tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:/en/projects?page=34 2022-12-06T03:06:30Z tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/209554 2022-10-28T00:00:00Z 2022-12-06T03:06:30Z As a part of their surf awareness initiative Coogee Surf Club has conducted a number of beach safety information sessions for both international families and students, a demographic effected by ocean tragedy in the Sydney area. We are filling the need for beach safety for overseas citizens who might not have the privilege of beaches where they are from. Sydney boasts a long coastline of picturesque beaches which we all enjoy, however the seas are very dangerous and if uneducated, can cause some serious injury. These simple programs ensure that more people are aware of the dangers and inform them on how to be safe during a day at the beach. Funding would go towards facilitating additional workshops and purchasing hi visibility singlets to use for our beach safety program when the students go in the ocean with the lifesavers. This will increase safety and increase our branding within the wider community Adam Cohen (UTS) Coogee Surf Life Saving Community: Beach Safety https://www.coogeesurfclub.com.au/community-education---beach-safety.html Australia Sydney https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/sydney tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205296 2022-10-27T00:00:00Z 2022-10-28T01:01:40Z The project's draft mission statement —a work under development— reads: Create community food security, agility and interconnectivity through collaborative innovation directed at serving the needs of Gloucester today, while preparing for the future. The project will focus on the interdependence of land and sea in our island environment. The project aims to bring attention to the vital role every Gloucester resident plays in protecting and nurturing our local food supply, by virtue of personal choices and actions. Outdoor education programs will allow local and visiting school-aged youth to experience the worlds of fishers and farmers, inspiring a sense of community and connection to the people and place that feed them. Next generation training for fishers and farmers, currently underway, will be a program highlight. In addition to hands on training by land and by sea, aspiring fishers and farmers will explore local ecosystem science while sharing their respective knowledge and enhancing their capacity as citizen scientists. According to the USDA, “As consumers across the nation express a growing interest in a closer connection to their food producers—whether through access to more localized markets and/or shorter supply chains— cities and regions have begun to regard the expansion of local food marketing activities as a critical component of their economic development strategies.” Responding to Change Together (a working name that will change as the project moves into its next developmental phase) unites a range of local industry experts to consider how a unified land and sea mind-set can enhance local food security and awareness as well as community agility and interconnectivity. Land & sea harvesters, processors, retailers, wholesalers, restaurants, educators and scientists will create a rich and robust collaborative system designed to provide a renewed sense of pride, belonging, security and vision to America's oldest, settled fishing port. Courtney Cole Responding to Change Together United States Gloucester, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/gloucester tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/179599 2022-10-26T00:00:00Z 2022-10-27T10:04:06Z Georgetown Parks and Rec has recently requested an ADA committee( American Disability Act) to be formed to help get the American Legion Park up to compliance in accordance to the New Federal ADA laws. Although the park is newly refinished in 2015 , it is not inclusive or accessible for most differently able child. The committee has been formed and are seeking funds to support the cost to remodel the park. Jenelle Walsh Changes to American Legion Park - ADA Inclusive http://Georgetownma.gov United States Georgetown, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/georgetown tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205252 2022-10-26T00:00:00Z 2023-01-15T11:50:58Z Վերջերս,Ջավախքի երիտասարդների շրջանակներում ավելի ու ավելի է տարածվում այն, որ դեռահասները և ոչ միայն փնտրում են գրքեր, որոնք մեծ մասամբ չեն գտնում:Ես ինքս մի քանի անգամ փոխանակել եմ գրքեր ու հրաշալի կլինի, եթե այս ամենը կազմակերպվի ու իրականցվի ցամցային գրադարանի բնույթով։Եվրոպական քաղաքներում արդեն տարածված ցանցային գրադարանների գաղափարը,որի շնորհիվ երիտասարդները սկսել էն սիրել գրքերը:Ջավախքում մենք ունենք հայկական գրքերի պակաս, ինչը տխուր փաստ է մեզ համար։ Գրադարանի բնույթը նրանում է,որ Ջավախքցիները գրքեր կարդալու և դրանք քնարկելու հնարավորություն կունենան թե քաղաքներում և թե գյուղերում։ Նախնական փուլում գրադարանը կլինի ԱրՄաթներում, որը միևնույն ժամանակ երիտասարդների համար ԱրՄաթ հաճախելու մոտիվացիա կդառնա:Ինչպես նաև գրքերի ընտրության համար կազմակերպվել է օնլայն հարցում, որի շրջանակներում հասկացել ենք,թե որ ժանրն է հետաքրքրում երիտասարդներին:Բացի Արմաթի սաներից գրքերը կտրամակրվի բոլոր ցանկացողներին,իհարկե հետ վերադարձնելու նպատակով:Յուրաքանչյուր գիրք կարդալ ավարտելուց հետո կհավաքվի թիմ և կանցկացվի գրքի քննարկում:Իսկ ինչպես պետք է հսկենք, որ գրքերը հետ գան գրադարան:Երևի ձեր մեջ առաջացավ այս հարցը: Ապրելով թվային դարում, մենք ունենք հզոր գործիքներ:Գրքերի գրանցման, վերադարձման հարցերում մեզ օգնության կհասնի Google Sheets-ը,որտեղ կներկայնենք ում,երբ և ինչ ենք տվել,ինչպես որ բոլոր գրադարաններում է: և հենց այդ Sheets-ի միջոցով մենք կհետևենք ճիշտ ժամկետին: Ինչպես նաև վստահ եմ հարց կառաջանա, թե ինչպես պետք է գրքերը գան և հասնեն Ջավախք,պատասխանը հետևյալն է Կան շատ մարդիկ, ում մեքենաները չեն ստուգում սահմանին և վստահ եմ նրանք կհասնեն օգնության։Եթե այս մեկը չստացվի գրքերը կհասնեն ավտոբուսների և անհատների միջոցով։Մեր գրադարանը նախնական փուլում գրքերը կվերցնի Օսըմի շնորհիվ, Բայց միևնույնն ժամանակ մեզ գրքեր կտրամադրվեն նաև շատ ուրիշ մարդիկ(արդեն սկսել ենք հավաքել):Մարդիկ մեր գրադարանի և այնտեղ գտնվող գրքերի մասին կիմանան FB,Instagram էջերից: Մեր նախագծի տեսլականն է Ջավախքում վառ պահել գրքերի շունչը: Մենք ցանկանում ենք զարգացնել երիտասարդների ստեղծագործական գիտակցությունը։ Լենա Թաթևոսյան «Թևունց» ցանցային գրադարան https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087675163032 Armenia Javakhk https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/javakhk tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206426 2022-10-26T00:00:00Z 2022-11-16T19:31:58Z The Codington County Historical Society is planning to host a traditional German Christmas market this year, and hopefully for many years after. This year the event will be small while we work out some of the major parts but we hope to add a little bit to the event every year. A Christmas Market, also known as Christkindlmarkt is an outdoor market (yes, outdoors in December!) associated with the celebration of Christmas during the four weeks of Advent. The literal translation is Christ Child Market, but the term "Christkind" usually refers to an angel-like "spirit of Christmas" rather than literally the Christ Child. These markets originated in Germany, but are now held in many other countries including the United States. There is even a market in Alaska. We will create this outdoor market and serve traditional foods from the German culture like Glühwein and brats but will also have other traditional foods from other countries like leftse. The booths/stalls will be filled with treats, drinks and gifts that can be purchased. We will partner with local crafters and artists to fill the booths and local restaurants for some of the foods. Sean Dempsey and Jaymie Erickson have been to the German Christmas Markets and they will have a booth serving the Glühwein and brats. In case people need to warm up we will also have things going on inside the museum. The Multicultural Center is partnering with us to set up booths inside the museum where people can share their different holiday traditions. They will have pictures, treats and decorations that will help visitors learn about how people celebrate the big religious events in their culture. In the basement of the museum there will be a warming room for those folks in the booths. There will also be a children’s area where someone will be reading books about Christmases around the world and classes for making different ornaments for both children and adults. Dates - December 2, 5 – 9, Dec 3, 11 - 9, Dec 11 - 4 Christy Lickei Carnegie Christmas Market http://www.CCHSMuseum.org United States Watertown, SD (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/watertown tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/207820 2022-10-24T00:00:00Z 2022-10-26T16:53:28Z Fresh Energy Wellness is a hands-on community organization that provides fitness and nutrition-focused workshops to future leaders and their families in Wards 7 & 8. Our goal is to end childhood obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other health issues among children living in Wards 7 & 8 through education, connection, and access. FE workshops are 1.5 hours long hands-on learning experiences focused on nutrition and fitness held at various locations throughout the District. During our session, participants are introduced to fitness and nutrition activities that they can use in their daily lives. The activities are geared at building their self-confidence and encouraging them to make healthy food choices. They are also able to strengthen and refine their muscles through fun physical activities with their peers. Each workshop is broken down into two sections. In the first section, we focus on fitness by encouraging daily movement, creating age-appropriate obstacle courses, jumping rope, hula hooping etc. This also promotes team building and self-confidence among our future leaders. In the second half, we dive into nutrition. The activities we led during this section helped participants become aware of the textures and flavors of food, and their grouping while understanding and identifying nutritious foods. Each participant is encouraged to create a colorful healthy snack using fresh products provided FE. We also play a variety of different games to strengthen their memory and improve team-building skills. A few of our favorite games for this Fall include: good foods vs bad foods, mystery bag healthy snack--inside the bag they will find different healthy