Awesome Foundation - Projects

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – VIVA VERDI!

2014-11-24T00:00:00Z

My awesome project is, VIVA VERDI! A 90-minute documentary currently in development. VIVA VERDI! Giuseppe Verdi, the most influential Italian opera composer of the nineteenth century – La Traviata, Aida, Falstaff, Rigoletto – willed his vast fortune to creating a retirement home for aging musicians and artists. Because of his extraordinary generosity and strong belief in the necessity of a dignified, musical retirement home for musicians, over a thousand living legends have called Casa Verdi home since its opening in 1902. Once gracing the great opera stages of the world including La Scala, The Royal Opera House and The Metropolitan Opera, Casa Verdi’s “guests,” who range in age from 77 to 103, are comprised of international opera singers, ballet dancers, musicians, conductors and composers now living out the third act of their lives with passion, dignity and purpose. Saturated with music and painted with lush cinematography, VIVA VERDI! will give viewers a glimpse of the celebrated and historic careers of these residents, currently living within the walls of Casa Verdi, and share the inspiring realities of their vibrant day-to-day lives as they continue to compose, dance, play, and mentor the newest “guests” – young music students from around the world who also call Casa Verdi home. VIVA VERDI! reveals how Verdi’s vision is not only alive and well today, but thriving – a life-affirming reminder of how music moves us at a fundamental level, and how nurturing artistic expression can create an ageless joy.

Oahu, HI – POW! WOW! Hawai`i

2014-11-23T00:00:00Z

Centered around a week-long event POW! WOW! Hawai‘i has grown into a global network of artists that organizes gallery shows, lecture series, schools for art and music, mural projects, Lana Lane Studios, a large creative community space, concerts, and live art installations across the globe. The central event takes place in February of each year in the Kaka’ako area of Honolulu, and brings together over a hundred international and local artists to create murals and other forms of art. This weeklong celebration of art culminates in a large-scale finale event. Last year, a large block party was thrown that held a fashion show, food trucks, art exhibitions, and live painting. Almost 12,000 people, including celebrities and dignitaries attended the festivities and millions worldwide viewed the events and murals via the Internet and social media, making it one of the year’s most anticipated and popular events of the year and focusing attention on Honolulu and the State of Hawai`i. POW! WOW! Hawai‘i is all about community; the local, national and international communities. The event brings local residents and visitors together and helps bind them to their colleagues, friends and fans around the world. To create a community, the skills and wisdom of the right kind of creative leaders are needed to stimulate and develop the sense of community. This in turn will encourage economic expansion, reduce crime and raise the overall standard of living in the area. POW! WOW! Hawai‘i is at the forefront of the renaissance to help shape the direction of these plans and encourage economic development through the power of the arts. All aspects of POW! WOW! Hawai‘i routinely strive to positively impact the environment, the community and the economy while also promoting Hawai`i's unique culture, history, people and diversity.POW! WOW! Hawai‘i has become the standard by which all other urban art festivals around the world attempt to replicate.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Kyn :: Democratizing Philanthropy

2014-11-23T00:00:00Z

We want to use digital tools to democratize philanthropy for all. We think it's too hard for new funders (particularly millennials inheriting large sums) to get engaged in philanthropy. Our launch app makes it super simple for new philanthropist to find and follow the work of more experienced funders in their sector. For example, if I'm interested in media innovation, I'd use Kyn to quickly find John Bracken @ Knight, Kathy Im @ MacArthur, and John Hallett @ McCormick. I'd see that two of them have made a grant to Crisis Text Line. I can either use the Kyn community to connect with those funders directly to discuss their diligence on CTL, or I can make a two-click grant to the organization. It currently takes b/w 12-17 clicks to donate to a nonprofit listed on a foundation's website. We think that should be reduced to two at most. Our vision is to insert just the right amount of technology to make philanthropy work better for all. We're exploring pseudo-anonymity tools for individuals (we've learned many people are afraid to hang out their philanthropy hat for risk of being inundated with proposals), RFP tools for family foundations (e.g. we know we want to focus on XYZ sector this spring, but how do we get the word out), and other tools to help an individual with a $200k donor advised fund be as effective as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Misadventures Magazine

2014-11-23T00:00:00Z

Misadventures Magazine was founded to fill the media gap between outdoors magazines, which are mainly written by and for men, and traditional women's magazines, which usually cover topics like fashion, weight loss, weddings, dating advice, and diet. We didn't see ourselves on either of those publications' pages and knew that there must be so many women who didn't either. We wanted Misadventures to be an outdoors magazine by and for adventurous women, and since our founding in October of last year we've gotten nothing but amazing feedback and support from so many women saying basically, "Finally! Thank you!" We've grown exponentially and now get 15,000 page views per month and have more than twenty regular contributors. Our content includes long-form essays, how-to's, guides, gear reviews, photo essays, recipes, and interviews. We hope to keep growing our readership, expanding our content and reach, and upholding our goal to change the way women are shown in the media. As our mission states: MISADVENTURES champions women who embrace creativity, take risks, and go out and beyond. We spotlight inspirational feats and figures, beautiful spaces, honest-to-goodness adventures, and discoveries of all sorts.

Los Angeles, CA – Strive Kitchen Fundraiser

2014-11-21T00:00:00Z

Strive is an academy-par After-School Academics & Arts program operating in the Watts community of South Los Angeles, serving 150 students daily. Strive's mission is to educate well mannered, academically prepared, individually responsible children who do not allow their lives to be defined by personal circumstances. One of the most important parts of this project over the last decade has been educating our students about nutrition and health. Unfortunately we find ourselves in an uphill battle against fast food, processed snacks, and sugary drinks. Don Anderson, our Program Director, has responded to our student’s eating choices by introducing a Strive kitchen and cafe, where students can have a nutritious meal and buy daily homemade treats. The success of this café has really been greater than we expected. As the kitchen has grown, we have been able to use it as a classroom, and open up a conversation with our students about nutrition and self-sufficiency in the kitchen. We are reaching out to you, to ask for your support in expanding and improving our kitchen - that's our awesome project. We have started a Fundly campaign toward this end, with a video I hope you will watch: https://fundly.com/strive-kitchen-fundraiser# Our goal is to purchase a commercial stove so that we can take the Strive Café to the next stage and have trained students working in our kitchen. Looking toward the future, we want to offer a program in which Strive operates as a restaurant, and students can learn skills as cooks, servers, and managers. The food landscape in our part of Watts provides limited choices for the hundreds of teachers and police officers that commute here daily. With your support, we can have students learning to cook and eat nutritiously, providing healthy food to the community, all while contributing to the ongoing financial viability of our after-school academics and arts program. I think that's pretty awesome, and hope you will too.

Kingston – Christmas Cheer

2014-11-21T00:00:00Z

We feed about 55 people each day; the number varies between 30 and 70. This is about 11,500 meals a year. All are welcome, and our clients are mostly the alienated, disadvantaged and marginalised of Kingston. We would like to make their Christmas a little more cheerful by providing a Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings, and, to our regular clients, a Christmas stocking of personal items which they cannot afford out of their limited incomes. We used to be able to cook the meal ourselves, but legislative changes in health and safety re cooking mean that we now have to have it professionally prepared in a commercial kitchen and this has greatly increased our costs. Your $750 will mean that we are able to have a full meal and desert and juice and coffee in a properly decorated Hall with a Christmas atmosphere. Our Coordinator identifies the regular clients - about 60 people - and we plan to give them a Christmas stocking filled with personal items such as toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, toques and scarves. Much of this is donated during the year and kept for Christmas, but we are always lacking enough of some items. We like to keep each stocking as equal as possible.

