity for the girls to show people in their life what they have learned, created and become. Twitter: @theclairecloset Facebook: www.facebook.com/theclaireclosetpage Instagram: @theclairecloset.com Vine: the Claire Closet Pinterest; The Claire Closet

Miami, FL – Code Fever

2013-06-26T00:00:00Z

We are planning an event called Code Fever on June 22nd in Miami. We want to introduce and teach young african american and Caribbean kids in Miami how to code. Black americans are major consumers of technology (They index high on twitter and Instagram) but they are not creators of the technology. We feel strongly that if we can expose them and open their eyes to the technology possibilities they change the world through their fingertips. This 1 day event will be held in Overtown to provide a fun and interactive day of teaching kids how to build their own webpage and/or app. While they are being taught by local programmers their parents will be in a workshop and panel to show them the importance of allowing their kids to use technology even if they don't understand it themselves. To make sure that their kids take the right classes, join the right organizations at school and show them what the career and entrepreneurial possibilities are. For far too long the meal ticket out of some of Miami's most impoverished communities has been rapping, football or basketball. We want to show them that technology can be that new meal ticket and can change not only their families lives but also their community and the world.

LA South Bay, CA (Inactive) – Pearent.com--A Parenting Website

2013-06-26T00:00:00Z

There are lots of parents who want to be awesome parents. But how do you become an awesome parent? You can read a lot of books by people like Alfie Kohn, Steven Covey, and Marshall Rosenberg, etc. But that takes a lot of time, you have to be sitting down and have your eyes open--parents find this challenging. You can send your child to a school that shares your parenting philosophy. But these schools are uncommon and you're also probably paying a hefty fee for private school tuition. You could go to parenting classes, get a sitter, coordinate schedules with your partner, change out of your favorite sweatpants, and pay more money. You could search for parenting education online, but there is inadequate information about becoming an awesome parent in this respectful, empathic philosophy. But don't despair Soon you will be able to go to Pearent.com for interactive, online parent education. You will learn about what to do through the Pear model, which incorporates the work of top researchers, psychologists, and educators into a comprehensive visual model. - Download educational videos, of real parents and teachers so you can see and hear how to handle situations with kids - Listen to podcasts and learn while you are on the go - Get parenting iPhone apps for in-the-moment support - Be in a supportive online community. We have gathered several consultants to develop Pearent.com. Rick Sharp, director of del Sol School, is a collaborator in the development of the Pear model and has approved filming at del Sol. We also have Brett Beucler, computer programmer, working on our iPhone app; Margaret Wuller, artist; and Potsch Boyd, video producer.

Miami, FL – Design for Habitat : Homes for Greater Miami

2013-06-25T00:00:00Z

Habitat for Humanity Young Professionals of Greater Miami (HYP) has formed an awesome partnership with the American Institute of Architects Student Chapter (AIAS-UM), the University of Miami School of Architecture Student Council,( SoA Stud Co) and the Association for Persons with Disabilities (APD) to create an awesome architecture contest that will offer unique career advancement opportunities to local university students, raise awareness on the need for affordable housing in Miami, and create a one-of-a-kind model for incorporating disability friendly and environmentally responsible design practices into an existing site that will be developed by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami. The contest will include free seminars on cost-effective construction practices, disabled-friendly and sustainable design, and tropical housing. These will be forums for the community to be educated on these very pertinent topics, as well as opportunities for students and local professionals to network. The most awesome design will be chosen by a jury comprised of local construction professionals, university faculty, and Habitat staff, will be recognized at an award ceremony and through mixed media publication, and will be awarded a cash prize of at least $2,000- money architecture students can use to fund their never ending need for school supplies and research materials.

Boulder, CO (Inactive) – Habitat for Artists BOULDER

2013-06-25T00:00:00Z

HABITAT for ARTISTS (HFA) is a an artist run group that explores the nature of creativity, the role of the artist in our communities and how to create dialog with a new audience. HFA BOULDER will construct a c. 6'x6' temporary studio (habitat) out of reclaimed materials and place it in a public space. We have a location secured - 3960 Broadway, in the courtyard immediately east of Lucky's Market. We invite artists from the community to work in the studios (for mini, 1-week residencies) and evolve different work practices, engaging with the public and posing questions relevant to sustainable practice. Artists will submit a proposal for the project they would like to complete during their mini-residency. The focus is to do something new and different and to engage the public (including children) in the creative process. Projects during past iterations of HFA have been things like a lost and found sketch booth, a mending wall where the artist asked passersby if there was anything in their lives or the world that needed mending, stitched it to a square of fabric and added to a wall quilt, a sculptural statement on ocean pollution, generating discussion about how plastics are used and discarded, and many more.

London, ON (Inactive) – Municipolitics

2013-06-25T00:00:00Z

MuniciPolitics is a local civic engagement program dedicated to connect high school students with the political structure that affects them most and to promote engagement among youth through integrated, civically aware advocacy modules. By offering a practical approach to municipal politics, students will absorb transferable skills that will make them more active in their local community. MuniciPolitics will complement the traditional curriculum and introduce Grade 10 Civics students to the concepts of London City Council, community-building, and municipal services. The goals of MuniciPolitics are to engage, empower, and link students with the London community for the betterment of the Forest City. Module 1: What is Civic Engagement? What does it mean to engage in your community, what does it mean to participate democratically Module 2: What is Your Spark? Provide opportunities for students to evaluate what possibilities are available in the field of volunteerism Establish ties within the London Community so that students can transition into areas they are concerned about Module 3: The Political Process How civic engagement can be mobilized through participation ie -LYAC discussion catalyst for students Module 4: Advocacy Understand the various outlets to create change Connecting students with local initiatives that demonstrate advocacy Module 5: Making your Message Heard How to communicate effectively Develop public speaking skills and/or presentation skills Learn the benefits of public speaking and develop a sense of confidence Module 6: Networking Mixer Teaching the mechanics of networking by organizing an networking event specifically for high school students Module 7: Economics Budget game - juxtaposing the current budget in a game-like structure to analyze the priorities of students and London City Council Module 8: Gender and Perspectives Encourage reflexivity of how student’s gender and identity affects them biologically and sociologically.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – "30 Days of Opera"

2013-06-24T00:00:00Z

In September 2013, Opera Memphis will present 30 Days of Opera — a month-long program aimed at breaking down the perceived barriers that prevent many people from experiencing the power of opera. Over the course of 30 consecutive days, we will offer over 50 FREE public performances at more than 40 different locations, all across the Memphis region. These events will introduce opera into the daily routines of local residents — at farmers markets, restaurants, schools -- and even high-traffic street corners. In the process, we will create a trail of breadcrumbs that leads to the opera house. In this, the second year of the program, we will expand our roster of singers, which will significantly increase the number of free performances we can deliver. We've already lined up support from the NEA, OPERA America, Autozone, and others...but we're missing one CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FUNDER: The AWESOME FOUNDATION! Without your support, we won't be able to make this festival truly AWESOME!