foods with a recipe card to create that healthy snack. Lakesha Miller Fresh Energy Wellness United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/dc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/207188 2022-10-20T00:00:00Z 2022-11-01T19:04:03Z For 20 years, rain or shine, we've been giving out small toys at Halloween at a home near Main St. and Ann St. By toys, we mean everything from colouring books to fossils to ancient coins to dancing robots. From science kits, to baking kits, to sports kits, to art kits. From stuffies, to musical instruments, to costumes, to mittens. From games, to learning resources, to crystal growing kits, to wind-up toys. This has always been predominantly from our own pockets, and this grant is the first time we've asked for anything from anyone since the very beginning in 2001. This year we are strained by the success of our other commitments and by those looming in the coming months. We admittedly live far below the poverty line and just make things work. The selection of items is key. We aim to address the wants and needs of every potential child who comes - typically eagerly running to us from blocks away - keeping in mind the breadth of their potential interests. The children will choose among hundreds of items, giving many of them the only agency they feel all year. That is, the choice is made by the kids not the parents (though admittedly, some parents helicopter a choice). The purpose is sweeping. Kids get to have something they actually want and are interested in; adults get insight into their kid's changing interests ahead of Christmas; the inner city neighbourhood gets a complement to their annual celebratory parade. To give you an idea of what this means to kids, we had a kid who told us that the recorder we gave her was the first instrument she learned to play. So think of this as not a toy giveaway, but our investment in the development and future of children and this neighbourhood. We want other neighbourhoods to copy us. David and Nadine or Rielly house the event, Krista attends the kids as they choose, and I stand on the corner with a plastic chainsaw dressed as Leatherface, slowing traffic and guiding kids to this and homes with candy in the neighbourhood. John Casnig 21st Halloween Toy Giveaway Canada Kingston https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/kingston-on tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205365 2022-10-19T00:00:00Z 2022-10-21T00:56:21Z We are excited to continue working with the students and teachers at Rawlings Elementary (a Title I school here in Gainesville) to design and build small projects that facilitate teaching and learning activities. Last year (Spring 2022), I worked with 4th-year architecture students at UF to collaborate with the Rawlings community on a series of projects: fifteen Art Horses for students in art classes, eight stage platforms (that also transformed into desks) for theater and music classes, and an outdoor classroom in the teaching garden (all three projects are posted on the website above, and can be seen in the uploaded images). In Spring 2023, we are planning to work with Rawlings again. Based on recent discussions with the school's faculty, we are planning to design and build a set of picnic tables, where students can study, teachers and students can meet, and classes can be held in the shaded areas of the Rawlings campus. Charlie Hailey Design and Build with Rawlings Elementary https://charliehailey.com/design-build-2/ United States Gainesville, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/gainesville tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205054 2022-10-18T00:00:00Z 2022-11-01T19:39:32Z The Truth in this Art podcast work is supporting the arts and culture in Baltimore through a lens of inclusivity. The Truth in this Art Podcast focuses on the community impact we create by sharing authentic stories of creatives and cultural workers. We are committed to using the art form of storytelling for bridging communities together by showcasing artists of diverse disciplines, entrepreneurs and cultural workers. By doing so, we are creating a hub for community building, where listeners can learn about the fellow creatives locally and nationally and archiving the great work that's happening, but often overlooked, within the community. robert watkins jr The Truth In This Art (November 2022 Podcasts) https://thetruthinthisart.transistor.fm/ United States Baltimore, MD https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/baltimore tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206306 2022-10-18T00:00:00Z 2022-11-07T14:43:22Z Charlia Frank Inc is a non-profit organization established for charitable and performing arts purposes. Our holistic performing arts programs are designed for the new generation of storytellers, actors, models, dancers, performers, producers, filmmakers, and photographers ages 12-18 years old during the hours of 3:00pm until 6:00pm. Charlia Frank Inc. will provide a safe space where youth from diverse backgrounds can come together, engage in activities related to their needs and interests, participate in decision making processes and freely express themselves. Our intentions are to nurture our youth through a collaboration of arts, mentorship programs to develop their academics, creativity, confidence, communication skills and mental wellness. It’s been proven that effective after school programs can improve classroom behavior, school attendance and academics. Kedaer Parks Each One Teach One https://www.rethinkequityinc.com/ United States Poughkeepsie, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/poughkeepsie tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/207343 2022-10-18T00:00:00Z 2022-10-19T01:28:23Z As a professional sculptor in stone, I have been repeatedly asked how I carve marble, limestone and alabaster by hand and whether or not I would offer classes in my carving studio. Stone carving is an ancient art that is not often taught in the U.S.A. Over the last 8 years, I have been able to refine my craft and I am now ready to share it with others in person. I began sharing my craft by filming my techniques and releasing How To videos on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. To date, I have released over 25 videos about the stone carving process, some with teaching kids and other techniques like casting and recycling stone waste. I regularly answer online questions and engage with viewers and most express a lot of curiosity about this ancient medium and wish to learn more about it. I do my best with online advice but in person workshops would be easier now that Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted. A major barrier to stone carving is the cost of tools and stone. A student set would cost approximately $175 for chisels, rasps and hammer. A local facility has tried to offer stone carving classes but students must pay for tools and so no classes have run. For classes, I would teach students the traditional methods of carving stone by hand with manual tools. Instead of harder stone grades like marble or limestone, students would begin with Alabaster. Alabaster is a lightly colored, translucent, soft stone that has been used throughout the world for stone objects. Since ancient times, it has been used to create small items like perfume bottles to life size statues. Its softness makes it a perfect beginner carving stone, while the translucency makes it quite beautiful as a piece of art. Upon receiving this grant, I can purchase 5 tool sets and be able to offer 1 free class to 5 students. After that class, since I will have the tool kits, future students will only need to purchase their own alabaster blocks and pay a workshop fee to learn the art of stone carving and that will be awesome and affordable. Jyl Bonaguro Let's Carve Stone http://jylbonaguro.com United States Chicago, IL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/chicago tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206581 2022-10-17T00:00:00Z 2023-08-31T20:02:46Z The Remembering Room is a 4-room installation that explores 4 different stages of grief. This exhibit will create a communal space where people can go to sit with and process their own feelings of grief, loss, and growth while also finding much-needed connection with others. As an interactive installation, visitors will be encouraged to share their own experiences, write inside and on the exhibit, sit with the imagery and artifacts in the exhibit, and add their own artifacts if they choose to. In 2022, my life was upended when I unexpectedly lost my father. After 2.5 years of isolation from the pandemic, plus the political and social upheavals we've all endured, I found myself grappling with a seemingly insurmountable well of grief - a feeling widely shared by us all now. We need a collective space as a community where we can go to grieve and to work out the traumas of these past few years. Without doing this, how can we expect to move forward? How can we progress with fresh perspectives without first processing the grief and hurt and fear and loss we’re all feeling? As a local artist, I am invested in creating work that helps our community members heal. The Remembering Room will be an exploratory and healing experience for our entire community. Amanda Filippelli The Remembering Room https://amandafilippelli.com/the-remembering-room United States Pittsburgh, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/pittsburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/207759 2022-10-17T00:00:00Z 2022-10-24T19:28:22Z I would like to create an event where I teach the youth how to plant spring daffodil bulbs and learn how to make their own tea from flowers. I would be working with the Boys and Girls club in Poughkeepsie to implement the project for the youth as well as pass flyers to inform. We would focus on planting the bulbs around the Housing Authority units (120 Hudson Ave). I have already created an edible garden with fruit trees near building 10. The goal is to teach the kids the importance of environmental stewardship and talking care of their surroundings. Since majority of the kids that attend the boys and girls club live in those units I think it will impact their view on taking care of where they live, being mindful of the environment and also create a nice atmosphere for everyone who lives there. They will be able to see and admire the work they put in next year when the flowers bloom. The lesson would include an