Stockholm (Non-active) – TedxYouth Stockholm

2014-11-21T00:00:00Z

In November we did something a bit different. Instead of handing out a grant ourselves we got the Swedish Prince to do it instead (yep, he's the guy in the middle). Pretty Awesome ey? It was in collaboration with Fryshuset and the competition "Sveriges Ungdomsentreprenör". The winner, 16 year old Negin Azimi, runs TEDxYouth in Stockholm. She's an incredible driven woman who has charmed the start-up and creative sector in Sweden in no time. Big congratulations and it will be great to follow her on her future endeavours!

Orlando, FL – The Oceanographer

2014-11-20T00:00:00Z

The Oceanographer is a unique and interactive puppet show. It will consist of four puppeteers performing under black light and choreographed to a custom composition. The puppets are performed on poles so the entire show can be elevated above the audience. The show is very adaptable and can be taken to many venues including schools, festivals and retirement communities. The puppets will be made from recycled and surplus parts as to inspire the audience.

Miami, FL – Bake-A-Wish Cakes Miami

2014-11-20T00:00:00Z

I started Bake-a-Wish Miami in 2011 during the summer after 8th grade. My water polo team had visited the Miami Rescue Mission for a community service project to read with the kids in the after school reading program there. I fell in love with the kids and wanted to do something nice for them, so I started baking birthday cakes for each child's birthday. Since then, Bake-A-Wish has added 3 other groups, including the after school program at Virrick Park and Esther Armbrister Park in Coconut Grove, Florida and Casa Valentina, a program for kids transitioning out of foster care and into the world. We also bake birthday cakes for the volunteers at these organizations. Our Bake-A-Wish team (which is comprised of 6 girls, ages 11-18) will bake almost 500 cakes this year. We bake every week and deliver a fresh cake on or a few days before the actual birthday of each child. We deliver every week. Below is an email I received this morning from the reading program director, Marty Steinberger: (Hi Katie, So I know that week after week it can’t be easy to get all those cakes baked. But I just want to thank you again. I wish that you could see what we see and hear what we hear about how much the cakes mean. This week there was one that meant so much that one of the READ ON volunteers was in tears because a third grade boy told her that he got a cake this year, only yours, for his birthday.…his family was evicted from their home the day before his birthday..the possessions on the street kind of eviction. He has worn the same shirt all week and it’s for sure that he wouldn’t have had a birthday celebration at all without you. He was so happy about that cake. All that baking is huge to these kids and families. Thanks, Marty) A cake seems like such a little thing, I know. But we believe that the little things make a big difference and that every child should feel special on their birthday. Thanks for reading!

Ottawa – Ghosts of the Internet

2014-11-18T00:00:00Z

November’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Evan Roth to support a pilgrimage using ghost hunting technologies to document physical evidence of the Internet. “Paranormal researchers,” explains Evan, “have developed their own technologies to help them communicate with spirits. And while I am agnostic towards the existence of ghosts, I find this equipment fascinating and telling of society’s relationship with technology in general. Ghost hunting technologies, like many of today’s social media platforms, are made by believers who attempt (and often fail) to use technology to give us human and emotional connections to people who we rarely see in person. Through this journey, I want to learn more about the physical and spiritual foundations of the Internet by documenting its infrastructure using technology designed to detect ghosts.” “Off the coasts of England and Wales,” Evan continues, “there are several small beach towns that are the landing points for the fiber optic cables that connect the United States and Europe. As it happens, these locations also contain a number of castles, cemeteries, and abandoned prisons considered to be haunted by many paranormal societies. Over the course of a five-day ghost hunting mission, I will visit locations of importance to both the Internet and spirits. I will take various ghost hunting technologies with me (e.g., full spectrum video camera, thermal flashlight, and electronic voice phenomenon recorder) and plan to collect data from these devices and from nearby public computer terminals (e.g., Internet browsing history and cached data).” Evan plans to document his ghost and Internet hunting activities online using photos, videos, and maps. “My aim with this mission,” he says, “is to share my findings on the physical and spiritual Internet, as something that passes through, over, and under the places where we live and die. I also haven’t ruled out the possibility that I may make contact with something unexpected.” Evan is an American artist based in Paris. His website is http://www.evan-roth.com.

Boulder, CO (Non-active) – Support in Rebuilding

2014-11-18T00:00:00Z

I am helping a family who has lost everything in a recent mobile home fire find permanent housing . This has been an opportunity to call on friends to pitch in to help a family through tremendous grief . We will be looking at a mobile home in Lafayette on Friday . $12,000 has been raised through GoFund Me . We can buy a mobile home for this amount and then continue to raise funds to remodel or I can continue to reach out and get commitments to get them into something nicer and newer . Friends have donated the money to buy all new beds , pads , sheets , pillows , comforters and towels . What is needed now is a safe home . Thank you for your consideration , Sherry ROSAMOND 1500 Alpine Avenue Boulder, CO 80304 7204349108

Gloucester, MA – St Vincent de Paul of Cape Ann

2014-11-18T00:00:00Z

The St. Vincent de Paul Society provides support for the basic needs of people in the Cape Ann community. Services that are offered, but not limited to, are assistance for rent, heat, and utilities, food from our Food Pantry, clothing, via the Clothes Closet and security deposits. Food is donated via food drives and individual donations. All money we receive is also donated by patrons who have chosen St. Vincent de Paul as their personal charity. A hundred per cent of donations is returned directly to the community of Cape Ann, as no administrative costs or fees are taken. For those services we cannot meet, we direct our clients to various agencies. At Thanksgiving we provide dinners, and at Christmas we provide dinners and presents to the children of the families to whom we have provided services.

Perth (Non-active) – Eat Your Art Out: An edible Art Community Event

2014-11-16T00:00:00Z

My project is a public art event. The concept is to create 'edible dopplegangers' of famous works of art. The edibles will be displayed next to/near prints or decals of the artworks. I will bake some of the edible goods, and the others will be prepared by hired bakers as well as artists and bakers recruited from the community who are offering their skills for free. An event location has already been confirmed - it will be held at Crow Books as well as Crow Books in East Victoria Park, simultaneously (the venues are about 100 metres from each other). It will take place at night in February 2015. Attendees will spend some time admiring the edible dopplegangers, before being able to buy anything edible to taste for themselves (these are things like individual sized parfaits, pieces of cake, cheese platters drinks). The event is aimed at increasing a sense of community, and appreciating modern art. This is also a charity event. Proceeds from the event will go to the Harry Hunter Rehabilitation Centre, which is currently the ONLY organisation in Western Australia to have a therapeutic program for children whose parents have drug abuse issues. These children are at a high risk of psychological problems, including their own drug abuse issues as they reach adolescence. Despite calls from researchers and government agencies for an urgent need for programs to help this at-risk group, there currently remains only one in WA. The proceeds are needed for Harry Hunter to continue running the program by updating program materials and training new counsellors to run the program. Please note that whilst some of the attached images show edible art that will in appear at the event, artists/bakers will also be given free range to be inspired by their own artwork and bake an edible good of their own choosing.

