Awesome Foundation - Projects

Nuremberg (Non-active) – HEIMAT mobil

2014-02-12T00:00:00Z

STATUS UND ZIELE: Im Alltag gibt es wenig Berührungspunkte zwischen Menschen mit und ohne Behinderung. Durch Veranstaltungen von sozialen Trägern werden wiederkehrend die gleichen Zielgruppen angesprochen. Das Bedürfnis nach Inklusion muss bei einer breiten Zielgruppe erst geweckt werden, und dies geschieht erst wenn sie erlebt wie wertvoll die Begegnung sein kann. DAS PROJEKT: HEIMAT - eine Gastronomie als Inklusionsprojekt. Wir müssen dorthin gehen wo Begegnung zwischen Menschen mit und ohne Behinderung in einem entspannten, alltäglichen und natürlichem Umfeld möglich wird. Wir schaffen einen Ort, der im Alltag der Menschen funktioniert. An dem Begegnung natürlich passiert und nicht inszeniert wird. Der Betrieb unterstützt die Mitarbeiter mit Behinderung darin eine Vielzahl an fachlichen und sozialen Kompetenzen zu erlernen, die ihr berufliches und privates Leben bereichern. HEIMAT ist im Zentrum von Nürnberg. Für Menschen, die gerne einen guten Espresso trinken und die in ihrer Mittagspause gut und gesund essen möchten. HEIMAT ist ein Ort an dem jeder willkommen ist. Ein Ort an dem sich jeder wohl fühlt, wie bei Freunden Zuhause. VORGEHENSWEISE: Das Bedürfnis Inklusionsprojekte attraktiver für eine breite Zielgruppe zu gestalten ist bei sozialen Trägern noch nicht vorhanden. Um das HEIMAT Projekt nachhaltig erfolgreich zu vermarkten benötigen wir einen "Proof of Concept". (Realitäts-Check) Daher wollen wir im Sommer 2014 mit einer mobilen HEIMAT Version auf Nürnberger Sommerfesten und Festivals unterwegs sein. "HEIMAT mobil" wird ein liebevoll umgebauter Bauwagen sein, der von uns und Schülern mit Behinderung bewirtschaftet wird. Im Angebot haben wir Pausenbrote und Crumbles - die in einer auffällig schönen Verpackung verkauft werden. Mit unserem Angebot und Erscheinungsbild wollen wir die öffentliche Wahrnehmung auf uns ziehen und in zukünftigen Verhandlungen soziale Träger überzeugen.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – DIY Sustainable Art Symposium; Upper Peninsula, MI

2014-02-12T00:00:00Z

Thank you for revisiting our project as it develops (I've been in touch with Jennifer Raymond, who encouraged us to reapply.) Every Summer, we meet on the land, (We are now calling it the Visitor's Center, because the building that we rebuilt that started the endeavor was the old Visitor's Center at the Forest Service Entrance in the Ottawa National Forest). We have been able to slowly add a small barn, picnic tables, and two small sheds. We learned that the clay on the land is workable, so we have been testing it to make it usable. We found a kiln at a garage sale and repaired it, so we can fire ceramics. Everything we have been doing, we have been self funding, so it has been moving slowly, but steadily from year to year. We are ready to invite artists from around the country, as well as local residents of the U.P. to come to the land and take part in our DIY Sustainable Adventure Art Symposium in August 2014! It will be a rugged symposium; artists will live in tents, cook and shower outside, and will be challenged to make work outside their comfort zones. We will be offering workshops, using what we have available to make work. Right now, we are designing two workshops, clay processing (working with the clay from the land and doing raku firing outdoors) and metal casting (anyone from the community can bring aluminum cans and we will be melting them down and pouring molds). Artists can also work outside the workshops, painting, etc. We will be organizing an art show in the closest town (Ewen, population 200) and evenings where each person can present their work. Every morning we will work together on collective projects, working to add to the land for future summers. Our first collective projects will be to build the outdoor show and walls to the latrine, both of which we will be using during the symposium.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Babies In Space (working title)

2014-02-12T00:00:00Z

'We are currently living in a world dominated by technology forcing us to re-define our boundaries and limitations. This ‘no rules’ era is one where technology can corrupt natures ballot, break down biological limitations and compel us to colonise new planets'. I run an artistic laboratory that works on the fringes of magic, emotion and intuition deploying a new vocabulary on the body, beauty, health and the impact major world challenges will have on the mind and body. "Babies in Space" (working title) is a speculative artistic project that looks at the complications of growing a foetus in altered gravity environments. This research project will usher in a new era of procreation; a world in which children are created in the laboratory, gestated in artificial womb-like environments and brought “to term” without ever really being “born.” Set in interstellar conditions, where gravity is expensive to simulate, this project looks at travel between stars. The artistic outcomes intended from this project are a short ten minute film, with various aesthetic artefacts including performance, academic workshops and future prototypes developed alongside experts in the medical and life science fields. I am developing this project alongside architect, biologist and TED Fellow Rachel Armstrong in corporation with the Institute for Interstellar Studies. Themes included in this project include: – SEXUALITY, BEAUTY, ATTRACTION: The new beauty continuum If beauty is lost what are the (new) assets for generating social race and its impact on survival, sexuality, desire, love, loneliness, the mind and the human species? – RELATIONSHIP OF NEWBORN WITH ‘PARENT’: What is the relationship of the ‘hatchlings’ to the AI or other parent? – EMOTIONAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, BIOLOGICAL ISSUES: What are the emotional and physiological issues that will confront the newborn. "If you don't know what the future looks like, create it"....

San Francisco, CA – Traveling Heart Hospital Bags

2014-02-12T00:00:00Z

We will manufacture a unique Traveling Heart Hospital Bag to give away as a free resource for rape crisis centers. In the US, someone is sexually assaulted every 2 minutes. After an assault, a woman must go through a hospital procedure or “rape kit” in order to help prosecute her attacker. This is a battery of tests and information collecting that is necessary but invasive. Sometimes she cannot shower, use the restroom, comb her hair, or change her clothes for up to four hours. At the end of her procedure, a woman is given a plastic 'hospital bag' containing clothing to return home in; but hospital bags are not always available. Often women who are in trauma, will go home in a paper hospital gown.Traveling Heart Bags are unique, hand sewn and initiate healing through beauty, connection and warmth. Bags contain a change of clothing, new underwear, toiletries, legal information as well as a personal and compassionate message of hope through a Traveling Postcard that is placed in every bag. The bags are hand sewn in Tennessee by a collective of women who are currently living in the US as legal political refugees. Our project will provide a much needed source of income to a population that rarely finds work due to language and cultural barriers. In addition, as part of the Traveling Heart Hospital Bag project, a Traveling Postcards facilitator workshop and training manual will be created and implemented for domestic violence and sexual assault counselors in the US. We want every survivor who receives a bag to return to her local sexual assault center for ongoing support and to have the opportunity to make her own Traveling Postcard. By sharing her resiliency and courage on her card, she will help another woman take back her voice, and ultimately, a pipeline of women sharing wisdom and compassion is created. We do not want our bags to be seen as a stigma of assault, instead our bags will be available in stores everywhere to purchase as a symbol of solidarity and hope.