Rio de Janeiro (Inactive) – Kids Give Cristo a Wardrobe for the World to See

2013-06-22T00:00:00Z

My awesome project objective is to give Brazilian children an opportunity to have their art taken around the world through Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer souvenir statues. Everyday approximately 4000 tourists visit a estátua do Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro. Because of this, the most purchased souvenirs are the mini-replicas. Using fabric, I have designed robes that fit like ponchos over the mini-replicas. My goal is to provide these robes (in white) to art classes so students can paint, write, draw, and design them with their own style. They can choose a theme reflective of Brazil, such as the 2014 World Cup, Carioca living, Amazonas and so on, or they can design their robe based on anything they liked. I will then deliver the finished robes to souvenir shops in Rio de Janeiro where tourists can choose their one-of-a-kind robe for their Christ statue. I already have agreements with souvenir shops owners who are willing to be participants in the project. These statues and robes will be taken to different parts of Brazil and to the likes of China, Angola, Russia, Paraguay, the United States and many other countries. They will sit on the desk and shelves of those who have traveled to Brazil and those who have not. And they will be seen as religious symbols, pieces of art and history. Even without the robes ever being unveiled these statues would be purchased all the same. But with it, tourists will jump at the opportunity to fulfill a child's dream of having his art taken to a different part of the world. This project will accomplish its goal of spreading the art of Brazilian children, and moreover, hopefully, achieve a better mutual respect, acceptance, and appreciation for the uniqueness that which God has made all of us...the goal of Christ the Redeemer. (Also, I am exploring how to create a webpage where tourists can upload a photo of their statue and robe once they get back to their home country.)

Detroit, MI (Inactive) – Vote Detroit

2013-06-22T00:00:00Z

Vote Detroit is a non-partisan, Detroit-based initiative aimed at raising awareness about the importance of voting in local elections and increasing civic participation amongst city residents. Energy and interest in the city is at an all-time high. Throughout Detroit, entrepreneurs, artists and makers from all walks of life are channeling the momentum of the city’s impending renaissance. We have innovation and creativity. We have enthusiasm and passion. We have a thirst for real progress. But, what we typically don’t have is optimal civic participation. Detroit’s long-term stability requires a functional and dependable infrastructure. Change - real change - will only happen when we start drawing the connection between informed civic participation and quality of life. The time is now. Together we can make the change. Since 2005, voter turnout in mayoral election years has ranged from 14% to 37%, and no mayoral candidate has won a general election by more than 20,000 votes. There are 560,000 registered voters and approximately 50,000 unregistered voters ages 18 to 35 in the city of Detroit, which means an increase of even a small fraction of these nonvoters can change the outcome of any local election. Vote Detroit is a targeted messaging campaign that uses the existing and increasing energy in the city, while highlighting its serious infrastructural shortfalls and the ease with which increased participation can put in place effective leaders, as an impetus for mobilization.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Umvolti AIDS Center Playground

2013-06-17T00:00:00Z

I just returned from visiting Justin in KwaZulu-Natal where he works at a rural community health center that provides services to people infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS. One of the many services of the Umvoti AIDS Center is caring for Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVCs), which includes children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and children infected/affected by HIV/AIDS. Every day over 50 children between the ages of 5 to 14 come to the center where they are fed, offered homework support and given leadership skills through the center's Cubs & Scouts programs. Some of these children, as young as age 14, are now head of their household and care for their younger siblings since losing their parents to AIDS. The poorest of the poor have their clothes washed, school uniforms and school fee waivers provided for them, given monthly food parcels and engaged in bereavement counseling or offered psycho-social support. Basically, they are treated with love and respect and are given the skills and support they need to live healthy productive lives. Justin has been trying to build a modest playground for these children and has prepared a location and design for a safe and affordable play structure. The playground will be located on the AIDS Center property in an open field next to the feeding center where the kids come everyday for meals and counseling. The playground is already partially funded and needs $1000 more in order to be completed. If you could see these kids, you would know they deserve so much more but this playground would go a long way to bringing back some joy, laughter and childhood to their lives.

Vancouver, BC (Inactive) – Trade School Vancouver

2013-06-14T00:00:00Z

TSV is a non-traditional learning community that runs on barter. Anybody can teach a class, and students sign up for classes by agreeing to bring barter items that the teacher requests. Trade School celebrates practical wisdom, mutual respect, and the social nature of exchange. It is a place of learning, connecting, and sharing. We believe that everyone has something to offer. We think of ourselves as the middleman or facilitator of making education accessible in Vancouver by bringing together venues, teachers and students. To begin, a member of the community proposes a class they would like to teach through our website. We work with them to set up a time and venue, and then spread the word. Students sign up for their class by agreeing to fulfill one of the teacher's barter items, whether it’s a batch of cookies, or advice on lawn care. On the day of the class, everybody meets at the scheduled time and venue and shares in a great lesson while meeting new people, leaving full of inspiration, and maybe even thinking about what they could teach in the back of their mind… Vancouver is full of people willing and wanting to learn and share knowledge. TSV eliminates the barriers of money and exclusivity, making education more accessible to everyone. Whether someone just wants to teach their grandmother's chicken noodle soup recipe, or they want to learn how to handle accounting for a small business, Trade School's barter system allows anyone to take part in instructed learning, all the while highlighting the social enjoyment of connecting through sharing.

Ottawa – Great Mo-Ments in Bytown

2013-06-13T00:00:00Z

The first of June's two Awesome Ottawa awards goes to Grant Vogl, to support a Movember exhibit at the Bytown Museum celebrating amazing "Mo's" from throughout Ottawa's history. "From mayors and aldermen to merchants and curling clubs, Bytown has played host to some fantastic facial hair," says Grant, who illustrated this point with slides displayed as he pitched the idea at Awesome Ottawa's 3rd birthday party. The exhibit will feature large-format photographs, sign vinyl graphics, social media links and contests, children’s activities, and an interactive "self-portrait" display where visitors can give themselves a "Mo makeover." "This project is a personal one for me," says Grant, "my father having beaten prostate cancer. However, it is also an opportunity for the Museum to engage new visitors, raise awareness, raise money for a good cause, and show off some of our very eccentric artefact and photographic collection." Grant is Collections and Exhibitions Manager at the Bytown Museum.

Tampa Bay, FL (Inactive) – The Birdhouse Buying Club

2013-06-13T00:00:00Z

The Birdhouse Buying Club is a project designed to make it easier for residents in the low-income neighborhood of Sulpher Springs to get fresh, affordable, locally grown produce. This grant would go toward buying a food cooler at a liquidation auction. Any leftover money would be used to help set up a wireless card system for electronically transferring funds.

Tampa Bay, FL (Inactive) – A Reflection to Peace of Mind

2013-06-13T00:00:00Z

A Reflection to Peace of Mind is a project of Sylvia Albritton, a former teacher who came out of retirement to work with incarcerated youth. She uses creative writing and poetry as a way towards reconciliation and rehabilitation. Albritton teaches youth ages 14 to 18 at the Falkenburg Jail in Hillsborough County. Her students are facing adjudication as adults for crimes Albritton considers acts committed without thought for repercussions. Her writing program gives them an outlet for exploring their feelings about their lives and their actions.She got $1,000 to publish a bound anthology of student work for use as a teaching tool.