Yerevan – ՛՛ Թատրոնն անիվների վրա՛՛

2014-11-14T00:00:00Z

Ամեն կիրակի խումբը մեկնում է որևէ սահմանամերձ գյուղ: Դերասաններն ու տիկնիկները գյուղով անցնելիս հրավիրում են մարդկանց ներկայացում դիտելու: Ներկայացումից հետո կլինի մաստերկլաս, որի ընթացքում կսովորեցնենք տիկնիկ պատրաստել , ապա իրենց պատրաստած տիկնիկներով տեղում կբեմադվի ներկայացում և այն կնվիրվի կամ կմնա տվյալ գյուղի դպրոցին կամ մշակույթի տանը:

Philadelphia, PA – Student Investment Lab and Fund

2014-11-14T00:00:00Z

Did you know 70% of Pennsylvania college students graduate with student debt? And only 1 in 4 invest in 401(k) retirement tools. And in 2014 the average credit card debt of Americans was $15,600. The fact is, Americans aren't the most financially literate people. I want to fix that with a program called Student Investment Lab and Fund, or SILAF. SILAF is a non-profit education program for Philadelphia high school students that teaches financial literacy through investment. Unlike other investing programs for high school students, we create a structured platform for students to work with real money. No other organization (save a few swanky private schools) does this. How does investing relate to financial literacy? Glad you asked. Our premise is that when a student understands complex concepts in investment management, a baseline of awareness is created. That baseline includes an understanding of what a 401(k) is, how to invest, and the importance of balancing assets across cash, credit, equity, and other financial vehicles. In other words, not every student may understand how to trade commodities in the futures market, but all will understand how to save using stocks (and a retirement plan. Because our program is 100% hands on, with all real money, students become really engaged. That engagement helps them get real-world experience (and comfort) in investing. Then, when confronted with signing a student loan document, starting a retirement account, or opening a new credit card, they are more familiar with the importance of their financial decisions to giving them power over their lives.

Boston, MA (Non-active) – Telescope lending project

2014-11-13T00:00:00Z

I am a Boy Scout in Troop 1 Acton and am currently at Life rank, the one before Eagle. This project will help me finish my Eagle Scout rank. I want to purchase and modify 3 telescopes so they can be lent out by the Acton Memorial Library. Once they are constructed, any citizen of Acton will have the ability to "borrow" a telescope from the library just as they could any book or movie. I will need to order a total of 3 telescopes. The StarBlast 4.5"Astro Reflector" has been used very successfully in several libraries in NH and is recommended because it is sturdy and durable. The telescope was designed for simplicity and good basic performance. It swivels on a sturdy wooden altazimuth base so you can point it and view the sky easily. The whole telescope comes pre-assembled and ready to use. To use it, you have to attach the included EZ Finder II reflex sight, and insert one of the two included 1.25" telescope eyepieces. The developer of the telescope lending programs recommends modifying certain parts of each telescope in order to make it more durable for lending. The materials I will need will be the parts necessary to modify the StarBlast 4.5 telescopes. These include 3 Celestron 8-24mm Zoom eyepieces (3 @$50 each =$150), some 8” nylon Mason’s line string ($10), Epoxy Glue - Fast setting ($5.00), Velcro “Spots” (1” by ¾”) ($5.00), and 20 Plastic furniture sliders ($5.00). I will also need to assemble the three user manuals to go with each telescope, and make some warning stickers to put on each. The manual is an 18-page booklet printed on 9 (4 x 6 ") unlined index cards. The lamination keeps the booklet dry when out under the night sky. Staples will, for a small fee, laminate and spiral bind the instructions using 30 4''X 6'' card stock paper. T think this project is awesome because it has never been done in my town, and I think everyone deserves to see the stars! Some members of the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston (ATMoB) have agreed to mentor me.

Boston, MA (Non-active) – Mannequin to Train Rural Ugandan Nurses

2014-11-13T00:00:00Z

The average young person in Rural Uganda will not study beyond secondary level education and will earn less than $500 per year. Additionally, Uganda only has 1 trained nurse per 1,000 people in the country. Rural Ugandans lack access to healthcare and education due to a lack of trained healthcare workers. In order to address these problems, ACCESS (African Community Center for Social Sustainability) is in the midst of building a comprehensive nursing school to train young people as skilled health workers. Once the school is up and running, our students, graduates and staff will provide access to care for approximately 12,000 patients and community members per year through clinical services and public health programs. These young people will also be able to work in a respected healthcare profession, increase their annual income, and provide for their families.

Boston, MA (Non-active) – Colorful Swarm of Robots

2014-11-13T00:00:00Z

I want to make a swarm of 20 glowing small robots and choreograph them, like Disney's pixelbots (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-3rkrqvO14) but for 1/10 the cost (each of their robots costs $500. gctronic.com/shop.php). They are wireless (bluetooth low energy) and controlled via an position feedback overhead camera or just open-loop. I've made three working robots already and want to make more. http://gfycat.com/AmusedCoordinatedDragonfly http://gfycat.com/WavyOptimisticAbyssiniancat http://gfycat.com/LightAlertArthropods Disclaimer: I developed these for a hopeful-commercial project. It's only reasonable to make a few robots on our budget right now, but I really want to make a swarm of them, because that'd be cool and I always wanted to say that I've controlled a swarm of robots to do my bidding. Who wouldn't?

Antigonish, NS (Non-active) – Get the Town Growing

2014-11-12T00:00:00Z

Get the Town Growing (GTG) is an initiative that was born out of the Kitchen Table Green Economics project, spearheaded by Juliet Merrifield, which was a community engagement to find decisive action plans to help "green the economy" of Antigonish. GTG is one of the 3 action plans that came from this initiative. The vision of this group is to go beyond community gardens and plant food that is fully accessible and visible to anyone walking around Antigonish. There are 3 main reasons why we believe this can benefit the community even more than the standard community garden model; 1- ABUNDANCE ~ The food is grown in plain sight of Main Street and so gives people a continuous sense of abundance as they explore the town. 2 - ACCESSIBILITY ~ The food is available to everyone. There will be instructional signs and workshops to encourage anyone and everyone to harvest and eat this food grown right there in front of them. 3 - PROMOTION OF LOCAL PRODUCERS ~ This project will aim to help people think about where their food comes from and encourage them to buy local and even grow their own food! We have approached the People's Place Library about using their land for the initial stages of this project, and they agreed to give us access to virtually all of it. This fall we are planning on planting garlic and in the spring there are plans to plant a full community food forest!

New York City, NY – To Park or Not to Park

2014-11-12T00:00:00Z

To Park or Not to Park? is a guerrilla parking sign redesign project run by interaction designer and concerned citizen Nikki Sylianteng. After getting ticketed one-too-many times, she wondered why parking signs had to be so complicated and thought there must be a better way. Curious if it would be helpful to other drivers, she started posting the new signs under existing ones starting with the one outside her apartment window. Each had a comment box and a marker so drivers could leave their thoughts. Since then, the signs have gone (and are still going) through multiple iterations thanks to people's participation. It has also caught the interest of several cities and have even become municipal matters at council hearings. Follow along at http://toparkornottopark.com where you can back the project and submit a sign of your own to receive a parking sign kit to post in your own neighborhood.

