Awesome Foundation - Proyectos

South Bend, IN – Silent Film/Live Score

2019-08-12T00:00:00Z

See previous application.

Vegan (Inactivo) – Plant-Based Tuesdays Initiative

2019-08-12T00:00:00Z

Our Food Relief Program feeds children who otherwise would go hungry; however, we acknowledge that we are not able to provide the most nutritious of meals at this time due to our limited funding and dependence on donated foods, which include a lot of animal products. Our children need healthier, more wholesome and nutritious plant-based food. The prevalence of diabetes in Belizean adults is 17.1% compared to 8.7% in the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean, and without some change, the children we serve will also develop diabetes and other chronic diseases as a consequence of their diet. To kickstart Cornerstone Foundation’s transition to serving plant-based food, we are proposing a Plant-Based Tuesdays Initiate. This initiative will involve changing the current menu for the Food Relief Program to incorporate a healthy, exclusively vegan meal on Tuesday. To ensure that the vegan food that is prepared is well-balanced, nutritious, and appealing in taste to the children, our cook will receive training from a cook at a local vegan resort, Mariposas, a partner of Cornerstone. Furthermore, a local pediatrician—who was particularly concerned about the high rates of childhood diabetes he has witnessed in our community—has volunteered to assist us in preparing a nutrition-conscious menu tailored to the developmental needs of the children we serve. With this funding, Cornerstone will be able to take a major first step in its gradual transformation to a charitable distributor of plant-based food. This step represents an alignment between the ideals of our staff and our practice. Moreover, this step will enhance the nutrition of the meals that we are able to provide to the children and introduce them to a healthier, plant-based lifestyle.

South Bend, IN – Resurrect Neighborhood Parks

2019-08-12T00:00:00Z

The award-winning Resurrect the Roses Project in Leeper Park is growing it's brand into NEW NEIGHBORHOODS. We have decided to Create multiple, new Neighborhood Parks throughout the City, over the next five years. OUR FIRST NEW PROJECT is on the near West side, adjacent to the El Campito Day Care site, on a vacant lot on West Thomas Street, not far from the Studebaker Museum. THIS VACANT LOT is the former site of the St. Stephen's Church, which was demolished many years ago. It sits unused, and neglected. It will be turned into a peaceful, tranquil park/garden, to benefit the neighborhood. In addition, a portion of the Park will house a Learning Garden for the day Care students of El Campito to learn about growing vegetables, so that the children can take what they learn back to their families, to start growing their own vegetable gardens at home. The Project is working with several neighbors to encourage them to continue their residential rehabilitation work, by giving them a new Garden/'Park for their neighborhood.

South Bend, IN – The Brain Lair Bookstore Presents

2019-08-12T00:00:00Z

The Brain Lair Bookstore is working to bring several children’s authors to South Bend! One author is Kwame Alexander! Kwame has made the best-seller’s list several times and his book, The Crossover, won the Newbery Award - the highest award for children’s literature for the 0-14 age group! Kwame is touring for the September release of The Crossover graphic novel. Kwame will bring his friend, and musician, Randy Preston to South Bend. They will perform a show designed specifically for students in the morning. They will sing, read, and interact with students for 45 minutes, including having students come on stage! Students then get to ask questions and will have their book signed by Kwame before heading back to school. I am working to rent an auditorium via IUSB or the Civic Theater via Venues, Parks, and Arts. I want to bring as many students as possible to see Kwame and I’ve reached out to local public, private, and parochial schools. Our goal is to have at least 200 kids get to visit with Kwame and Randy and receive signed books. We already have commitments from schools in the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation and The South Bend Community School Corporation. We also have students from Good Shephard Montessori School, Holy Cross Bilingual Immersion program, and The Stanley Clark School attending. We’ve started selling tickets to our public show and taking donations so that even if a school isn’t able to attend, we can both send signed books and save space for some students to attend our evening performance outlined below! Building on our success with the Pete Buttigieg book tour, The Brain Lair Bookstore is partnering with the St Joseph County Public Library again! We will bring Kwame and Randy to our community! This evening performance will be slightly different from the morning show as we expect families of all ages to attend! I am delighted and excited to bring inspirational children's book authors to South Bend and so kids can create their own stories!

Adelaide – GYM for Adelaide's Homeless

2019-08-11T00:00:00Z

In 2018 we started providing free health and wellbeing programs to those living rough on the streets of Adelaide as we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to improve both their physical and emotional wellbeing. We identified numerous barriers like associated costs, mental / emotional state, living arrangements and limited social networks which meant that people experiencing homelessness were either disengaged or not feeling as though they could engage in improved wellbeing programs. Therefore we are creating a 'GYM for Adelaide's Homeless' that will increase our capacity to connect members of the community, provide program sustainability and become a safe haven that is inspiring, motivating and resourceful for those experiencing or are at risk of homelessness. First and foremost, we want to create a space that provide people with the opportunities to improve their own health and fitness without the barriers of cost and secondly, a program that builds on the emotional wellbeing of the community. The 'GYM for the Homeless' will enable us to run supervised fitness sessions in a safe space and it will provide opportunities for people from all walks of life to build relationships with likeminded people, engage and be educated on the importance of healthy living and most of all build respect for themselves, their peers and their future. Baptist Care SA have provided us a space to run our programs as a pop up gym but we want to make this project more sustainable. This grant will allow us to invest in equipment to start fitting out the space so that Adelaide's homeless have access to equal services and opportunities as those who are in a passion to invest in them selves. Ultimately we hope that by creating this space and strengthening its program we are able to provide opportunities for people within Australia to live happier, healthier lives.

Yerevan – #ԼՈՌԻ Գնացքի պատը

2019-08-10T00:00:00Z

Տարիներ առաջ, երբ Ալավերդի քաղաքում մի կին ընկնելով գնացքի տակ մահացավ, տեղական իշխանությունը որոշեց գնացքի և դրա մոտով անցնող ճանապարհի միջև որպես պատնեշ կառուցել պատ: Այս տարիների ընթացքում պատը վատ հիշողություն է արթնացնում մարդկանց մոտ,ուստի մտածեցինք,որ դիմելով սույն դրամաշնորհային ծրագրին և մեծ հույս ունենալով որ կշահենք, որոշեցինք կառուցված պատի վրա street art անել,գրքերի գունագեղ կազմերով,որը և նոր շունչ ու գույներ կբերի քաղաքին և մարդիկ հետզհետե կմոռանան 《Գնացքի պատ》-ի մասին,իսկ ծրագիրը կկրի նաև ուսուցողական բնույթ` խթանելով ընթերցանությունը:

Singapore – Different Dragons Goes Community!

2019-08-08T00:00:00Z

Founded in January 2019, Different Dragons (DD) is a weekly Sunday morning dragon boat team for persons with disabilities and volunteers. Its biggest agenda is to use the sport of dragon boating as a loudhailer to showcase the abilities of PWDs and send the message across that while PWDs may be different, they are definitely not any less. The initiative was born to cater to a growing interest of PWDs who were keen in the sport after many short-term dragon boat engagements with the community which were very well- received, with many caregivers voicing their interest for a more consistent and continuous initiative. Over the period of November to December 2018, a pilot project of seven training sessions were organised to assess if there were sufficient paddlers with disabilities who wanted to participate in this on a weekly basis. The response was overwhelmingly positive and eventually lead to the launch of DD as a full-fledged initiative. Despite the team being four months old only, DD has brought about many other benefits such as being a constant source of access to water sports and social interaction for the paddlers and volunteers and serving as a form of caregivers respite during each training session. The team is fast becoming a regular sight among the dragon boat community and is also a great representation of how an inclusive society can look like, especially when the members are of different age groups, race and religion profiles and a myriad of disability conditions ranging from visual impairment, deaf, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder and many more. DD’s one term goal is to send a full person with disabilities crew to represent Singapore in the 15th World Nations Championships in 2021. Until then, DD will be participating in local races and bettering our performance every single time. The team is also slowly weaning off our participation in adaptive races and slowly progressing towards racing alongside other regular dragon boat teams.

