tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:/en/projects?page=30 2023-05-11T20:57:18Z tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/216722 2023-03-23T00:00:00Z 2023-05-11T20:57:18Z Our project is about improving our school. It is called a Legacy Project where we look for projects that can help our school. We are in the enrichment program and we are trying to get money to fund our legacy projects. We have six individual legacy projects that each belong to one person. We have AlumFinder, Steps to Inspiration, Musical Steps, 4 Square Reborn, Colorful Columns, and History in the Painting. These six legacy projects each have individual purposes and most of them require a lot of money. We have AlumFinder, which is a legacy project about helping current Maunawili Elementary students learn more about past Maunawili students and help build a better community in the Maunawili school. This project does not require any money. The next legacy project we have is Steps to Inspiration, where we repaint some of the stairs that lead to the upper building. This project's purpose is to make the stairs leading to the upper building look nicer because the paint has been wearing off a lot. This project will cost $350. The next legacy project is Musical Steps, where we will paint the other stairs that lead to the upper building like a piano keyboard. This legacy project will cost $100. The next legacy project is History in the Painting. In this project we will paint a mural about the year on the upper building. We are doing this legacy project so we can paint the history of the school. This project will cost $150. The next legacy project is 4 Square Reborn, where we will repaint the 4 square area because the paint has been wearing off for a while now. This legacy project is to help improve the 4 square area so it is more enjoyable to play. This project will cost $150. The last legacy project we have is colorful columns. This legacy project is to paint all the pillars in the lower building. We are doing this to make it look better, and we will also add inspirational quotes on the pillars so people can be inspired when they see the pillars. This project will cost Dee Takeno Legacy Projects - Maunawili school United States Oahu, HI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/oahu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205477 2023-03-22T00:00:00Z 2023-04-09T12:41:28Z O projeto minha cadeira de rodas não é minha prisão vem em constante a fim de promover inclusão social. Dando equidade e qualidade de vida a pessoa com deficiência a Ampare associação pela inclusão da mulher e pessoa com deficiência vem à tempos promovendo essas ações com ajuda da população e de outras ONGs. Nosso objetivo principal é que realmente as Órteses e próteses e outros serviços possam chegar às pessoas que realmente precisam e pretendemos continuar a faze lo..empregos desde já a gratidão pela ação de vcs ♿ O projeto visa adquirir 60% em cadeira de banho outros 40% em cadeiras de rodas . O proponente é Maurílio Dias Jardim, presidente do Conselho da Pessoa com Deficiência em Brumadinho e presidente da Ampare e da Ambejota. Comped@brumadinho.mg.gov.br ambejotabrumadinho@gmail.com amparebrumadinho@gmail.com Sempre agindo em prol de inclusão total da pessoa buscando acessibilidade nas cidades e para todos . Maurilio Dias Jardim Minha cadeira não é minha prisão e minha liberdade Brazil Brumadinho (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/brumadinho tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214094 2023-03-20T00:00:00Z 2023-03-21T12:47:42Z I'm currently working with Florida Department of State and Folklore Society to preserve Florida's skate heritage. I'm using funds from the project to build a pop-up skatepark that I can bring to different parts of town every week. I'm also building a digital archive of Florida skate architecture, and interviews with innovators and historic figures. Zach Moldof Chuck Dinkins Has A Posse Stickers http://www.skatebud.com United States Orlando, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/orlando tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214749 2023-03-20T00:00:00Z 2023-03-21T02:26:44Z I am a master degreed educator and generational steward of the grounds of the first public school for African-American children in rural Walker County. Please visit www.rosenwaldacres.com for extensive and historic information on the Rosenwald School#1 Centennial Project. We have already received 2 grants from H-E-B in support of our annual, free to the public, “Back to Our Roots” Earth Day Music Festival on April 22. The “ Back to Our Roots” Earth Day Music Festival is scheduled for April 15, 2022. We also need funding for artists for our free to the public “Zydeco, Blues and Storytelling Festival” on the Rosenwald outdoor stage H-E-B just funded, for Juneteenth. Kijana Wiseman-Fusilier, Rosenwald School Centennial Project https://rosenwaldacres.com Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215699 2023-03-20T00:00:00Z 2023-08-31T20:01:35Z The AMP scholarship program allows Protohaven to offer free classes for 10 BIPOC individuals from the Wilkinsburg community. BIPOC individuals often do not feel welcome in makerspaces and typically see them as places that are "not for them." Protohaven has been working to intentionally remove barriers to access (both financially and culturally). Protohaven is Pittsburgh’s largest nonprofit community makerspace. There are 15 areas of making, including woodshop, blacksmithing, welding, jewelry, 3D printing, textiles, lasers, and more. Through AMP, Protohaven is able to provide income-based rates for classes, and memberships to those who qualify. Protohaven works on programming that intentionally removes barriers to access for under-resourced and under-represented individuals. Amber Epps Access to Making Program (AMP) Scholarships http://www.protohaven.org United States Pittsburgh, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/pittsburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/216991 2023-03-20T00:00:00Z 2023-04-10T20:14:01Z The Brain and Body Coalition is on a mission to help the community of Poughkeepsie and the BIPOC population to remind them of a simple fact the brain is part of the body In other words, mental health, and physical health are directly connected so we should take care of both and also remember that we can comfortably speak about both. Our organization provides different trainings and tools to the community, and we are currently servicing Dutchess, Ulster, Putnam and Westchester Counties. We provide these tools by way of trainings, education and advocacy. We have already provided Mental Health education kits to FDR High School, and Poughkeepsie High School. We have also secured and MOU with Nubian Directions on 248 Main Street in Poughkeepsie Providing their group with a workshop titled “It is what it is, breaking down the Barriers of Stigma” we have also provided Narcan training which is something we will continue to provide. We find that it is important to support the adults that are supporting our children so the workshops and trainings that we offer are geared for adults. We also know that our youth are under a lot of stress. Even more so since the pandemic. So as part of our mission in teaching the skills to handle a mental health condition we are providing wellness and educational packets to our children in the community. Since the brain is part of the body and whole health and wellness is very important, we know that distributing helpful information along with items like fidget spinners, and stress balls, mindful activities, and a list of culturally competent resources is beneficial for both families and our youth. This project is just not awesome. It is super awesome because when it is seen, into fruition we will be able to help our children who are being affected coming out of the pandemic and they do not know how to handle their emotions. Having access to these materials will be beneficial. Heather Ann Pitcher Community Wellness Kits during May and July http://www.brainandbodycoalition.org United States Poughkeepsie, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/poughkeepsie tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/216104 2023-03-18T00:00:00Z 2023-04-21T13:56:11Z Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapters utilizes community volunteers to come together to build and deliver twin-size beds (that can be bunked) to kids aged 3-17 that are sleeping on the floor or in other uncomfortable situations. The volunteers deliver these beds, fully furnished (frames, mattresses, sheets, pillows, and blankets) to children in need; they partner with local organizations, churches, businesses, and community members to build them! Chapter leadership and their core team show volunteers how to take a pile of wood, and with drills, sanders, and saws, construct twin bed frame components. SHP's simple design is easy to follow and takes no woodworking experience to learn. During SHP community "Build Days," volunteers learn about the organization and the need in "their town" and take pride as they transform piles of lumber into twin bed frames. Following each build day, volunteers deliver the beds to local families that requested/qualified for one. SHP Build and Delivery Days facilitate community engagement by providing a fun and practical opportunity to volunteer their time. The SD-Watertown Chapter was established in September 2021 and is run by volunteer Chapter President Katie Stransky. This is an all volunteer run Chapter and the goal for 2023 is to raise funds, raise awareness of child bedlessness, build and deliver 150 beds to kids in need in Watertown. Sherri Hines No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town SD-Watertow http://www.shpbeds.org United States Watertown, SD (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/watertown tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214986 2023-03-17T00:00:00Z 2023-03-17T20:46:29Z Our Musical Instrument Petting Zoo program directly supports our mission to help more children reap the educational, therapeutic and social benefits of playing music. Children living in under-resourced communities often do not have the opportunity to be introduced to musical instruments along with the joy and benefits of music making. We bring acoustic & electric guitars, ukuleles, keyboards and dozens of