Chicago, IL – The Beauty Pack

2014-11-12T00:00:00Z

(To be completely honest, I took this off of my website. I worked hard writing it and believe it's the best representation of my non-profit!) "Here at The Beauty Pack, we are firm believers in kind hearts, unwavering bravery, and pure optimism. We believe that each and every women should be able to feel beautiful and we believe to feel beautiful, we must take care of ourselves inside and out. Confidence is a necessary trait in all aspects of life. As women, we tend to lack this despite our best efforts. It's not because we are hesitant to our dreams and goals, but rather we are taught that disregarding compliments is a sign of humility. In order to rebuild this poise among women, we must begin with the basics. When we feel beautiful, we feel confident. Whether it's that bold red lip or a subtle pink blush, we all have that one little thing that makes us feel as though we can take on the world! And that's our goal; to help women with hardships gain the confidence and knowledge they need when applying for jobs, when dealing with financial responsibilities, and when taking care of themselves both physically and emotionally. Each pack contains items for hair, face, dental, and body care. So basically, the bare necessities along with a few extra surprises. We also include a few tips and tricks for styling hair, as well as an inspirational quote."

Austin, TX – Inside Books Project: promoting literacy for prisoners

2014-11-11T00:00:00Z

The Inside Books Project is an Austin-based organization that has sent more than ¼ million free books and educational materials to Texas prisoners since 1998. Amazingly, Inside Books is the only books-to-prisoners program in the state of Texas, where the prison population numbers over 160,000. The goal of the project is to promote reading, literacy and education among inmates as well as spread awareness and understanding of incarceration issues among the general public, "There's nothing quite like the pleasure of reading a letter from someone who is deeply in need of a service you can provide," says volunteer Jane Chamberlain. "The prisoners are so appreciative; hardly a letter fails to begin without some form of "thank you for the great books, God bless you all!'" Inside Books receives an average of 1,200 written requests per month from inmates across Texas. A frequently requested item is the Inside Books Resource Guide, a 24-page pamphlet that serves as a go-to references for prisoner needs. Inside Books is a 100% volunteer operation, and last year, 86% percent of the organization's budget went to just one line-item: postage. The Austin Awesome Foundation's $1000 grant will be deposited directly into the Inside Books postal account. Says Chamberlain, "Austin is a hub of good will, and Inside Books is proud to be part of the benevolent vibrations that emanate from our city to all parts of Texas. We know that some of our clients are Austinites, because they often come to see us when they get out and say they're ready to give back the goodness they received while inside."

Tel Aviv - קרן בקטנה (Non-active) – יחד-יוצרים חברה רב דורית

2014-11-11T00:00:00Z

היום זקן זו מילת גנאי. כולנו בורחים מהזקנה, רואים בה כדוחה ולא מקובלת, סיגלנו ראייה סטיגמתית ולא נכונה אודות הזקנה. כך הזקן הפך למנודה. זאת לצד תופעת בדידות הזקנים שהולכת וגדלה, הבדידות הפכה לחלק בלתי נפרד מהזקנה בעקבות מוות הקרובים, התרחקות המשפחה, עוני והנידוי החברתי הבלתי נסבל. בגיל העשרה מסתמנת תפישה הרואה את הזקן כחלש, לא רלוונטי ולא משמעותי, תפישה המושתתת על חוסר מפגש עם הדור הזקן, על סטיגמות חברתיות וכן על אי הבנת הדור הזקן. בנוסף, רבים מבני הנוער לא מגיעים למסגרות המפתחות רגישות חברתית וסובלנות כלפי האחר, לעיצוב דמות הנער כאזרח פעיל, אכפתי ומעורב חברתית. פרויקט יחד שם לעצמו למטרה לתת מענה לתופעות אלו. החל משנת הלימודים תשע"ה, יפתחו קבוצות בני נוער תלמידי כיתה י', שיצוותו לזוגות ויגיעו באופן שבועי לבית זקן בודד. בפגישות השלושה ישוחחו, ישחקו, ילמדו אחד מהשני, יתנדבו למען הקהילה ועוד, בהתאם לרצונותיהם. זאת כחלק מהמחויבות האישית של התלמידים. לצד הפגישות השבועיות, בני הנוער יעברו מסלול הדרכתי תלת שנתי (י'י"ב) תומך שילווה אותם. המסלול נועד ללוות את בני הנוער בקשייהם ולהפוך את הפגישות למשמעותיות ביותר ולמהנות ביותר, הן לבני הנוער והן לזקנים. המסלול יהא במתכונת פגישה קבוצתית חודשית לצד התנדבות קבוצתית (של בני הנוער יחד עם הזקנים). המפגש עם בני הנוער וכן התרומה לקהילה, יגרמו לזקן לחוש שייך ורצוי, דבר שיעלה את דימויו העצמי ויפיג חלק מבדידותו. כתוצאה מהמפגש עם הזקן וכן מתוכנית ההדרכה, בני הנוער יפתחו תחושת אחריות חברתית ותפישתם אודות הזקנה תשתנה. יחד, הזקנים ובני הנוער יצרו שינוי משמעותי בחברה לכל זקן תבנה תוכנית אישית המתאימה לצרכיו. לדוגמה, פנה אלינו זקן בודד בעל כישרון בנגינה על כינור שאת כישרונו רצה להעביר הלאה. על כן מצאנו עבורו תלמידים שרוצים ללמוד ממנו, דבר שמעלה את דימויו העצמי ומפיג את תחושת הבדידות שלו. בנוסף-הצוות המוביל של הפרויקט, שמורכב מקבוצה רב-גילאית, יוציא לפועל ארבע פעילויות שיא במהלך השנה שמטרתם לעורר מודעות לתופעת נידוי הזקן מהחברה והעלאת מעמדו בחברה.

Sarnia (Non-active) – Day Surgery Pillowcase Program

2014-11-10T00:00:00Z

When a child comes into the Day Surgery Unit they pick out a pillowcase that is put on their pillow and it travels into surgery and recovery with them. At the end of the day it goes home with them. This is an ongoing program. It gives the nurses a talking point as soon as they walk into the child's room and helps the child relax a bit. We hope to make a child’s stay with us a positive experience, as best under the circumstance. So far the pillowcases have been donated by local Sarnia quilters and sewers. The response has been amazing! But the donations are slowing down as everyone's supplies are getting low. Many have gone out to purchase fabric on their own. I am the liaison between the Day Surgery Unit and the quilters and sewers. I ensure the cases are washed and pressed, put into bags with information on the donation and the Pillowcase Program.

Sarnia (Non-active) – Scottish festival

2014-11-10T00:00:00Z

Our awesome Scottish festival is fun for the whole family. We will share and celebrate our Scottish heritage through games, dancing, music, demonstrations, food, myths and legends. My goal is to have this as the first annual Scottish festival here in Sarnia.

San Antonio, TX – Movie Night at the Alamo

2014-11-07T00:00:00Z

The Alamo is seeking to host our second ever movie night at the Alamo. Last year we screened the 1960 version of The Alamo to coincide with the anniversary of the birth of Alamo defender Davy Crockett. This year, we are wanting to screen the classic Texas Western The Searchers to coincide with a new exhibit running at the Alamo from October 15th through April 15th.