Kingston – Doula Support Foundation’s 1st Benefit Concert

2019-08-08T00:00:00Z

On November 23rd, 2019, the Doula Support Foundation will be hosting a fundraising concert here in Kingston. There are many costs associated with starting a non-profit and we also want to be able to cover the costs of the services the Doula Support Foundation (DSF) will start providing in the Fall. We believe that a fundraising concert is the perfect way to address these needs and launch DSF into the community. As DSF was only officially incorporated in October of 2018, we are currently focusing on getting the word out about DSF; raising awareness about the evidence-based value of doula care in pregnancy and birth; and building and strengthening community partnerships with organisations, businesses, and healthcare providers we want to work with in Kingston and the surrounding areas. This fundraising concert will thus be a key component of both raising funds to be able to open our doors while also marketing us to communities and families we want to work with. We are very excited that we have been able to secure performers like the Gertrudes, The Weather Station, and The Lemon Bucket Orkestra to perform at this year’s concert. We found a great venue—The Spire, right in the heart of Kingston—which thankfully requires low overhead costs, and thus will allow us to maximize the Doula Support Foundation’s fundraising potential. We feel very honoured that these bands are willing to come and help support us and we want to make sure we have the equipment and systems in place for them to put on an incredible performance for a sold out concert! We were thrilled to pitch at last month's Pitch Party; we're hoping we'll be the ones selected for the grant this month!

Oakland, CA (Inactivo) – Two Fall Exhibitions by CTRL+SHFT Collective

2019-08-08T00:00:00Z

Louisville, KY (Inactivo) – Regular Kids Project

2019-08-07T00:00:00Z

Most foster children suffer from separation, depression and anxiety. On top of this they are picked on for being different and do not always get the same opportunities as other kids their age. The Regular Kids Project is part of our efforts to successfully place foster children of incarcerated mothers in KY. The project designates funds specifically for activities and opportunities that other kids their ages commonly participate in. This grant would allow us to provide "normal" activities to over 75% of our foster children over the next 9 months.

Geelong (Inactivo) – Basketball Inclusion for Primary Kids

2019-08-06T00:00:00Z

To enable disadvantaged students to participate in our school basketball team.

Geelong (Inactivo) – Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation

2019-08-06T00:00:00Z

For the past two years my project has been rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife, educating the community about wildlife conservation and Bio diversity, Training volunteers on how to rescue different types of animals in a multitude of situations for the community which consists of the Geelong, Bellarine, Surfcoast and Golden plains. Rescuing animals such as Kangaroos, wallabies,Possums, reptiles and all different kinds of birds. some needing intensive around the clock care,, Joeys can stay in care for up to a year and others just an overnight stay..

Portland, OR – Wooden Cutout Scavenger Hunts

2019-08-06T00:00:00Z

I make larger than life cutouts from reclaimed wood of memes and images from internet culture and hide them around Portland. I’ve already made over 80 characters from Homer Simpson to Totoro, and have hosted multiple city-wide scavenger hunts. My work has been featured on the BBC, Atlas Obscura, The Oregonian, Willamette Week, KGW, KOIN, and KATU. I also raise money for charity. When fans want to take home a character I request they donate to local charities like the Oregon Humane Society and New Avenues for Youth. My characters have raised over $5,000 in just a few weeks. I want to scale up my project. If I were lucky enough to receive this grant I would be able to make hundreds more characters this summer, including larger and more awesome pieces. More characters means more scavenger hunts, more donations to charity, and more special, surprise interactions with really big Squidwards for Portlanders.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactivo) – Lift Like a Girl

2019-08-05T00:00:00Z

Lift Like a Girl is an observational documentary and a coming of age story about Zebiba; a young Egyptian girl who dreams to be a world champion weightlifter. With the help of her coach Captain Ramadan she pursues this unusual dream against all odds, as she trains daily in the middle of the street in Alexandria. Zebiba actually wants to be the next Nahla Ramadan; who is the coach's daughter, trainee, a former world champion, an Olympian and one of the most famous Egyptian athletes of all times. However, when Zebiba is at the doorway of her dream, Captain Ramadan passes away, turning her world upside down. Lift Like a Girl is a film that tackles gender, social and class issues in Egypt by following Zebiba, from the age of 14 as she prepares for her first local championship, till the age of 18 as she wins three gold medals in the African Junior Championships in 2018. Although it has the traditional sports narrative, it is not a story about winning but on the contrary the acceptance of loss. Unlike many films dealing with sports, the biggest loss in Zebiba's life is not a championship or a sport event, but the loss of her coach. Throughout the 90 minutes of the film, Zebiba grows eventually as she learns that she can’t win all the time and that life is about both winning and losing. Here's our fundraising trailer, to give you a better idea about the characters, mood and setting. https://vimeo.com/201685492 Password: LLAG2018

Asheville, NC (Inactivo) – Colorful Pages Coalition

2019-08-05T00:00:00Z

The Colorful Pages Coalition (CoPaCo) purchases books that feature and are written by people of color. We supply these books to classroom and community spaces, and support leaders in using them through providing lessons and facilitating development opportunities. Our work is made possible by donations from individuals, businesses in our community, and other community funding (grants). We believe ALL children growing up in Western North Carolina must receive positive, representative messages about their worth and importance in every public space. Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County schools have reported disturbing gaps in academic achievement between white students and those of color. The discipline data is equally distressing. CoPaCo aims to begin shifting the school system to one designed to support ALL students. Our first concrete action is to balance the bookshelves with books that positively represent and amplify people of color. We also use social media, our personal money, and word of mouth to support the work of other equity-focused organization and individuals. Lastly, we encourage those who have no been active in the fight for equity to join us. We ask for support in our work and praise, post, and spread the word about businesses and individuals who support us or other equity efforts. Colorful Pages Coalition’s vision is to change western North Carolina into a place where, because of 100% Community support, participation, and action, children of all colors and backgrounds grow up with complete love and respect. We work towards this vision by informing the public of social and political realities of racial equity, inviting individuals and businesses to take part in progressing racial equity, and supporting individuals and businesses in maintaining continual activism roles. We recognize and include children as respected and knowledgeable participants and guides in this liberation work.