different types of percussion instruments for children to interact with in a safe and informal environment. This experience is often to referred to as a "please touch museum" for musical instrument – in some cases, this is a child’s first opportunity to hold an instrument. Our volunteer teaching artists demonstrate the instruments and then guide the children on how to properly hold the instrument and make their first musical sounds. These events often act as inspiration for children to begin thinking about playing a musical instrument. Academic research has shown that playing music provides a multitude of benefits for children. These benefits include higher test scores in math, science and reading that come from actual physical changes in the brain (enlarged corpus callosum, which is the neural pipeline that connects the left logical side and right creative side of our brains). Children also experience boosts in several "soft skills" including patience, perseverance and discipline. These skills along with resulting boosts to their self-confidence absolutely translates to other activities in their life. As part of our Philadelphia events, we provide information to families about resources for low and no cost instruments and music lessons. Our ultimate goal with these events, is to give kids the best of chance of success no matter what career path they choose later in life. Vincent James Musical Instrument Petting Zoos https://www.keepmusicalive.org/instrument-petting-zoos United States Philadelphia, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/philadelphia tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215312 2023-03-16T00:00:00Z 2023-05-23T16:11:42Z Learning how to sew changed my life. It was the first time in my life that clothes actually fit me. By adding hems, darts and elastic, suddenly it wasn’t my body that needed to change, it was the clothes. Having this essential skill changed how I see myself and helped me accept my body. For the past two years, I have facilitated free weekly fashion design and sewing workshops for residents at Lotus House Women’s Shelter in Overtown, Miami. Class participants hone their sewing and fashion design skills with weekly activities: making tote bags from button-up dress shirts, upcycling t-shirts into cute wraps and adding drawstring details, dying textiles, fashion sketching, mood boarding, bikini making and more. The residents bring in their own garments and learn how to repair and alter them, bringing a newfound confidence to themselves and their bodies. And they learn about sustainable upcycling using materials from the Lotus House Thrift Store in Wynwood and donate fabrics. The sessions culminate in a runway show and photoshoot where Lotus House guests model self-styled outfits along with their own upcycled garments. Lotus House’s mission is to advocate on behalf of women, youth and children experiencing homelessness, to raise awareness of their special needs; inspire innovative, holistic solutions that truly break the cycle of childhood abuse, domestic violence and homelessness; and advance service driven research and enlightened public and social policies for greater understanding, social inclusion and resources for women and children experiencing homelessness. Through these fashion design and sewing workshops, the women and youth experiencing homelessness gain confidence, life and trade skills and are empowered to envision themselves in new ways. Becca McCharen-Tran Empowering Women through Fashion https://chromat.co/blogs/news/lotus-house-sewing-classes United States Miami, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/miami tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/216742 2023-03-16T00:00:00Z 2023-03-17T13:09:57Z We want to run a free, arts-oriented Earth Day celebration in Skeleton Park this spring. Specifically, we want to provide the all-ages Kingston community a space to come together on Earth Day and reflect on the climate crisis through creative practices. We are hoping to offer a variety of artistic activities, including collaborating on a large portable mural for local climate protests, decorating used t-shirts with climate slogans, making buttons that can be worn to raise climate awareness, and potting wildflowers with attached educational leaflets to encourage people to start pollinator gardens. We also want to incorporate music, poetry, and nature therapy into the event with guitar playing, singing, spoken word poetry, and group meditation. This event will also be home to the final celebration of our currently underway poster and button contests, which challenged the youth of Kingston to design posters and buttons which imagine a “fossil free” Kingston – in alignment with 350 Kingston’s current campaign to demand a 50% city-wide reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. This awesome project builds off our successful 2022 Earth Day event, where we invited the surrounding community to join us in the park for climate-related crafting, including poster-making, chalk drawings, sunflower kits, and a drum circle hosted by Ollin.ca. Overall, our Earth Day celebration is intended as a space where Kingstonians can meet not only to celebrate nature, but to reflect on and process our anxieties surrounding climate change, and together think through collective and creative ways that Kingston can continue to tackle the climate crisis at home. Ultimately, by making climate action accessible, fun, and community-oriented, we can strengthen the overall climate movement in Kingston and beyond. New Climate Stories Earth Day Celebration 2023 https://newclimatestories.wordpress.com Canada Kingston https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/kingston-on tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214312 2023-03-15T00:00:00Z 2023-05-05T16:32:58Z We started our “My Bedding” Project in February 2022 with the desire to create customized bedding sets for youth who have aged out of foster care, are currently in foster care or have been adopted. As social workers we found the need to create a warm, and loving environment which starts with the services that each youth receives, but also within their physical environment. Our goal is to change the stigma of foster care by providing quality bedding that each youth and young adult requests and providing the kits directly to them. “My Bedding" Project: Children and youth receive a customized comforter set with a matching decorative item (i.e., poster, wall décor, and/or decorative pillow, etc.), books, mattress protectors, and a pillow for their bedroom helping to establish a sense of pride and security. Our process: resource parents, social workers, and/or youth/young adults submit their request, we purchase the items, and then we deliver directly to the youth/young adults. These items will remain in their care even if they transition into a new home or out of foster care. “It’s for them!” Lakiesha Hohl My Bedding Project https://www.sandlfosterfamilyagency.org/ United States Los Angeles, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/los-angeles tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215940 2023-03-15T00:00:00Z 2023-09-04T04:09:45Z Moths are awesome. No, not moths of the insect variety, although those are pretty incredible too (as are dinosaurs, of course!). We are MoTHs: Mums of the Hills; a Dandenong Ranges-based community group dedicated to supporting women through motherhood. Established in 2015, we have grown from a local online support group to 5.5k-strong village with several sub groups and a keen focus on local advocacy. We are on a super thrilling mission to open our very own awesome mums hub. This magical, whimsical, wondrous space will enrich our beautiful community in ways that honestly make us giddy with excitement! The hub will be a safe, nourishing and inclusive place, where mothers can connect and feel grounded in their community. We have big plans, HUGE plans: workshops, events, advice sessions, crisis support and more. And yet we are also equally excited for the simpler things, such as a place to recoup and have a cuppa. The awesome news: we have a location! A sweet spot in the gorgeous town of Belgrave. We invite you to check out the video linked below where you can meet Belinda Young, our founder, taking us on a tour of our future home. (It is worth dropping mention here that Belinda was the 2023 Australian of the Year, Victorian Local Hero! That’s how amazing and vital her group is to the hills) https://youtu.be/JBelFoi7guc The not-so awesome news: the costs involved in this project are daunting – but we will not be deterred, awesomeness shall prevail! Our Vision is a future where mothers and families are connected, supported and empowered to overcome common challenges and thrive in a hill community. Our Mission is to support the well-being of mothers by creating a blended online and face-to-face community in which mothers connect and thrive. https://www.mumsofthehills.com.au/ https://youtu.be/WBM9gAYwg8g https://www.facebook.com/mumsofthehills Mums of the Hills (Madeleine Coyle) A hub for Mums of the Hills https://www.mumsofthehills.com.au/ Australia Melbourne (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/melbourne tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/216412 2023-03-15T00:00:00Z 2023-04-04T16:29:33Z This last summer I led a group of artists and volunteers and we created 6 murals at the Churches United homeless shelter in Fargo ND. It was a project that aimed to bring some color and life to a crisis center that was unfortunately very dull and lacked many colors. The project was long and it took six months. In that time I notice in real time how much having those art murals impacted the residents of that shelter and how positively they engaged and remarked on them. After that experience, I had this urge to do more similar mural paintings around town. Mural paintings can be part of the community and serve as a source of joy, wonder, and a way for people to engage with the arts outside of museums and art classes. Franklin Ugochukwu Murals http://N/A United States Cass Clay https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/cassclay tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215898 2023-03-14T00:00:00Z 2023-03-20T13:04:40Z This project is about learning to grow vegetables and herbs in containers. 