New Orleans, LA (Non-active) – Inquiry to Action for Education Justice

2014-11-05T00:00:00Z

This fall, we will be offering Inquiry to Action Groups (ITAGs) in addition to our regular programming. An ITAG is a study group focused on education and social justice. Participants engage in collective study and group reflection about a topic relevant to them and develop an action project together at the end. Our goals with ITAGs are to: 1) Provide public school educators (particularly New Orleans transplants) with small group spaces to deepen their analyses of how systemic oppression impacts student experiences by learning with and from community members who are most affected by education injustice. 2) For transplant teachers and community members to develop action projects together that respond to needs in the community. “Action” simply means doing something public with the knowledge gained, like raising awareness around a particular issue or engaging in advocacy. In New York, ITAGs have produced resource guides for parents and teachers on supporting English Language Learners and led to the creation of an annual conference on supporting LGBTQ students. Our first 2 ITAGs will be on the School-to-Prison Pipeline in New Orleans and Cross-Cultural Communication. Anyone who is impacted by education injustice in New Orleans is invited to participate. We will be offering transportation, childcare, and food so that meetings are accessible to everyone who wants to be there. Our aim is to have 10 to 15 participants in each ITAG to start. ITAGs will be co-facilitated by a member of the NTRT member collective and another person with knowledge and experience in the area of study. In general, these people will be parents, students, organizers and activists in the struggle for a just education system in New Orleans. The non-member co-facilitator will receive a stipend for their work. ITAGs will meet weekly over a 6-week period beginning late October. At the end of the series, participants will showcase their action projects at a public event.

Nuremberg (Non-active) – Wir kaufen die Quelle!

2014-11-05T00:00:00Z

Wir arbeiten an einem Projekt der Superlative. Wir - sind Mieter im ehemaligen Quellegebäude. Gewerbetreibende, Freiberufler, Künstler und Kreative unterschiedlicher Disziplinen haben sich zum Quellkollektiv e.V. zusammengeschlossen, um den Mietern, aber auch der am Gebäude interessierten Öffentlichkeit, den Bürgern, eine Stimme zu geben. Aus einer Arbeitsgruppe dieser Formation ensteht aktuell der Verein Wir kaufen die Quelle e.V. Unsere Initiative vernetzt sich aktiv mit unterschiedlichen Protagonisten der Stadt, der Region, aber auch deutschlandweit und international. Nachdem sich die Komplexität einer wirtschaftlichen Umnutzung des Industriedenkmals Quelle für herkömmliche Investoren im Rahmen von best-practise Verfahren kontinuierlich als Hemmnis erweist, fordern wir dazu auf, gemeinsam Stadtplanung zu erproben. Wir schaffen hierfür eine Plattform im Internet, laden zu praktischen und theoretischen Workshops ein, stellen Räume dazu zur Verfügung, sind Schnittstelle zur Öffentlichkeit. Unser Anspruch ist es im Sinne des Begriffs STATE OF THE ART ein international wegweisendes Modellvorhaben zur Ausführung zu bringen. Dazu erarbeiten wir einen Stufenplan, Analysen und Strategiepapiere. Unser Vorhaben muss gleichzeitig in einer gewissen Detailschärfe kommunizierbar gemacht werden, jedoch auch intensiv als Großes Ganzes, als Strukturmodell, betrachtet werden. Fachleute werden genauso herangezogen wie interessierte Laien. Aufgabe ersten Ranges ist es jetzt, die junge Initiative zu professionalisieren und einen organisatorischen Flow zu konstituieren, der ein seriöses Bild für die Öffentlichkeit generiert. Es müssen Kapazitäten geschaffen werden um kompetent in die jeweils notwendige Richtung zu kommunizieren. Sowohl das Quellkollektiv, als auch "Wir kaufen die Quelle", arbeiten derzeit auf Basis ehrenamtlichen Engagements. Nächster Schritt ist es, die Unternehmung mit ersten Geldmitteln zu versorgen. Die AWESOME FOUNDATION wäre unser erster BOOST !

Oahu, HI – Giving Hawaii's youth an ADVANTAGE in athletics!

2014-11-05T00:00:00Z

Long term, ASA projects aim to provide affordable after-school athletic opportunity at the lower school levels; I"m currently using program service fees and community support to subsidize fees at elementary schools on island. If students and families had access to affordable after-school athletic programs, I believe they will be more inclined to keep their child active and promote a lifestyle that is healthy and active. Just as important, students will have a positive place to go to after school as opposed to potentially getting into unsupervised activity. Short term, ASA is creating small soccer clinics at multiple elementary schools and remote locations; building the model and foundation step by step. ASA currently has after-school soccer programs for grades K-3 at Aikahi, Enchanted Lake, Kainalu, and Lanikai Elementary schools for the public sector. A soccer program for grades K-6 at Kamehameha Kapalama Campus has our largest student base. For the 2014/15 school year, ASA wants to provide an after-school soccer program for a new school to join our goal to promote a lifestyle that is healthy and active.

Oahu, HI – DVAC Lipstick Holder Outreach Project

2014-11-05T00:00:00Z

DVAC continually seeks innovative ways to reach and empower victims, providing them with advocacy and critical information. Our Lipstick Holder project is an outreach give away that we would offer to women at community events. Each lipstick container would contain important contact and safety planning information for victims to use in times of need in an unassuming cosmetic case that blends in with a woman's purse (undetectable for the most part by the controlling partner). Safety is of the utmost concern in reaching out to domestic violence victims and this project is a safer and opportune way to reach female victims. Support requested from the Awesome Foundation of Oahu will enable DVAC to deliver critical information to potential clients in a secure and protected manner so they can contact DVAC for help. Thank you for considering supporting DVAC's Lipstick Holder Project.

Lusaka (Non-active) – Replacing Firewood and Charcoal with Waste Biomass

2014-11-04T00:00:00Z

San Francisco, CA – Jam Buckets. Hosted by Mission Science Workshop.

2014-11-04T00:00:00Z

The project is called a Jam Bucket! Helping kids to explore and realize their imagination, curiosity, achievement, a basic understanding of circuits, electromagnetism, industrial design and a way to see their own creations come to life – it all comes in the Bucket. The Jam Bucket is housed in a square plastic kitty litter style box (very durable and easy to find), can be mounted on a bike rack, has two 120 watt water resistant, marine speakers, an impressively long-lasting lithium-ion battery and a 20 watt amplifier. It requires a little bit of elbow grease, an afternoon worth of time and an interest in learning about basic electronics and hand tools. I've had mine for two years, have taken it to the beach (a lot!), got caught in the rain, brought it on countless bike rides, and generally used it as much as possible. It has never needed repair and puts out enough bass that it once shook my mobile phone off the table and cracked the screen. The idea was born when a friend came up with the original Jam Bucket design, mounted it to his bike and brought it on a bike ride about two years ago. So many people were interested in it, he helped 18 people make their own. Since then, I've been informally teaching students and friends how to make them using my personal Jam Bucket as a prototype. Now, the MSW has agreed to donate space and tools to let me host an official build day the first weekend in December. At this point, there is quite a backlog of interest! I have a list of about 20 workshop volunteers, parents, teachers, and approximately 25 students who would like to make one for themselves. My goal is to empower 10 adults and 10 kids to make their own sound systems, regardless of experience or expertise. For every Jam Bucket that an adult makes, I'd like to have a kid Bucket subsidized - aiming for 1:1 ratio. At $120 each for material costs, a Jam Bucket is out of reach for many of our students, most of whom are characterized as living below the poverty line. I'd like to open the build day to any interested student, and don't want a lack of funds to be a barrier. I will use the grant to subsidize $100 in material costs for each of the 10 student Jam Buckets being built on that day, only asking for $20 from each student to help build their very own Jam Bucket. I've been working on ways to cut the cost or redesign the Jam Bucket, but honestly, it's a steal at this cost. And the return on investment is immeasurable. I've helped students that wouldn't pick up tools on their own before building one; now, they love explaining circuits, exploring how sound works and showing others how to solder. Every single person I know who has a Jam Bucket loves showing it off, talking about how easy it was to make, how much it’s inspired them to design and make new things and to explore and push their creative boundaries. Myself included. Making and having the ability to fix something you use and enjoy is nourishing. Being to use it as a tool to inspire and teach others is truly awesome.