introduction to plants and soil, the importance of soil health, and the importance of providing plants for pollinators. I would then work with 5 -10 students at a time planting around the property. I will have the kids write down on a piece of paper what good intentions they have after learning the importance of taking care of the environment. We will plant the papers with the bulbs. After we plant I will teach them how to blend a winter herbal tea so they can try it and then take home. Serena Domingues Planting with Color http://www.naturesimpact.art United States Poughkeepsie, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/poughkeepsie tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/189185 2022-10-17T00:00:00Z 2022-10-18T02:04:20Z 3 billion people cook with polluting stoves that are directly tied to lung disease. Families, from babies to the elderly, who cook with these stoves suffer from respiratory diseases caused by indoor air pollution. More than 1.5 million people die every year from lung disease directly linked to primitive cookstoves. Further, the problem disproportionately impacts children. When a mother cooks with her baby on her back, it’s equivalent to the baby smoking 3 packs of cigarettes daily. Indoor air pollution is the leading cause of death of children under 5. Without funding for clean cookstoves, women and children, particularly girls, will continue to suffer from disproportionate health burdens. Burn Design Lab is working to triple the production of the International Lifeline Fund's Improved Cookstove Factory in Lira, Uganda. This is so there is never a choice between providing a healthy future for a family and their ability to feed themselves. At the end of the project, the factory will produce 15,000 stoves each month (compared to 5,000 previously). Using human-centered design techniques, BDL is introducing elements of modern manufacturing and improved tooling and equipment that will increase the capacity, quality, and efficiency of the factory. ILF is the leading manufacturer of fuel-efficient stoves in northern Uganda. The stoves manufactured by ILF are efficient, durable, affordable, and designed to fit the local cooking culture. There is strong demand for affordable improved cooking stoves in Uganda, but imported mass-manufactured commercial stoves are too expensive so are not a viable option. Uganda needs locally made stoves, yet these are thus far only artisanally made so achieving the volume necessary, with consistently high quality, is not possible. Katie McRoberts Improved Cookstove Factory in Lira, Uganda https://www.burndesignlab.org/projects/ecoenergy-factory-improvement-project Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/203239 2022-10-15T00:00:00Z 2022-10-24T12:08:32Z Mental Health First Aid provides training to people who will be able to identity when a people may be struggling emotionally or from substance abuse, provide emotional support and resources to a person, and help reduce stigma about mental illness within our social circles and communities. The certification process involves an in-depth training and results in a 3-year certification as a Mental Health First Aider. It is an evidence based curriculum. The training gives us the opportunity to discuss mental health treatment and recovery in the same way that we talk about a medical condition. The training is purposefully not intended to provide psychological diagnosis training or provide treatment. It is aimed at helping identifying changes and providing hope with facts. I admire organizations such as the Heart and Soul Community Café and the Community Culinary Corps Project whose missions are to help reduce food insecurity and increase inclusivity by providing access to meals within community settings. These organizations rely on community resources and volunteers to operate. Volunteers give their time and energy to support these projects and help others. While everyone within the community can take part in the meals, there may be people who are struggling. They may use these resources not just for a meal but also to establish and maintain personal connections. I would like to offer free Mental Health First Aid training for up to 10 volunteers as thank you for their willingness to serve others within the community and equip them with invaluable knowledge. As they make personal connections, they may notice changes in behaviors, appearance, and emotions feel equipped provide support and resources. Having this knowledge may make a great difference in someone’s life and have a ripple effect greater than we can measure. Thank you for your consideration. Brenda E Koneczny Mental Health First Aid Training http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org United States Cass Clay https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/cassclay tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/207520 2022-10-15T00:00:00Z 2023-02-26T05:51:23Z I am writing in hope you would be interested in sponsoring a local Australian athlete. I have just been selected to represent Australia at the 2022 Asian Championships. The best communities are built around community sports clubs that are inclusive of all. I believe I am a role model we should be proud of in our own community. I have been selected to represent Australia at the upcoming Asian Championships and I need your help. I train 15 plus hours a week in addition to working full time and coaching at my local paddling club. I use my own success to inspire others to see the potential in themselves. I as a 40+ year old I have competed against all age groups and earned a place to represent Australia in the Premier Age class of racing. Update: Im back from competing and am excited to tell you that I won 3 silver medals in the competition. Racheal Blake Paddling to the Asian Championships https://www.instagram.com/justpaddlelikeagirl/ Australia Melbourne (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/melbourne tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/207608 2022-10-15T00:00:00Z 2022-10-18T20:13:57Z YouthSpeak Performance Charity is once again planning a youth drug awareness conference, AWAKE on March 3rd, 2023 at Valleyview Alliance Church, Newmarket for approximately 100 students in York Region schools. We had provided this event for 10 years, the 10th being 2020 and we are excited to finally bring it back after a difficult 3 years, especially for youth. The return of this youth-friendly day is very timely in light of the tremendous increase in substance use issues as a result of our current times. Youth need all the support, positive messaging and connection with others that we can provide in order to inspire, educate and engage them in healthy choices. The focus of this day is to create awareness about the effects of substance use including drugs and alcohol by providing an opportunity for students to hear youth speakers share their personal stories, visit interactive booths with community resources, as well build rapport with adult role models such as police, teachers and youth counsellors. Students are also engaged in a range of workshops that offer a “try-it” experience of fun and healthy activities such as breakdance, graffiti art, martial arts, belly dance, crafts and poetry- writing. In the 10 years of providing this event, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive for all youth and caring adults - it has been a great way to bring the community together in a positive way. Una Wright AWAKE Conference http://n/a Canada Newmarket https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/newmarket-ontario tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205740 2022-10-13T00:00:00Z 2022-10-14T16:45:52Z Signing As Art is an amazing project in which I, Kamil Gerald teach the community sign language. The purpose of the project is to bring hearing loss awareness to the community and how to communicate with the hearing loss community effectively. Both the hearing and hearing loss community experienced frustrations while communicating with one another. So I thought to come up with a solution which is to provide sign language lessons to the community at large. Sign language should be the first language for everyone. I've taught beginners sign language at the Isaias Gonzalez-Soto Branch Library. I am currently teaching beginners sign language at Hamburg Public Library and NorthPark Library. Signing As Art is currently making an impact in the Buffalo area through increasing traffic (patrons) at local libraries. Libraries are very important to our community and we don't need anymore libraries closing. Signing As Art is an asset to the community in which it can help children and adults communicate better, help employees receive an increase in their salaries for learning and utilizing another language, etc. Sign language shouldn't be looked at just as another language to learn. Sign language is art. It involves the artistic movements of our hands. It is an extremely beautiful art to see the hands move. Sign language is also a survival skill in dangerous situations where voices are mute. This money will go towards materials that are provided to the students for them to keep and review with family and friends, including: worksheets, workbooks, and games (ASL Jeopardy, Guess What I'm Signing). Kamil Gerald Signing As Art United States Buffalo, NY (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/buffalo tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205877 2022-10-13T00:00:00Z 2023-04-16T19:50:37Z AwesomeStPaul is proud to announce our October 2022 grantee MIckey Jurewicz, new art teacher and high school advisor at Avalon School in St. Paul. Mickey's project was chosen because it supports the arts in our community and reaches a wide range of 6th to 12th grade students. We can't wait to see how these students and their teacher meet their goal of creating new and awesome ceramic art. In Mickey's own words: "I am the new art teacher and high school advisor at Avalon School in St. Paul. We are a 6-12th grade public charter school founded on the principles of a Teacher-Led school. It is also known as a Project-Based Learning (PBL) school where the students design and create their own school work. All of their projects must follow a certain design model and meet a set of standards and credits by graduation. My major in college was ceramics and my new students want to start a ceramics program at Avalon. With my guidance, the students will research and develop our first ceramics