Liverpool (Inactivo) – Melting Galaxies

2019-08-03T00:00:00Z

‘Melting Galaxies’ is a community arts project for three young people from the Speke / Garston Area of Liverpool. The aim is to find three participants ages 18-21 that need a boost of confidence. I will teach them to create a set of galaxy glass marbles in my glass workshop Mersey Glass Works based in L19 8JA. Each of them will have a day of work and artistic experience. They will gain insight into a heritage craft, learn about health and safety, work environments, engineering, the chemical industry and how neon art is made. I will organise a meeting of all three towards the end of the project to reflect on the experiences made during their day. I will also create a social media page with the art works for them to use for networking in the future. It aims at building resilience, giving inspiration and creating networks

San Jose, CA – Trespass Theatre

2019-08-01T00:00:00Z

Trespass Theatre is a monthly theatre program that finds local, emerging artists of various disciplines and challenges them with creating one night only performances: sometimes plays, sometimes experiences, never the same, that will be free and open to the public. These performances could be short plays based on local history, for example, or a forum theatre piece in a public park that uses improv to explore the problems facing the local community, or they could explore something entirely new! As a company, one of our goals is to create a widespread number of pieces and events that anyone in the South Bay can access and enjoy. Trespass Theatre accomplishes that by encouraging the community to consider anywhere as a playable and creative space, while also spurring turnout to areas that may not receive as much attention otherwise. It seeks to be as diverse and welcoming as San Jose itself. Instead of being held to a single location, these events will be spread across San Jose, from East Side to Downtown, in order to reach audiences that may not have regular access to performance art. This allows Trespass Theatre to be flexible, personal and completely new every month. We are looking to start Trespass Theatre in May, on the 25th, as part of our monthly rotation of shows, at a time when the weather is enjoyable and people are out and about again.

Atlanta, GA (Inactivo) – STEAM Powered by HEY!

2019-08-01T00:00:00Z

Helping Empower Youth, Inc. (HEY!) works across Atlanta to introduce students to STEAM disciplines outside of the norm. A lot of students we work with in Title I schools have an aversion to STEAM thinking that they have to be math and science geniuses in order to be successful. Well, Math and Science may not be subjects that all students are interested or excel in. However, STEAM is a part of our daily lives. Our thought is, if we can engage them in activities that they don't immediately imagine as STEAM, we can show them that Math, Science and Technology is just about all that we do. We are able to slowly initiate the Engineering Design Model and thinking process by providing opportunities to engage in things that students don't normally associate as STEAM. Such as: bikes, go karts, gardening, sewing, cooking, cosmetic making, etc. This allows us to bridge their own limitations around math and science with more traditional STEAM disciplines so that they too can be competitive. While we do have activities around coding, robotics, mechanical engineering, we generally start with bikes, go karts, circuits, and sewing. Our initiatives are centered in after school programs, community outreach with churches and hosting events in community centers throughout the year.

North Minneapolis, MN – North High Arts Disciplines

2019-08-01T00:00:00Z

North has always had a vibrant arts program. Now in its 4th year of full arts programming, North Academy of Arts and Communications has the chance of a lifetime to take center stage at the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2020. Under the direction of Dance Teacher and Arts Integration Specialist, Tamiko French, fine arts students will share their lives and stories with the world abroad. The interdisciplinary performance will feature all departments of the Academy of Arts. As you may know, some years ago we as a school were in a decline and had to fight our way through the changes in our surrounding environment. Our resilience has given us so many cherished partnerships, performance opportunities, and community visibility which the American High School Theater Festival has recognized through this once in a lifetime invitation to participate. This is not just about North High School, this is about our whole community standing in support to share our voices abroad.The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the largest performing arts festival in the world. The opportunity to expose our young artists to an experience like this will broaden their understanding of the world. It will provide an unmatched educational opportunity to learn not only about performing arts but the fullness of the performing arts as well. Including the opportunity to earn 1 full arts college credit! In addition, students are challenged to expand in their own talents and knowledge through hands-on learning in performing arts.

State College, PA – Reusable Meal Tray Pilot Project

2019-08-01T00:00:00Z

In 2018 State College Meals on Wheels (SCMOW) delivered 55,701 meals to individuals who live in the State College Area School District and who are disabled, aging, or infirm. Currently meals are delivered in single-use black plastic trays that cannot be recycled in Centre County. My idea is that SCMOW would pilot a Reusable Meal Tray Project to reduce plastic waste and save money. SCMOW would deliver meals in reusable trays on two (~14 people/route) of its ten daily routes. On the pilot routes, (1) client’s meals would be delivered in reusable trays, (2) trays will be picked up the next day along with their new meal, and (3) trays will be sanitized for the next day. A Reusable Meal Tray Program would reduce not only plastic waste, but also costs over time. I estimate that SCMOW could save about $23,000 after five years. These savings would be a boon to SCMOW because the organization does not accept government funding; therefore, we are able to amplify the client base. Current client demographics: Age: 9% < 60, 27% 60-74, 35% 75-84, 29% 85+; Income: 26% live below poverty line. The majority of clients (74%) live above the poverty line, many of whom might not be served due to high income. The award of an Awesome Grant will allow SCMOW to pilot this project without stressing the organization’s budget. If the project is deemed successful, the Executive Director would ask the Board to expand the use of reusable meal trays in the 2020 budget and beyond. This project supports SCMOW’s mission by saving money, not relying on single-use trays, and supporting a healthy and clean environment. According to the 2019 Centre County Community Coalition, there are many social determinants that impact everyone’s health. More specifically, 10% of our health is impacted by the physical environment. Reducing the amount of waste in our community leads to a cleaner physical environment, which furthermore improves everyone’s overall health.

Sydney – Hair Aid Community Cuts

2019-07-31T00:00:00Z

Hair Aid sends teams of volunteer hairdressers to work with Australian organisations that support those in our own communities that need a hand. We work with community groups, charities, government organisations and churches that support homeless, domestic violence sufferers, migrants or those just in suffering at a time of crisis. What we do is turn up every six weeks for 2 -3 hours and offer free haircuts, providing dignity and respect for those in need.

Melbourne (Inactivo) – 'I AM' art exhibition

2019-07-31T00:00:00Z

Hello! Thank you for this opportunity! Last year Wombat organised an art Exhibition for Homelessness Week which was so successful that we would like to do the same again. The exhibition will be first week of August this year so requiring funding for July for the art therapy sessions (please read below). Young people (artists) who are or have experienced homelessness will present art work during a week long art exhibition that they have created during 2 art therapy sessions. 100% of the sales will go directly to the artist. This event is for Homelessness Week & it's to raise awareness & break down stereotypes that people have towards the word 'homeless'. We are providing a safe space for young people who have or are experiencing homelessness to share their story without shame or embarrassment attached to that experience. An artists who participated last year told us that she 'felt like a celebrity' and enjoyed watching people smile at her art. Also on display will be some key statistics relating to homelessness in order to educate the community on the housing affordability crisis many people are facing today. During this exhibition we aim to show that 'homelessness' is an experience & not who the person is. They are not simply 'homeless' they are experiencing homelessness but they are also people like you or I. Therefore 'I Am' is the theme for this year. 'I am Determined' or I am a Student' & I have experienced homelessness. The art therapy sessions are a valuable tool for the young people to express who they are & acknowledge their experience in a safe & non judgmental environment with the added benefit of showing themselves (anonymously if preferred), to the world via their art. An experience they might otherwise never have the opportunity to take part in. We do not have anything to show for this year yet (we need to do workshops first!). Go here for last years event:https://www.mojonews.com.au/page/creating-art-out-of-homelessness

San Antonio, TX – The San Antonio Heron

2019-07-31T00:00:00Z

The San Antonio Heron wants to chronicle the changes happening to downtown San Antonio. Specifically, we look at how housing incentives impact development, and how that development impacts the downtown neighborhoods like Dignowity Hill and Tobin Hill. We strive to juxtapose data with anecdotal content. Most people don't understand how growth works in downtown San Antonio. This lack of understanding leads to uninformed opinions about downtown development and its impact on the urban neighborhoods. Sides have formed on policies such as the Center City Housing Incentive Policy. Sides should be forming on the San Antonio Housing Trust Public Facilities Corporation, but it’s so complex, not even most City Council members know how that one works. Most people don't have enough information to make an informed opinion. Grassroots advocacy groups typically don't see the developers' perspective, and developers typically don't see the perspective of advocacy groups. The San Antonio Heron strives to really dig into the policies and issues involving growth in the downtown area. We strive to present all sides of the issue—whether it’s CCHIP or Hemisfair or the Alamo master plan—in the most objective way possible, so that readers can decide on their own how they feel about it. If the reader has read the piece and has no clue where the writer or the Heron stand on the issue, then we’ve succeeded.