San Francisco, CA – A Portrait Project at the Zen Hospice

2014-02-12T00:00:00Z

My project is awesome because it uses art to provide hospice residents with a meaningful experience as they face the end of their lives. I have partnered with the Zen Hospice Project to create a series of painted portraits of residents. I will also record informal interviews focused on their life stories, memories, lessons and reflections. The final portraits will be created on-site at the hospital so that the residents and staff can observe the creative process. The work will be exhibited at the hospice's two SF locations and at a venue for the public -- all profits from sold paintings will go towards the Zen Hospice Project. The purpose of the project is twofold: (1) to engage hospice residents in the contemplative and poignant process of telling their story and sitting for a portrait; (2) to offer the public insight into the inner worlds of people confronting the end of life: what really matters in life when you know it's almost over? Even though death may be the only certainty of life, our cultural norms prescribe a high level of avoidance towards confronting this reality. Consequently, open and honest communication between those at the end of their life and those who have it all ahead of them is uncommon. Nonetheless, the transmission of this kind of “life knowledge” and wisdom between generations is fundamental to our psychological and spiritual health. My 85 year old grandmother has always been my muse. Through my portraits of her and our endless conversations about life and death, she has helped me to understand what is really important. Combining visual art and storytelling, this project aims to offer participants and viewers a meditation on the meaning of life. Please help me to utilize my artistic practice to give inspiration to the living and a legacy to the dying.

Chicago, IL – Cook County Sheriff Beekeeping Initiative

2014-02-12T00:00:00Z

The Urban Farming Program teaches a wide range of organic farming and gardening skills to 120 men and women jail inmates per year in a supportive and constructive environment. It also provides training in all areas of business operations, including production, packaging, delivery, bookkeeping, marketing, and customer relations. The program is intended to increase the prospects of minimum-security, non-violent inmates for future employment upon release. Over its 20-year history, the program has developed numerous collaborative partnerships in the public and private sector to support and enhance opportunities for the training and rehabilitation of the inmate participants. The Cook County Sheriff’s Beekeeping Initiative project is expected to result in the following: 1. Launch the beekeeping program within the Urban Farming Program at the Cook County Department of Corrections and produce our first batch of organic raw honey for sale. 2. Expand capacity within the Urban Farming Program to produce honey through sustainable and organic methods. 3. Provide beekeeping training and certificates to inmates participating in the program at the Cook County Department of Corrections. In addition, create a learning environment that teaches all aspects of urban farming to the men and women participating in this project, which will be beneficial to obtain employment in local community garden programs.

Vancouver, BC (Non-active) – The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project (VFTP)

2014-02-11T00:00:00Z

The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project is a local, sustainable food initiative that diverts food waste and provides healthy, local, organic food to those in need. Vancouver’s climate makes it a perfect place for backyard fruit trees, but much of the fruit produced by these trees every year goes to waste because tree owners can’t or don’t harvest their bounty. The VFTP connects teams of volunteer fruit pickers with tree owners who have excess fruit, and then donates the fruit to charity. In 2013 we completed 72 picks and donated 5,341 pounds of fruit that would otherwise have gone to waste! Our most common harvest is apples, but we also pick pears, plums, grapes, cherries, crabapples, quince and even kiwis! We have fifteen community partners, including community centres, daycares, senior centres, supportive housing facilities, shelters and low-income grocery programs. The people served by these programs often have trouble accessing fresh healthy food, but our project makes this possible! Since the fruit all comes from Vancouver’s backyards it has an almost zero carbon footprint and is nearly always organic. Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and we are one of the few family-friendly volunteering opportunities available in Vancouver. Many of our fruit tree owners are seniors who are no longer able to care for their trees, and our pick teams help connect them to their communities, thus reducing isolation. We also run canning, preserving and tree pruning workshops to help Vancouverites learn about sustainability and take charge of their own food security. Turning waste into local, healthy, organic food for those in need - what could be more awesome!?

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – IRCA CAPACITY STARTUP BUILDING

2014-02-10T00:00:00Z

IRCA Start up Capacity Building. Short Introduction: Idaho Refugee Community Association Inc. is a volunteer based not-for-profit organization that helps and provides a number of free services to refugee community in Idaho: -free interpretation/translation services, - helping refugee to search jobs, fill application and get ready for interview. - sometimes we provide skills training in our small office - help refugees find and apply low-income housing - help them find available resources. Sometime we refer them to know resources offices. - from time to time we run special free English classes with translation services - help driver training using our volunteers - we provide mentoring services to some of the weakest families - provide free consultation, when they are lost and mad, and could't figure out what to do. - provide mediation in between refugee and their resettlement agencies, when they cannot understand each other. The organization also advocates for refugees when they need help for their rights. The organization has been registered legally in August 2011, and has a small office in Boise. This program is to strength the organization, materially and physically. We are equipping with minimum office equipment (furniture and machinery) so that the organization can acquire to perform its mission. Currently the organization is using old and used furniture and borrowed office machines from its members. Also we have the 2nd phase in parallel with that, which is training the volunteer staff and Board members for their role of responsibility and tasks Here, we are asking your organization a small grant to cover the costs of a small portion of our project. Namely, computer software and IRS Tax exempt fee. We make ready the tax exemption application

Baltimore, MD – Host Kit for Baltimore Soup

2014-02-10T00:00:00Z

Baltimore Soup is a new endeavor dedicated to bringing people together over good food to network and raise funds for local projects through community-awarded microgrants. Attendees pay $5 to eat soup, listen to 4 projects, and vote on the project that wins the proceeds of the dinner. We’re inspired by Detroit SOUP, a group who first gathered in 2010 and since then Detroiters have given Detroiters over $40,000. We believe this model can change Baltimore too. Our first projects included: yoga mats for a Rec Center fitness program for young men re-entering the community, rodent-proof food storage containers for a school’s food pantry, a book scholarship for a young undocumented student, and supplementing memberships for a new food co-op. Our first dinner engaged a diverse group of city residents and we plan to reach an even broader audience. We have reached out to professors from MSU’s School of Community Health and Policy, young people at New Lens Productions, graduate students and professors at JHU’s School of Education, ministers at Loyola Blakefield, staff at Mi Espacio at CASA de Maryland, service providers at the 29th Street Community Center, and look forward to continuing to broaden Soup’s network. Our commitment is that each Soup reflects the same diversity of residents, talents, and dreams that exist within our city. Baltimore inspires us. In 2013, our city strove to be the most giving in America and raised over $5 million on Giving Tuesday. Baltimore Soup expands on this giving nature to make Baltimore a place that not only gives more but does more. Small grants empower people to act instead of allowing their project to rest as a daydream. After submissions are accepted we meet with applicants to help them organize their own network of support and design their presentation. The Soup dinners offer applicants an opportunity for alternative forms of support as well--all attendees discuss how they can collaborate across projects or connect to other projects.