Tampa Bay, FL (Inactive) – Bomb the Medians

2013-06-13T00:00:00Z

Bomb the Medians is a project of Ken Cowart. That is, use flower seed bombs to plant flowers along Tampa’s major corridors and primarily at those long red-lights; giving the citizens of Tampa an opportunity to stop and smell the flowers.

Tampa Bay, FL (Inactive) – Ablenook

2013-06-13T00:00:00Z

Researchers Sean Verdecia and Jason Ross at the University of South Florida have developed a technology that relates to a prefabricated living module that snaps together and is easily assembled and transported. In disaster areas or in situations where more space is needed, shelters, such as trailers, are often expensive, deployed slowly, and require technical knowledge in order to be assembled. Furthermore, they often need large clearings with flat terrain and come in “one size fits all” packages. What is needed is a prefabricated living module that snaps together and is easily assembled, transported, and adaptable to diverse terrain. Our researchers have invented a rapidly deployable portable structure, comprised of interlocking components which can be assembled by unskilled laborers in a short period of time. These components are shipped flat-packed in order to maximize the number of families which are helped, while reducing transportation costs. The main structural members of the module are “universal.” This means that the floor joists are the same as the wall columns. The structural members can be made from extruded aluminum parts, with electrical bus duct conduits in each one, so that the wiring is simply connected as you clip together the parts, providing outlets wherever needed inside. Weather seals are included between the structural members.

Tampa Bay, FL (Inactive) – Art Vending Machine

2013-06-13T00:00:00Z

Daniel Markovich is bringing art to the public with his art vending machines. He makes use of old sticker vending machines and instead include prints, sticker art and photography from local artists.The inspiration for the project came from Markovich's own experiences at art shows, where he always wanted to take something home with him but found the price tags on most pieces to be out of his range. The vending machines will provide a way for those on a limited budget to access local artwork.

Tampa Bay, FL (Inactive) – Gasparilla Music Festival

2013-06-13T00:00:00Z

The Gasparilla Music Festival is a Florida non-profit corporation 501c-3 (pending) that organizes an annual music festival in downtown Tampa the second weekend of March. The 2013 festival will take place in Curtis Hixon Riverfront Park and Kiley Gardens Park on March 9th and will feature musical acts from a wide variety of genres on several stages and cuisine from the region's top restaurants. As part of its mission to support and promote music and education, the organization is involved throughout the year in several initiatives including providing scholarships to music students. The Gasparilla Music Festival received the first Awesome Tampa Bay microgrant for 2013. Awesome Tampa Bay sponsored a stage for bands at Tibbetts’ Corner during the festival.

Ottawa – Byward Market Dumpster Pool Party

2013-06-13T00:00:00Z

The second of June's two Awesome Ottawa awards goes to Kyle McInnes, to support a pop-up pool party in the Byward Market this summer -- in a dumpster! "A dumpster pool party," explains Kyle, "is when you take a dumpster and convert it to a portable pool that can be enjoyed by residents on a really hot day. This has been done before, in New York City," he notes. "I'm proposing we bring the Dumpster Pool Party to Ottawa. It will give Ottawans a fun reason to come to the Market, cool off, and experience the city." "I plan on working with local businesses to create a safe, clean, corporate sponsored dumpster pool for all to enjoy. We will line the inside of the pool with PVC and make sure the water is treated, as well as refreshed each day. We will work with local pool companies to make sure we have the supplies, as well as work with the City to make sure it complies with water safety standards," says Kyle. "And the more sponsors we can get, the more pools we can make." Kyle is an entrepreneur working on technology startups in the Byward Market. He pitched the idea to a live audience at Awesome Ottawa’s third birthday party.

Connecticut – "Help Us Grow"

2013-06-12T00:00:00Z

Help us Grow. The Cornerstone Home and Gardens is a fledgling 501(c)(3) established to provide, jobs, productive day programs and one day a small, but safe residential community for adults on the Autism Spectrum. The keystone of the unique program will be a public garden in the Ridgefield, Connecticut area that will allow visitors from the community to explore, enjoy and learn about their environment, it’s sustainability, and beauty through horticulture. At the same time, the gardens will provide jobs and day programs for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Professionals, as well as employees with special needs, will work together at the gardens. The statistics are staggering. In the United States, one in 110 children will be diagnosed with ASD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ASD knows no boundaries and can occur in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. About 13 percent of children in the U.S. have a developmental disability. They can range from mild such as speech and language impairment, to serious disabilities such as intellectual, physical, and autism. A recent study in the Journal Pediatric found that two years after leaving high school more than 50 percent of those with autism had no job experience and, when compared to people with other disabilities, have a harder time getting a job. We want to change that. The gardens will provide a place where young adults with varying abilities are encouraged to develop their potential. There will be on-site job opportunities and training. This will also be a place for the community in general. Once established, we plan to offer a variety of programs for everyone, regardless of age or ability. Many of the activities will be open-ended and enjoyed on a walk-in basis. We plan to have several permanent exhibits including a Children’s Garden, vegetable and cut flower gardens that will offer educational advice for the home gardener.

Cincinnati, OH (Inactive) – R.A.D.: Random Acts of Deliciousness

2013-06-11T00:00:00Z

The act of gift giving, especially when it involves sharing food, is symbolic and powerful. The heartwarming effect of receiving a gift from a strange coupled with the timeless act of sharing sustenance transcends boundaries, cultures, social class and personal boundaries. In fact, food is a popular window to other cultures and to popular figures in media in shows like No Reservations, The Splendid Table and through numerous blogs and web sites. Because I love sharing my joy for baking and surprising others, I often bring baked goods to events I attend, like local concerts, and any time I add a new friend I learn their allergies, their dietary preferences and their favorite sweets. I started dubbing my baked good giveaways R.A.D. (Random Acts of Deliciousness – like R.A.K., Random Acts of Kindness). I would like to really take R.A.D. to the streets and inspire others to bring spontaneous gifts of sweetness to others. Starting this summer, I will scout out at least different spots in the Queen City, and on an ordinary afternoon and deliver 3 – 4 dozen single cupcakes to anyone I meet (of course disclosing any possible allergens). In the cupcakes, I will have little flags that say, “Random Acts of Delicousness: Be R.A.D. for a stranger today!” I want to do this 3 times before September. The other side of the flag will have the url for my blog. On my blog, I would like to document these outings and the reactions. For each post like this, I will share the recipe used. I would also like to share other recipes (with photos) and I would like to include some videos demonstrating the recipes. The recipes shared will be geared toward baking for someone you know with special dietary needs or preferences (such as gluten allergies, nut/soy/dairy allergies, baking vegan, etc.) in exquisite but very accomplish-able ways. I think small joys and gifts are the one way to reveal bigger connections and foster community.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Fly With the Owlets