class! It's very exciting!" Mickey Jurewicz Ceramics 101 http://www.avalonschool.org/ United States St. Paul, MN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/stpaul tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206866 2022-10-12T00:00:00Z 2022-10-13T12:50:36Z Our awesome project uses a device called a BrainPad, an idea born in Madison Heights Michigan! The brain pad uses a small LCD screen and connects to student devices by usb. Students can use the brainpad to practice programming skills with a scratch type program as well as Python programming. These brain pads would help to extend the programming skill sets of middle school students from a primarily rural school district and help them to grow as coders, and future programmers. Christina Adamson Growing our Coding with Brainpad United States Ann Arbor, MI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/ann-arbor tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/207234 2022-10-12T00:00:00Z 2022-11-01T21:14:52Z Using hand held voice activated 2 way language translators, participants will be able to speak with their neighbors for the first time in their neighbor's native tongue. Based on the speed dating prototype, people will engage with one person at a time who does not speak the same language. Using the translator, people who have live side by side for years will finally be able to speak with their neighbors for the first time and understand each other, thanks to the translators. The project will take place at our new home, SANCTUARY, at 1668 Bush Street. This will be our first community outreach program at our new space! ALL TRIBES PLAYHOUSE is our Living Arts collective whose mission is to celebrate the sanctity of our daily lives with creativity, mindful presence and spontaneous fun. We empower the most vulnerable residents in SF, the unsheltered, elders, new migrants and kids with creative process. Collective members, acting as teachers, leaders, facilitators and fool engage people with the challenge: Let's have fun with everyone Axel Osterberg BABELOGUE http://www.alltribesplayhouse@wordpress.com United States San Francisco, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/sf tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206029 2022-10-11T00:00:00Z 2022-10-27T18:43:26Z We appreciate this opportunity to tell you about our event, Caminata de Colores! This annual spring time event is a carnival style walk-a-thon that benefits the youth of San Jose, and specifically, the students of River Glen bilingual K-8. We host this event on school grounds. What we hope to accomplish is simple: we are raising funds for extracurricular math, science and art programs. We are also raising funds for much needed classroom supplies. Our school simply does not have enough resources for programs and extra supplies. It has been reported that half of children in the region are in households struggling to get by. At River Glen, the data is no different. Almost half of the student population (500 students) are classified as low-income to very-low income. Many of our students are falling behind in the areas of math and reading. Test scores are showing significant (and devastating) learning gaps. In fact only 35% are proficient in Math compared to 90% proficiency in a nearby elementary school located in a more affluent area of San Jose. The majority of our students are Latino and many are english language learners. Our AWESOME bilingual school has the opportunity to embolden, inspire and ignite the palpable potential of our students. The faculty, staff and parents are rallying together to build and re-build in the face of challenges that bear down on our community. Despite the challenges, we are laser focused on providing thoughtful and high-quality education and learning experiences. We are preparing our students to shatter the relentless cycles that have been plaguing our community for years. But with your help and the help of people like you, our students can and will succeed here in Silicon Valley and beyond! Natasha Orozco Caminata De Colores https://www.hablariverglen.org/ United States San Jose, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/sanjose tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/207427 2022-10-11T00:00:00Z 2022-11-08T20:37:56Z Families and ANYONE coming to the Seneff Arts Plaza at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts or just wandering by November 26 or 27 can enter a Scavenger Hunt that will take them to ten locations at FusionFest to discover ten activities/festival elements (performances, games, food, ethnic merchandise, etc), ten cultural heritages and ten issues that Rotary volunteers work on. After getting the ten stamps or answering the questions/clues, the Scavenger Hunt booklet can be turned in for a prize. (At least the first 1,000 families to complete the scavenger hunt will get a prize). The ten stations will be staffed by Rotary volunteers who have been collecting the 1,000 to 2,000 prizes to be given away. Thali Sugisawa Free Cultural Scavenger Hunt with Prizes http://www.FusionFest.org United States Orlando, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/orlando tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/202800 2022-10-10T00:00:00Z 2023-01-30T15:01:41Z Moonlit Acres Retreat Farm is a new non-profit eager to grow and serve the neurodivergent community in Carroll County with our inclusive recreational and wellness events and workshops. Our goal is to support our guests with forming genuine friendships, discovering healthy ways to achieve self-care, and find a sense of inclusive belonging in our community here in Carroll County. While a majority of our workshops take place at various community locations around Carroll County, Moonlit Acres Retreat Farm has just purchased a location that is nestled in the beautiful countryside of historic Union Bridge, Maryland. We will use this location to host cooking workshops, partner and employ community instructors to provide a variety of inclusive workshops, and will eventually use the spacious grounds for gardening and outdoor events. Please take a minute to view this video for examples of our workshops and events: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzjmTH3azDU Moonlit Acres Retreat Farm, Inc. Moonlit Acres Retreat Farm Accessible Ramp United States Westminster, MD https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/westminster tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205977 2022-10-10T00:00:00Z 2023-03-02T06:44:44Z Arts Project Australia (APA) is a creative social enterprise that supports artists with intellectual disabilities, promotes their work and advocates for their inclusion within the broader contemporary art sector. In 2021 we opened a new gallery at Collingwood Yards, where we showcase the work produced by our artists alongside their peers. We have approximately 1,500 visitors to the gallery per month, and it is an inclusive, welcoming space that has been embraced by the community. This December we will close a year of exceptionally cool programming with a spectacular GALA exhibition, featuring a 2.5 x 4m wall mural to be created by Monica Lazzari. We are applying for an Awesome grant to commission Monica to create the mural. Not only is Monica an awesome human being (think talented, funny, creative genius) but her art is the definition of awesome - it challenges and inspires, it is original and unapologetic and incorporates bold colours, abstract shapes and geometric patterns. It resonates with energy and makes you feel alive. We know that Monica will relish the opportunity to work on such a large scale and we hope that collectors and curators who visit the exhibition will seize the opportunity to commission Monica for other projects and exhibitions, once they see her brilliant mural. For artists who struggle with mainstream communication and have historically been underrepresented in the art world, recognition and income from grants and sales is incredibly important. When you consider that Australia has one of the lowest employment participation rates for people with disability in the OECD (and that rate is even lower for people with an intellectual disability) our business model offers an empowering way forward. Every time one of our artists earns income from their art it confirms that they are part of a community that values originality and new ways of looking at the world. Kirsten Matthews An utterly fabulous wall mural by Monica Lazzari http://www.artsproject.org.au Australia Melbourne (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/melbourne tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/189201 2022-10-10T00:00:00Z 2022-10-10T16:14:45Z What Remains is a international travelling exhibition to destigmatize and raise awareness for Dementia. Through a series of stories and polaroid portraits of people who have advanced Alzheimers, the focus is not on their condition but rather in spite of it, who they are and what they love. In every country where the project goes we create a new layer and body of work. In Portugal, given the strong taboo around the illness, the general poverty and a culture of being out, we are bringing the project out into the city, creating posters to be shown across Lisbon, in various and diverse windows from a barbershop, to a school, to a trendy art gallery. At least one poster for each district, these new large portraits will be shot in the street of people willing to become "Friends of Dementia" - an awareness program of Alzheimers Portugal that simply invites people to commit to learn more about the illness. The poster series will be accompanied by a digital map, a collection of these new stories, creating a bridge between the original exhibition and this one, between the intimate and the collective, the past to present, those who have Dementia and those who care. We believe that by giving a voice and creating visibilty for the illness we can help to make those affected by it and their families less isolated, as well as influence care and policy. Sarah Basha What Remains https://www.instagram.com/whatremainsart/ Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206831 2022-10-09T00:00:00Z 2022-10-09T21:55:06Z Affirm NY – a summit geared toward teenage African American girls. The event will feature positive affirmations through videos, break-out group sessions on self-image, group therapy (by a licensed therapist), healthy food awareness, budgeting, home ownership and more. The “Affirm” in the title comes from