Fleurieu – Operation Flush - Toilet Door Revamping

2019-07-31T00:00:00Z

We are renovating our bathroom doors with students' art in order to reduce graffiti and increase our fellow students' positive perception of our bathrooms and school. One of the biggest complaints from students about our school is the state of our toilets. They have graffiti of many types on the inside and look not only unattractive, but impacts our fellow students' confidence in the reputation of our school. We will be revamping the toilet doors of our middle and senior school bathroom with stickers, which will have students' designs/art on them.

Disability – ASL COMEDY WORKSHOP

2019-07-31T00:00:00Z

Patrick T. Kilgallon is setting up a workshop for Deaf members to learn about the basics of improvisation comedy with Andrew J. Barlow who is an accomplished CODA, (Child of Deaf Adult) comedian, writer, and actor in New York. https://www.andrewjbarlow.com. He will need certified Deaf interpreters for the workshop and plan to hire them from a professional interpreter agency like Hands Up, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communication Center, or others. The workshop is on October 5th 2019 and believes twelve Deaf are interested so far. It will be the first step in establishing the country's first Deaf Improvisation Theater and with that, people will witness the first time in history Deaf being able to be part of the culture in Philadelphia. Deaf will be able to perform among the hearing for a broad audience and sell tickets during The Fringe that runs in September, Philadelphia comedy festival in May, and during local performances for Disability Pride in June. After the workshop, Patrick will discuss with the participants if they want to keep practicing "The Game" as Improvisation is called in the comedy community, they can commit themselves to being casted in the Deaf Radio pilot, work with some growing Deaf accessible members once a week to improve our skills and education. If the participants are motivated to make history, we can practice our improvisation performance once a week and come up with sketch ideas. (Failing that, I have many premises to use as inspiration.) I also have various books on improvisational theater with plenty of various exercise we can incorporate as well as develop a curriculum for a Deaf friendly improvisational classes that can be offer at reasonable prices. Many people are interested in seeing this workshop succeed because it will break barriers in the city of Philadelphia and give American Sign Language a strong platform to advocate for Deaf education through ASL and encourage the audience to respect Deaf culture and our stories. What our grantee is saying: “This award will help me get started on enabling the Deaf people: students and future actors, writers, dancers, artists, directors, and producers get started on legitimate part time careers in the comedy community in Philadelphia and achieve inclusivity by being the first Deaf in history to perform during The Fringe Festival in September 2020, and perform for an audience of over two millions on Deaf Radio in summer of 2020, on public access television show in the future!” What our trustees are saying: "I love comedy as a whole, and I think disability is a segment that’s underrepresented from comedy as a whole, let alone Deaf comedy. It’s a cool idea and it’s something that I can picture being really cool and fun."

Washington, DC – The Ruby Bridges Literacy Program

2019-07-31T00:00:00Z

The Ruby Bridges Literacy Program exists to strengthen literacy among black girls ages 6-18 years old. The program functions as a book club in the form of a peer-review system by having older participants serve as mentors to younger participants in their reading development. Students will advance in their reading skills and grow in their cultural awareness by using materials that educate them on cultural diversity. Additionally, we strive to create linkages by using the public library system so youth can continue developing their reading skills after they complete the program. Lastly, we will incorporate a financial literacy workshop for students. The purpose of the financial literacy workshop is to develop skills that will aide them in financial growth into adulthood. Children will learn financial literacy through reading materials and hands-on learning experiences.

New York City, NY – FourTop

2019-07-30T00:00:00Z

When was the last time you had a great conversation with a complete stranger in this hectic city of ours? Joanna and Steven from FourTop want to help facilitate those moments with their experimental dinner pop-up, currently running in NYC: _FourTop is a series of curated dinners with strangers designed to create a "planned chance encounter." It's an experiment in what happens when you bring together people who might not normally know each other, and give them the opportunity to connect over dinner. To take part, visit the website and answer a series of fun questions. FourTop then curates a table for you and a friend: pairing you with another set of friends, and choosing a restaurant for all of you. FourTop is limited engagement – summer 2019 only – but look out for its next iteration come Fall!_ Decidedly low-key and low-fi (matches are all done by hand using good old-fashioned intuition), FourTop is not about dating or networking, but simply about making a connection for an evening with someone new. We hope that our support will help FourTop make their connections even more magical (we've heard rumors of some international events in the making…) and we can't wait to see what they do in the months to come.

Alaska (Inactivo) – Blossom House

2019-07-30T00:00:00Z

Blossom House is a new nonprofit and is a collective of artists and yogis who facilitate trauma-informed practices at Fairbanks Correctional Center (FCC), Fairbanks Youth Facility, and Family Centered Services Residential Treatment Center. Through applied theatre projects, writing workshops, and contemplative practices like yoga, we create access to healing, empowerment, and just communities. One of our Blossom House projects called Yoga Service Project Alaska (YSPA) offers free yoga classes at our local jail, juvenile detention center, and other residential treatment centers. YSPA currently has the support of Alaska's DOC and FCC staff to write and implement a yoga teacher training program at FCC. YSPA will run the 200-Hour certification program as a pilot which we hope will be sustained by continuing grants and stipends for future trainees and teachers. We have DOC funds for one textbook and one journal each per trainee, but we currently have no way to pay teachers for this extensive training.

Miami, FL – Seats of the City

2019-07-29T00:00:00Z

Seats of the City is an opportunity to preserve pieces of Miami's history and place them in public, historically and culturally significant locations. Our mission is to help locals and tourists gain a more profound appreciation of Miami's architectural history, artistic prowess, and technological contributions. Fully assembled seats salvaged from the Marine Stadium will be transformed by artists, and placed in publicly accessible locations. An integral component involves augmented reality, which will allow viewers to experience the various iterations of the Miami Marine Stadium over the years through their smartphones, using archival footage from HistoryMiami and other organizations. An integral component of the project involves augmented reality, in which viewers will have the ability to experience the various iterations of the Miami Marine Stadium through their smartphones, using archival footage from HistoryMiami as well as other organizations. We will push the technological capabilities necessary for the augmented reality component to fully immerse viewers in Miami's history to create a substantial shift in the global perception of our city.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactivo) – Breaktime Cafe

2019-07-29T00:00:00Z

70.4% of homeless respondents report being discriminated against by companies based on their housing status. Additionally, over 60% of graduates from non-profit training programs that work with people experiencing homelessness are still unemployed one year after graduating. Breaktime Cafe is a non-profit social enterprise founded by two students at Harvard University that aims to fight these statistics by launching the careers of young adults experiencing homelessness through employment and empowerment. Our niche is as a transitional employer, providing the much needed stepping stone between foundational training programs run by nonprofits and the broader workforce. Therefore, we provide approximately one year of hands-on work experience at a living wage, supplemental vocational training, and one-on-one career mentorship. We believe that early intervention and support for these young adults experiencing homelessness is critical in preventing long-term chronic homelessness. At Breaktime, we have always been about more than just work. We aim to create a stable and loving network of support for these young adults, providing them with long-term career mentorship, social capital, community, and an overall improved quality of life. Breaktime has already begun employing and paying five young adults experiencing homelessness at $15/hour through our catering and sales program. We have successfully matched these employees with full-time positions at other companies, helping them to get out of homelessness. Now, we are looking to expand our impact by opening a cafe space in Boston, MA. This cafe will create over 50 jobs for young adults experiencing homelessness and serve as Breaktime's talent hub--hosting vocational trainings and bringing in employers to connect at-risk youth with job opportunities. We aim to teach our employees universally-applicable hard and soft skills that they can bring with them as they advance through their careers.