2013-06-10T00:00:00Z

As a human imprint, Alice the Great Horned Owl thinks I'm her mate. She directs many of her vocalizations toward me and expects me to respond appropriately. Since no one has written a book titled "How to Be a Male Great Horned Owl," nor has ever studied their vocalizations, I took on the task. I record both Alice and wild owls, but realized I needed a captive breeding pair to record all of the vocalizations and vocal development starting while they are still in the egg. I received permits from the state and federal government to breed a pair of Great Horned Owls who are blind in their right eyes, Rusty and Iris. They live in a 1000+ square foot breeding and release training complex outfitted with six security cameras and microphones so they can be observed without knowing it. Although the audio and video from all the cameras is archived for 4 days, it is impossible for me to review it all. To solve this problem I broadcast live video feeds of two of the cameras to our website and ask viewers to help with observations by filling out online observation forms when certain vocalizations and behaviors are seen. I have gotten FANTASTIC observations that I could never have made by myself. This Citizen Science project is excellent for the viewers too. People from around the world watch at all times of day. Many of these people do not have many friends, are ill, or otherwise don't have much of a social life. Our online chat room provides a place for them to make friends (and many of them have now come to our International Festival of Owls and have met in person.) But it also gives them a sense of importance because they are not merely watching cute little owls, they are actually making meaningful contributions to research. It has been great to see how the people in chat have responded to my questions, and to see their own scientific curiosity sparked. They want to learn more! I also use the opportunity to teach them how to live in more owl-friendly ways.

New Orleans, LA (Inactive) – Conexiones

2013-06-07T00:00:00Z

Conexiones is a bilingual television magazine program and social initiative that showcases the positive impact individuals and organizations from the Latino community make in the New Orleans Area. Conexiones focuses on empowering Latino individuals through telling the success stories of people that work hard and that are passionate about what they do. Conexiones wants to portray the Latino culture away from the cliché stereotypes presented by the mainstream media. Conexiones also serves as a communication the link between the Latino community and the community at large. Our main mission is to inspire our Latino residents through highlighting the contributions of Latino individuals in arts, music, sports, technology and anything else that creates a positive impact in our society, and to create awareness of those contributions among the native Louisianans. Conexiones airs every Thursday at 9:30pm on WLAE-TV and segments are also featured through social media and YouTube. Usernames: ConexionesUsa http//:facebook.com/conexionesusa

New York City, NY – Moore Street Aquaponics Education Farm

2013-06-06T00:00:00Z

My current project is the conversion of a 2,500 square feet vacant lot - located next to a fried chicken spot and a liquor store - in Buschwick, Brooklyn into a farm. This farm will produce fresh water fish along with a variety of fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits utilizing a farming technique called Aquaponics. This farming method mimics nature by creating a closed loop system which combines aquaculture with hydroponics (soil-less growing). In this method, waste from the fish provide nutrients that support plant growth, while the plants remove toxins that are harmful to the fish. The Moore Street Farm will serve as the only green space in the community, provide fresh food to community members, serve as an outdoor classroom for the 8 elementary schools in the community, and provide a model for sustainable fish production in urban areas. The production space will contain fish tanks connected to hydroponic grow beds used for growing fruits and vegetables. In addition, a percentage of the farm will be used for traditional soil gardening in raised beds. This allows us to use an integrated farming method whereby solid fish waste (rich in plant nutrients) removed from the aquaponics system is used as an organic fertilizer in soil based cultivation. The space will also include a composting worm bin, and chickens. We began construction on Saturday, March 2nd with a volunteer group of 10 people that helped to clean refuse from the lot. Since then we've spent every Friday and Saturday building the farm with support from volunteers. We've successfully constructed a 1,200 gallon fish tank and a 12 foot x 50 foot hydroponic grow bed, which will support plant growth. The next step is to include additional smaller grow beds; connect the pond to the grow beds via a plumbing system made up of a regenerative pump, air blower, and a series of pvc pipes. Once this step is complete, we'll add the baby fish and seedlings from our greenhouse.

Sarnia (Inactive) – Parking Lot Dance Social

2013-06-06T00:00:00Z

The parents on the street would like to have a Parking Lot Dance Social to provide a fun, safe event for our children to chill out, be creative in their dance and for the parents to have a social. We would be holding dance contests, hula hoop contests and other games where prizes would be awarded. We’ll be holding a raffle for the kids and adults to win prizes and encourage the children to pay it forward by donating the proceeds to the Inn of the Good Shepherd. This social would also encourage the parents to get together and chat and also take part in some of the games and dancing. We would like to have a BBQ with hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, drinks, dessert, etc. for everyone to enjoy on this Saturday in August.

Liverpool – Home Advantage Liverpool

2013-06-04T00:00:00Z

Anfield in North Liverpool is one of the most economically deprived areas in the country, despite the hulking great presence of one of the most affluent football clubs in the world. 44% of our kids live below the poverty line, while people pay hundreds of pounds to come here to see their Holy Ground - the liverpool ground. so i want to bring the two groups together - using local residents' spare bedrooms to accommodate visitors to the football club. a VIRTUAL HOTEL, a bit like AirB&B, but specifically for Anfield. centrally administered by me, and for the benefit of the whole community. hundreds, even thousands of visitors to liverpool getting proper home comforts instead of a cold impersonal hotel room, and local families getting to connect with the people who love Anfield more than anywhere else on earth. it's a way to fight the bedroom tax, and a way to help my neighbours, to bring HOME PRIDE back to a once-great district.

Boston, MA (Inactive) – chasing the shadows

2013-06-04T00:00:00Z

I want to chalk the shadows cast on the sidewalks of people, parking meters, signs, fire hydrants, telephone poles , bicycles (I especially love their shadows), trees, chairs, tables… whatever objects I find along the way that makes a shadow… from Boston through Cambridge along one main street - Mass Avenue. I like make spectators into participants in the project by posing them. I’m somewhat amazed of how a most ordinary reticent person can get excited about being a part of a project like this. Someone asked me today if I was making a sun dial and I thought in a way this whole proposed event is like one living breathing sun dial. It’s amazing to see how much the sun moves in such a short time and returning later how completely changed the shadows are. I feel that unlike a drawing that remains forever the same on paper, a chalk drawing on the pavement changes itself as its original shadow moves throughout the day.