a series of videos produced and aired via social media channels by Affirm NY. Our mission is to empower Black girls through affirmations, and leadership by bringing the collective together, while offering resources and creating a safe space that often times isn’t present. Affirm NY is a free, four-hour experience, set for November 12, 2022, from 11am-3pm. Beahive Newburgh will be hosting the session. COURTNEY E ALLEN Affirm NY United States Newburgh, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/newburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/207057 2022-10-06T00:00:00Z 2024-03-27T06:15:00Z I am a fiercely freelance pod-caster and unashamed tree hugger, my awesome platform is www.adelaidechronicles.com and it is all about stories of what a sustainable, inclusive future might look like. And togetherness, I mean collectively, the plants, the landscape, the animals, even plankton, the skies, the waterways and of course, the trees. Oh, and people. We need it all to be able to sustain life. The podcast is a one woman show and invites like-mindedness in its many chats. It is all about looking, listening, and hearing, everything has a way of communicating you just have to be quiet to hear and understand that there are wonderful stories everywhere. In this one you can hear the sheoak sighing. https://adelaidechronicles.com/the-sheoak/ Then there’s one entitled silent is an anagram of listen, https://adelaidechronicles.com/silent-listen/ and there’s many on First Nations peoples’ opinions on Indigenous knowledge of the natural world and what it takes and what we need to know about caring for country including a voice to parliament through https://adelaidechronicles.com/uluru-statement/ ‎ and a whale telling her story about the future https://adelaidechronicles.com/the-harbinger/ And perhaps the most amazing one is where 4 local experts talk at a forum for the Conscious Cities festival on the differences between growing up with local First Nations education that has been passed down for generations and standard English based education, through to extinction of native species, stories of palaeontology and ancient land and futurist thinking. https://adelaidechronicles.com/conscious-cities/ Adelaide Chronicles is local, it is all about nature, about connections, people, and place and what’s right and fits naturally in that particular place, stories from a whole range of perspectives and better futures where all living beings belong, where the old Christian ethic of human dominion over has no valid standing. Sue Gilbey Adelaide Chronicles http://www.adelaidechronicles.com Australia Adelaide https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/adelaide tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/203092 2022-10-05T00:00:00Z 2022-10-20T01:51:46Z Soul Café was established in 2003 to serve the needs of the poor, needy and vulnerable in Newcastle. Today, more than ever, the increasing disadvantaged and vulnerable community need the help and assistance Soul Café offers. Soul Café serves meals free of charge to the highly disadvantaged of the Newcastle region. In 2021 there were 46,868 free meals and food care packages served/distributed. This accounts to 939 average weekly meals. Many of Soul Cafes guests are dealing with issues of homelessness, drug or alcohol addiction, crime or violence, poverty, mental health or illness concerns or social isolation. At Soul they can access a place off the street, toilet facilities, a meal, food care packs, hygiene packs, blankets, community, belonging and other support services. These support services include a medical clinic, mental health clinic, podiatry, chiropractors, audiologist clinic, NDIS connection desk, hairdressers, internet/telephone access, Job support hub, laundry service, Gamblers, Alcoholics, Narcotics Anonymous, SMART Recovery and other guest services. At Soul we are ‘more than a meal’, we are aiming to be a convergence of help for vulnerable people in Newcastle. Soul Café also provides a place for 233 volunteers (17-76yrs) to find a sense of community and make a meaningful contribution. Many of our volunteers describe serving at Soul Café as the highlight of their week. We are planning a further extension of our services. We receive no government funding at all so rely purely on the generosity of individuals, organisations and the general community. Nic Cade Soul Cafe https://soulcafe.org.au/ Australia Newcastle https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/newcastle tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205571 2022-10-05T00:00:00Z 2022-10-10T17:41:59Z Our Rights is a peer led project that supports women from a refugee background to know their rights, find their voice and empower themselves and each other to speak up and be heard. It was run as an exploratory project last year to bring women from two grass roots projects - MILK and Unity Sisters together in solidarity. The feedback from the training and workshops that the women attended has been really positive and there is a real hope that it can continue. Activities have included workshops from the Red Cross, mental health and wellbeing sessions with herbalists and yoga practitioners, training from the Advocacy Project, learning media skills and how to make a radio show, gardening and environmental awareness, developing an educational resource for schools and hosting food and information stalls at various local events and festivals. Our Rights is a smaller part of MILK, which is a social enterprise that has been around for 7 years with the aim to support and empower women from a refugee background. This is the first properly peer led project we have had and it has been transformative for us. We have been able to facilitate a group of women coming together on their terms, fitting their schedules and in their own language, as well as English. Angela Ireland Our Rights, Our Community https://www.milkcafeglasgow.co.uk/projects-1 United Kingdom Glasgow https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/glasgow tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/207212 2022-10-05T00:00:00Z 2022-10-06T05:16:27Z The National Indigenous Culinary Institute provides developmental pathways for Indigenous people to gain employment in Australia’s restaurants to become qualified chefs as an apprentice. We currently have a group of students finishing their development program and will begin their work placement Thursday 13th Oct. If successful in their work placement, they will be offered apprenticeships to start immediately. Each of our students will then be provided with a set of chef knives and bag, along with additional uniform to be able to successfully work as an apprentice. $1000 would go a long to provided these essential resources which our students are unable to purchase on their own. We make sure they have the correct footwear, top level industry knives and the required chef whites and chef pants as required by their restaurants. Our students will go on to work in restaurants such as Bentley, Rockpool, Margaret, Catalina with world renowned chefs like Neil Perry, Matt Moran, Luke Mangan and many more. The NICI continues to mentor and support our students for their entire apprenticeship, where they graduate our program and continue into our Alumni Program. Nathan Lovett NICI Gadigal Skills for Success Program https://nici.org.au/ Australia Sydney https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/sydney tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/189244 2022-10-03T00:00:00Z 2022-10-03T20:42:45Z Currently I have a booth at the Gresham Farmers Market and it's going absolutely wonderful. I sell traditional Mexican baked goods that you don't see in many places here in Oregon. Along with selling baked goods I teach people about the items and where they originate from. My goal is to take what I'm doing and share it with more people this means getting more material to set up in different places around the city. I want to spread sugary love along with cultural knowledge all around the Portland Metro area! Yoli Barragan Expansion http://barropdx.weebly.com Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206726 2022-10-01T00:00:00Z 2023-02-14T18:52:59Z We would like to offer free masterclasses with our visiting filmmakers and local artists to high school students in the central PA region. Every year for the last three years -- except for 2020 because we went all-virtual -- we have been fortunate to host visiting filmmakers for the Centre Film Festival. Some are happy to give a one-hour off-beat engaging and inspiriting workshop to high schoolers from the area free on Saturday morning. Our first year in 2019 we were able to offer them with Galaxy and CIU10 because they had funding for busses to assist schools financially to organize these field trips to the festival. This year, post-pandemic and facing so many budget cuts for the arts in schools, the CIU cannot cover the costs of bussing the students through they are happy to spread the word. We have five wonderful workshops set up (art-box collaging by Keith Wasserman one filmmaker whose film features the boxes), DJ skills (by Corey Elbin), radio docs (with Shirin Barghi who is visiting with her lesbian biker film), and Local Historia filmmakers will teach high schoolers how to host their own travel vlog. This takes place Saturday morning in Philipsburg's Rowland Theatre before the start of our first film. Pearl Gluck High School Masterclasses at Centre Film Festival http://centrefilm.org United States State College, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/statecollege tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/358436 2022-10-01T00:00:00Z 2025-07-16T23:52:24Z I recently directed and produce a contemporary dance film titled Aare. As Nigerians, dance is a core of the Yoruba traditions, and we are exposed to and assimilate our cultural practices at a tender age. This film was made as a reconnection to my childhood. To serve as archival preservation of Yoruba cultural heritage and to shine lights on the transcendental nature of Yoruba culture in the world, the most dominant culture of the African slaves that were captured in Africa and crossed the Atlantic during the Atlantic slave trade. The film gives voice and room to Blackness. The subject ‘Ààrẹ,’ a mighty Black man, confronts his inner challenges, succumbing to the weights of his mighty life. However, he eventually overcomes this burden, graduating to an acknowledgment of self and his