Boston, MA – Increment

2014-02-10T00:00:00Z

2.8 million children in the US have a special need. 89% of these kids have a sibling and 67% regularly attend school, so most of these kids spend the majority of the time with other children. However, there is a divide in the toy market: many toys today lack accessibility, educational value, and material honesty, especially for kids with special needs. Yet, toys in the special needs market often highlight disabilities, creating a stigma of being different or sick. No child should have to feel that way. We have designed a toy that benefits ALL children, by keeping in mind the needs of those who are visually impaired and have physical impairments. Our toy is called the O-Rings: a full-body, sensory toy for kids of all abilities. The toy is a set of 4 stackable rings, with each ring differing in size, weight, density, texture, and color. They can be used for seating, building, exploration, and therapy, for sensory stimulation, gross motor activities, and spatial reasoning. Adults can play too and suggest prompts, whether you’re a parent, teacher, or physical therapist. The O-Rings become more than just a toy or game--they are sensory learning playthings that foster developmental skills for all kids, with and without special needs. We have interviewed, designed, and tested with kids, parents, teachers, and PT/OT therapists to create production quality prototypes, and we’ve had very positive responses. With the goal of bringing the O-Rings to market, we’ve established relationships with manufacturers and we are preparing for a Kickstarter campaign. In Providence, we’ve worked extensively with Meeting Street School, who have been a major inspiration for us by fostering inclusion in all they do. We have seen the amazing benefit they have had on kids, families, communities, and the culture of learning in Rhode Island. We strive to create products that have a similar impact, and we believe in bringing inclusive play and accessibility into the heart of the massive toy market.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Open Arms

2014-02-09T00:00:00Z

Open Arms is a project born of love and service. Central Texas Birth Center's staff has been serving Central Texas and surrounding for almost three years now, and have poured their lives into countless women and their families in immeasurable ways. This project seeks to give care to low income families who receive health care coverage through Medicaid. Midwifery care is a whole-family, wellness-based approach to pregnancy, birth, and childbearing years. The Open Arms program will have a dedicated team of midwives, students, and staff trained to cater to the needs of the families in the program. Whether it be education on the best carseat for the lowest price or a how to cook healthy on a budget, the families in Open Arms will be loved and supported throughout their journey just as every other CTBC family is. Prenatal care will be based on the Centering Pregnancy approach, whereby prenatal visits are group centered so that families may learn from each other. Expectant mothers (and dads too!) meet once a month with the other mothers that are due in the same month. Midwives will lead discussion on a different subject each month, and at the end of the meeting each mother has a “belly check” where she has private time with a midwife to discuss her concerns and ask questions, as well as check in on baby. Centering Pregnancy has been proven to lower the rates of preterm labor, lower incidences of emergency room visits during pregnancy, and increase overall satisfaction with the prenatal and birth experience.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Pop Up Repair

2014-02-09T00:00:00Z

Pop Up Repair is an itinerant repair service for household items of all kinds. A challenge to the cycle of use-and-discard, we launched in June of 2013 with a one month repair shop in Inwood, NY, staffed by theatre artists. The project is radically simple - we provide convenient, drop-off repair services for people, in their community. In Inwood 2013, we repaired over one ton of broken stuff, and got our community thinking and talking about repair, consumption, and our habits of waste. Our goals are to: Fix people’s stuff. Provide an alternative to the cycle of use and discard. AND Inspire change in our habits of consumption and waste - with our customers, with retailers and manufacturers, and in our communities. From the start, Pop Up Repair has sparked an enormous response - in our community, in the press, and in the larger sustainability community. We think that people are ready to begin rethinking our relationship with stuff. We just finished a 1 week "follow up care" and alternative holiday fix Pop Up in Inwood, and we are planning on how to replicate and expand the project. Upcoming projects involve: future pop-ups, an education session at a local school, and workshops for people who want to learn to fix their own stuff.

Tel Aviv - קרן בקטנה (Non-active) – Therapeutic-Occupational Garden

2014-02-09T00:00:00Z

This therapeutic garden provides work for an inspiring group of women with Autism and Down Syndrome. We love this project because it gives hope and pride to those who need it in our community.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – The Edgehill Bike Club - Nashville, TN

2014-02-07T00:00:00Z

You can read all about the Edgehill bike club in the Tennessean here: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20131124/COLUMNIST0101/311240062/ I started a program for the neighborhood kids to be able to get bikes, learn how to fix them, and then go on regular rides. The program gives the kids something positive to do, keeps them out of trouble, helps them see another world outside of our neighborhood. It helps them make friends and stay healthy. We have helped more than 100 kids in our neighborhood get a bike. We are always fixing them up and going on rides. Through this program kids learn important mechanical and bike safety skills and stay active. http://vimeo.com/78511527

New York City, NY – The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival

2014-02-07T00:00:00Z

The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival, founded in 2011 by James Kennedy, is an annual video contest in which kid filmmakers create movies that compress the stories of Newbery-winning books into 90 seconds or less. Ever since 1922, the Newbery Medal has been recognized as the most prestigious award in children’s literature. But it turns out any book, no matter how worthy and somber, becomes pleasingly ludicrous when compressed into 90 seconds. Here's 25 of the finest of the 100s of videos they've received over the past 3 years: http://bit.ly/1ajiAJt The best of each year's movies are shown at FREE yearly screenings across the country, in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Oakland, Portland, and Tacoma, co-hosted by James Kennedy and celebrity children's authors such as Jon Scieszka, Kate DiCamillo, and Blue Balliett. The shows combine movie screenings with kidlit comedy cabaret bits. Their shows have been at capacity from the start, with crowds of hundreds, including the young filmmakers themselves—who often get to meet the author whose book they filmed! See photos and video from the most recent screening in Chicago here: http://bit.ly/1fYpdBe Curious? THE NEW YORK CITY SCREENING of the film festival is 3/22/2014 at the New York Public Library main branch, in the Bartos Forum, co-hosted by me & bestselling author LIBBA BRAY. Come! Details:http://bit.ly/L5t1HF The mission of the 90-Second Newbery: 1) Entice students into reading and discussing Newbery winning books—especially older, unjustly forgotten titles. 2) Encourage the close reading necessary to write a script that wittily sums up a book in 90 seconds. 3) Give opportunity for students to use new technologies, such as video equipment and editing software, in a constructive way that promotes literacy. 4) Throw awesome screenings to celebrate the kids' great movies!