Boston, MA (Inactive) – The Mµseum (or Micro Museum)

2013-06-04T00:00:00Z

In February of 2010, I was lucky enough to have the Awesome Foundation pick my project: a plan to turn an old vending machine into a miniature art gallery in the T. Unfortunately, at the time the project was contingent on getting MBTA approval, which I was unable to attain, so I never received the grant. I never stopped being excited about the core concept, and I’ve spent the last few years honing it until it reached its current (even better) form. The MBTA Is no longer involved, and I’ve secured the approval of the owners of the space as well as the Somerville Arts Council. I will be creating a micro-scale museum enclosed within a box with a durable glass viewing wall. This gallery cube will be housed in the empty niche between two businesses (a common occurrence, and space that is generally ignored or gathers trash.) I have found an ideal location in a nook between The Independent and Subway in wonderfully diverse Union Square, Somerville. The Micro Museum (or, “Mµseum”) will house regularly curated exhibitions of small-scale fine art work with a focus on local artists, and have an online presence with artist information, a photo archive, and downloadable PDF exhibition catalogs. All lighting will be solar powered. A locked, hinged facade designed to look like a classic museum front will frame the viewing wall, and display information about the current show, as well as direct viewers to the digital portion of the museum. Way too often people reject the idea of checking out art for fun because art isn’t something they “understand.” Yet more steer clear of commercial galleries because of the pressure to buy, or the feeling of being watched or out of place. I want art to be something that is approachable to everyone. By bringing art right up to the viewer, in an unstaffed, pressure-free environment (a place you’d be anyway, just walking down the street!), I hope to make art both physically and psychologically approachable.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Energy & Sanitation For Students In Surkhet, Nepal

2013-06-03T00:00:00Z

Austin, TX – Queerbomb

2013-05-31T00:00:00Z

Each June, the month of Stonewall, we stand together to embrace our sexuality, bodies, personalities, art, music, literature and politics, while recapturing pride from corporate sponsorship. We strive for a pride that refuses to put rules on what you can and can’t be proud of, that says every expression, from the spirit to the flesh, is worthy. This year on June 1st, we will rally around dynamic speakers and outreach organizations from 6 to 8pm. Then we take it down 6th st (the straightest street in Austin) to dance, march and celebrate out in the open. Proud and free in all respects. We return to our rally space and unleash the magic back into the place we call home. We have definitely grown in size from the first QUEERBOMB drop here in Austin, Texas. With an expected attendance of 8000 or more this year, we are excited and ready to roll this rally and procession out with the community standing strong and proud and fully decorated.

Detroit, MI (Inactive) – Detroit Grants and Loans Database

2013-05-31T00:00:00Z

The Detroit Grants and Loans Database tracks how funding moves through Detroit’s non-profits. It started as a personal project of Matt Hampel: he began tracking when Detroit organizations received grants - a press release here, some word of mouth there. The list grew slowly, and his friend Benjamin Chodoroff started to help with the research. We are working on this project because we have heard from non-profits that there is a need for this information. Small non-profits are often in the dark about who ended up getting the grant they applied for, and funders don’t have a good picture of the philanthropic ecosystem outside their own organization. Currently, we have records for a few hundred grants, and we haven’t had time to update them. We want to share this data with the public, but to do this we want to make sure the list is up-to-date and has as many grants in it as possible. We can do the work of setting up a system to share the information ourselves - both of us are programmers and have lots of experience designing accessible and open websites - but we need a lot of help with data collection. With the addition of a capable researcher to our team, we can grow this project to the point of having a polished website ready in a few months’ time. The data will be open to the public to view and download, and we will set up a system to ensure it is maintained as time goes on. We don’t know exactly what this project will end up being, but we are listening to our peers and friends and will be polling everyone to make this dataset as useful as possible. We will keep software, the development process, and of course the data itself, open source and freely licensed. We need to raise $2,500: a respectful internship stipend is $1,500 a month, and we’d like to bring someone on board for 3 months. We’ve both pledged $1,000 of our own money to make this happen.

Pittsburgh, PA – Carrie Deer Salvage Art Workshop

2013-05-31T00:00:00Z

A massive blast furnace, a 40’ deer head, piles of found objects, firsthand insights from Pittsburgh salvage artists, and it’s all free – how AWESOME is that? For 12 students from community schools surrounding Carrie Furnaces, it will be an unforgettable experience in collaboration, art, and regional history. Using the same techniques that built the Carrie Deer, they will create the first sculpture for the on-site Sculpture Garden. Many of the materials they will use have been drawn from the site itself during the maintenance process. The workshop includes a docent-led family site tour; DVDs of the Carrie Furnaces’ History and The Carrie Deer Documentary; 3 on-site sessions with artists, materials, and tools; and a video of the student’s personal workshop experience. The resulting sculpture is the inaugural installation for the new Carrie Salvage Art Garden. Collaborative art is a unique experience requiring a collective focus on a joint goal; a challenging exercise for creative minds often used to working singularly. As a “new” collective, the students work as a team in designing and creating their sculpture. As aspiring artists, the opportunity to engage artistically with this remarkable site is exceptionally inspiring. The monolithic industrial structures of Carrie form a cathedral-like setting of abstract sculptural ruins. Photographers, artists, and filmmakers continue to seek out the site for artistic expression and inspiration just as the Deer artists did in the 90s. Students will learn the history of the site, the region’s industrial heritage, what inspired the Deer artists – all while working in this unusual environment to explore their own ideas of public art and salvage sculpture. Presentations by the Office of Public Art and the Sprout Fund introduce them to the complexities of large-scale works, public installations and community interaction with public works. We also hope this project will encourage other groups to engage the site in new artistic ways.

Toronto – #teetertotter

2013-05-30T00:00:00Z

I enjoy creating entertaining public installations within my art practice and I see the Awesome Foundation as a prime opportunity to realize an interactive installation. I have produced a few large scale sculptures over the past three years and am aware of strong considerations towards public safety as well as structural integrity. My proposal involves realizing a project that I have wanted to undertake for some time now; I have produced several small scale renderings as well as assessed many aspects involved with fabricating the idea. With that in mind, I propose to create a very unique teeter-totter which will be partially constructed out of recycled, repurposed, and scavenged materials. A Canadian artist who I recently met in NYC is also a professional arborist and Mr. Neilson already has an array of 8-12 foot incredibly strong cedar tree trunks which he offered for me to choose from. The most structurally important and costly element of the sculpture will be the base of the teeter-totter which will be built out of pressure treated lumber 8x8’s in a traditional style along with truck suspension springs to control the pivoting of the cedar tree, which will act as the cross beam that people sit on; Largely fastened together with lock-tight large size nuts and bolts to prevent theft or “tomfoolery”. Furthermore, apart from the cedar tree trunk sourced elements will be added such as bicycle handle bars for holding onto while bouncing, along with shredded car tires for seating and various items to customize as well as add aesthetic value to the unique feature. A pre-emptive focus will be put towards stripping the bark off the tree trunk and applying a professional finish that will make the trunk structurally sustainable for many years.

Maldon (Inactive) – Maldon Market

2013-05-30T00:00:00Z

I am currently planning to lauch a monthly farmer's and maker's market in Fountain Street (TBC), Maldon. We aim for the market to be one of the best in Central Victoria. The market will provide a genuine service, social activity and pride of place for local residents. We believe that a successful market will put Maldon even more squarely on the tourist map to increase visitor numbers to the town and provide an invaluable boost to existing local businesses. A market also provides the perfect, low risk, business entry point for local entrepreneurs to strut their stuff. Each market will feature fun entertainment that enourages people to linger longer and spend more money. We hope to attract lots of day-trippers from further afield, including Melbourne, and for the market to become a staple monthly event for Maldon residents. We aim to have 40 stall holders at the opening market in October (roughly half growers and half makers), with at least 500 market visitors. We'll grow these numbers over the first 12 months and beyond.