Orlando, FL – Getaboard Skateboarding Outreach Program

2014-11-04T00:00:00Z

Plano, TX (Non-active) – Makerspace - Sigler Elementary

2014-11-04T00:00:00Z

Maker education is beginning to pop up in public libraries across the nation and we believe it is time for Maker Education to be introduced to the students and families at Sigler Elementary. Could you imagine a school library where students come to build, create, design tinker and make? Could you imagine a school library where the librarian encourages conversation, collaboration and is on the cutting edge of 21st century learning? With your support, Sigler Elementary will be on the front lines of transitioning our library from what it is currently to a 21st century learning commons where students come to build, create, design, tinker and make. To be successful in the 21st century students need to work in collaborative groups, focus on project based learning and do it on their terms. Designing a space in an elementary school, specifically, in our library will show parents, teachers and students just how committed we are to ensuring they are ready for life, ready for a post secondary education and ready to have fun while integrating their ideas in a hands on, technology driven work space where they do the work!

Tel Aviv - קרן בקטנה (Non-active) – בית ספר חופשי מצפה רמון- קהילה משתפת ידע

2014-11-04T00:00:00Z

תמונת מצב: מצפה רמון הינה העיירה המבודדת ביותר בארץ. המבנה הקהילתי בה מורכב ממספר מגזרים שונים מפורזים, שכמעט לא באים במגע זה עם זה. ותיקים, חדשים (10 שנים ופחות), דתיים, חילונים, קהילת העבריים, העלייה הרוסית, אנשי הקבע והבדווים. מטרת המיזם היא לחבר בין הקהילות השונות במצפה רמון, ליצור שיתופי פעולה חברתיים ועסקיים חדשים, לחשוף את הקהילה המקומית לתרבות ולידע ולהעצים את קהילת הקהילות של מצפה רמון. באמצעות המיזם מגוון רחב של תושבים, מכל הקהילות, יקבלו במה וחשיפה. התודעה הקולקטיבית במצפה רמון היא של הישרדות. מטרת המיזם היא לשנות את התודעה של התושבים לתודעה של שפע, ע"י חשיפה ולקיחת חלק בעושר האנושי הקיים פה. הפורמט אותו אימצנו הוא פורמט עולמי הנקרא פריסקול. זהו פורמט שנוצר באירופה במסגרתו אנשים מהקהילה מעבירים בהתנדבות ידע לאנשי הקהילה. במקומות מסוימים מדובר בשבוע/ סופ"ש בשנה. במקומות אחרים מדובר במבנה קבוע בו מתקיים המיזם כל השנה. שני עקרונות נוספים: 1. המיזם שייך לקהילה ולא לאף גוף פרטי או עסקי. 2. כסף לא מעורב בפרויקט (מבחינת הקהילה). במקומות רבים בעולם האירועים מתרחשים בשיטת "הכובע"- כל אחד משלם כמה שנראה לו. כאן הכוונה היא לקיים אירועים בהם אין תחלופת כספים כלל. הכל בחינם ובהתנדבות. במצפה רמון קיימנו בחודש מאי האחרון אירוע ראשון בשם "בית ספר חופשי מצפה רמון- קהילה משתפת ידע". במסגרת האירוע התקיימו הרצאות ופעילויות שונות לאורך 3 ימים במתחמים שונים ביישוב. התחומים היו מגוונים – אמנות, מוזיקה, גופנפש, פסיכולוגיה, אסטרונומיה, תזונה ובריאות, דת, אקולוגיה וקיימות ועוד.. . המנחים נבחרו מכל קשת הקהילות של מצפה רמון- חדשים, ותיקים, קהילת העבריים, דתיים, ובדווים. הפעילויות כוונו להתאים למגוון רחב של אנשים. נלקחו בחשבון צרכי כל הקהילות, לדוגמא- היו פעילויות פיזיות (יוגה וכד') לנשים וגברים בנפרד. המועצה המקומית תמכה באירוע ומימנה את הדפסת והפצת חוברת האירוע. כל השאר נעשה בהתנדבות- חודשיים של הפקה, עיצוב החוברות, פרסום בלתי פוסק באינטרנט ובשיחות אישיות ועוד. בעלי עסקים מקומיים תרמו את המתחמים שלהם לאירוע. האירוע היה הצלחה אדירה. היו 750 כניסות לאירוע. לכל המנחים נוצרה עבודה בעקבות האירוע, נוצרו קשרים חברתיים חדשים והיתה תחושת עוצמה חדשה. מאז כולם דורשים עוד אירוע.

Tel Aviv - קרן בקטנה (Non-active) – כדורגל לחסרי בית

2014-11-04T00:00:00Z

"כדורגל לחסרי בית" היא עמותה שהוקמה על ידי אורי שוהם ועמרי אברמוביץ' כדי ליצור פרויקט, בו חסרי בית יוכלו לשחק כדורגל. בתחילת ספטמבר הרעיון הוצג לאגף חברה ומניעת פשיעה, מצילה של המשרד לביטחון פנים ולעיריית ת"א, שהחליטו ביחד לממן את הפרויקט, לתקופה של שנה ולהיות שותפים בהקמתו. המימון של הפרויקט מגיע לעמותת "מפעלות חינוך" שמפעילים את הפרויקט, כלומר: הם מביאים את המאמן והציוד הדרוש (ביגוד, כדורים וקונוסים) כאשר הפעילות נערכת פעם בשבוע במרכז קהילתי צ'רנר ביפו. במהלך השנה וחצי האחרונות נוצר "גרעין קשה" של 8 משתתפים שמגיעים לכל אימון, כשאליהם מצטרפים כאלו שאינם מגיעים באופן סדיר. עבור אותם משתתפים המסגרת מעניקה עוגן בחיים, כפי שהם תיארו זאת. חלקם דיברו על כך שלראשונה זה שנים יש להם תחביב ודבר שהם מצפים לו כל שבוע, כך שמעבר לפעילות הגופנית שתורמת להם מאוד ואף מחזיקה אחדים מהם מחוץ למעגל ההתמכרות הרי, שהמסגרת והחברה תורמים להם מאוד. בנוסף, אחד מהמשתתפים, בעזרתם הנדיבה של אנשי "מפעלות חינוך", החל קורס מאמנים, כשגם אם הוא לא יסיים אותו, הפרויקט היווה פלטפורמה לקדם אותו בחייו. בשנה וחצי האחרונות עברנו הרבה קשיים: רבים מהמשתתפים יוצאים וחוזרים מגמילות, חלקם פתאום נתקו את הקשא וןאז חזרו לפתע אחרי כמה חודשים . אנחנו תמיד נמצאים במגרש, כל יום רביעי ב18 ביפו כשבשנה וחצי האחרונות רק 3 אימונים התבטלו. הכוח של הפרויקט שלנו הוא הגיבוש שנוצר בקבוצה ובין חברי הקבוצה לצוות העזרה שלכם תהיה מאוד חשובה לפרויקט ולאנשים המדהימים שבתוכו. אתם מוזמנים להגיע לאימון...

Los Angeles, CA – Helping children reach their potential!