Aviano (Inactivo) – Media Psychology Across Cultures – Phase 2

2019-07-29T00:00:00Z

My project focuses on the emerging field of media psychology, which applies the theoretical foundations of psychology to real-world media in order to understand its effect on human behavior and interaction. I propose to engage in a two-phase comprehensive study of the psychological aspects and impacts of media over generations and cultures. Phase 2 will explore the impact of the rapid evolution of media on various cultures, including their media consumption habits and preferred means of communication. Cultures will be analyzed with respect to their use of and relationship to media.

Austin, TX – Giving Austin Labor Support

2019-07-28T00:00:00Z

Giving Austin Labor Support is an organization of dedicated volunteers who provide emotional, physical and informational birth support to those who are alone or under-supported during this important life transition. GALS volunteers provide an average of 10 hours of support per birth in hospitals, birth centers and homes. In 40 percent of those births, the volunteer meets the birthing person for the first time while they are in labor. Last year, one in three moms would have been alone in birth without GALS. While we believe Austin is pretty awesome, we know that we have a long way to go in the fight for racial equity in birth. GALS clients and volunteers come from all racial and ethnic backgrounds, but the majority of the volunteers are white, while only half of the families we work with identify as such. A $1000 grant from the Austin Awesome Foundation will go toward providing GALS' 70+ volunteers, coordinators and board members with ongoing implicit bias training to better understand both their own biases and the structural racism that affects birth outcomes. This project will give more Austinites the foundation in which to begin noticing and understanding bias in everyday encounters, as well as in the birth room, and will go deeper in undoing racism individually and structurally.

Gloucester, MA – Free Book Night at The Open Door Family Supper

2019-07-26T00:00:00Z

Last December I hosted a book drive with families and friends to start a Free Book Night during the Community/Family Suppers at The Open Door Food Pantry in Gloucester. Since January, we have passed out over 200 books during the community supper as well as in their "little free library" Our stock of books is coming to an end and we would love to extend our Free Book night throughout the rest of the year. (Every third Tuesday of the month) as well as host a summer book club. (Rachel Orie is out Open Door Contact: rachel@foodpantry.org )

Phoenix, AZ (Inactivo) – Women's Social Club (DiRTYOGA)

2019-07-25T00:00:00Z

Inspired by the meaning of yoga - "to bring together" - Women's Social Club presented by DiRTYOGA gathers to celebrate women! As a women owned and operated small business, the goal of the grassroots organization is to bring women together to highlight work of outstanding women in the community while creating a welcoming space. Each Women's Social Club is built around a theme and group discussion. Local women from the community are invited to share and to build upon the theme in an open dialogue. The DiRTYOGA co-founders - Dana Arbel and Ashley Banks - help facilitate the conversation, engaging all who attend to share their voices. Each intimate gathering highlights a unique women-owned space, features women musicians and artists, and includes delicious food and drinks to further enhance the communal experience. DiRTYOGA provides community programming focused on integrating health and the arts. Founded in 2012 to bring yoga classes to parks, farmers markets, community gardens, local businesses, nonprofits and schools, DiRTYOGA is committed to introducing elements of body awareness, mindfulness, and artistic expression to those who feel excluded from the traditional yoga studio setting.

Brumadinho (Inactivo) – Rede Soa Sirene: comunicação popular, resistência.

2019-07-24T00:00:00Z

A Rede Soa Sirene: comunicação popular, resistência e mobilização pela vida trabalha pela construção de uma plataforma comunicativa multimídia, na qual as comunidades atingidas por barragens de mineração possam comunicar-se entre si, e com as populações ameaçadas por este tipo de tragédia. Para tanto, elegemos cinco localidades para irradiarem informações, denominadas cidades pólo, entre as quais Brumadinho figura. A Rede Soa Sirene: pólo Brumadinho é, portanto, um capítulo fundamental de todo o processo. Ele está sendo desenvolvido por meio de oficinas dedicadas a formação de comunicadores populares, nas seguintes áreas: 1. O Direito à Comunicação - prerrogativas e titularidades - Crítica de mídia; 2. Elementos essenciais da notícia impressa, online e audiovisual; 3. Foto e vídeo jornalísticos; 4. Elaboração de pautas; apuração e redação; 5. Edição - Revisão e 6. Curadoria de Redes Sociais - utilização da plataforma. O MICA já teve oportunidade de ministrar algumas oficinas em Brumadinho e, agora, dedica-se a formar um grupo de interessados para assumir a curadoria da Rede no pólo, com apoio das oficinas e por meio de parceria com mobilizadores sociais já instalados na região. A ideia é que uma primeira turma de participantes dê continuidade ao trabalho, multiplicando o conhecimento em outras comunidades ao longo da bacia do Paraopeba. Está previsto editar um boletim informativo impresso, que traga pautas do maior número de comunidades possível. Justificativa: Os habitantes da região têm características heterogêneas em termos étnicos, culturais, de escolaridade e de categoria sócio-econômica. Mesmo os grupos de maior escolaridade não conseguem responder as demandas de comunicação tais como entender seus direitos ou pautar a imprensa. Estão isolados, não se comunicam entre si, porque o modelo comunicativo predominante é vertical. A ideia da rede é tentar reverter este modelo e, assim, contribuir para potencializar a mobilização pela conquista de seus direitos. Valor aprovado: R$ 2500 Como o recurso sera utilizado:: Transporte: R$600,00 Hospedagem R$400,00 Impressão do Jornal (1500 exemplares) R$900,0 Recursos humanos (02 Jornalistas) R$ 600,00 Além da questão financeira, existem outras formas não-financeiras em que pode ser apoiada? - Divulgação e compartilhamento dos conteúdos online; -Distribuição do boletim informativo impresso - Auxiliar na infraestrutura para a realização das oficinas; - Identificar mobilizadores locais que ajudem a formar/manter a turma de multiplicadores; - Hospedagem solidária; Sobre o proponente: O MICA tem a missão de contribuir para a emancipação humana por meio de ações ligadas à arte, à cultura e à comunicação social. Atua, ainda para o fomento a valores identitários e culturais, incluindo o patrimônio histórico, artístico, material e imaterial. Suas ações evocam, também, a consolidação da cidadania, dos direitos humanos e da democracia. Há quatro anos atua em comunidades vulneráveis à mineração, em MG e ES, tendo como base de trabalho o direito à comunicação: www.coletivomica.org