Connecticut – Dream MAKER Team

2013-05-30T00:00:00Z

A summer program for kids in Stamford CT. The goal is 1 STEM project (that results in a film) and 1 non-STEM project. We have completed 3 projects for kids in Stamford with curriculum borrowed from www.citizenschools.org (with their permission). The most recent of which was the Solar Powered Racecars you saw at the Westport Maker's Faire. We are looking to continue enriching the experience afterschool and summers for our students and volunteers on the West Side of Stamford. We would LOVE if you could help us continue this work. Here is an article about the 19-minute film we made last summer with funds from the volunteers themselves and all materials and equipment donated: http://stamford.itsrelevant.com/content/11232/yerwood-center-makes-a-movie.

Baltimore, MD – Send SquashWise Students to the Championships!

2013-05-29T00:00:00Z

SquashWise is a unique youth development program promoting academic achievement and athleticism through the sport of squash. None of our students had ever heard of squash before, but now they are avid scholar-athletes competing across the country in national tournaments. Students from Baltimore City Public Schools join in 5th or 6th grade and participate through 12th grade, with additional support through college. We provide daily tutoring, mentoring, squash coaching, and fitness activities. While SquashWise students are not yet old enough to graduate from high school and move on to college, older urban squash programs in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston boast 100% high school graduation rates and 90% college completion rates among their graduates. SquashWise aims for the same successes in a city where only 64% of students graduate from high school and of these graduates, only 14% finish college (Baltimore Education Research Consortium, 2004 cohort). Our first cohort of students will graduate from high school in 2015, and they are already setting their sights on college. In the meantime, students have demonstrated impressive gains in grades, fitness, and squash performance.

San Antonio, TX – PoPo's 1st Annual Bike Repair Rally

2013-05-29T00:00:00Z

Bicycles can make the biggest change in a community in the shortest amount of time. Adolescents who bike 4 days a week are 48% less likely to become overweight as adults. Bicycles provide the ability to move around your community. For many of us bicycles are recreational toys, but for some it is their lifeline. Some cyclists commute everywhere; work, school, the grocery store. Although offering bicycles to those in need helps a great deal, many of those bikes will end up right back outside in a pile of rust if they are not maintained. PoPo's We-cycle is going to change that. While the mission for PPWC is to give away 100 bikes in 2013, we also want to repair bikes in the community before they reach the trash dump. As a part of this parallel mission PPWC wants to have an Annual Bike Repair Rally where PPWC will purchase the parts, permits, etc. and local bike shops will fix bicycles for 5 hours in a predetermined location, all while having a huge bike awareness PARTY! We will advertise the time and location in advance and ask that bikes requiring minimum repairs such as; new tubes, chains, adjusting, bike making sounds or not running right, be brought to the event where we will repair them for FREE! The event will be held in areas where our services are need the most. This will allow us to maintain all of the bikes that we give out each year and put us closer to our goal of getting 2 wheels under every person in San Antonio. For our 1st event, we have already been given the okay to use a parking lot at Burbank High School and found several other nonprofits that would like to setup at the event to talk about healthy living. Bicycle Shops like REI, Ride Away Bicycles, Alamo Bike Shop and the bike club "Wild Dawgs" have all volunteered to work on bicycles at the event. We have numerous companies interested in sponsoring the event and have already confirmed 2 Titanium Sponsors of $500 each from Community Health First and Believe It Screen Printing and Graphics.

San Antonio, TX – Madison Solar Car Initiative (MadSCI)

2013-05-29T00:00:00Z

MadSCI is an after school project that has been on-going at Madison HS since 2010. MadSCI’s mission is to advance knowledge and educate a wide diversity of students in science, technology, engineering, math, sutainability and other areas of scholarship that will ensure that they will best serve themselves, San Antonio, Texas, the nation, and the world in the 21st century. There is a tremendous need for students with innovation and expertise in fields that will help solve the world’s most critical problems. Students need to be exposed to, and involved in, activities that involve authenticity, collaboration, critical thinking skills, global implications, in-depth investigations, cross-curricular applications, and a very high student motivation and engagement factor. To these ends, MadSCI was created. MadSCI is the perfect beyond the classroom project because in striving to meet the challenges this project entails, students in addition to learning about engineering, alternative energy, battery technology, aerodynamics, computer science, and meteorology, have to translate that knowledge into strategy. Such a project furthermore involves activities that empower students, foster deep learning and communication skills across a variety of subjects, enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills, necessitate collaborative work, develop engineering intuition and innovation, project and time management, skills, and provide experience working with students of different cultures, backgrounds, and academic and technical skill levels. Students learn what it takes to successfully carry a project from inception to completion. It requires them to push themselves and often step outside their comfort zone. These skill sets allow students to be better prepared to enter college & the university, tackle the challenges in life after that, push the envelope of science & engineering, and be significant contributors to solving the world’s current & future problems. It builds leaders.

Tel Aviv - קרן בקטנה (Inactive) – ZEZE Sublimation

2013-05-29T00:00:00Z

ZEZE presents: Sublimation Sublimation will train women in the Israeli Prisoner Rehabilitation Authority to use sublimation machines (awesome machines which print on almost anything - t-shirts, cups, hats... you name it!). Our brand of cool products will be designed by budding young Israeli designers and produced ethically in order to create double good: we will be giving ex-prisoners a trade and employment, and we can produce some awesome products and clothing along the way! ZE.ZE is a social business. We believe that our social projects must be all sustainable and must at least retain them self. That way we can promise a lasting project that does not lean on philanthropy. All ZE.ZE profits and incomes are invested as seed money for new projects. WE love ZEZE and Sublimation because they are creating awesome clothing whilst providing women in need with training and a job! Plus, who doesn't love well designed, but socially responsible products??

Denver, CO (Inactive) – WeeCycle's Crib-A-Month Project

2013-05-29T00:00:00Z

WeeCycle is a Denver-based non-profit organization whose mission is to help low income families with infants and toddlers in the Denver metro area (and throughout Colorado) by providing them with new and gently used baby gear free of charge. We acquire the gear through donations of individuals and businesses and distribute it through local community organizations already serving families with infants and toddlers affected by poverty, homelessness, domestic violence, teen pregnancy, and under-employment. We also contribute to environmental preservation by recycling and reusing baby gear. WeeCycle was started by two Colorado moms, Jayme Ritchie and Sunny Heydorn. They were both new moms that had recently left their jobs as attorneys to focus their energies on raising their new children. With this, they felt the need to give back to their community, particularly to those less fortunate, and they both had a first-hand understanding of how expensive baby gear was and how, often, kids outgrow their gear when it is in like-new condition. That is how the idea for WeeCycle came about. Why not take all this baby gear that their kids outgrew and find it a new home with a family that could really use it? Four plus years later, WeeCycle is expanding its reach and helping more and more families each year. WeeCycle provides key items like cribs, car seats, strollers, diapers, toys, baby-proofing items, and much more! However, in June 2011, nearly all of the cribs that were on the market were recalled due to deficiencies with their hardware and WeeCycle has since experienced a huge shortage in cribs as we are not able to accept or donate any recalled items. Cribs are one of the most expensive items that families with new babies need and WeeCycle has had to purchase all new cribs to serve our clients' needs. WeeCycle is looking for a grant to support our Crib-A-Month program to purchase one crib each month for a year to donate to Colorado families in need.