Yerevan – Public piano under the open sky

2014-02-07T00:00:00Z

The idea is simple!!! Put a piano in a public space under the open sky and motivate passing-by-people to play on it. That's all!!! I am fired with this idea for already 3 months and want to add this new cultural spirit to Mashtots Park in the center of Yerevan. This park has become a symbol of civic activism in Armenia when a group of young people saved this park from becoming a trading place. The struggle lasted around 3 months and Yerevan municipality at last had to make a decision to demontage trading boutiques being constructed in the park.Cultural events were taking place during Mashtots park 90 day-struggle like violin, guitar concerts etc. Now this park has become a green, fresh and vivid place where different active groups gather and discuss their plans about their actions and civic protests. During Soviet Union time almost every person could play on some musical instrument. For instance playing on piano is quite popular in Armenia. There are a lot of unknown people who can play on this instrument. People just play on it for their friends and family members. This public piano idea can become a good platform to reach a new audience for these people in a beautiful atmosphere and surroundings, Besides, there is a birth-giving hospital near this beautiful park and I find it great if newborns could relate to art just minutes/hours after they are born. There is a lot that can be organized around this piano, like art evenings, birthday celebrations, piano classes and concerts. And the most important, it will be really public one. Everyone will have a chance to play on it, enjoy it and make others enjoy the music :)

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Modern Loss

2014-02-06T00:00:00Z

Quite simply, we are trying to break the unspoken taboo on honest, individualized talk about loss. ModernLoss.com is a place to share the unspeakably taboo, unbelievably hilarious, and unexpectedly beautiful terrain of navigating your life after a death. The site is filled with resources for support, personal essays, and even a rad advice column. While our primary target is young people in their 20s and 30s struggling with grief — this topic has universal appeal and we have received feedback from folks of all ages and backgrounds. We think this is because of our candid approach to all aspects of loss and our unique, accessible (and often tongue-in-cheek) tone. This project grew out of my (Rebecca) and my colleague's (Gabi) separate experiences with sudden and traumatic parental loss and our struggle to find resources that weren’t too clinical, overtly religious, patronizing or, frankly, cheesy. Together, we wanted to use their skills to help other young people struggling in a new environment where stress over social media protocol after a loss compounds the silence and suffering. We launched on November 13, 2013. and our mission seems to be striking a chord with many. Within three weeks we attracted more than 1,000 Facebook likes and have received nearly 300 story submissions through our site from people who are connecting with our mission and have tales to share. Our web traffic has been quite high, with nearly 15k unique visitors in the first week, and we have been contacted by publishers and agents asking if we've ever considered writing a book. Quite simply, we're stunned by the overwhelming response in such a short timeframe. But more than stunned, we are thrilled that our mission, which is to open up this conversation which for so many people is a conversation they don't feel welcome having in public, is resonating with so many wonderful folks, We can't wait to see what we can accomplish if we received a little financial support.

Sarnia (Non-active) – STOP THE BURN .... !!

2014-02-06T00:00:00Z

My STOP THE BURN project has a double meaning (burn from the sun and burn from an arm extended in the air for a long period of time) - picture this if you will ... an amazing sunny day, breeze blowing, sunglasses on, BBQ sizzling and 4 group homes coming together for a great evening. Now get a little closer and watch as the sun starts to join the party, hot and bright, taking in all of the fair skin that we've brought into one gathering, skin that is made more susceptible to the sun's rays by some medications, conditions and diagnosis. For me, just being a nice shade of porcelain makes me burn ... now look to the right ... to the left ... front of the yard ... back of the yard ... hmmm ... NO SHADE ... Now, picture if you will ... staff ... dedicated, caring supportive staff, arms high in the air holding the biggest, gaudiest umbrellas in captivity. Arms shaking after hours of taking turns holding them, trying to provide shade for the people we support and each other. We draw straws to see who has to actually stand holding the umbrellas because they won't stay standing on the uneven ground and the only other alternative is in the garage where in order to join the rest of the party, it would require xray vision to see through a cement wall that is between the garage and the yard. If only we had some shade ... perhaps a couple of shade trees!! Unfortunately with the government funding, a request for something like this, which would richly enhance the lives of the people we support is laughable. There is no room in our limited funding for such 'frivolous' things.

Sydney – The Equal Hearts Project

2014-02-05T00:00:00Z

The Equal Hearts Project is an artistic work raising awareness for marriage equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and interest community. The project is a collaboration between myself, the gay community and the general public. The project consists of thousands of handmade paper origami hearts, using the six colours associated with gay pride. The hearts are individually numbered, each one is assigned to one individual who writes a message of support on their heart. I then photograph each of the participants with their hearts, and encourage them to join the project's Facebook page, Twitter and Blog. I upload the scanned images of the hearts containing the message plus the photographs of the participants to Facebook, Twitter & the website so they can see their contribution and the contributions of the other participants. I do this to maintain the connection and interaction between the participants, myself & the project in order to keep the issue alive, and to raise awareness and discussion about marriage equality in the hope that change might be instigated. I then string the hearts onto fishing lines, 18 hearts on each line, which I then attached to a pink rotary washing line in order to create the installation. I choose to use a rotary washing line because it is one of the most recognised icons associated with Australia & 'married domestic bliss'. The strings of rainbow hearts and the hot pink colour of the washing line are associated with the Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and interest community. My aim was to artistically marry the two iconic themes together plus allow the community to comment, have a voice and contribute not only to The Equal Hearts Project but the the marriage equality cause in an original and creative way. The project is currently ongoing, there is still approximately 1000 hearts to be signed & added to the installation. I hope to finish the project & exhibited during Sydney G&L Mardi Gras 2014.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Blended Rhythms Drum Up Community