Newburgh, NY – Omani & Tabby Day

2019-07-24T00:00:00Z

On August 17,2019 we will be hosting a birthday celebration with the community in the honor of Tabbitha and Omani who were gunned down at a Halloween party on Oct 30,2016. The girls birthday were a day apart Omani’s August 14 and Tabbitha on the 15th. That day, we will be serving free food, bounce houses, games, music and entertainment for all. We will also have games that people will need to interact with others, to build trust and team strategy. Omani & Tabby Day is a celebration for the girls birthdays. It is a event to bring awareness to our community about gun violence, bullying, and mental illness. We also want to bring our adults, children, teens, police officers and city officials together in one space interacting with one another with different games we have during this event. We will have resources available like Teen Newburgh, Planned parenthood and safe homes. We just want to show our community love and that love was Omani and Tabbitha. Thank you

Boston, MA – Drawing the Ring of Steel: A Mnemonic Device

2019-07-24T00:00:00Z

In Belfast, where contested notions of identity and divergent perspectives on history still polarize the population, and no effective mechanism exists to facilitate healthy public discourse about the past, the lived experience of the Troubles is receding and with it an opportunity for discovery and reconciliation: Drawing the Ring of Steel: The Mnemonic Device for Belfast proposal occupies a territory between urban design, co- design and the social practice of public art. This particular mnemonic device is designed to utilize story-telling as a means of individualized remembrance. Located in the heart of Belfast, the proposal takes the form of an “drawing” (orthographic-plan) of the security cordon that encircled the city’s shopping district (Ring of Steel 1972-1997); the image being a visceral reminder of freedoms lost and only recently regained. It relies on prompts in the form of words, images and architectural fragments to trigger memories; a very effective mechanism for individualized forms of remembering. What the project includes: 1) A Performative Redrawing of the Ring of Steel marking the location of the security cordon that encircled Belfast City Centre 1972-1998; traces of which are still evident in the physical and psycho-geographic environment. The ring will be drawn by performers (Collaborator: Paula McFetridge, Kabosh Theatre), using yellow chalk paint. The audience interaction will happen at the main entrances and exits into the city's social center. After passing through the redrawn security gates, they will encounter a performer dressed as a period newspaper reporter; recording audience stories. A project website with GIS mapping of the Ring of Steel (1972-98) is being constructed as a legacy project. The BBC Radio 4 has 1) BBC Radio 4 program about the process of originating and ultimately realizing the project: transmission 2020.

Brumadinho (Inactivo) – Educar para a vida e para a luta (projetor)

2019-07-23T00:00:00Z

A escola Elizabeth Teixeira fica do Acampamento Pátria Livre, às margens do Rio Paraopeba, que foi tomado pela lama da VALE S. A. Trata-se de uma escola construída pelos próprios Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra, onde estudam aproximadamente 120 crianças pobres, filhas dos trabalhadores. Valor aprovado: R$ 2500 Como o recurso será utilizado: A ideia é adquirir um Projetor (Datashow Retro Projetor Profissional 3000 Lumens Igreja Wifi) para a escola. Além da questão financeira, existem outras formas não-financeiras em que pode ser apoiada? Sim. Vocês podem comprar produtos sem agrotóxicos em feiras da Reforma Agrária e podem apoiar o acampamento Pátria Livre e a escola com quaisquer materiais escolares, inclusive livros de literatura. Sobre o proponente: Morador de Brumadinho há 55 anos, professor, apoiador dos acampados, membro da Articulação , SOMOS TODOS ATINGIDOS (formada por vários movimentos como o MAB - Movimento dos Atingidos por Barragens, MAM - Movimento pela Soberania Popular na Mineração -, SindUTE, SindSaúde, Frente Brasil Popular de Brumadinho, membros da Arquidiocese de BH e outros militantes), constituída após o rompimento da barragem da VALE. Articulação foi formada com o objetivo de ajudar os atingidos às margens do Paraopeba.

Brumadinho (Inactivo) – Educar para a vida e para a luta (quadro branco)

2019-07-23T00:00:00Z

A escola Elizabeth Teixeira fica do Acampamento Pátria Livre, às margens do Rio Paraopeba, que foi tomado pela lama da VALE S. A. Trata-se de uma escola construída pelos próprios Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra, onde estudam aproximadamente 120 crianças pobres, filhas dos trabalhadores. Valor aprovado: R$ 2500 Como o recurso será utilizado: A ideia é equipar 5 salas de aulas com quadros decentes. (5 Lousas Quadro Branco Moldura De Aluminio 300x120) Além da questão financeira, existem outras formas não-financeiras em que pode ser apoiada? Sim. Vocês podem comprar produtos sem agrotóxicos em feiras da Reforma Agrária e podem apoiar o acampamento Pátria Livre e a escola com quaisquer materiais escolares, inclusive livros de literatura. Sobre o proponente: Morador de Brumadinho há 55 anos, professor, apoiador dos acampados, membro da Articulação , SOMOS TODOS ATINGIDOS (formada por vários movimentos como o MAB - Movimento dos Atingidos por Barragens, MAM - Movimento pela Soberania Popular na Mineração -, SindUTE, SindSaúde, Frente Brasil Popular de Brumadinho, membros da Arquidiocese de BH e outros militantes), constituída após o rompimento da barragem da VALE. Articulação foi formada com o objetivo de ajudar os atingidos às margens do Paraopeba.

Gainesville, FL – GRACE Grows

2019-07-19T00:00:00Z

GRACE Grows is a program designed to empower individuals experiencing homelessness through horticultural therapy, education, access to fresh vegetables, and community development. We are a completely volunteer based project. We strive to provide a space where people can come together to interact with nature, grow their own garden, and find community. Many guests of the shelter express that the garden is their reprieve from chaos and that they learn more through working the garden than they thought possible. There are two parts of our program, both centered around the garden. One is the therapeutic time spent in the community garden which offers a myriad of physical and mental health benefits for an underserved population. The second is the vocational course to help those who are unemployed and homeless. Why this is valuable: we are providing a vocational program that offers a credential to people who badly need employment. This enhances the evidence-based approach to ending homelessness currently being utilized by the shelter that we assist, GRACE Marketplace. We are currently collaborating with the University of Florida’s Doctor of Plant Medicine Department for Phd students to teach the course. This same certification has been used to teach people with learning disabilities locally and with people in a prison in Florida successfully. This is particularly important because GRACE Marketplace is a low barrier shelter which means there are more homeless folks who have criminal records and learning disabilities. Our approach is unique in that we combine the therapeutic aspect of gardening and growing fresh food, with case management, and assistance with job placement. Thus, we are covering our bases as well as possible for this particular demographic. We believe that success is more imminent when we incorporate a diverse subset of citizens to work towards empowering one another through service and education.