London, ON (Inactive) – Take a Seat & Make a Friend London, ON Edition

2013-05-28T00:00:00Z

We recently came across a video done by an organization called "Soul Pancake." Oprah Winfrey has been a huge supporter of this organization and often aired their events on her television show. One event that Soul Pancake has recently done is have strangers sit in a ball pit and get to know one another. A sign is posted over the pit saying "Have a Seat & Make a Friend" and random people walking past are invited to sit down with one another and discuss life's big questions. Example questions include "Find something the two of you have in common" and "Name and describe a person who has made a huge influence in your life." There will be about 10 larger balls in the pit that have questions on them and the people sitting are able to discuss these questions with a complete stranger. Our vision is to end stigma that is attached to mental health. Our mission is to is to raise awareness for mental health, specifically anxiety disorders, because we feel that anxiety disorders, phobias and fears tend to be overlooked. This project will challenge Londoner's to go out of their comfort zone. We hope that Londoner's will be authentically engaged in getting into a ball pit and get to know someone that have never met before. This exercise is anxiety provoking, but we hope people really share deep, meaningful thoughts with one another and that in itself will raise awareness. We have already gotten approval from the City of London special events to have this event and are covered under insurance. Our plan is to run this project for the very first time in London, ON at Sunfest, which is July 4-7th, 2013. We are currently in the works of getting in contact of Sunfest organizers to see if there is a spot for us! We will be collecting donations for anyone who wishes to get in the ball pit! We came across Paul Melnik's story, who took his own life suddenly. He was on the wait list for mental health help for a program called FEMAP here in London, ON. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfHV4-

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Creating the Future, Open Participatory Engagement

2013-05-28T00:00:00Z

The US Civil Rights Movement, the Anti-Apartheid movement, Indiaâ€™s Independence movement - what created their success? This question is at the core of Creating the Futureâ€™s work. By considering what created visionary change in the past, and incorporating those features into current change efforts, we are guiding changemakers to their potential to accomplish their missions and create the world we all want. What weâ€™ve found: The power to create change lies not in innovative strategy, but in the assumptions underlying that strategy. Assumptions about what is possible vs. impossible. Assumptions about our potential for working together for a cause larger than ourselves. Assumptions about walking the talk of our values. By changing the way we see things - those habitual thought patterns / assumptions - things change. The Project: As its own demonstration project, Creating the Future has busted out the walls of our organization, to be completely open and participatory in all we do. All internal meetings - board meetings, resource development meetings, branding meetings, strategy meetings - are live-streamed for anyone to watch AND participate as if they are part of the team - asking questions, sharing ideas and observations. Doing this experiment as a live demonstration, Creating the Future is showing what is possible - that there is nothing to be afraid of in engaging openly, and that much of what groups assume to be proprietary is actually far more effective when it is owned by everyone. This effort began in January 2013. Already it has changed the expectations and assumptions of our board and immediate community, as well as outsiders who attend / participate in our meetings. We are all learning together that when we change the way we see things, things change.

Grand Rapids, MI (Inactive) – Movin' On In

2013-05-28T00:00:00Z

Our project, Movin' on In, will kick off with refreshments and a word from the Mayor of Grand Rapids. Movin’ on In will promote efforts to end homelessness and raise awareness of local challenges in attaining affordable housing. We extend an open, inclusive invitation to the community to learn and participate in an activity concerning housing related issues. The activity provides participants with a hands-on opportunity to broaden understandings of homelessness and housing. The housing simulation allows participants to play the role of a homeless individual in need of housing. Each role includes circumstantial details and participants attempt to attain housing during four simulated days. After the simulation, a debriefing session lead by a housing specialist will provide opportunities for discussion. Afterwards, participants will assemble “new home starter kits” in laundry baskets for newly housed families. We will conclude with a speaker from our AmeriCorps program that will share how members are serving their community. This project is new, green, so fresh and so clean. Movin’ on In is a unique effort of collaboration, education, direct service and active participation. It is also so nice. Homelessness is not awesome, but feeling at home is. Movin’ on In promotes housing knowledge and provides clients with items to increase the awesomeness of a new home. Housing challenges are not funny, but we do hope to share a few laughs with participants. We will raise awareness and provide opportunity to make a difference. Increased awareness inspires the awesomeness required to end homelessness. Wow. Receiving the grant will greatly influence awesomeness. The more money used for kits, the greater difference made. Movin’ on In is chock full o’ bang, not much buck. Providing household items for clients alleviates housing costs. It is our intention to repeat the event so that Movin’ on In will encourage community members to be active problem solvers concerning housing issues.

Portland, OR – XRAY.FM

2013-05-28T00:00:00Z

With the help of http://commonfrequency.org we recently obtained a low-wattage permit from the FCC to broadcast on 91.FM to Downtown! From the location we carefully picked, this 100w antenna will reach 1.5 million homes in the Portland metro area as well as many, many many cars. We started a non-profit corporation called Cascade Educational Broadcasting Service last fall, and have been building momentum and resources to launch XRAY.FM this Summer. We filed our 501(c)3 status today and got a bank account last week. We're raising funds from a totally grassroots level and plan to engage a large community here in Portland to support the station by underwriting and grant support as well as listener support. Portland has never had a college radio station downtown on FM, so we're positive it's starved for some great radio created by all our friends who spin great records around town nightly. CEBS’ current objective is to secure resources for FM operation. The goal is to create a station that broadcasts new independent music and a plethora of rare historic vinyl by the innovators, but not officially bound by any specific genre descriptor. A website and webstream, developing currently, will be of equal importance. Unlike most radio stations, close attention will be paid to maintaining artistic programmatic vision. CEBS views music as an art. Core to this belief is presenting modern music (primarily 50’s to present) from an educational perspective, with the DJ acting as a musicologist, promoting new independent artists and providing historical detail on forgotten seminal artists from the past. I can already see the town dancing to the beat of XRAY.FM. Bicyclists, joggers and car-owners will all have a much better time and radios will create happiness again! We're planning some big events in Portland this June to launch the station publicly and would be happy to spread the word about Awesome Foundation as one of our Angel Donors when we go on the air.