25-30 Germantown community members will participate in this 6-month project as learning gardeners, and an additional 5 will join as teaching gardeners. At the beginning of the project, participants will be provided 3 potted tomato, basil, and pepper plants, and the materials needed for starting another 2 plants of their choosing. Each learning gardener will be paired with a teaching gardener who will offer them one-on-one support from April-September while they dig into container gardening. There will also be journaling and a monthly check-in for the whole group, allowing folks to build community with each other along the way. Participants can grow inside or outside, and from the convenience of home, making this particularly accessible for seniors or other folks who may have mobility issues. It will be especially useful and relevant for folks who don’t have yards where they can garden. This project is about producing food locally, gaining easy access to fresh and nutritious food, building confidence and self-esteem, connecting people of similar interests, creating greater food security, reducing transportation impacts of the food system, connecting with the nature and the natural process of growing food, fostering a spirit of community-self-reliance, and learning in a supportive environment. We will also connect folks to other activities of our organization if they want to further develop skills such as seed-saving, preparing, and preserving food. Particularly over the last few years of encouraged isolation, many people, especially those most vulnerable, have had a growing feeling of being disconnected and lonely. Our project offers a way for people to reconnect and to meet new people, in a way that feels safe, comfortable, and easy. On top of that, they get to develop a new skill which will build confidence and a sense of empowerment. Lindsay Stolkey At-Home Container Gardening Support Project http://www.greatgtown.org United States Philadelphia, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/philadelphia tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214599 2023-03-13T00:00:00Z 2023-03-13T20:25:26Z Atlas Assistance Dogs helps people with disabilities train their own service dog so that they can gain greater independence in their daily lives. Along with our clients and their dogs, we are helping to democratize service dog training so that service dogs aren't only for people who have the money to afford one or who are lucky enough to obtain a trained dog from an institution. We challenge traditional assumptions about who can train service dogs, how dogs should be trained, and what dogs and people can accomplish together. Many people, including many in the service dog world, believe that people with disabilities can’t train their own service dog. Our clients are helping to show that they can! We create a customized training plan for each client and their dog. We teach clients disability-mitigating skills and how to self-advocate. We help refine the dog’s and client’s ability to work in distracting public environments and ensure they have the skills and confidence necessary to navigate anywhere they go in day-to-day life. We use only positive, ethical, fear-free training methods. We treat both our clients and their dogs with respect and kindness. Our skilled Team Facilitator volunteers work hands on, at least twice a month, with our clients and their dogs, training and coaching them throughout the program over a period of at least six months. A client-dog team that passes our Public Access Test at the end of the program, is established as a certified Atlas team and earns their vest and ID card. Atlas does not have a physical location. We support clients across the United States, as long as we have Team Facilitators available in their area to work with them. Our clients take online courses coupled with their one-on-one in person training, so the hands-on training is conducted in all the places the client regularly frequents. Michael Kolar Service Dog Training and Certification http://www.atlasdog.org Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/212941 2023-03-12T00:00:00Z 2023-03-13T00:29:54Z The Vegan Challenge 2.0 is an ongoing project that aims to raise awareness and educate people throughout Denmark about the benefits of a plant-based diet. The project builds upon the success of our Vegan Challenge campaign, VeganerUdfordringen, which created an online platform where participants can access information, recipes, and support. This new project will take it to the next level by developing new educational videos and resources to make the information more accessible, engaging, and interactive for everyone. The project will focus on reducing the exploitation and cruelty of animals for food by promoting a plant-based diet. It will help educate people on the ethical, environmental, and health benefits of a plant-based diet and how they can make a difference in the world by making compassionate food choices. The videos will be designed to be interactive and engaging, with quizzes and infographics included to make the information more accessible and easy to understand. The project team will work hard to ensure Danish-speaking audiences easily understand the videos and are inclusive and respectful to all. Overall, the Vegan Challenge 2.0 project is an exciting and innovative way to empower people in Denmark to positively impact animals, the planet, and their health through education and awareness about a plant-based diet. Jason Møller Vegan Challenge 2.0: New, Engaging Videos http://veganerudfordringen.dk Worldwide Vegan (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/vegan tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/216965 2023-03-12T00:00:00Z 2023-03-20T15:32:02Z 80% of brain development occurs in the first three years of a child's life. During this formative period, skill gaps between socio-economic, racial, and ethnic groups become apparent and widen as children grow to school age. The Newburgh Basics utilizes five simple research-based strategies that stimulate brain and language development and support school readiness through play, singing, storytelling, and positive physical contact. These organic activities don't require large sums of money or significant parental education, which makes the Newburgh Basics equitable and accessible to families of all cultures, languages, incomes, and racial demographics. The Basics also supports the identification of learning challenges which helps families seek services earlier. The Newburgh Basics was launched in 2017 and sustained through collaborations with the Childcare Council of Orange County, Head Start of Eastern Orange County, Orange County Department of Health, Cornerstone FHC, Montefiore Hospital Kaplan Birthing Center, Access Supports for Living Healthy Families, Newburgh Free Library, Newburgh Jewish Community Center, and Newburgh Armory, however, during COVID the Basics became inactive. The Basics collaborative provided parent workshops and events to introduce the Basics and how to use them, and also provided professional development to childcare providers on how to implement the Basics in their daily routines with children. The Newburgh Basics Family Day will take place 5/27/23 from 2:30 to 4:30 pm @ the Newburgh Armory. The event will include: Fun interactive family learning stations that will introduce the Basics to families and how to organically use them. Distribution of Newburgh Basics Bags which include books, local resources, and how to use the Basics organically throughout the day. A free subscription to Basic Insights - daily Basic info, tips, and Pamela Peterson Newburgh Basics Re-Launch https://www.newburghbasics.org United States Newburgh, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/newburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205369 2023-03-09T00:00:00Z 2023-04-16T16:58:34Z AwesomeStPaul is proud to announce our March 2023 grant recipient. The Urban Village is bringing our Karen families together for this camp experience. Thank you Urban Village for your awesome work in our community. According to their application, “At The Urban Village, we understand resettlement as a generational reality rather than the more commonly understood three month process of initial landing. Being that most Karen families arrived after 2006, the initial challenges of resettlement are still prevalent in our community. One of the biggest challenges identified by multi generational members of our community is the youth’s struggle with the intersectionality of understanding and connecting with their cultural identity. It’s no secret that disconnected and unrooted youth are prone to experience violence, disenfranchisement, and substance abuse at a higher level. Currently we are seeing a spike in Karen and Karenni youth engaging in violence at school. We see this as a manifestation of the inner turmoil and confusion created by a lack of connection to any culture or identity. We know that a more rooted youth in their own identity is also a more empathetic and curious youth towards understanding other’s identities. The truth is our Karen and Karenni youth don’t feel quite Karen/Karenni enough for their parents, and not quite “American” enough for their peers. Because of this, in 2022 we launch our first ever "Knyaw Camp" (Knyaw is how you say Karen in the Karen language). This past summer we took a 100 youth from our community up to St. Croix state park for a 3 day camp experience that focused on deepening the connection to cultural identity as well as healing from traumatic experiences. This year our camp centered around 4 key topics with small group breakouts: My History, My Experiences, My Identity, and My Responsibility. We also played games that many youth played in refugee camps, cooked culturally relevant foods, and spoke and sang in the Karen language. The whole idea around this camp was to create safe space where Karen kids can come together and explore about their experiences and identity. What happened was so incredible that we want to offer two camps next summer. We hope you'll join us.” Ku Hser Knyaw (Karen) Camp https://www.theurbanvillage.org/projects-6 United States St. Paul, MN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/stpaul tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/211456 2023-03-09T00:00:00Z 2023-03-10T15:04:19Z About 3MB: Men Mentoring Men and Boys affectionately know as “3MB” is an organization which provides male youth and Men with a sense of brotherhood in the efforts to prevent them from spiraling to negative activities such as gang involvement, alcohol, drugs, premarital sex, and various peer pressures by exposing them to a higher power and with weekly discussion groups, community service, and recreational activities. Mentors and members desire to make a difference in each member’s life by assisting each other in managing problems and reinforcing positive values, giving them the opportunity to adopt those positive values and apply them to their lives so that they can become productive males in the community. Our Vision Empowering male youth to become positive productive adults while inspiring men to become effective leaders in the community, to assist in filling the gap of the absentee fathers by providing optimistic male role models. Our Mission Statement To teach and educate male youth and men to make wise decisions and good choices by providing them with mentors, leaders, training, and support through hands-on learning experiences, spiritual education, group discussion, life skills training, social skills, and recreational activities. 