Yerevan – Ճիռոկա մըն (իմ հեքիաթը)

2019-07-19T00:00:00Z

Երկար ուսումնասիրել եմ Արագածոտնի մարզի եզդիաբնակ գյուղերը, առկա հազարավոր խնդիրների մեջ ամենացավալին երեխաների զբաղվածության հարցն է, մանկապարտեզներ չկան, դպրոցները թե շենքային ու թե ուսման մակարդակով անմխիթար վիճակում են, այդ գյուղերում նույնիսկ ծառներ չկան, որոնցից ճոճանակ կապելու հնարավորություն լինի ու երեխաների առօրյան անցնում է անարդյունավետ, անուշադրության մեջ: Ծնողները շատ հաճախ ժամանակ չեն ունենում զբաղվելու երեխաների զբաղվածության ճիշտ կազմակերպմամբ, հաճախ վաղ տարաիքից նրանք սկսում են զբաղվել գյուղատնտեսական աշխատանքներով: Ծրագիր նպատակն է փոքր հեքիաթ տանել այդ երեխաների կյանք՝ կառուցել խաղահրապարակ: Խաղը երեխայի կյանքում մեծ նշանակություն ունի և այդ փուլը պետք է հնարավորինս հագեցած կազմակերպել: Հույս ունեմ, որ այս խաղահրապարակի կառուցումը կդառնա երեխաների առօրյան արդյունավետ կազմակերպելու առաջին քայլը:

Nuremberg (Inactivo) – Fahrradfails

2019-07-19T00:00:00Z

Mehrere teils fatale Unfälle von Fahrradfahrenden mit Autos oder LKWs haben uns dazu gebracht, nachzudenken: was können wir als denkende Teile der Gesellschaft tun, um auf den großen Mangel an durchgängigen, sicheren und gut gekennzeichneten Fahrradwegen zu beseitigen? Wir können darauf aufmerksam machen – so laut wie möglich. Deshalb möchten wir neben einer Petition für ein besser ausgebautes Fahrradwegenetz in Nürnberg, Fürth und Umland auch eine Website auf die Beine stellen, die auf Bundesebene die Mängel dokumentiert. Die Website soll 2 Hauptfunktionen (Filter) haben: 1. sie soll Input von Usern (auf dem einfachsten Weg, ohne Registrierung) sammeln und zeigen können 2. sie soll gute, sichere Wegenetze aufzeigen können 3. sie soll Gefahrenstellen auf existierenden Wegenetzen aufzeigen können 4. sie soll gewünschte Fahrradrouten zeigen können und ein Voting beinhalten 5. das Backend muss alle Daten simpel und schnell ausspucken können Wir wurden bereits ins Rathaus Nürnberg eingeladen, was uns sehr freut – nach nur 24 Stunden und einem Facebook-Post zum Thema Fahrradwegesicherheit und mit Bitte um Mithilfe beim Aufsetzen einer Petition. Jedoch wollen wir gerne auch weiter hinaus. Je größer wir das Thema aufziehen, desto größer wird der Druck auf die Politik und die Stadtplanungsämter.

Lake Mac – Lake Macquarie Formal Wear Event

2019-07-18T00:00:00Z

Last year we hosted a free formal wear event at Toronto High for young people in Lake Macquarie. We appealed to the community for donations of used formal wear in good condition and were overwhelmed with the response! We received hundreds of dresses, suits, shoes, jewellery and accessory items. This year we hope to host the event again and would like to purchase clothing racks to display the clothes and vacuum bags to store the left over clothes and items to use the following year. We plan to hold this event each year to support our students to have a fantastic formal without financial stress. This event also promotes sustainability by encouraging items to be repurposed that would otherwise go unused. for a good cause. This event will be held in partnership with Lake Macquarie, Warner’s Bay and Morisset High schools. There will be donations points set up at each school for community members to drop formal wear in. The “browse, try and take” event will be held on Saturday the 24th August at Toronto High.

Ottawa – #1000Strings

2019-07-18T00:00:00Z

July’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Carol Gimbel to support a mass participatory concert in Wellington West, as part of Chamberfest. “Young musician, avid amateur, seasoned pro, and enthusiastic concert attendee – all are welcome at #1000Strings,” says Carol. “The outdoor performance will feature award-winning composer John Oswald's seminal work Spectre, which was commissioned by the Kronos Quartet in 1990 and combines live quartet with multi-layered overdub, creating the illusion of a 1000-piece string orchestra. With #1000Strings, the community joins forces to make that illusion a reality.” Play violin, viola, cello, or bass and want to join in? Signing up to participate is free. Want to just enjoy the show? It takes place Saturday, August 3rd, at 11 AM, in Hintonburg Park. Carol is a performer, producer, and director. She is also Secretary of the Canadian Viola Society and founder of Music in the Barns, which specializes in repurposing alternative performance venues for bespoke, site-specific “installation concerts.”

Chicago, IL – Helping Rebuilding Exchange Build for the Future

2019-07-17T00:00:00Z

At Rebuilding Exchange, we repurpose building materials that would otherwise enter landfills in environmentally overburdened neighborhoods and provide skills training for people living in poverty, with an overarching commitment to workforce training and economic development in Chicago's underserved communities. Rebuilding Exchange has four distinct social enterprise areas which achieve our mission. Our 25,000 square foot retail warehouse provides affordable reclaimed building materials to the general public. Our public workshops educate Chicagoans on how to use reclaimed materials and live more sustainably. RX Made, our in-house custom fabrication workshop, demonstrates the reuse of our materials through the creation of repurposed furniture. This project will support the fourth component of Rebuilding Exchange’s work: a job training program which provides individuals with barriers to employment critical training spanning a six-month apprenticeship that includes both skills and certifications. Our program comprises: - Certifications in Forklift, LEAD RRP and OSHA - Training in building deconstruction, tool proficiency, woodworking, and materials management - Immersive training in customer service and retail merchandising - A full apprenticeship in a consumer-facing warehouse and retail environment Rebuilding Exchange’s employment training program provides opportunities to Chicagoans facing a variety of employment barriers, which include homelessness and prior incarceration, as well as addiction and lack of a high school diploma. We are working with Chicago’s most underserved communities: 77% of our job trainees have only achieved a high school diploma or GED, 86% are formerly incarcerated, and 100% have been affected by homelessness or poverty. In working with our team and immersing trainees in our mission, we help them see the inarguable symmetry between the repurpose of things and the repurpose of self.

Cass Clay – Books in the Park

2019-07-17T00:00:00Z

My name is Kristi Rowekamp and I am an Interventionist at Hopkins Elementary in Moorhead. Many of the students that I work with express to me that they don’t have books at home or at least not the ones they like to read! Moorhead Public Schools is providing a mobile lunch program to certain parks this summer and Moorhead teachers have been volunteering to help with activities there and giving out “books in the park.” A few Hopkins teachers have been going to Belsley and Queens Park on Wednesdays to connect with kids and hand out books. Moorhead kids ages 1-18 are coming to get lunch from the program so we are seeing that we need a wide range of books! This grant will help us get high interest books in the hands of kids that may not have summer transportation to the libraries or quality books in their homes. Thank you so much for the opportunity to put more books in our kids hands!

San Francisco, CA – Russell City, CA: Documenting a Town Now Gone

2019-07-16T00:00:00Z

Russell City, CA was an important example of self-governing African American and Latino communities in western America, however it was destroyed in the 1960s through an urban renewal project. Many former residents of the town still live nearby though, and my previous interviews with them formed the cornerstone of my initial reconstruction of the town’s history. Using that work as a springboard, I am applying for $1000 from the Awesome Foundation to expand my original project. My goal for this second wave of interviews is to understand the impact of the town’s demolition on the residents’ lives post-relocation. The timing is critical as most of the former residents are in their late seventies to mid-90s, and some of those I spoke to initially are now deceased. I have been invited to attend the annual Hayward/Russell City Blues Festival July 13-14, 2019 as a guest of festival producer Ronnie Stewart and his West Coast Blues Society. This event commemorates the music that graced Russell City’s storied blues clubs and is a place former Russell City residents gather. Mr. Stewart has offered that I use a festival booth for free during the 2-day event. There, I plan to conduct interviews with ex-residents who attend, asking about their lives after the town was bulldozed. Keeping the festival environment in mind and that concert-goers may have limited time to talk, I plan for these interviews to be brief, but expect to gather 3 hours of material over the course of the of the festival. I have recording equipment already, and have arranged for a microphone by private loan. Having made contacts at the festival, I then plan to conduct 4 additional 1:1, hour-long interviews, diving deeper into these subjects. I will transcribe all of the audio files using the service Trint.com. Then I will send the transcripts to my interviewees for approval, and will synthesize my findings in a paper which I'll share with all of the interviewees and organizations who are part of this project.