grace, and uses life to enjoy the space. - Aare United States North Minneapolis, MN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/northminneapolis tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205708 2022-09-30T00:00:00Z 2022-10-05T00:54:33Z September’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Paul Weber to support the free public release of songs about Ottawa past and present. “On October 21st,” explains Paul, “I will finally have a [CD release] (https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/paul-weber-live-at-red-bird-tickets-402962360267) for my album [_Ode to Gerry Barber_] (https://ottawapaul.bandcamp.com/album/ode-to-gerry-barber). Song subjects include [a famous local bouncer] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZAaX7XkwzU&t=28s), the collapse of the Heron Road Bridge, the building of the Rideau Canal, Ottawa's first train, homeless people on Murray Street, growing up in Eastview (now Vanier), [the Great Fire of 1870] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=184IAQG-K8A), what it’s like to live in an Ottawa rooming house, and more.” “Many of these stories are unknown to people in Ottawa,” says Paul, “and many aren't in the history taught in schools. When I perform, I tell the stories behind the songs and I show videos linked to them. But to really reach people, I’d like to video record the show and make it available on Facebook and YouTube. This would be a great way to get the stories out and to celebrate our often stereotyped community.” Paul is a bilingual singer, songwriter, guitarist, and storyteller – and also a federal public servant. Two of his songs were recently selected by the City of Ottawa for their Music on Hold program. Paul Weber Sharing our Stories http://www.paulweber.ca Canada Ottawa https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/ottawa tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205794 2022-09-30T00:00:00Z 2022-09-30T20:42:02Z The fluctuation in weather patterns and yearly flood in Abuja community especially flood-prone settlement areas has seen the land plunged into a serious environmental concern and made the community unbearable, thereby impacting on the local livelihoods of the indigenous people of Gwagwalada. Water is a basic human right, and yet millions don’t have access to it. The devastating effect of water crisis in my community, open defecation and inadequate access to dignified clean drinking water create fertile ground for the spread of deadly water related illnesses like Cholera, Typhoid, Dysentery and diarrhea as a result of poor WASH intervention programs. The inadequate water system and indiscriminate solid waste disposal in proximity to household has led to presence of contaminated water in stagnant water bodies water collections in hollow containers such as tins, polythene bags and used sachet water packs which has led to environmental damages and a breeding sites for mosquito vectors. If present trend continues, my communities as a whole may yet witness an extraordinary climate/environmental impacts with serious consequences for all to bear. Many communities on a daily basis are becoming vulnerable to lack of environmental awareness, the older generation have not been able to do anything about it, the people are not even aware of the negative impacts of their daily unsustainable activities and lifestyles. But the good news is that F.C.T Abuja can rise up to this global challenge. The incentive of educating and providing Sawyer water filters for clean water across Gwagwalada local government of Abuja via clean water and sanitation program has the power to transform Gwagwalada community into a lower risk of water contamination and a climate resilient future in the present and the future. We need to empower the generation most threatened by climate crises to be front and centre in solving it. Here is link to my work: www.instagram.com/stepupgreen, stepupgreen.medium.com. Abiodun Emmanuel Aina Clean Drinking Water for All http://www.greenclimatewarriors.com/ Worldwide Homelessness (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/homelessness tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206137 2022-09-30T00:00:00Z 2022-10-06T23:14:27Z "Execution by the Numbers" is an independent, documentary film that examines how the American Justice System continues to execute people with Intellectual Disabilities (ID), despite a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2002 (Atkins v. Virginia). The film focuses on those who are the least powerful and most endangered people in the part of the justice system where the stakes are life-and-death. They are the people who have Intellectual Disabilities (ID), who have been sentenced to death and are disproportionately poor, Black and Hispanic. For people with ID, the skids to death row are greased because they are led into false confessions, tend to have difficulty assisting in their own defense, often fail to comprehend consequences of their actions, and unable to understand the death penalty. We will use interviews and articles to examine contemporary cases, and reveal the link between our country’s history of slavery and lynching, to the racial discrimination which bleeds into the entire criminal justice system, and adversely impacts people with ID. Furthermore, the film will also show how politics, prosecutorial misconduct, the public’s misconceptions, and errors in IQ testing have contributed to hundreds of people with ID on death row. My hope is that Execution by the Numbers will sound an alarm with anti-death penalty groups and people who support the Intellectually Disabled. My goal is for the film to get distribution through either a streaming service or public broadcast station. This will raise the film’s visibility and increase its chances of reaching millions around the world. Most importantly, I want the film to be a “call-to-action” for those who have the power to make change. Hopefully, the film will help abolish the death penalty, once-and-for-all, for people with ID. **What our grantee is saying:** "Wow! We are truly honored by this award from Awesome Disability. As you might guess, producing a film takes a lot of time, energy, and money. It's definitely a team effort. I’m passionate about filmmaking and helping those with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). This project is personal, so this award means a lot to me and the crew. The award will help us produce the film we envision, generate greater visibility, and hopefully, save the lives of people on death row with ID. My hope is the film will become a “call-to-action” for those who have the power to make change. Thanks again to Awesome Disability and its trustees!" Rock Grant Execution by the Numbers http://www.picturesocialjustice.org Worldwide Disability https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/disability tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206772 2022-09-30T00:00:00Z 2022-10-09T14:37:20Z My plan is to create an inclusive hub for all things self-care, self-love and mindfulness for children, families and individuals. The power of self-love, self-care and gratitude should be accessible for all, and I aim to build a hub support the mental, emotional and social wellbeing of children and their families. I am passionate about building confidence, resilience, self-love and readiness for the real world so that children are emotionally equipped and adaptive as possible; but to also, give adults the ability to unlearn and relearn crucial self-life skills. I have been facilitating wellbeing sessions for the last 9 months in youth centers, community settings, nurseries and family homes teaching children ways to cope with worries, how to understand and express their emotions and develop self-love. Within this hub, we will offer wellbeing workshops where we will promote positive mental wellbeing for children as young as 2 years old through affirmations, yoga, meditation, storytelling, dance, breathwork visualization, mirror work and arts and crafts. All sessions are age appropriate, and we explore different topics such as gratitude, friendship, understanding and expressing thoughts and feelings, self-love, positivity and empowerment. Our sessions will take place in Toxteth, where we will work with all but especially people of colour as we value inclusivity, The power of understanding self-love, self-care and gratitude should be accessible for all, and words like "meditation", "mindfulness" and "mental wellbeing" should not be a barrier in society. Children and their families will learn tools that they can carry into the future with them to help them with their wellbeing. It also encourages social cohesion and community through building support and network groups within the sessions. Azena Baxter (Soul Mumma) Wellbeing Hub & Children's Workshops http://www.soulmumma.co.uk United Kingdom Liverpool (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/liverpool tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/203030 2022-09-29T00:00:00Z 2022-09-30T01:03:50Z MAGMA has hosted youth music programming since it's opening in 2017, with about 40 all ages shows under its belt to date. Most recently, a group of teens from Gloucester have spearheaded initiatives in the electronic music genre, namely live music shows and a monthly hangout time for kids to collaborate and share ideas. This kind of grassroots, kid-driven initiative is absolutely golden, and I am working to noninvasively facilitate so they can do their thing - but we could really use some support to make it all happen! First off, for electronic music, there are certain technical demands that must be met. MAGMA currently has a very good basic sound system, but we do not have a subwoofer for the extra low frequencies - something rather essential to this genre of music, especially in live performance. So we are looking to buy a subwoofer. Also, we want to make the space as accessible as possible to the kids, meaning cost-free or very low cost for the shows, rehearsals, and the monthly hangout program. Over the next 12 months we will host at minimum 10 live music shows and 12 monthly hangout meetings.. It will serve not only the local young musicians but also the many kids who comprise the audience, who are so excited to have something to do in public that is is truly for them - accessible to all ages, low cost, and created by peers, not adults. We are proud to give space to our creative youth and wouldn't have it any other way, but also