3MB was founded in 2003 and currently hosts a daily afterschool program which came about mid pandemic to help address the needs of working parents whose children may have fallen behind due to not having adequate academic and social support during the global shutdown and beyond Our program prides itself on exposing young people to experiences beyond their normal exposure by taking them on educational field trips, college tours, community service projects, annual camping trips, conferences, and even mini vacations Music, drama, and exposure to the Arts are paramount to our program as well. We have a sister organization as well which is the Girl Talk Mentoring Program. The two together do outings and comprise a 4H program as well. Faith Lloyd-Smith 3MB AfterSchool http://3mandb.org United States Cleveland, OH https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/cleveland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/216554 2023-03-09T00:00:00Z 2023-03-10T15:04:38Z AMIS (French for "friends") is a volunteer-led effort to help newcomers to northeast Ohio who are seeking legal status but do not have an easy path to citizenship. Specifically, we focus on assisting asylum seekers with expenses that are not covered by other social service agencies or government programs. AMIS started as a grassroots effort in 2018 when one of our board members was asked to become a sponsor for a Haitian asylum seeker being illegally detained for two years in a NEO jail. A group of Cleveland area residents raised over $16k to help pay his legal fees and support for his wife and children in Haiti. Since then, we have helped over 100 people with medical bills, trauma counseling, legal fees (DACA fees), rental assistance, utility support, and various other emergency needs. All the money we have used over the past five years has been directly from our generous donors, and one of our goals for 2023 is to seek grant funds to help diversify our funding sources and grow our impact. Samantha Ryder Americans Making Immigrants Safe (AMIS) http://amisohio.org United States Cleveland, OH https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/cleveland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/216581 2023-03-09T00:00:00Z 2023-03-10T15:04:03Z The Peter Rabbit project is a community mutual aid network bringing a creative approach to community engagement and sustainability through ethnobotanical initiatives that facilitate community self-sufficiency and interconnectedness within the ecosystem. It is a movement to provide accessible resources while inspiring joy and wonder. Through the enchanting nature of connection, community, plant and nutrition education, this highly-adaptable project is intended to empower the community. The Peter Rabbit Project strives to cultivate healthy communities through activities, resource sharing and support that develop a relationship between nature and humanity. Inspiring collective action through community fun, and providing educational and sustainable solutions for urban farming, sustainable foraging, nutrition access, and ecosystem management, the Peter Rabbit Project uses inclusivity and accessibility to achieve a vision of equity and food sovereignty. It empowers community engagement with the ecosystem; creating self-sufficiency, eliminating food insecurity, food waste, soil and water erosion. Neighbors donate their unused edible flora, and we facilitate the harvest (or eradication for invasive species), delivery, recipe and nutrition information to the community. Utilizing indigenous methods of cultivation and harvest to revitalize the land to maintain a mutualistic relationship between the community, flora, water, and soil; avoiding harsh chemicals and destructive farming techniques. I started this project in my neighborhood to help my neighbors manage natural spaces and provide education about the nutritious biodiversity within our native ecosystem. Selena Awesome Vicario Peter Rabbit Project United States Cleveland, OH https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/cleveland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206442 2023-03-08T00:00:00Z 2023-03-09T02:49:36Z My friends and I are sophomores at Rockport HS. We play on basketball, soccer, and baseball teams and we would like to apply for the $1000 to update some of the equipment in the weight room. We have started using the weight room and have found that some of the benches are broken and don't adjust like they intend to. We also would like to buy some more equipment for more people to be able to use the gym at one time. Josiah Whitley Weight Room Upgrade United States Rockport, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/rockport tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/213219 2023-03-08T00:00:00Z 2023-05-08T01:02:44Z Change Space is less a project and more of a vessel. It is a place of openness, curiosity, and authenticity. A lot is splashed around with these words and concepts in our world today. At Change Space, we seek to truly embody them, creating space for respite for our visitors, customers, and clients. Community is what we are for one another. Change Space exists to be a haven and home for people who are awakening into personal development, spiritual growth, our interconnectivity, our responsibility to one another, and realness in communication. With gratitude, Change Space houses good energy and good people. Holding this space for others, for ourselves, for the changes that are vital to a conscious shift in our collective sense of self and of embodied love is our mission. Cari Pierce Ongoing efforts to BE community for one another https://www.changespacecommunity.com United States Westminster, MD https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/westminster tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215170 2023-03-07T00:00:00Z 2023-02-28T15:09:57Z The Functional Life Skills (FLS) program at Sacred Heart CHS meets the learning needs of our students who have Developmental Disabilities. The program includes instruction in skills of daily living - cooking, functional literacy, numeracy, health and wellness, communication, vocational skills and transition planning. The FLS space is in the beginning stages of a multi-year renovation that will be renamed “Tina’s Place” after the long-time Superintendent of Exceptional Learners at York Catholic District School Board, Tina D’Acunto. Tina passed away in October 2021, and it was in working at Sacred Heart as a teacher that Tina developed her passion for, and dedication to, exceptional learners. The goal of Tina’s Place is to empower exceptional learners with knowledge and experiences that will provide them with the highest levels of confidence and independence, and we will do this by building a space that supports exceptional learners in their individual journeys towards greater independence. Adjacent to our FLS classroom is a space that we would like to transform into a calming, sensory space called “Tina’s Space”. “Tina’s Space” will be a multisensory calming room which serves multiple purposes: a quiet space for students to take a moment to breathe and destress; a sensory room for students who need calming visual, auditory and tactile experiences (i.e., exposure to sights, sounds and textures that will offer relief from the sensory overload of the regular school day) that will not interfere with other learners; a meditation room for all students at Sacred Heart. A space like this will be critical in addressing the needs of the neurodiverse population at Sacred Heart, in particular for the students in the FLS program. Neurotypical students will also benefit from use of the space. With youth mental health concerns on the rise, schools must make environmental changes in order to address the changing needs of students. Theresa Wighton Tina's Place Sensory Room "Tina's Space" http://n/a Canada Newmarket https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/newmarket-ontario tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214009 2023-03-06T00:00:00Z 2023-03-06T20:13:25Z The U.S. has more than 200 animation studios, even with that large number, the percentage of female animators in 2022 is 28% in the United States. So how about the percentage of female animators in my small country Lebanon which has no animation film studios? Well, I'm that percentage! I'm one of the small possibilities for my county to have a future in the animation industry. My Project is a short animated film called "Touched". The project will be animated by me, who's considered less than a minority in the field of animation, not just because of my gender, but because of my origins, my religion, and my country's misfortunes. I'm just a small girl, doing what she loves, trying her best to thrive in a habitat that has barely any light! Hence you can say that my project is a small stepping stone for a brighter future for animation in Lebanon. The short film is called "Touched", a 2D animation project of 6 minutes. The film lead is a girl in her twenties named Bee who lives in a big city. One day, Bee comes across a situation bigger than her understanding. She then feels powerless. The film ends with us seeing how Bee deals with her overwhelming situation. Through Bee's story, I intend to discuss a social topic: duties