San Francisco, CA – The Jellyfish Camera

2019-07-16T00:00:00Z

The tide in California litters the beach with small jellyfish that are clear and about the size of a marble. Holding one in your hand, you can see that they magnify light the way a camera lens does. A few years ago I took the lens off an old VHS camera, stretched saran wrap over the camera sensor, and recorded some video using the jellyfish as a lens. The result was spectral and super weird. But I was only able to film for an hour before saltwater got into the camera and it died with a puff of smoke. Fast forward to 2019 and I’ve since made a bunch of animal and plant based camera gear. I built camera flashes that bounce off seashells, a microphone windscreen from a skunk, and a steadicam that balances using sticks and stones. I’m ready to rebuild the Jellyfish Camera, but I need help to make it happen. I’ve designed a lens case with a movable aperture and a ring that allows me to adjust the distance between the jellyfish and the camera sensor for focus. Most importantly, the whole lens will be sealed so that no saltwater or sand leaks into the camera. The Jellyfish Camera builds empathy for an unfamiliar animal. I’ve consulted with Todd Oakley, an evolutionary biologist at UCSB who studies jellyfish eyes. Some jellies have eyes like humans, but no brain, so we don’t know exactly what they perceive. Many jellies, like the ones I’m using, don’t have eyes, but have light sensitive cells in their skin, which are used for navigation (no jellies are harmed in this project, in fact many are saved in the process). The Jellyfish Camera is part of a broader series of interactive sculptures, and once constructed will have many public applications. Some possibilities include inviting beach goers to operate the camera, photographing portraits of humans on the beach, or teaching a workshop to school groups about optics (as I have frequently done). My project is a fun entry to photography, but gives the viewer a deeper understanding of our relationship to the natural world.

Cass Clay – Adapt Music

2019-07-15T00:00:00Z

What does passion and a purpose create…a non-profit that provides music enrichment experiences for people with special needs. Our programs adapt musical experiences to meet people at their social, emotional, and developmental abilities. While not music therapy, adapting musical experiences such as singing, dancing, moving, playing, and creating provides motivating and enjoyable experiences while promoting auditory and visual tracking, self-discipline, accomplishment, creativity, self-expression, and social relationships. A passion, a purpose, and now a plan! Adapt Music is partnering with local organizations that serve people with special needs, and creating a program to provide the adaptive music experiences in their places of business. Adapt Music is also hosting our own events twice a month to reach kids and families in the community. All of these programs are provided at no cost to the participants.

Seattle, WA – Ravenna Park Wellness & Nature Guide

2019-07-15T00:00:00Z

My project is an interactive zine that guides visitors to Ravenna Park from the western to the eastern end of the park along the main trail in the ravine. Along the way, there are specific plants to identify, mindfulness practices to try out, and thoughts to be thought - out loud if you’d like! Merging together nature, mental health, and meditation will hopefully strengthen readers’ appreciation for the quiet yet powerful spaces tucked away in our city; perhaps, they’ll even take away 1-2 practices from today and adapt them within their own daily lives. Our urban public parks are powerful spaces, and I hope that we can build a greater sense of community and ownership around them so that they continue to be accessible and protected by all of us. Additionally, I pay respect to native American ownership of the land that Ravenna Park resides on by highlighting the Duwamish tribe’s ancestral homeland and discussing traditional native American uses of each plant identified. “Mindfulness” is a word that’s thrown around a lot today. Originating from early Buddhist teachings that date back some 2,500 years, it’s thought to produce a variety of health benefits and has begun to become integrated into a range of spaces from professional workplaces to kindergartens. It seems as though we’re all seeking a way to “let go.” My hope is that my readers will be able to find a sense of calm within our urban spaces, become curious in the small wonders of nature that surround us, and adapt these mindfulness practices to fit their own needs. My goal is to make this booklet accessible to the surrounding Ravenna community who interact with the park on a daily basis, but ensure that it is also available for POC and minority students at the University of Washington who statistically face higher barriers to accessing our natural spaces. Students face high levels of stress and this booklet will hopefully give them a chance to engage in nature to help to alleviate anxiety and stress.

Seattle, WA – Little Free Pantry movement

2019-07-15T00:00:00Z

“Two pastas, three beans, two tuna fish, and 6 energy bars. OK Mom, that’s the stock in the pantry.” These are the words of my son as he takes inventory of our Little Free Pantry which we built some seven years ago. It sits in Columbia City, on a city park which hosts a ton of foot traffic.. It looks like a Little Free Library, but it’s stocked with non-perishable foods and hygiene products. This little structure has brought the topic of food insecurity to our neighborhood and has become an exchange for those who need to receive and those who are fortunate to give. Not only do we fill our Pantry, neighbors fill it - some we’ve met, others we have not. It’s become a small contribution to reducing food insecurity in our neighborhood and a crossroads for neighbors to meet. I’d like to grow a small movement around this concept of a Little Free Pantry. I hope to build 10, 15, even 20 more pantry’s and spread them throughout SE Seattle and into the Central District. Food insecurity hides. It’s a neighbor, who while has a full time job, might have to miss a few meals to stretch the months income. I have no big dreams that Little Free Pantries will fix hunger, but what I know is it helps my neighbors who may be too proud to ask for help or might only need a little support from time-to-time. It’s not my place to judge or even know who is making use of the Pantry, but I do feel it is my responsibility to care for my neighbor, however I might be able and this is one small way. Our Pantry gets used, and often. As a family, we have made space in our food budget to buy regular staples and hygiene products for our Pantry. Our neighbors have seen our Pantry as an opportunity to support their neighbors by adding to it. Within days of filling the Pantry it will be empty. Items are taken piece by piece. People take only what they need and leave for others. Because this concept is anonymous, one might think a single person would abuse the opportunity of a free grocery

Pittsburgh, PA – Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas

2019-07-15T00:00:00Z

The mission of Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas is to support mothers and their loved ones who are experiencing this loss by providing compassionate guidance through the process of birth, meeting baby for the first time, making the time together meaningful, and saying goodbye. We want parents to be left with as little regret as possible, given the overwhelming and sometimes immediate situation. Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas exists to support grieving parents following the loss of a pregnancy or an infant. We help caregivers and parents mourn and celebrate the lives of their children across their spectrum of need — from assisting with immediate practical decisions to providing ongoing physical and emotional care. Like a traditional birth doula, they provide physical, emotional and informational support during labor and birth but have special training in perinatal loss. Bereavement doulas will work with parents to honor this birth and help them make decisions based on their unique values, beliefs, and preferences. With realistic optimism, doulas will explain what is happening, what is about to happen, and what could happen. More importantly, they have a passion to work with these families and have hearts full of love for these babies.