recognize that this is something that makes Gloucester more AWESOME, and is deserving of support so that it remains sustainable. Movement Arts Gloucester MA (MAGMA) Youth Music @ MAGMA http://www.magma.center United States Gloucester, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/gloucester tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205093 2022-09-28T00:00:00Z 2022-10-13T10:25:35Z My husband Paul Brown and I would love to start a Georgetown Family Movie Night under the stars at the Ice House Pavilion on Pentucket Pond in Georgetown. We recently served on the Summer Concert Series committee and loved seeing all the families and community members come together for such a great event. We would love to do something geared towards families as we have three children of our own and love spending time watching movies together. This Movie series would happen annually over 6 Friday nights in the fall. It would take place at the American Legion Park where families can gather to hang out with other families in the community and enjoy a family friendly movie. We have already started gathering a movie committee and begun the approval process with the town and selectman. We would love to kick the series of with 5 movies between 9/28 and 10/21 of this year to gauge community interest and kick off an awesome community event. We are hoping to make this an annual event and staple within the Georgetown community! Amanda Brown Movies under the Stars United States Georgetown, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/georgetown tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/204274 2022-09-27T00:00:00Z 2022-09-27T14:18:34Z Our September grant has been awarded to **UNDERWORLD**, a chaotic nighttime spectacle and ritual celebration featuring weird and wild performance work inspired by myths, legends, folktales, and fairytales, taking place at [3 Dollar Bill in Brooklyn on October 22nd](https://www.3dollarbillbk.com/rsvp/2022/10/22/tiresias-presents-underworld). Hosted by Tiresias, shapeshifting songbard oracle of the Underworld, the extravaganza will feature a menagerie of chthonic entities from Mothra to Mother Earth. **Run amok with masked phantoms, puppet apparitions, mystic spirits, and drag monstrosities**, UNDERWORLD is a Dionysian danse macabre you won’t live to forget. Artist Evan Silver writes: _"Spaces where queer people feel liberated to be their weirdest and wildest are vital to our collective joy and survival. I want to build an immersive world of fantasy, chaos, and wonder, where people feel not only tolerated but celebrated for being weirdos and freaks. Opportunities to really let our freak flags fly – and let’s be clear, I’m not talking about the Pride Parade™ – are deeply awesome but unfortunately rare._ _"So, I want awe, as in mouths agape at gargantuan ghost puppets and astonishing works of mythological performance art. And I want awe, as in, amazement at what is artistically possible in a queer nightlife space, where little is expected other than pop songs and death drops. **But I also want the awesome that is creating vital space for queer people to celebrate the wild chaos and jubilation that is our existence**. That, I hope, is the awesome of UNDERWORLD."_ **UNDERWORLD: Resurrection (Act One)** will include wild and wicked performances by Jay Kay, La Zavaleta, Ode aka Tristan Allen, Will Atkins, and Tiresias. **EARTHWORM: Emergence (Act Two)** will involve mystical and mysterious performances by Mizuho Kappa, Ezra Moth, Megami, Amygdala, and Nicolas Baird, with a screening of a short film by the Institute of Queer Ecology. Sublime rhythms will be provided by the divine DJ Christian Tokyo. Our grant will support the production of this spectacle, including the creation of a very, very large puppet – a "_convening of reanimated ghosts and spirits. **The very premise of the show is to reawaken old stories for new audiences**_." For more information about Tiresias and UNDERWORLD, follow [@whoistiresias on instagram](https://www.instagram.com/whoistiresias/) When: October 22nd, 2022 at 7:30pm Where: 3 Dollar Bill, 260 Maserole St., Brooklyn, NY 11206 [Buy your tickets now!](https://www.3dollarbillbk.com/rsvp/2022/10/22/tiresias-presents-underworld) _Photo credits: Vnyx Murdoch ([@vnyx_productions](https://www.instagram.com/vnyx_productions/)) and Rachel Slakter ([@rs.art.photo](https://www.instagram.com/rs.art.photo/))_ Evan Silver aka Tiresias Tiresias Presents UNDERWORLD https://evansilver.net/UNDERWORLD United States New York City, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/nyc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/204898 2022-09-27T00:00:00Z 2022-09-27T22:21:12Z Նախագծի միտքը ծագեց Տարեցների առողջության և խնամքի ապահովման ասոցիացիայի (ՏԱԽԱԱ) Երկարակեցության կենտրոնում՝ տարեցների աջակցությամբ հենց իրենց համար անվճար ծրագրերի պահպանմանը նպաստելու, կազմակերպության երիտասարդ ղեկավարներին իրենց փորձով օգնելու համար։ Բուբոն Ասոցիացիայի խորհրդանիշն է։ Ծնվել է Տարեցների կրեատիվության լաբորատորիայում՝ որպես նվեր տալու գործընկերներին ու կենտրոնի հյուրերին այն ուղերձով, որ իմաստուն լինեն և իրենց կարևոր որոշումներում միշտ հաշվի առնեն տարեցներին։ Անունը բխում է Bubo bubo բվի խոշոր տեսակի անունից, որը գրանցված ՀՀ Կարմիր գրքում։ Տեսնելով Բուբոյի հանդեպ հետաքրքրությունը և այն դրական տրամադրությունը, որն սփռում է իր շուրջը, որոշեցինք նրա օգնությամբ լուծել ներկայում Ասոցիացիայի առջև ծառացած ֆինանսական խոչընդոտները։ 63+ տարիքի մի շարք ստեղծագործ տարեցներ կարելու են Բուբո բվիկներ։ Ստեղծած Բուբոները վաճառվելու են, իսկ վաճառքն իրականացվելու է հանրային դեմքերի օգնությամբ, որոնք վաճառքից բացի նաև հանրության ուշադրությունն են գրավելու տարեցների վրա՝ կոտրելով մի շարք կարծրատիպեր նրանց ու ծերության մասին։ Վաճառքից ստացված հասույթը կուղղվի Կենտրոնի ծառայությունների անվճարության պահպանմանը, իսկ յուրաքանչյուր վաճառքից 10%-ը կտրվի տարեցների աշխատանքային խմբի անդամներին որպես խրախուսիչ հոնորար։ Ունենք կարի մեքենաներ, տարեցներին սովորեցրել ենք կարի հմտությունները, ասեղնագործություն և Բուբոյի ստեղծման տեխնիկան, մնում է միայն ձեր աջակցությամբ գնել անհրաժեշտ նյութերը։ Ի դեպ, մոտ ապագայում Բուբոն նաև խոսելու է հատուկ հավելվածի միջոցով՝ նպաստելով մեր բանահյուսական, մշակութային արժեքների տարածմանը, բնաշխարհի վերաբերյալ իրազեկմանը։ Այնպես որ ձեր Օսըմ դրամաշնորհը կարող է անուղղակիորեն նպաստել նաև մեկ այլ կրեատիվ ծրագրի իրագործմանը՝ երկրաչափական պրոգրեսիայով բազմապատկելով իր ազդեցությունը։ Ծրագրի տևողությունը 2 ամիս է։ Պատրաստ ենք հանդիպելու և քննարկելու մանրամասները։ Տարեցների առողջության և խնամքի ապահովման ասոցիացիա «ԲՈւԲՈՅԻ ԾՐԱԳԻՐԸ» https://www.facebook.com/ahaop Armenia Yerevan https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/yerevan tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205212 2022-09-27T00:00:00Z 2022-10-06T16:37:53Z The BIPOC Book Fair is an event similar to the Scholastic Book Fair: kids can explore a room full of books and buy the ones that most interest them. This fair will only include books written by BIPOC authors with BIPOC characters. It will include books from all genres of fiction and non-fiction for kids ages 2 – 17. It will have around 50 titles curated by librarians from the Multnomah County Library system, event advisor K. Tempest Bradford, and input from the community. Every child under 18 who attends will get a free book of their choosing. The BBF will take place in Portland, OR at a venue to be determined. The aim is to be able to put on the event in March, May, or June of 2023. The BBF is a program of the Carl Brandon Society, an organization dedicated to increasing racial and ethnic diversity in the production of and audience for speculative fiction. carlbrandon.org K Tempest Bradford BIPOC Book Fair United States Portland, OR https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/portland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206276 2022-09-27T00:00:00Z 2022-10-06T16:36:26Z We are preparing for the “Grand Diwali Musical” show at the Patricia Reser Center for Arts (PRCA) in Beaverton on Sun, Oct 16, 2022. This is a show that brings together music, arts, culture, food and festive spirit of India’s biggest festival of lights called Diwali. Set in the mood of celebration, community spirit and giving, the show is about a themed musical that includes singing performances, group dances and acting - conveying deeper meaning of finding one’s inner light through love. There will be 60+ performers, performing with the spirit of volunteering and community engagement. There will be stalls for display of arts, food, clothing, jewelry. We believe this show is one of its kind, and may be a first for the Portland south-asian community. Diwali, or Deepavali, is India's biggest and most significant festival. Popularly known as the Festival of Lights, it is a five-day celebration that includes good food, music, fireworks, colored sand, and special candles and lamps. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. Although Diwali is largely an Indian festival, it is widely celebrated globally by many nationalities. According to a report, in 2019, the festival of Diwali is celebrated in more than 90 countries of the world. Through our Grand Diwali Musical, we hope to bring together communities, promote diversity, and spread love through music and arts. Preeti Rao The Grand Diwali Musical http://www.facebook.com/pdxgdm United States Portland, OR https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/portland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206259 2022-09-26T00:00:00Z 2022-09-29T01:38:57Z In the pandemic, I began a LEGO building class for unhoused kids at The Brooks Short Term Family Housing Shelter in DC where LEGO sets are given to the kids and I lead them in assembling the sets. Earlier this year, I heard about The Brooks Short Term Family Housing Shelter for DC families and thought it would be a fun experience to talk about and build LEGOs with the kids. After figuring out the logistics, I had my first small LEGO class online due to COVID restrictions with two kids living at The Brooks. Though it was challenging to not do this in person, I guided them through the set and I could see their growth from the beginning as first time LEGO builders, to the end of the class. Since then, I have done two much larger-scale in person classes with more than 15 kids each attending. Now that the kids seem comfortable with LEGOs, I am planning on having classes with more independent challenges like building a strong bridge to support a maximum weight or making the tallest structure in a certain amount of