and rights in the modern world. The girl’s story will make us debate and ask questions such as: Is it all right to be dismissive of the things happening around us fully knowing that they are happening? Is our right as humans to live in peace more important that our duties as citizens? The film’s purpose is to evoke discussion and introduce a new viewpoint on a social topic. It is also intended to run, be accepted, and hopefully win in festivals. When completed the film will be submitted to festivals, and will be used as an example to get funds for my first full-length animated film, to then lead the road for opening an animation studio in Lebanon. This film will be the Launch of my career, and hopefully many female Lebanese animators after me! Rana Rachid Touched Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/216072 2023-03-06T00:00:00Z 2023-03-10T20:13:08Z There are so few Black creators at costume events and I want to be one of them at the upcoming prestigious Costume-Con39 in San Jose and bring my fantasy creation CASCADE! Costume events are fun but more than that: as a woman of color, I get to represent. This year I designed my first costume (yikes!) and it's inspired by waterfalls like Rainbow Falls. My parents, who were both teachers, took me and my brother (Central Park Birder, Chris Cooper) camping across country every summer. Yes, a Black family...CAMPING! I’ve been to some of the most spectacular state and national parks in the U.S. My favs are in California, where I now live, especially Yosemite with its magnificent cliffs and waterfalls. Like Yosemite, when Rainbow Falls are running hard, it's a wonderful sight and sound! I wanted to capture the rock that the waterfall springs from as well as the stunning torrential cascade of water. I started making the dress, but I'm a newbie and I need more trim, notions, fabric and help attending the con in April. I'll upload images of the dress and con to social media for all to see. And I'm looking to connect with other BIPOC attendees. Just being there will make a difference! Black folks existed in all walks of life throughout history, from violinists to business owners, doctors, composers. So our mode of dress was varied. I often wear authentic or reproduction 19th century gowns. Best moment: being stopped by a little Black girl at an event: "You're a princess!" I stepped right into the opportunity to tell her about the historical figure I was representing and that yes, we did dress like this. Similar opportunities exist for fantasy and creations like CASCADE. My parents both passed not long ago and I'm dedicating this dress to their memory: two Black teachers who shared their passion for the beauty of nature with me in ways that left a deep impression, taught me a different way to look at the world and inspired me to think I could sew a waterfall! Melody Cooper RAINBOW FALLS TO COSTUME-CON39! United States San Francisco, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/sf tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/218715 2023-03-01T00:00:00Z 2023-05-03T18:36:55Z Our project, the Standing Stone Concert Series, is an event program that aims to unite the community of Milesburg, PA, for the appreciation of arts and music. The concert series will take place in the summer and fall and feature live music performances by talents from the surrounding Central Pennsylvania region. Four planned Saturday evening concerts will be offered free to the public and will take place in Homecoming Park. This is the home of the Crooked House, a sculpture project that explores notions of identity and space and is located on the site of a former historic building. The event would be geared towards the town of Milesburg, a small community that traditionally has been underserved by regional art offerings, and it also will provide a platform for eclectic local talent – classical, jazz, pop, and experimental music are some of the genres we are considering. Food and seating will be provided to ensure the experience is comfortable for all. The concerts’ proximity to a public sculpture is meant to enhance and promote art appreciation in this community. The series will build on a successful concert previously held at Homecoming park in 2022 on Halloween, which had a large turnout and good reception. This year, the series is in transition, and we hope to use the one-time Awesome Foundation money to establish the series and apply eventually for program stream funding from the PA Council on the Arts or a local organization like the American Federation of Musicians. We are also seeking individual or corporate sponsors for each of the concerts. Standing Stone Concerts’ lead producer Stacy Glen Tibbetts has performed since the early 1990s throughout the Centre Region as a professional pit/show guitarist, singer/songwriter, and the leader of several small swing/jazz groups. He teaches professional writing at Penn State, including a “Writing in the Arts” course that covers marketing and promotional writing, among other topics. Stacy Glen Tibbetts Standing Stone Concerts https://bit.ly/StandingStoneConcerts United States State College, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/statecollege tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/213925 2023-03-01T00:00:00Z 2023-03-02T11:55:07Z In order to provide better service to the children and teens of Georgetown, we want the tools to meet them where they are. Enter the Book Wagon! The Book Wagon is a heavy duty wagon that we can use to transport books and other supplies to locations around Georgetown (like the schools and American Legion Park). It would be a 'second' branch of the library, allowing patrons to check out and return books, use wifi, and sign up for library cards. It would also provide outreach services for the library, putting in front of prospective patrons that may not be aware of the full breadth of our services. Kyle Coston Georgetown Peabody Library Book Wagon United States Georgetown, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/georgetown tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215666 2023-03-01T00:00:00Z 2023-03-03T01:11:18Z Drums in the Park Newcastle began 8 years when a number of local people decided to gather regularly in parks in the Newcastle area to play improvised music on Drums and percussion. Since that initial idea formed there have been 55 gatherings in parks and currently 605 people now follow the group on Facebook. The group is able to provide events which are free for people to attend. Drumming not only brings people together to find a sense of community, it also helps to stimulate parts of our brain to improve our mental health, and also to aid with physical well being through exercise and hand and eye coordination. Andrew Murdoch Drums in the Park Newcastle Australia Newcastle https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/newcastle tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/216248 2023-03-01T00:00:00Z 2023-03-17T03:40:12Z The Disabled Surfers Association has been running for 38 years and I have been apart for about 35 of those. I have seen the organization change from a group of surfers that were learning as they went to a professional organization that has procedures and policies even a train the trainer course whilst maintaining their grass root beginings. After 2 years of hiatus due to Covid we were back for our 38th year taking people with a disability for a safe surfing experience. Our equipment is quiet old and one our amazing volunteers pointed out the condition of our rash vests - very thin with several holes. We are in the process of replacing but just dont have enough funds... At $48 a rash vest it quickly adds up when we need to replace 250 but a start of 20 would cover all of the green beach marshals. Shane Henn DSA Sydney Rashies http://www.disabledsurfers.org Australia Sydney https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/sydney tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/213079 2023-02-28T00:00:00Z 2023-03-06T17:20:32Z _Partners in Crime_ is a relationship handbook for sex workers and their partners. Written by a sex worker with community input, peer review, and review from a mental health care professional, this guidebook is meant to provide a critical resource to sex workers who are in or looking to build loving relationships in their lives. This guidebook is being created through peer interviews, consults, and many hours of personal experience and reflection in order to provide sex workers and their partners with the tangible skills they need in order to find a healthy balance in their romantic relationships. It will be made available to everyone completely free of charge, with the hopes that it will be liberally shared with anyone who needs it. A true labor of love, I am incredibly honored to create this offering for my community and for anyone else who feels they might benefit from its content. If you'd like to support sex workers and sex working communities in NYC or just learn more about sex work, please check out G.L.I.T.S., For the Gworls, Brooklyn Ghost Project or SWOP Brooklyn! Sex workers are tirelessly fighting for the full decriminalization of sex work in New York state and across the United States. If you'd like to read more about sex worker politics, check out the [Sex Worker Syllabus](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mjadXjdNracWT3ulpW8ZMDfb0wLTHBj0JqEfINakxFU/edit#gid=0). If you have questions about this project, you can reach out to molly.b.simmons@gmail.com. _This AwesomeNYC grant will go towards costs associated with editing this work, including paying a mental health professional to review the guidebook and ensure it is sensitive in language and the guidance offered, with a goal of helping "mental health care professionals, social workers, and any non-sex worker in the service field understand our unique perspectives and how we move through the world and relationships."