2014-11-03T00:00:00Z

GOoaL is growing much faster than expected because the need is so great. In fact, GOoaL has been recognized on the national Amputee Coalition webpage as the only group in LA that helps anyone with limb loss. Because of this recognition, we have been flooded with calls not only for children, but also from adult amputees and families. Everyone wants to join our events and be connected to a support network. GOoaL educates, supports, and empower children with prosthetics to develop a positive GO attitude while living a healthy, active, happy, independent lifestyle and to never give up!

Liverpool – Awesome Fivers

2014-11-03T00:00:00Z

My Awesome Project aims to increase the public awareness of the Awesome Foundation Liverpool (and the Awesome Foundation as a whole) by distributing 90 £5 notes in an envelope with a flyer telling people about Awesome Liverpool and the cool work that we do. We would partner with the local press/media to announce the free £5 giveaway and hide the envelopes (pink envelopes, of course) around the city. We would put a hashtag on the envelope to encourage social sharing when people find the £5 note and ask them to share the awesome story with 10 people they know. In addition to sharing the message of what we do, a free fiver would bring joy to someones day. It'd absolutely bring joy to my day. Can I lend a fiver?

Atlanta, GA – Fun Weird Science: S.T.E.M skills for at-risk kids

2014-11-03T00:00:00Z

Fun Weird Science is a K-12 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) enrichment movement under the Georgia Science & Robotics Academy, Inc (501c3 pending). We seek to inspire underrepresented students to pursue careers in STEM through high energy, engaging learning experiences. We will use the funds to acquire tablets for the purpose of engaging students in computer science learning experiences with an emphasis on creating apps.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – MusicWorks

2014-11-03T00:00:00Z

MusicWorks is a dynamic non-profit organisation that uses music to unlock potential in the lives of children in marginalised communities in Cape Town, South Africa. It’s not about teaching kids to play musical instruments (although that is the happy outcome in some instances); it’s about creating safe spaces for children where we use music as a means for healing and transformation. We believe music can bring about social change. Our programmes are based on the discipline of Music Therapy – a recognised and regulated profession in South Africa (the same as psychology or occupational therapy), and actually recognised by medical aids. It is our mission to make music therapy sessions available to vulnerable youngsters who do not have access to adequate psychosocial support (and medical aid). And there are many of them in Cape Town. We’ve had 11 incredible years running various programmes in many under-privileged areas and townships in Cape Town . The children we work with come from impoverished communities and have been exposed to trauma including domestic violence, gang violence, sexual abuse, illness (such HIV&AIDS and TB), substance abuse and neglect. The sessions are facilitated by registered music therapists and give children an opportunity to process the trauma they have experienced. We also work in hospital settings, where music therapy sessions offer children battling illnesses a chance to express that which is healthy and hopeful within them. We also have Music for Life after-school music programmes where community musicians run marimba bands, choirs, drumming circles, and gumboot dancing. All these programmes provide a safe space where children can come to and experience a sense of belonging and a sense of self-worth. We have connected with around 2 750 children since our establishment in 2002.

Paris (Non-active) – HelloCitizen

2014-10-31T00:00:00Z

" Trouvez l'association qui vous correspond !" : HelloCitizen est une plateforme gratuite de matching entre bénévoles et associations. L'objectif est de faciliter la rencontre entre ces publics. Les bénévoles complètent leur profil. Si une mission correspond, le profil est envoyé à l'association qui prend contact avec le bénévole en question, et la mission prend vie ! HelloCitizen est en phase de lancement et sera ouvert dans un premier temps à Paris. "Find the non-profit that's made for you !": HelloCitizen is a free matching platform between volunteers and non-profits. The goal is to make it easier for them to meet. The volunteers complete their profile. When a profile matches a mission, the non-profit contacts the volunteer and the mission starts ! HelloCitizen is in it's launching phase and will first start in Paris.

Whangarei (Non-active) – Before I die wall

2014-10-31T00:00:00Z

The project involves creating a large chalkboard for people to share what they want to achieve before they die. The Before I Die wall is now a global phenomenum. It would good to put Northland on the map – and in time report back as to what difference it has made to our community. Full details can be seen on the website. The project fits with my purpose in life. I believe it would be an invaluable resource to the area – inspiring our youth to value their lives and achieve their dreams. We have an unprecedented level of suicide in the area. I believe the wall would go a long way to help our youth to value their lives; providing a simple thought provoking outlet for them to express themselves. It would be the talking point of the town. I think the Town Basin would be a great site as youth involved with the Council have said they’d like the area developed. I think it would be innovative to create a portable ‘wavy’ shaped wall that could be transported to different places around Whangarei, so every community within the district gets a chance to share their hearts desire.

Ann Arbor, MI – FEMMES: Females Excelling More in (STEM)

2014-10-31T00:00:00Z

The FEMMES program aims to address education resource inequality and the lack of diversity within CS/STEM (computer science, science, technology, engineering and math) fields. To achieve this goal, FEMMES uses a unique combination of approaches: our emphasis on hands-on, active learning; our ability to reach under-served populations; and our mentorship network for women at all academic levels. FEMMES at the University of Michigan serves students from the greater Southeast Michigan with a particular focus on reaching students of color and other underrepresented populations. Throughout the school year FEMMES hosts a series of CS/STEM educational programs both at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor campus and at community sites including elementary schools and public libraries. Why is FEMMES Awesome? 1) FEMMES uses powerful female role models to demonstrate how women can, and do, excel in these fields! 2) FEMMES increases elementary student self–confidence and interest in CS/STEM fields- during this critical developmental stage! 3) FEMMES empowers women scientists of all ages by forming a network of University- and community-based women in many CS/STEM fields. 4) FEMMES enacts a belief that communities should be active participants in the education and development of the next generation. 5) “Everything!” ~ FEMMES Spring 2014 Participants Help us achieve our goal of promoting involvement in STEM by building curiosity and increasing confidence in girls so they may pursue their dreams without hesitation!

Melbourne (Non-active) – The Melbourne Hidden Gift

2014-10-30T00:00:00Z

Each week, I and my team of elves hide a $20 gift card somewhere in Melbourne, then we tweet the location in a series of (hopefully) frustratingly cryptic clues until someone finds it. We alternate between the CBD and outside, and in doing so we try and provide a little bit of joy with no strings attached. We're not affiliated with anyone, so the cost of the cards and the Public Transport and petrol has all been covered by us. We choose locations that are accessible 24/7, with no trespassing, no digging, and no climbing. Oh - and never in a tree. That rule came about after we put the gift in a tree then the tree got cut down and chipped. Sometimes we still laugh about it, and sometimes we just grumble. Until last week, only three people knew about this - my mentor teacher, the real Dot (from whom I got the name for the chief elf) and a friend in the US that I write to, I finally confessed to my husband what I'd been doing one evening each week (hiding the gift). And why did we start? Because in May, we were getting depressed about the state of the nation (and in particular the treatment of vulnerable people by the current government). In particular, I was getting frustrated at not having enough energy to volunteer at the Refugee Centre in Fitzroy, and not enough money to donate and help them. I heard about the Hidden Cash people in San Francisco, then checked to see who was going in Australia. At the time, there were a couple of cash-droppers here in Melbourne, but I started up anyway. 17 weeks later, we're the only ones still going in Melbourne. The guys in Brisbane were a huge help, but they've had to stop for a while. We like to think it's our dedication that keeps us going, but it could just be sheer stubbornness.