time. These challenges could be completed using the skills they have learned from previous classes. I enjoy teaching the kids about LEGOs and helping them have fun in their difficult lives. Luke Voss Bricks4Brooks United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/dc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/188747 2022-09-26T00:00:00Z 2022-09-26T13:06:15Z Each quarterly issue of Pipe Wrench features a great longform story surrounded by a constellation of pieces springboarding off it. You might read 6,000 words on an idea you’d never thought about before, and then find a piece of short fiction, a playlist, and a personal essay. A comic. A reading list. A poem. A piece of tech. Think of it as a dinner party where all the guests are really fucking sharp. Someone fascinating tells a great story; it’s passionate and unexpected and thought-provoking. And all the other fascinating guests grab onto the bits that resonate with them or inspire them or irritate them and spin the conversation in a dozen new directions. Then make that an online magazine. Make it an online magazine where contributors are paid fairly, where industry-leading contracts are created in partnership with the National Writers Union, where facts are always checked, where innovative membership and masthead models are trying to find a new path forward for independent publishing, where those with more subsidize those with less so there’s never a paywall, and where the focus is already on historically-excluded and underpublished voices. You can choose to pay people fairly. You can choose to treat people kindly. You can choose to seek out new and different voices. You can choose to prioritize the underprioritized. The publishing industry doesn't have to be a race to the bottom. That’s Pipe Wrench. We started Pipe Wrench at the beginning of 2021. After a year of publishing, it's time to make our issues bigger and better, and to bring more voices into the conversation from more parts of the world. Michelle Weber Pipe Wrench https://pipewrenchmagazine.com Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/203002 2022-09-22T00:00:00Z 2022-09-26T14:32:09Z Generally, children in foster care and at-risk/justice involved youth have much less access to cultural and performing arts activities. These activities help connect children to history and culture that are passed down over time through heritage. Lack of access can lead students to feel disconnected, isolated and without a community that they can relate to. Moreover, exposure to cultural and performing arts provides outlets for children to be creative, express themselves, and learn about the vast history that connects them to their community. 

 Our project aims to provide Capoeira & Afro-Brazilian cultural arts classes to foster care programs and at-risk/justice involved youth in our community. We aim to expose these children to the unique cultural & martial art of "Capoeira" and its related musical, theatrical and movement elements. Capoeira is a special opportunity for many of these students as it is the only martial art of Afro-Latino origin and offers many ways to connect to this heritage through movement, music, language and more. Capoeira originated from African slaves brought to Brazil who disguised self-defense training as song and dance. Their songs kept the stories and legends of their past alive. Capoeira helped slaves escape from plantations and create communities where Africans congregated in Brazil as sovereign people. Capoeira and its related arts continue to empower Afro-Latinos to show their strength, advocate for their rights and celebrate their identity. The dynamic nature of capoeira and its related arts elements, uniquely allows the practice of acrobatics, dance, martial-arts, music and strength training all at once. Our students develop skills such as balance, fine motor skills, flexibility, rhythm, coordination and more. Capoeira also boosts confidence, discipline, strength and agility all while organically exposing participants to Afro-Latino cultural arts. Maria. Hernandez Culture in Motion: Capoeira Kids http://www.miamicapoeira.com United States Miami, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/miami tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205289 2022-09-22T00:00:00Z 2022-09-23T01:28:43Z I'm inviting local immigrant families to join a free English class (for grown-ups and kids together) on Wednesdays, 4:30-6:30, at Christ Episcopal Church, 20 Carroll St, The practice is based on writing and rehearsing dialogues, reading out loud, writing personal narratives, group conversations in response to the narratives, and translating and adapting Don Quixote for the stage! It's part theater, part therapy, all language! STEPHEN HAFF Still Waters in a Storm http://stillwatersinastorm.org United States Poughkeepsie, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/poughkeepsie tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206095 2022-09-22T00:00:00Z 2022-09-23T18:20:11Z According to the American Heart Association, less than half of people who experience an out of hospital cardiac arrest receive the help they need and most times cardiac arrest happens in the home. If we can train more of our high school students in CPR and proper use of AEDs, we can increase the chances of more people receiving the help they need. I hope to provide my Health Services Program of Study students with BLS certification and First Aid training. In turn, these students would train their fellow Culinary Arts, Health Sciences and Leadership Academy students and staff in Hands-Only or HeartSaver CPR. This would reach at least 400 people. If we receive the resources we need, this may even amount to training a majority of our high school and/or even include more of our staff members. Last year we were able to start this idea as a pilot project and trained our fully self-contained special education students in Hands-Only CPR. It was a valuable collaboration between our general education and special education populations. I would like to continue to grow this impact across our high school community. Our students, who are future health care professionals, will understand the power of health education and see how one small lesson could impact a community. Courtney Matsumoto Saving Lives through BLS Certification United States Oahu, HI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/oahu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206505 2022-09-22T00:00:00Z 2022-09-22T17:54:39Z Awesome Gloucester and Awesome Rockport joined forces and partnered with Studio Fresh and the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce to create original public art to honor the legacy of workers who have made a living in iconic local jobs that define the local economies and communities of Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Ipswich, and Manchester. The mural depicts images of fishermen, quarry workers, artists, clammers, boat builders, and hayers of the Great Marsh. . The mural is located on the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce building on Harbor Loop in Gloucester. In addition to grant money contributed by both Awesome Gloucester' and Awesome Gloucester, additional funds were contributed by the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and from Trustees of the Awesome Foundation who elected to make contributions. In total these groups and individuals raised and kicked in $8100 to make the mural a reality. Sal Zerilli The Workers' Mural at the Cape Ann Chamber United States Gloucester, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/gloucester tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/206506 2022-09-22T00:00:00Z 2022-09-22T17:54:57Z tudio Fresh and the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce to create original public art to honor the legacy of workers who have made a living in iconic local jobs that define the local economies and communities of Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Ipswich, and Manchester. The mural depicts images of fishermen, quarry workers, artists, clammers, boat builders, and hayers of the Great Marsh. . The mural is located on the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce building on Harbor Loop in Gloucester. In addition to grant money contributed by both Awesome Gloucester' and Awesome Gloucester, additional funds were contributed by the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and from Trustees of the Awesome Foundation who elected to make contributions. In total these groups and individuals raised and kicked in $8100 to make the mural a reality. Sal Zerilli The Workers' Mural at the Cape Ann Chamber United States Rockport, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/rockport tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/186226 2022-09-21T00:00:00Z 2022-10-20T02:49:26Z I'm an Occupational Therapist who has always been passionate about the care and inclusivity of our older population. It saddens me that so many older people, who live alone, experience significant loneliness and social isolation. After much research into what could be implemented to help tackle and reverse this situation, particularly in the Lake Mac/Newcastle areas, I came across a model from the UK that is working extremely well. Tea Party Groups! Once a month, a Volunteer Host holds an afternoon tea at their house for a small group of older people (75yrs and over) - on a rotational basis. Volunteer drivers pick up the older people, and take them to the afternoon, participating in the gathering as well, and then take them back home. The idea is that the older people, and volunteers are all in close vicinity to each other. The aim is to have groups set up all over the Hunter (and maybe even state wide one day). There are quite a few aged care services out there now, but not a lot focus solely on the social inclusion of older people. The tea party groups will be designed to be held on a Sunday (as that is when older people are often most lonely - services have ended for the week, and there's often no visitors or social contact for them over a weekend). The UK model info can be read on their website (organisation is called Re-Engage). https://www.reengage.org.uk/ I'm hoping replicate this model here in the Hunter (specifically Lake Mac, as that is where I live), and will be calling it "Care for a Cuppa". Lisa Sergi Care for a Cuppa Australia Lake Mac https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/lakemac