_ Molly Simmons A Relationship Guidebook for Sex Workers United States New York City, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/nyc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214195 2023-02-28T00:00:00Z 2023-04-30T20:41:25Z February’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Malcom Fenech, to support turtle conservation at Petrie Island. “Petrie Island is a significant wetland located in the City of Ottawa,” explains Malcom, “ and home to five of eight turtle species found in Ontario – all of which are species at risk. These turtles face many threats such as habitat loss, nest predation, road mortality, pollution, and climate change.” A community project associated with the Friends of Petrie Island, the [Petrie Island Turtle Project] (https://petrieisland-turtleproject.square.site/) is now in its third year. This year, the project plans on protecting eggs, identifying important habitats, assessing population size, increasing public awareness of turtle conservation, and more. “The funds from Awesome Ottawa will be used to help purchase an incubator to effectively protect turtle eggs,” Malcom continues, “as 95% of turtle eggs at Petrie Island are eaten by predators. The funds will also be used to purchase transmitters that will allow us to track turtles and identify the habitats they use.” Malcom is a turtle biologist. This will be his third year studying and conserving turtles at Petrie Island, where he conducted his master’s thesis. Malcolm Fenech Petrie Island Turtle Project https://petrieisland-turtleproject.square.site/ Canada Ottawa https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/ottawa tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214795 2023-02-28T00:00:00Z 2023-03-05T19:39:09Z My project Crip Ecstasy is an immersive nightlife experience that centers accessibility and disability culture from the ground up. Working with a cast of disabled and non-disabled performance artists, DJs, ASL interpreters and Audio Describers, this installation will transform San Francisco’s Counterpulse into an environment where multiple forms of access intersect to conjure a new blueprint for what a club space can be. As the audience enters the venue, they are greeted with several different ways to engage with the space. In the main theater, music from a live DJ is simultaneously described on projectors for the D/deaf community. ASL interpreters translate lyrics alongside performers with diverse disabilities, while an Audio Describer narrates movement in headphones for blind audiences. A chillout space on the lower level invites those with neurodiverse experiences to unwind, lie down and/or stim in a sensorily welcoming environment. Multiple forms of seating are placed throughout the venue, including day-beds for reclined partying. This event will require proof of vaccination and masks for Covid safety, with masks available for those who don’t have them at the door. As an artist with a physical impairment, many queer nightlife spaces in the Bay Area have been difficult to access for a multitude of reasons. Instead of waiting for a space to provide the accommodations that I need, I feel compelled to create an environment where myself and my community can truly thrive. As these various offerings for access and artistry live together in the space, how can we make sure that they don’t interfere with the various accommodations they provide? How can access be both a tool for equity as well as an intentional aesthetic choice? I look forward to exploring these questions with care, humility and a commitment to learning alongside the Bay Area’s rich disability arts community. **What our grantee is saying:** "It is a huge honor to receive the Awesome Disability Grant for Crip Ecstasy. I'm looking forward to using these funds to dream up the possibilities for accessible nightlife, and help pay a fantastic group of disabled musicians and performing artists in the process." Octavia Hingle Crip Ecstasy https://dancersgroup.org/2023/01/crip-ecstasy-centers-accessibility-in-nightlife/ Worldwide Disability https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/disability tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214984 2023-02-28T00:00:00Z 2023-03-09T20:00:05Z Our project would be to do a weekly podcast for young people and those involved in grassroots football to talk about the world of grass roots football as part of this project we would bring in award winning broadcasters to run weekly sessions for 8 weeks based at AFC Knowsley Pavilion Centre teaching members of the community how to create a podcast where those young people from all walks life can come together and create their podcast as team and invite the wider community locally and in the grassroots league to be a apart of this. This project would not only teach young people transferable skills but also help those in Knowsley borough including workig with local SEN stundunets at the local community college and locally based council funded SEN schools Daniel Spelman Grassroots Podcast http://afcknowsley.co.uk/ United Kingdom Liverpool (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/liverpool tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215193 2023-02-28T00:00:00Z 2023-03-06T10:32:41Z Our project is awesome as it will encourage older Australians living in Onkaparinga to be fearless and delve into the world of virtual reality. We will use our skills as a compassionate community group to pilot a 'Virtual Reality Program' that will reduce social isolation and improve mental health wellbeing. Our project will involve providing education sessions about the use of virtual reality to improve the lives of older Australians with lifestyle staff at residential aged care facilities and retirement villages. We also intend to pilot the use of Virtual Reality goggles for 'virtual dates nights' with residents and their loved ones in aged care settings. The implementation of virtual reality as an alternative means of accessing valued wellbeing activities will improve the lives of our older residents, provide an alternative source of wellbeing activity to our compassionate communities volunteers and generally education the local population on alternative ways of reducing social isolation. Southern Vales Compassionate Communities Onkaparinga Compassionate Communities https://onkaparinga-compassionate-communities.mailchimpsites.com/ Australia Fleurieu https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/fleurieu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215532 2023-02-28T00:00:00Z 2023-02-28T23:22:38Z We know that homelessness results in trauma and stress, particularly for children and teens. We currently hold Saturday programming with the purpose of alleviating some of that stress and give kids the opportunity to just be kids and share in new experiences. Our Saturday programming currently includes basic life skills training including learning to cook, followed by an Art project that allows them to learn about different cultures and provides an opportunity for them to express themselves through their art. Typically after lunch, we take the kids on a field trip to the local art museums, the zoo, or even bike riding down the local trails. We actually have a bike repair shop right here on property to make sure that our fleet of bicycles stays in good working order. We want to impart knowledge to the children to inspire them to see possibilities despite their currently circumstances. In the summer, we will hold 8 consecutive weeks of programming that will include art based projects (media, performing arts, modern art) and will additionally include Financial Literacy classes provided through Chase Bank. We are also arranging tours and presentations with individuals who can provide insight into potential careers (Police Department, Fire Department, MedStar, etc.) that do no necessarily require a college education. We will also arrange tours of local higher education institutes and student financial advisors to help them realize that college is an option that they can pursue if they wish. Unfortunately, the majority of our kids are so far behind in their education due to circumstances under their control, so we are also planning on implementing a tutoring/homework help program during the regular school year. This is in the hopes that they will catch up with some of their classmates and not fall through the cracks. We strive to inspire our kids to aspire to a better life through growth and in turn disrupt the cycle of poverty and homelessness. Claudia Alvarez The Art of Living https://www.artoflivingfw.org/ Worldwide Homelessness (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/homelessness tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/216160 2023-02-28T00:00:00Z 2023-03-01T20:08:33Z I am an artist located in the historic Niagara Frontier Food Terminal (NFFT), a complex of architecturally significant historic market buildings in the Clinton/Bailey neighborhood on Buffalo’s East Side. After years of struggle, the NFFT is working to reinvent itself as a place for small, local food and beverage startups, specialty food suppliers, and ethnic food retailers. Most notably, the NFFT is also home to over 25 artists leasing affordable art space. In addition to being an artist, I’m also a grad student in my final semester at Buffalo State. After many years as a planner and community organizer, my goals now are to merge my decade of experience in community and economic development with the arts, and shift my role into being a social practice artist. Social practice artists harness the creative potential within a community and use the power of the arts to create dialogue and address social change. We involve people in the public development process, and thereby help build back community ownership of public space. As my final grad school project, I envision implementing a community art project. Public art is traditionally accomplished by engaging a commissioned artist from outside a neighborhood to develop artwork without resident involvement. This can lead to artwork that doesn’t speak to the authentic narrative and identity of a place, leading to cultural erasure and gentrification. The process I’m proposing involves outreach to property owners, community-based organizations, and residents. I will organize a series of workshops utilizing the Creative Problem Solving process I’ve learned through my time at Buffalo State's Creative Studies Department, to identify a shared vision around what the building’s history and identity is. This will be followed up with a community paint day, or series of paint days, where people in the surrounding neighborhood will be invited to join in the creation of the final artistic product - likely a mural. Saira Siddiqui Community Art Project & Paint Day at the NFFT http://N/A United States Buffalo, NY (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/buffalo tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215761 2023-02-27T00:00:00Z 2023-02-28T19:07:11Z “Our Climate, Our Action” is the official launch of an annual community event celebrating and engaging the frontline communities in DC, led by Our Climate, a youth-based climate justice organization. This event will take place on Earth Day, April 22, 2023, at The Village in Union Market, a Black-owned café and lab in the local community with a designated event space. During this day of celebration, attendees will explore art created by local high school students, take part in letter writing to elected officials, work with a horticulture therapist to plant seeds and discuss the reclamation of land, and attend a dynamic panel on climate justice. The goals of the event are to foster communal relationships between frontline communities of DC and those who work in climate justice, and to provide fun and engaging ways for locals to advocate for themselves. Through the letter writing workshop and the panel discussion on climate justice and grassroots advocacy, we believe the voices of the community will leave feeling empowered. In addition to the gallery and workshops, local vendors and restaurants will be represented, as we aim to highlight and promote the small businesses of DC neighborhoods. Going forward, we want to build upon Our Climate, Our Action in the coming years to develop an even further reach with more community engagement, bigger and bolder youth art installments, and tangible legislative outcomes for the local frontline communities of DC. In the future, Our Climate will conduct outreach to more schools, specifically in Wards 7 & 8, provide transportation for the day of the event to community members all over DC, and collaborate with more DC businesses, vendors, artists, and organizations with aligned missions and goals! Overall, we desire to create lasting and genuine communal relationships where climate justice advocacy is built from the ground up in an equity-centered and community-led way. Savanna Neb Our Climate, Our Action https://ourclimate.us/ United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/dc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/210108 2023-02-25T00:00:00Z 2023-02-25T14:49:08Z We’re collecting blankets and food for the local animal sanctuary in Aviano, Italy. We’re helping by providing as much comfort as we, especially during the cold winter weather. Denise Becht Aviano Animal Sanctuary Fund Italy Aviano (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/aviano tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214322 2023-02-24T00:00:00Z 2023-02-25T08:33:43Z The project is dedicated to children with cancer. We will translate and print a cancer picture book dedicated to children with cancer to help them navigate each step of the disease, chemotherapy and admission in an explanatory and fun way. We will also add some parts that are relevant to the process of fighting cancer in Armenia. When the book is ready, we will contact various organizations and hospitals so that the book is available to children with cancer. The book was prepared by "leukemia and lymphoma society", and we will translate and adapt it for the children of Armenia. Laura Zabounian Pictures of my journey Armenia Yerevan https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/yerevan tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/211623 2023-02-23T00:00:00Z 2023-02-24T02:59:26Z Its no secret that how you look determines how your treated. A lot of our participants often face discrimination in local businesses and even on the streets due to appearing "homeless." We are very fortunate to have many donations from the community of new or gently used clothing however the access to grooming amenities such as haircuts, beard trimming, and general feel good self care is about non existent. My hope is to get participants looking good and feeling good about themselves in the new year. Justine Baez New Year New Me https://healthproject.org/one-stop.html United States Gloucester, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/gloucester tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214381 2023-02-23T00:00:00Z 2023-02-24T02:59:02Z During the pandemic, I started a music studio in Gloucester where I offer music lessons in singing, songwriting, piano, and beginner guitar/ukulele. This past year as it is safe to be together again, I began teaching group singing workshops with the hopes of bringing young creatives together through music after two years of being apart. I've seen how much my students have grown in participating in the two vocal workshops, not only with their musicianship and creativity but also with the friendships they are cultivating and confidence they are gaining. I would like to add a piano group class and ensemble opportunities for young musicians to come together and create in a group setting. Alexandra Grace Instruments for Student Musicians! United States Gloucester, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/gloucester tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214957 2023-02-23T00:00:00Z 2023-02-24T18:37:52Z Aloha! My name is Taylor Souza and I am a 3rd year PhD Candidate at Stanford University, currently based out of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (Coconut Island) on O’ahu Hawaii. The basis of my PhD is formed around the idea that to best protect our nearshore Hawaiian waters, science must be integrated into the management strategies that we use. My research is based on the premise that marine coral reef herbivores (algae eating marine fishes) could be the salvation in mitigating some of the harmful effects of climate-change induced coral bleaching. The key concept of my dissertation is that the efficacy of using herbivores to protect coral reefs from bleaching and marine heatwaves only works if herbivorous fishes themselves are resilient to the same stressors killing corals. A 4-series project, my first project begins in the field observing herbivore feeding behavior in Kane’ohe Bay and aims to identify the patterns of reef herbivores in the wild. The next three chapters, which are lab based, tease out the exact patterns observed in the wild by zooming in on herbivorous reef fish thermal preference, foraging patterns, and food preference. While this premise seems obvious, it has never previously been tested. By investigating the impact of ocean temperature on herbivore movement patterns, foraging patterns and overall resilience to heating, the results of this study will be critical in allowing coral reef managers to determine the best ways to protect our coral reefs and designate herbivory management areas that sustain our ocean for generations to come. As climate change advances to the forefront of scientific advancement, it is my hope that my research provides guidance on how to determine appropriate areas for Herbivory Management Areas as a climate adaptation strategy. AF funding will specifically support Project 3, observing herbivore feeding preferences in marine heatwaves. This in-lab research will take place in the Johansen Fish Resilience Lab at HIMB. Taylor Souza Herbivores in the Hot-Seat https://www.johansenlab.com/ United States Oahu, HI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/oahu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215982 2023-02-23T00:00:00Z 2023-02-24T18:37:12Z Ordinary Days is a 4-person musical being self-directed by myself and fellow graduate student Rebecca Mahar at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa as part of our acting thesis presentation. It will be performed April 28-30, 2023. With this project we will illuminate the struggle of interpersonal relationships within our generation. We will look at the intricacies and challenges of relationships affected by trauma. We hope to provoke thought, give joy, provide comfort, and bring female empowerment to our audiences. This project offers two substantial “strong” female roles that fall outside both traditional love interests and traditional action heroes which are the most common “strong” female role types., but as real people with real lives and feelings. Within the musical, interpersonal, platonic, and romantic relationships are explored through trauma, reconciliation, and building friendships with those who are different from us. This show, while remaining upbeat and fun, can teach the audience how different traumas and the pressure we put on ourselves affects our relationships. We also aim to give hope to our audiences by showing them they are not alone in their search for friendship and meaning in their lives. Post-Covid this is a struggle many adults, young adults, youth - everyone - are facing now as we continue to emerge from quarantine. In addition, UHM offers almost no musicals so we are excited to bring one to the space. This is a rare opportunity to give students a chance to perform in and enjoy a musical in their program of study. Jasmine Anderson Ordinary Days Thesis Project United States Oahu, HI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/oahu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/213453 2023-02-22T00:00:00Z 2023-05-08T09:55:44Z Stichting Net Niet Genoeg zet zich in voor alle Schiedammers die op of onder de armoedegrens leven. Een stad als Schiedam, waar ruim 12% van de inwoners op of onder deze leeft, staat bekend om haar sociale cohesie en de Rotterdamse mentaliteit: niet lullen maar poetsen. Met onze social sofa willen wij de Schiedammers een gezellig rustpunt in de stad geven waar ze kunnen praten over de stad, over elkaar en over al het moois dat de stad te bieden heeft. We gaan de bank beplakken met mozaiek samen met mensen uit onze doelgroep. Op deze manier dragen wij allemaal een (mozaiek) steentje bij aan het mooier maken van Schiedam. Het exacte ontwerp zullen wij ook met de doelgroep maken. De basis zijn de lachende gezichten waar onze stichting om bekend staat. (zie ook bijlage) Waarom de lachende gezichten? - Doel van de stichting is mensen blij maken: koppie op; - Samen is leuker dan alleen; - Een dag niet gelachen is een dag niet geleefd; - Een glimlach doet de mens goed. Als iedereen zou lachen, zou Schiedam meer awesome worden dan deze prachtige stad al is. En wij helpen de Schiedammers daar graag een beetje bij. In levende lijve kunnen wij dit verhaal lachend en vele malen beter dan op papier toelichten. Maar