2014-02-05T00:00:00Z

Montserrat is a tiny island in the West Indies, and recent volcanic activity caused mass emigration to the UK and US, leaving just 5,000 people to rebuild. This “Emerald Isle of the Caribbean” has a unique connection to Ireland: settled by Irish Catholic refugees from British colonies, Montserrat celebrates St. Patrick’s Day every year! (See website for more history.) Their St. Patrick’s Festival features Irish bands, but also West African music—a crucial aspect, as local woman Flo explained to me: “Love for Ireland is good, but we no white people, we black people. We become what we are told: white is good.” Montserrat is a British Overseas Territory, and Irish and African music allow for creative expression against English influence. Flo said, “You’re not gonna hear much more than a little [clap clap clap] cause that’s how the English behave. But it doesn’t come naturally to us! The Irish are more rowdy—robust, you know?” I do know. Irish reels are rousing and spicy! So are African rhythms! Last year’s West African troupe had festival crowds dancing ecstatically; the drummers gave a workshop to schoolchildren whose faces lit up once they got their hands on the djembes. Locals lament that arts are suffering due to poor government funding. While visiting in March 2013, I brainstormed an idea to offer “rhythm” workshops starting in January, before the 2014 St. Patrick’s Festival. I will teach Irish dance, and Senegalese drummer Dominique Mbaye will teach djembe. I am partnered with Montserrat’s Ministry of Culture, Tourist Board, and local music teachers. The workshops will be free and open to all, targeting the island’s youth. The experience will allow them to explore aspects of their heritage through shared rhythms. As the island’s Prem. Reuben Meade told me over dinner, “We must not see ourselves as Irish or Africans or Caribbeans [but as] people of the world, irrespective of our culture, and we will come together.” We have the feet; now we just need the drums!

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Dark Matter

2014-02-04T00:00:00Z

This project is a series of combined, sculptural objects modeled in Maya and 3D printed to form humorous juxtapositions. The objects chosen for this series are the objects/things that are forbidden or un-welcome in Iran by the government. Objects that in many other countries people use or own freely but under Iranian government laws (for several reasons) are forbidden or discouraged to use. Owning some of these objects means going to jail, or getting a fine, or constantly being under the risk of getting arrested or bothered by the moral police. Using 3D printing technology, the act of printing itself serves as an important aspect of the project. By printing and bringing the virtual 3D into physical existence, I want to simultaneously resist and bring awareness about the power that constantly threatens, discourages, and actively works against the ownership of these objects/things. No matter how functional, through 3D printing, I am able to re-create and archive a collection of forbidden objects. In a way, the objects serve as the documentation of lives lived under oppressions and dictatorship. The documentation of a history full of red lines drawn in the most private aspect of one’s life; the most ordinary things. In addition, combining and printing these objects create a re-presentation of my own personal memory of life in Iran. Memory itself is re-collection, re-presentation, and re-arrangement of events. Both the memory sculpture notion of the piece and the printing aspect of it consolidate to resist forgetting.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Angel Heart Pajama Project

2014-02-04T00:00:00Z

Angel Heart Pajama Project is the vision of my 84 year old mother,my sister and myself as founders. During our early years of adjusting to a new language and culture, mom always found money or the means to purchase new pajamas and books. The tradition was something we looked forward to during holidays and special celebrations. Mom has continued the tradition with granddaughters, grandchildren, and now with a new great granddaughter. My sister and I recognized that this tradition provide us with the stability and a love for reading. Through our profession we recognize that Arizona has a record number of children in state custody(14,000). These children often go to foster-care in just the clothes they are wearing, and many of these children have seldom enjoyed the security, love and feeling that someone cares about them. Angel Heart Pajama Project's main program activity will be to distribute new pajamas and books to enrich the lives of children in need. The children that we will serve primarily come from foster care, shelters and homeless. By providing free pajamas and books we will be able to bring comfort and love like a warm hug at bed time. Parents all over the world know that there is a special bonding that happens at bedtime. We hope to bring this joy and also encourage the joy of reading. The Angel Heart Pajama Project will make an impact on the children's lives and will leave a legacy for generations to come. Angel Heart Pajama Project knows that pajamas and books are needed for the children all year long. Our project's mission is a year long project. We have currently approached to service 90 children from just one agency A Place Call Home. We know your support will help us meet the needs of many more children.

New Orleans, LA (Non-active) – Spirit of the Orisha: Voices of the Diaspora

2014-02-04T00:00:00Z

We have completed a 2 disc CD entitled "Spirit of the Orisha: Voices of the Diaspora”. This CD set will accompany a book that we have written as a teaching tool for the global community on the sacred music of the Yoruba people of Nigeria, West Africa. This book and CD provides the missing link in our cultural preservation of sacred African music. This body of work has global and historical significance in that it has not only never been done before, but it is centered in New Orleans, a leader in the US in preserving African religious and cultural traditions, particularly through the work of Congo Square. The work is a journey into Zion Trinity's unique style of blending music with Spirit and history. The book will translate and explain the meaning of songs as well as the symbols they contain, including explanations about the Orishas and their attributes. Containing all original artwork, this project will serve as a workbook for a community workshops and trainings. For the past 15 years, we have used these songs to help youth work through emotional and social stress and trauma to gain empowerment over their lives. The project also has songs that aid in rites of passage, such as birthing, funerals and burials.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – SPINALpedia

2014-02-03T00:00:00Z

When my dad was first paralyzed, we had no idea what to expect or what our lives were going to be like. Thankfully, my dad and step-mom were able to benefit from the advice of others in their situation and adapt. Now my dad lives an independent life despite not moving 75% of his body. Unfortunately, many of the 1 in 50 Americans living with paralysis (statistic from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation) live unaware of their potential to live a fulfilling life with a disability. SPINALpedia.com is a user-generated, how-to video network for people with paralysis and their families to adapt their lives. Users register for an account and specify tags that indicate their relationship to paralysis (person paralyzed, spouse, parent etc.) and the degree of paralysis to help find the most relevant information to adapt their lives. From driving to skydiving, from getting dressed to traveling, all content is organized in categories to help users find what they're looking for and expose them to possibilities they never considered! In this way, whether you are a paraplegic, or a wife of a quadriplegic, you can find the information you need. We erase geographic barriers, allowing people far away from support groups or programs to still benefit from the support of others in their situation. As one of our users from Germany once said, "I'm living in a small town and so I haven't so much contact to other paraplegic people. With your help I have an alternative." We currently have over 1,000 members and over 3,000 videos, and we're working hard to expand worldwide to help all people with paralysis and their families adapt their lives. People like quadriplegic kindergarten teachers and paraplegic skiiers are often seen as anomalies, but with a successful SPINALpedia, we will have more people empowered to adapt their lives and re-enter society as active citizens. In this way, we will slowly break down negative societal perceptions of disability.