South Shore – Kids Play Space

2014-10-29T00:00:00Z

Lauren pitched an awesome idea and got $1000 to create a Kids Play Space at the Lunenburg Farmers Market!

London, ON (Non-active) – Comic Book Club

2014-10-29T00:00:00Z

Many of the kids who access services at the Neighbourhood Resource Association of Westminster Park (NRAWP) come from low income families, with literacy skills below their grade level. In order to help the youth achieve greater literacy skills, we would like to start a comic book club – an idea originating from the youth. This club will include not only reading comics, but learning about their history: including their origins, as well as their evolution over the years. The youth could learn from local comic book authors, and exercise their own creativity in creating a comic of their own. Because costumes are such an integral part of the comic book experience, we would also like to help the youth develop costumes based on their comic creations. To increase inspiration and give them an opportunity to purchase a comic book, we would like to go on a field trip to a local comic book store downtown. On the final day of the club we will host a mini comic con, where the kids get to show off their comics and costumes. We believe that this club will teach the youth valuable intangible skills in creativity and engagement, as well as the practical skills involved in creating the comics and costumes.

Nairobi (Non-active) – Functional Education to Learning Disabled Children

2014-10-28T00:00:00Z

When a child in school is constantly pulling the tail in their class, we all too easily resign to the fact that they are probably “not clever” at best or at worst, that they are lazy and refuse to work. After all those with handicaps are easily identifiable and there are numerous programs and schools to manage those with special needs. But learning disability (LD) is a very real challenge that affects thousands of children who are forgotten because of labels that we attach to them such as those mentioned above. Irene Kigathi seeks to change that. As a mother with a child with LD, she understands that these are kids who have different skills and may never learn how to read and write using conventional styles, but with different teaching and methods of grading in class, this child will be able to acquire a skill to use later on in life. Because these children learn differently, then they must be taught differently. With a little extra support they can catch up with other kids their age and gain the most out of their schooling. The grant from the Awesome Foundation will help in completing a model centre for children with LD and hopefully have such centres mainstreamed into the regular education pedagogy.

Stockholm (Non-active) – Geek Girl Mini - Kvarnbychix

2014-10-28T00:00:00Z

We are proud to announce that the very first Awesome Foundation Stockholm grant goes to Geek Girl Mini – Kvarnbychix! Geek Girl Mini is all about introducing young girls to alternative future careers and increasing their understanding of the digital world. This project focuses on helping girls that might not have as much access to technology at home as other children in Sweden. Therefore is the first project being introduced in the Stockholm suburb of Rinkeby. The grant from Awesome Foundation Stockholm will support this awesome idea to fund purchases of toolkits such as makey makey and arduinos. It will also make it possible for the girls to get their own Geek Girl Mini – Kvarnbychix t-shirts as they wanted. Congratulations to Karin Nygard who runs Geek Girl Mini and thank you for bringing a brilliant idea to life and showing young girls the possibilities of the digital world!

Halifax, NS (Non-active) – veterans R awesome

2014-10-28T00:00:00Z

Like all Halloweens celebrations that merit the adjective ‘awesome’, there was laughing, there was crying, and there was a giant wad of cash. It was awesome. Although this year’s festivities ended in tears, these were not the tears of manic children crashing on the other side of a candy-induced sugar high; these were tears of Awesome. As pirates, ballerinas, and gorillas roamed free in the mall food court this October 31rst, the Awesome Foundation embraced the trick or treat spirit to bring this month’s submission winner a treat of $1000 cash in a sneaky way. It was a sunny afternoon in downtown Halifax, and the Awesome team hatched a plan around a café table in Scotia Square to present Danny Brophy with his prize money. Subtly approaching Danny and his unsuspecting entourage, the crew began to loudly discuss the subject of veterans, photography, and of course, awesome, until they were noticed and removed their overcoats to reveal AF shirts, exposing their true identities as emissaries of Awesome! Why veterans and photography? Danny Brophy is the son of a Korean war veteran, and he had a dream. A dream that after much deliberation AFH unanimously selected out of the finalists submissions to make a reality. Ever since Danny took a portrait of his father not long before he died, and saw for the first time, “a map of his life on his face”, he had a dream to take portraits of the veterans in Halifax Veterans hospital for them and their families. He said that the cost to his time and talent is “a small price compared to the freedom they have given us”, but he needed Awesome’s support to pay for printing and frames. When Danny’s submission surfaced, the timing turned out to be perfect for Danny to engage supply businesses who wanted to help with his idea. And as further serendipitous circumstances would have it, the hospital contacted Danny asking him to come in on this very Remembrance Day to take his portraits! Danny had had his doubts about meeting the mysterious and unidentifiable Awesome strangers in the food court, but when he met the smiling team who told him and his friends that it was the picture of his father that had caused them to choose his idea, he was overjoyed and moved to tears (a contagious swell of emotion that left 66% of people present in tears as well). It was of course, nothing short of awesome. The Awesome Trustee’s continue to make it rain one grand every month, creating thousandollianaires out of deserving citizens to make Halifax more happy and the average more awesome. This month was no different. Neither is next month. Submit your awesome ideas to the website, or you can sit in the food court to see if someone approaches you with a thousand dollars. It could happen.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Mobile Cinema

2014-10-27T00:00:00Z

Mobile Cinema is created to drive social change in communities affected by war. DTJ’s localized films and facilitated workshops create a space that encourages encounters between people with opposing views, and generates the possibility for new connections, perspectives and discoveries. DTJ Mobile Cinema programs have tackled issues like reintegrating formerly abducted children into their communities, relieving psychological distress, and reconciling victims and perpetrators. Film builds on the strong narrative storytelling culture in the places we work where people learn from each other through shared lessons that are passed down. Since stories are a universal language, they transcend other teaching tools and are exceptionally powerful instruments for reversing harmful ideologies and engendering cohesion, solidarity and hope.

Moscow (Non-active) – Благотворительный магазин Charity Shop

2014-10-26T00:00:00Z

Charity Shop – место, где покупка брендовой одежды может не только доставлять удовольствие, но и приносить пользу! Это благотворительный магазин, вещи в который может принести любой человек, а прибыль с их продажи будет направлена на помощь нуждающимся. В магазине продается одежда и обувь топовых брендов, книги на английском языке, редкий винтаж и огромное количество бижутерии. На прибыль от продажи одежды магазином было оплачено 100 учебных занятий для подготовки выпускников детских домов к поступлению в колледжи и ВУЗы. А также за время работы были отправлены больше 80 посылок с помощью нуждающимся семьям в 17 регионах.

Miami, FL – Snack Smart

2014-10-23T00:00:00Z

Snack Smart is an after-school program that teaches kids how to make healthy snacks with what’s available in their neighborhood. In this multicultural city, unfortunately we don’t have a health food store right around the corner from every school or home - but we do have some great ingredients! We understand that sometimes out of convenience mom and dad buy that big box of variety chips at Costco, and that makes an easy snack a day... Snack Smart’s goal is to have kids learn through experience so that they can take this practice back home where will be teaching THEIR parents to eat outside the box! With a variety of ingredients that we purchase from the school’s surroundings, Snack Smart will have kids thinking outside the box to create snacks like apple sandwiches, banana sushi and energy bites! We won't be telling them to NOT eat certain foods, we will simply be shining light on CHOICES! Through 'Kids teaching Kids’, our online recipe and experience channel, students from all districts will be sharing their recipes and the cool ingredients available in their neighborhoods!