wij vinden het awesome en we weten zeker: jullie ook! Natasja Westmaas Net Niet Genoeg Social Sofa Netherlands Rotterdam https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/rotterdam tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/213728 2023-02-22T00:00:00Z 2023-02-22T20:02:20Z I would like to create buttons that each feature a different female songwriter from the 30s-50s who made significant contributions to jazz, but were written out of history. I'd like to distribute these buttons with a Button-O-Matic (looks like a gumboil machine, but for buttons) machine that would be placed in different locations throughout the city. Each button would come with a short description of the featured songwriter as well as a QR code that would take you to a biography of the songwriter (on my website www.nerd-mountain.com ) Christy Bennett Ladies of Song Button-o-matic http://nerd-mountain.com United States Chicago, IL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/chicago tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214419 2023-02-21T00:00:00Z 2023-02-22T20:04:30Z We are creating a physical theatre performance that tells the true story of the Harvard Computers. "The Women Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe" follows the friendship of Annie Jump Cannon and Henrietta Leavitt through their scientific breakthroughs that forever changed the field of astronomy. This performance brings the science of space to life through movement, music, and light. A celebration of friendship, curiosity, and the never-ending search to find our place in the universe. This piece was initially developed at Northwestern University through a six month collaborative process. Unfortunately, the final performances in June 2020 had to be canceled due to COVID-19. We are thrilled to finally get this show on its feet! We will be renting space at Raven Theatre for two weekends of performances in June 2023. While minimal set and lighting design will help create the world of the play, the story truly shines through the incorporation of original music, movement, and lights! Our artists use dance and abstract physical movement to communicate not only the lives and stories of these women but also their scientific discoveries. Artists make constellations out of string lights and describe complex scientific theories about calculating the distance of stars through the use of colorful orbs. Audience members of all ages will leave not only with a new zeal for science, but a broader understanding of our vast universe. In addition to the performances, we are excited about using this production to create a larger impact in the Chicagoland community. We are working with partner organizations that share our goals of inspiring young women in STEM through community events and workshops. We hope to shed light on these real women who forever changed the field of astronomy, and to inspire the next generation of stargazers! Ellie Levine Women Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe http://EllieLevine.com United States Chicago, IL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/chicago tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/211193 2023-02-20T00:00:00Z 2023-02-21T22:04:29Z My name is Betsy Julien. I am a teacher and parent in the Hopkins School District. I teach at a small community school called Glen Lake Elementary! Many of my friends went there growing up, and now my own kiddos go there as well. It's a magical school where around 460 students attend, and 8 of those students use a wheelchair (one being our youngest child, Luke). For the last several years, it's been a dream of mine to transform our upper playground into a beautiful fully inclusive magical place where ALL of our GL kiddos can play, laugh, and share the love of the outdoors together. My classroom overlooks the playground. Everyday I witness the inequities of an old playground. Wood chips do not mesh with wheelchairs. My heart aches when this is my view each and every day. This fall, I wrote an initial grant to Hopkins Education Foundation and was awarded $35,000 towards a wheelchair swing and merry-go-round. With additional district allocated funds and our Parent Teacher Organization, we were able to secure $100, 000 towards this project (The overall cost for a wheelchair swing and merry-go-round is $135,000). I announced this exciting news to my students, told them we were really close to meeting our budget, needed only $35,000 more, and they immediately said, "Can't we just do the entire playground? We will help you!" Honestly, this almost brought me to tears. So, I went back to my principal and asked if we could just shoot for the moon and try to make the entire upper playground accessible for ALL of our students. We made a DREAM BIG goal of trying to raise an additional $300,000. My 25 students in my class have been busy making promo letters, flyers, posters, cold calling, delivering flyers to neighbors and local businesses and cover letters being sent to large companies. Inclusive playgrounds are rare and hard to find in the cities, AND they are so expensive to put in. Having a fully inclusive playground would not only be a huge asset to our school. Betsy Julien Glen Lake Accessible Playground Project https://www.glenlakepto.org/glen-lake-accessibility-project Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214334 2023-02-20T00:00:00Z 2023-08-31T20:01:48Z The Bloomfield Development Corporation will partner with artists to create a community-inspired design on an asphalt art project. Community members will be involved throughout the planning and design process. The final artwork will be installed along Friendship Park, where it is currently unsafe for crossing pedestrians, and illegal parking is common. The artwork is intended to improve the visibility of pedestrians, slow car traffic, and beautify the neighborhood. The final artwork will occupy two spaces of approximately 200 square feet each. Being located at a neighborhood park, a major component of the project has been focused on educating community members about the diversity of plant and animal species in our very urban neighborhood parks. In 2022 we were able to host two eco-literacy walks focused on trees and birds to help generate ideas for community-submitted drawings that were incorporated into the artwork design. After hosting the additional eco-literacy walks and reengaging the community, the project will culminate in the final installation of the asphalt art with community members being invited to participate in painting the street. Sam Spearing Friendship Park Asphalt Art Project https://sites.google.com/view/luna-street-art/about/asphalt-art-project United States Pittsburgh, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/pittsburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215299 2023-02-20T00:00:00Z 2023-03-18T19:42:18Z A main goal of this project is to create wonderful butterfly gardens that establish habitats and food for pollinators like butterflies and bees across a large area. This will allow students to play a bigger part in the role we all take in the preservation of things in nature. It'll also allow them to get their hands a little dirty. Hands on learning seems to often be a lost art with the structured course of the education system. Additionally, this will most definitely serve as an educational resource all students. We will be able to closely study the life cycle of the butterflies and take extensive notes. This will help us tie in important educational standards with hands on learning. We will also have the opportunity to make theories, investigate and build our understanding of earth science,. Another great goal of this project is to further the feeling of school community. All students will have the opportunity to take part in this fantastically enriching project and will feel impacted by its success. They will have the opportunity to pick everything from the type of netting to the species of butterfly they'd like to inhabit the space. This is important because often times projects are centralized around a specific grade level. This is very inclusive and will bring joy to many students with different interests and strengths. We often do not realize the impact we have on nature and our environment, although its success is vital to all of us. Nature awareness will help our planet now and for a long time after the project is completed. When the butterfly population flourishes, future years will see affects of the breeding. One of the greatest things about this project is that it will not be a one time project, but one that is able to be continued each year. It will truly be a gift that keeps on giving. Imagine all of the young minds who'll be positively affected by this wonderful project. Please give us the opportunity to fly! Alison Herring School Butterfly Garden United States Orlando, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/orlando tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215358 2023-02-20T00:00:00Z 2023-03-04T13:23:47Z Classes on barbering for ages 14-18 on Monday and Wednesday night 6-7:30pm held at The Fireman Exempt. I will be teaching the barbering skills from haircuts, lineups and basic cosmetology Stylez Da Barber Barbering Classes for Teens United States Poughkeepsie, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/poughkeepsie tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/211607 2023-02-16T00:00:00Z 2023-03-16T21:14:21Z The Oliver Patch Project (OPP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose mission is to create a free, fun, engaging platform where children with childhood cancers and their families can connect through a series of unique patches created by artists and designers just for them. We empower kids to find their inner warriors, as they endure life changing milestone events, by providing a bit of sunshine throughout their cancer journey. The project is currently open to children and teens in the United States undergoing active treatment for cancer, is supported by donations, and all the fun is provided to our Warriors 100% free of charge. We have over 500 kids in over 45 states having sent out our first jacket in September 2021...and things are taking off!!!!!! Brian Burkhardt Funding for Five (5) more Warrior patch designs https://www.oliverpatchproject.org/ United States Miami, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/miami