Liverpool (Non-active) – Reclaim Electronics

2014-02-03T00:00:00Z

My project has a very simple aim, but the back story to it is rather complex, so I guess the appropriate place to start would be the logical beginning. I bought a Model B Raspberry Pi. I was ecstatic seeing it coming through mailbox, tearing off the packaging, and before you could say 3.14159 it was already plugged in and booting. But I was left in quite an awkward position when I found myself with nothing to do with it. But, after joining the Studio, that changed instantly. I suddenly had immediate access to everything I could ever dream of tech wise, one thing to note in particular, a 3D Printer. I then, somehow through a flash of micro-brilliance came to the conclusion that it was my life goal to create a Portable Handheld game console using the Raspberry Pi, a 3D printer, and my own, faulty electronic skills. Through forums and tutorials online, this knowledge grew so grand that I now had a firm idea of how I was going to do things, what I needed, how to get it, and how to assemble it. With the support of like-minded individuals, I planned out in just days how I was going to build my project. But then, another almost blinding light of microbrilliance shot into my head, rewiring my neurones to form a new goal. Allowing anyone, anywhere to do the same thing that I have done, from the comfort of their armchair. Why not, with almost infinite resources in the palm of my hand, allow anyone to come to me with an idea, and how it can be done, I see how feasible it is, and create their bespoke order, working with them through social networking. This would allow anybody anywhere with no experience on anything to come to me with the same microbrilliance I had, and have their dream put into motion, for barely any cost, if any at all. For any kids, who want to join the tech community, like I did, but have no equipment, can simply contact my group, and have their dream materialise, with them leading the process. The ideas trapped in the minds of people can be astounding.

LA South Bay, CA (Non-active) – Saving Youth Sports

2014-02-03T00:00:00Z

Psycho coaches… nightmare parents… cheating… screaming…bribing Ah, the joys of youth sports! Sports have the potential to enhance the lives of our children, yet somewhere along the way things have gone a little warped and we’re just as likely (if not more so) to turn out ego-driven athletes, desperate for attention and acclaim, who will do anything to win, as we are to turn out amazing human beings. If we want young people to reach their potential, both as athletes and as people, it’s NOT going to be through yelling, screaming, threats, bribes and punishments. It’s NOT going to be because they are scared to lose (because they only feel worthy if they win). It IS going to be because they feel empowered and internally driven to shine and get the best out of themselves. It will be because they have learned to and were trusted to make decisions. It will be because they were taught to pay attention to their feelings and how to manage them, so they can get themselves into “the zone”. It will be because it’s FUN!!! Youth sports need a makeover and I want to do it! I’ll do this by conducting workshops for coaches and parents of athletes, teaching them tools (effective communication, motivation without the use of punishments and rewards, creating a mastery environment, how to stay calm and connected) so they can help young people thrive. I’d love to also provide an online resource to spread this worldwide. In my ideal world, I’d get this philosophy into every organization involved with young people and sports- into clubs, volunteer rec leagues, classes, and camps. I want youth sports to be fun again- for everyone!

Chicago, IL – Multi-generational Community Engagement Screening

2014-02-02T00:00:00Z

I am leading my students analyze the practice, business, and curation of independent film through a free screening of the critically acclaimed independent feature An Oversimplification of Her Beauty (2013). The screening will take place in Chicago's underserved Woodlawn neighborhood. Seniors, high school students and young professionals are the intended audience. Documenting the entire process will illustrate the impact art and multi-generational engagement. I am excited at the possibilities of this innovative art program. Redefine the traditional approach to the film screening, video art and communal dining will cultivating a space for multi-generational community engagement. Prior to the screening, student produced video art inspired by the film's universal central themes of lust and love will engage patrons during dining. After the screening the Filmmaker has expressed the desire to discuss his work. Earlier this year I had the opportunity to view the film at a festival, and I have been excited to share the experience. Elvis Mittchell, the host-producer KCRW radio program The Treatment interviewed the filmmaker Terence Nance stated “Things that I think is still, trap for black cinema you like independent cinema is it has to be on some well aspirational and this film is not in any and any conventional way.” An Oversimplification of Her Beauty (2013) is a highly creative, modern, intelligent and deeply vulnerable romantic comedy. The filmmaker approaches his perspective of love and lust with multimedia collages, and copious subtitles and inter-titles. Many films that detour from traditional cinematic structure rarely get the exposure they deserve and are considered unapproachable. The universal themes will prompt a lively multi-generational discourse and engagement. Student curation will further students with real-world experience and build an authentic perspective of independent film exhibition and community engagement.

Ann Arbor, MI – First Fridays Ypsilanti

2014-02-02T00:00:00Z

The FFY Committee is comprised of Kayj Michelle as President, Elize Jekabson as Vice President, Alex Mandrila as Secretary and Katie Hale as Treasurer. Bona Sera pioneered the First Fridays brand in Ypsilanti with their artshows. Now current FFY venues are Bona Sera, Beezy's Cafe, Ugly Mug Cafe & Roastery, B-24's Espresso Bar, and FLY Children's Art Center. We want to build a network of Ypsi businesses (Downtown & Depot Town) showcasing local artists and performers. This will create a positive buzz to surrounding areas and encourage people to join in the monthly Art Crawls. With our growth in FFY venues, we will expand from Downtown into Depot Town. We are currently building partnerships with Riverside Arts Center (who have the gateway to Depot Town!), Ypsilanti Art Incubator (currently curating the Riverside Off-Center Gallery), Teresa Gillotti (City Planner/Ypsi), DAY & DDA(via Barb at Bona Sera) , and more. We also have received interested form several Depot Town Merchants. FFY has a mission to unite the Downtown & Depot Town areas with this monthly Art Crawl. Gillotti is interested in facilitating between the City and FFY to use vacant commercial space to host pop-up markets during the FFY Art Crawls! This is currently being brainstormed about as we continue to develop the FFY program. Everyone in the FFY Committee are volunteers and need help funding the development of the FFY program. Once spring hits FFY will be ready to welcome a debut Art Crawl which will hopefully include art installations/performances in the street between spread out venues, the pop-up market, clear skies. We will implement a system for collecting funds to sustain cohesive marketing for all participating venues.

Austin, TX – Elementary Science Discovery

2014-01-31T00:00:00Z

Amy Quartaro, a homeschooled high school senior, is creating a "Science Discovery" group for elementary school Austin area homeschoolers. Amy is the captain of her robotics team, vice president of the Austin Area Homeschool science team, and a former intern at UT's Center for Space Research. Elementary School Discovery will include hands-on projects, educational videos, games and guest speakers. This group of students will meet for two hours once a month that to explore a variety of scientific disciplines. "I hope to instill in these young students a passion for STEM and to create a more positive image of the term nerd," said Quartaro. The annual Science Discovery Day will also be organized through the Austin Area Homeschoolers science team in conjunction with Techshop, a community-based workshop and prototyping studio on a mission to democratize access to the tools of innovation. This event will take place in January 2014. Quartaro is planning on using her grant towards securing space for both the monthly group meetings, to purchase materials for the group to do experiments and for Science Discover Day.