Miami, FL – StreetWaves Summer Surf Camp

2013-05-26T00:00:00Z

We think the StreetWaves mentorship program is an awesome initiative, but the most awesome part is the amazing results we achieve with at-risk youth. It has been our commitment since 2008 to provide surfing lessons free of charge to under-resourced and troubled youth every Saturday from 12-4pm. Our daily summer surf camp programming which begins June 1st and lasts through August 31st provides summer surf camp experiences every day for organizations like Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Overtown Youth Center, Educate Tomorrow, Empowered Youth and a host of other schools, churches and concerned families. Some of our awesome services include surfing, standup paddleboarding and sailing instructions all provided by qualified staff and volunteers. StreetWaves addresses major areas of concern that we feel contribute to the ongoing criminal activity and troubled youth found in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. Our program provides an alternative recreational stimulant that is non-competitive and gives each individual the opportunity to freely express ones basic nature thereby expanding their physical, emotional and spiritual horizons. We facilitate a safe haven of natural resources made available to a community who historically have not participated in many ocean activities. Over the 5 years that we have been providing services to our under-resourced communities, we have studied the affects that the ocean and watersports have on this growing population of newcomers. Amongst our measured outcomes, StreetWaves has measured shifts in participant’s attitudes toward life, an expansion in their perspective and an increased sense of belonging. StreetWaves greatly feels that we broaden our participant’s horizons and support the development of life skills that will benefit personal wellbeing by providing a guideline for success now and in the future. We are currently expanding our mission to serve a larger population of at-risk youth because we know….. It’s working!

Newmarket – Commons Cafe and Catering

2013-05-24T00:00:00Z

Our catering project took off with a bit of help from contacts with local businesses. We catered at the Passport to Wellness event at Aurora Cultural Centre. We now have a tent given to us by a local business at the Newmarket Farmers Market, where we sell coffee, tea, juice, hot chocolate on cold days and hopefully some bakes. We have involved a number of adults with autism and developmental delay as trainees, to be trained by our volunteers, myself as one and one or two job coaches, to set up and prepare the tent for sale. Prepare the coffee, deal with customers, handle cash improve math and clean up. Eventually we hope to involve the trainees to be involved in ordering and buying the items needed. When our costs are paid up we hope the trainees most of whom are not able to find employment in the community, to take the profit and share it among them as a reward. The main purpose of Commons Cafe and Catering is to involve people with disability in the community, to show the community their ABILITIES and gifts, Give them an opportunity to get experience in running the business. We hope the experience will provide them with job opportunities in the community when the Market is over. We do hope to get established in late fall in a permanent location and become a not for profit organization. So far through announcing our purpose only through word of mouth, we have attracted 6 adults who are interested to help at the booth. We have also had an amazing response from people who have visited us and found out that we are not just a coffee booth for profit but a booth with a special purpose! We are applying for the third time for the Awesome fund as our costs are increasing. Other than the registration costs for the major events, we have had to get insurance for events, pay for a banner. We also are in dire need of equipment such as tables, coffee brewers and urns .

Sandy Rebuild (Inactive) – Culinary Kids Urban Farm

2013-05-23T00:00:00Z

Culinary Kids Urban Farm is located in the Hurricane Sandy zone of the Rockaway peninsula which was destroyed by the storm. Prior to the storm, Culinary Kids Urban Farm project taught Sustainable Urban Farming, Agriculture, Aquaculture and Culinary Arts to the youth of Far Rockaway free of charge.

Sandy Rebuild (Inactive) – Rainwater Catchment System at YANA Services

2013-05-23T00:00:00Z

My work in the Rockaways started immediately after super storm Sandy -- medical & food shipments, digging out basements, sorting clothing, and powering phones with bicycles, along with my friends at Time's Up! My work with YANA (You Are Never Alone - Beach 113) and Sal Lopizzo started a few weeks after the storm, as I personally identified with the mission of YANA; namely, to train residents of the Rockaways to obtain contractors licenses, so that they may be employed as part of the rebuilding, rather than outside contractors. Additionally, alternative and sustainable materials is a focus of the training/education that YANA provides. Another part of YANA's mission is the training & education of Rockaways residents to reacting, and being more resilient, to future potential storms and floods. With this the case, emphasis is being placed on solar technology and water catchment & reuse. YANA is already moving forward with the solar program, installing panels on the roof, and offering opportunities for residents to have their own installed for emergency backup. My project would entail the design & build of a beautiful stormwater catchment system/installation art piece. The design would be shared publicly, and the buildout would include residents. Additionally, I will hold several workshops at YANA, where I'd teach residents how to properly design/size, then build, stormwater catchment systems. This way, if another future storms causes water infrastructure problems, they will be able to source water for their own catchment systems.

Boulder, CO (Inactive) – Boulder Civic Hackfest

2013-05-22T00:00:00Z

Boulder Civic Hackfest is a two day hackathon and design event bringing the best of Boulder together for the civic good in celebration of National Day of Civic Hacking. Using open data and technologies we will select problems affecting our communities and prototype solutions to them throughout the weekend. We expect to have ~100 developers, designers, and subject matter experts work with open data to create solutions to civic problems using technology. All applications will be created as open source technologies, giving anybody the ability to use the applications, improve them, etc.

Calgary, AB (Inactive) – Pavo Concertus

2013-05-22T00:00:00Z

Junk Yard Wars + Pickup Truck + Peacocks + Pianos = Peacock art truck with an array of lights and sound. More commonly known in the community as the Peacock Pipe Organ. Our team has taken on the project of converting a pickup truck into a peacock music truck because we wanted to give Calgary another shot of arts and culture. We are planning to use Pavo Concertus as an educational tool by demonstrating to Calgarians how arts, engineering and science can come together to form such an awesome spectacle. We plan to pull this off by constructing Pavo Concertus with lovingly used parts and machinery from Calgary locals. Besides looking and sounding steampunkly fantastic, our project will help the public draw connections between arts and engineering through the tangible demonstration of music and vibrations. In addition, we plan on visiting schools to inspire students interested in engineering. We plan to debut at various locations during Beakerhead week to boggle the minds of downtown Calgarian onlookers. Our team consists of a dedicated roster of engineers, artists, marketers, and alumni from the Calgary Solar Car Team and Baja SAE. So we've basically pulled off stuff like this before. How funding from Awesome Calgary will be used: - Electrical components (ie. speaker, amplifiers, acoustic pickups, switches) - Tools, and metalwork equipment - Scrap metal, wood, and fasteners - Vehicle insurance, and maintenance - Safety Equipment

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Gaia Milieu for "The Color Wheel" at HEREart NY

2013-05-20T00:00:00Z

Gaia is a large-scale site-specific installation that explores the increasingly severe divide between human beings and their natural world as the complex system of life and organic materials surrounding them becomes more and more exotic and alien due to their lack of contact with it. Plants that at one time were familiar are now strange and exotic. The installation will be made using a variety of printmaking processes, including but no limited to etching, screen print, relief print, and monoprint, in combination with materials indicative of our modern world that seem to have replaced our natural ones like plastic, office supplies, birthday party table cloth, neon straws, pipe cleaners, etc. My ultimate goal with the installation is to completely transform the HereArt Gallery Space in Soho NY into a completely immersive environment that moves from one level of the gallery into the other. I am increasingly interested in how the installation infect spaces like urban kudzo almost as if we moved forward 100 years and our plastics actually have begun to grow.