Pittsburgh, PA – An Orchard for Isaac

2014-01-31T00:00:00Z

We dream of planting a bountiful fruit orchard of apple, pear, and peach trees in honor of Isaac, who inspired me to create Hope Haven. Sadly, Isaac passed away in July after only two happy months on the farm. Isaac loved apples and the Orchard will honor him and ensure that his story continues to help educate people. There are so many benefits to growing an orchard at Hope Haven! Most importantly it will provide nutritious fruit and enjoyment for our deserving animals. With 80+ animals here at the farm we constantly battle feed costs and an orchard will significantly lower those bills for years to come! In addition, the trees will be planted near our duck pond and will act as protective cover to the more than 30 ducks and geese that enjoy the water. Although our farm is fenced to defend against four-footed predators, hawks and owl are still a threat from the air. The fruit trees' branches will shield our residents from those dangers. The orchard will contain 12 hearty trees and maintenance will be performed via a natural walking path. What a visual improvement from the barren area it is now to a blossoming orchard! Our informative farm tours currently educate young and old about farm animal welfare and teach them about where their food comes from. We can expand our tours out of the barns and into the orchard to inform people about healthy diets, gardening, and outdoor activities. Isaac's Orchard would enable us to entertain new groups and organizations. We could invite youth groups to help us maintain the trees and gardening groups to learn the benefits of backyard gardening and permaculture. These groups would also learn our mission of cruelty-free living and compassion toward all animals. We are excited about this opportunity to strengthen our non-profit Sanctuary, nourish our deserving animals, and educate and enlighten Pittsburghers. We would be honored to be the first animal-oriented project funded by AWESOME Pgh and we would make you proud!

Dubai (Non-active) – Mokha Origin

2014-01-31T00:00:00Z

We are going full speed preparing for Demo Day of the Harvard President's Challenge. This is our shot at a $100,000 prize purse. Our goal is to have a national product and be on track to see Yemen's coffee sector double in size in ten years. Accomplishing this means job opportunities supporting 650,000 people in Yemen. To achieve this we additionally need to hone our marketing and create a product design that we can use for a national product. We have fortunately found a team of three designers from the Harvard School of Design who are doing this work for free. But once they are done, we need to custom print small runs of coffee bags and marketing material. As part of that, one of our most pressing need and where we would spend AF grant of $1000 would be getting our coffee on the shelves of Whole Foods, a premium grocery store in the US. Doing so demonstrates the viability of our business.

Vancouver, BC (Non-active) – Vancouver Design Nerds – 'Mobile Town Hall' (MoTH)

2014-01-30T00:00:00Z

VDNS and Gen Why Media (GWM) have recently teamed-up to create the 'Civic Renewal Lab' (CRL), a community hub centred on civic engagement that connects the creative community to non-profits, businesses, government and communities to discuss civic issues, identify shared interests and collaborate on citizen-centred solutions to public challenges. As an alternative to traditional civic engagement processes, the goal of the CRL is to shift citizens from being consumers to active shapers of policies, programs, public space and civic services. The CRL’s goal advances the mission of the VDNS by attempting to lower the barriers-to-entry that currently keep certain publics and populations from engaging in the politics and culture of their city. Our collective goal is to create and operate an innovative engagement space known as the 'Mobile Town Hall' or MoTH, that will move throughout the city to enhance community assets by acting as a Cross-fertilization incubator and a Multi-tenant co-location & performance space. Using various Jam formats, MoTH, which will be hosted by the CRL, will host a series of dialogues, workshops, public planning and design+build sessions that foster citizen engagement, identify areas of community concern, and provide solutions for those concerns. The four themes we shall address align with the Vancouver's Mayors Engaged City Task Force's Final Report: 1. Building Trust, 2. Building Capacity, 3. Building Knowledge, and 4. Building Power. Design, Development and Operation of MoTH would take place in three parts over a two-year period, with 1. Jan–June 2014 acting as the Design-phase, 2. July–Dec 2014 acting as the Development/Buildphase and 3. Jan–Dec 2015 as the Operation/Hosting phase.

Orlando, FL – Fish Chairs

2014-01-29T00:00:00Z

Nairobi (Non-active) – Dandora Green Mtaas: urban space revitalisation

2014-01-29T00:00:00Z

Dandora is a neighborhood on the east side of Nairobi known for its dirt, dust dilapidation and crime. Mustard Seeds is slowly changing that and has begun to revitalise its community "courts" (small plots of barren land) by clearing them of debris, improving drainage, landscaping and planting, and involving the local community in its maintenance and improvement. With Awesome Foundation support, the group will create the first revitalised, green space in Dandora, to serve as a model of many to come. "We are changing the perception of our abandoned community spaces by transforming our courts, which have been turned into dumping places, into a clean and rehabilitated community spaces, by creating landscaped gardens, with the participation of neighbourhood youth, children, and the community. Our intention is to safeguard our environment, while empowering local youth through environmental and entrepreneurial activities in the society." This includes re-digging the old drainage system buried underneath the ground decades earlier, which significantly improves the flow of rainwater and waste. It also includes tree planting, grass landscaping, flowering and gardening. So far, to clear the land, the group has used its own labour and sourced materials little by little, making good progress and creating a strong foundation with no external financial support. The pilot court space currently has several trees and a grass patch, as well as a functioning drainage system. These efforts are creating the only such community-protected, safe, green spaces in a large and isolated neighbourhood that borders a dumpsite, is littered by waste itself, and is crime-ridden where youth normally have few opportunities & little vision beyond what's immediately in front of them. Long term, the group hopes to make these spaces self-sufficient, developing ways within the estate to generate income from hiring the space for events & weddings, as well as to create as many jobs as possible through organized income-generating activities in the estate, while helping youth members find ways to develop themselves further.

London, ON (Non-active) – Try Poetry School Slam

2014-01-28T00:00:00Z

I have shared my poetry in classroom workshops & at school assemblies in several school boards & have seen first-hand the impact spoken word can have on youth. Spoken word is an accessible & inspiring art form that allows young people to find their voices & share their personal stories, while empowering them to work through their struggles, speak out on important topics, & create positive change in their lives & communities. While my workshops & assembly addresses do well to introduce students to the art of spoken word, I am only able to vaguely describe to them the atmosphere of an actual poetry slam & the incredible energy & enthusiasm created when a group of people come together to speak & share. The London Poetry Slam, though all ages, is nearly impossible for teachers to organize field trips to, as it is held on Friday nights. I would like to create a day-time slam event that schools/teachers could come to, introducing more students to spoken word & to the poetry slam environment, & encouraging them to get excited about poetry, to interact with poets, & to write & perform themselves. The event will be either a half day (slam + Q & A), or full day (slam, Q & A, writing workshops, student open mic) event, depending on interest/funding. The slam will feature diverse poets & content (content will be regulated to ensure appropriateness for students) & will reflect the energy, enthusiasm & accepting environment of a real slam. As a slam poet & Director of the London slam, having worked in schools & with the school board in different capacities, & with interest in this idea already from several teachers, I am confident I can produce a quality, successful event that will share the art form that I love with more London youth, & encourage more young people to write, perform, get involved in slam, & generally speak up & find their voices. Slams encourage creativity, empathy, & enthusiusm for art/language, and a slam accessible to schools would surely have great impact.

Philadelphia, PA – Turn House into Home, The "Senior" Prom Project

2014-01-28T00:00:00Z

After going on a week-long, summer service immersion trip called JusticeWorx the summer after sophomore year, I was inspired to help the homeless. My peers were helping a woman move from a transitional housing shelter into a house of her own when they observed the bare, unwelcoming, white walls of the house. They wanted to help the woman, but did not know how. In response, I founded Turn House into Home on August 10, 2012. Turn House into Home collects student-made artwork from local schools and donate it to homeless and transitional housing shelters. Turn House into Home has worked with five high schools and three shelters, donating over 160 pieces of artwork. The artwork is given to residents of local shelters, who then take the artwork with them when they move out of the shelter and into a more permanent housing situation. This art provides the residents with a special gift to make their house feel more like a home. With the artwork, Turn House into Home offers residents with more than just decorations; it provides them with hope and a sense of community support. Turn House into Home has touched the lives of many individuals whose spiritual needs are often neglected by society. I also support another group of people whose spiritual needs are often neglected by society, the elderly. I founded the charity The "Senior" Prom Project on April 21, 2013 after visiting my grandmother’s nursing home. My grandmother wanted to see my prom dress so I modeled it for my grandparents. Later, I received a call from my grandmother, asking me to bring a group of my friends to model dresses for the nursing home residents. The “Senior” Prom Project now organizes fashion shows at nursing homes to spread joy to the elderly and create an inter-generational bond between the student "models" and the residents of the nursing homes.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Volunteer Handymen for Poor & Vulnerable Families

2014-01-27T00:00:00Z

In the experience of the Foundation, vulnerable and poor young single parents lack the means to pay a handyman for basic repairs. Similarly for households where the father suffers from chronic mental illness. Such families also lack the means to buy equipment and materials for such repair work. Because of this, their houses become run down, drab and dreary environments which negatively impact the mental health of family members. We have recruited retired men having their own tools and transport already having skills for basic home repair chores. They are trained and mentored and supported for such work. We have developed a Code of Practice for them since this work is of a sensitive nature and the volunteers need to be highly aware of maintaining boundaries. This service grew out of a keenly felt need by Foundation Social Workers. Since one of the strategic objectives of the Foundation is to identify gaps in social support service provision and to respond to such needs, the Foundation tries to fill the gap through this project. In 2012 the three Volunteer Handymen in the project have completed a total of 581 hours of service; 390 hours of which in the homes of vulnerable families. 77 individuals from 23 familes benefited. Without this service, the homes of these 23 families would have remained highly disorganised. A total of 62 visits to these families were undertaken. Apart from the work described above, the Volunteer Handymen carried out the following work: (1) pick up of used furniture from families wishing to donate such furniture to vulnerable families and (b) delivery of donated used furniture to vulnerable families. In one year, the volunteer handymen undertook 41 such transportation and delivery visits, using the van of one of the volunteers, with fuel re-imbursement by the Foundation. We are looking for more volunteers to meet the demand and funds to cover materials and very basic equipment.

Miami, FL – Fresh Green Change

2014-01-24T00:00:00Z

The thought and care behind this project was meticulous. How could you implement such a complex subject into its simplest form? Simple: straight to the point. All the juicy stuff is for the parents to know. The fun stuff is for the kids- they'll love it. We plan on educating children in elementary schools on what they're eating, where it comes from, its value, and how it grows. We're going to teach them how to plant their own vegetable and fruit gardens- right at their school alongside teachers and parents. Our main goal is summed up in one sentence: Being healthy while keeping our planet healthy. We're going to bypass all the pesticides used in commercial agriculture because we're growing our own plants and taking care of them ourselves every day. Kids will see the process and will have fun in planting and harvesting these plants in order to take home once they've grown and enjoy the taste of natural fruits and veggies. This is going to be a hands-on project- excellent for their curious minds. Sunset Park Elementary has graciously allowed us to begin this project with their students! So, beginning this January 2014, we're going to have PowerPoints and activities ready for presenting the idea to the kids. We'll be teaching them what a plant is, how it grows, how to plant and water it. We'll teach them about the soil and how that's the plant's food. They'll have fun with this and get to do crossword puzzles and coloring activities in order to prepare them for the "Harvest Season." As soon as we start The Harvest Season, we'll be planting (this year) blueberries, carrots, celery, spinach, peas, raspberries, zucchini, and strawberries. but prior to that, we will build the beds and create an irrigation system for the beds in order to avoid the messy process of watering them every day and also to prevent plant dehydration during the weekends. Parent nights going to be planned so that they will know about what the program is teaching their kids.

San Antonio, TX – Face Off Against Kids Cancer

2014-01-24T00:00:00Z

Our foundation has teamed up with the San Antonio Rampage Hockey team's Face Off Against Kids Cancer Program. The team initiated a special program last season titled “Face-Off Against Kids Cancer” that pairs Rampage players with children from the Centers for Oncology and Blood Disorders at Children's Hospital of San Antonio, who are currently in either early stages of treatment for pediatric cancer or in remission. Through a series of social events that included a pizza and board game party at the hospital, an ice cream social after a Rampage game, a visit to SeaWorld and the San Antonio Rodeo, the program helped Rampage players forge lasting relationships with their respective buddies over the course of last season and hope to perpetuate those bonds this season. We are the sponsor of the 2013-2014 program.

Miami, FL – When I Grow Up

2014-01-23T00:00:00Z

Our Professor showed us a video of a TED talk that featured Candy Chang and her idea of a "Before I Die" chalkboard wall. She created this wall in and abandoned building in New Orleans in order for people to share their ideas and thoughts. Surprisingly, the wall filled up in one day. Inspired by her project, my classmates and I have decided, with permission granted from the school principal, to create a chalk-board wall in the elementary school stating "When I Grow Up I Want to..." The purpose of our project is to motivate children into thinking of their futures and allowing them to set goals for themselves. The Sweetwater community mostly consists of low-income hispanic community. Most of the parents are not involved in their children's education due to having multiple jobs. Many of the parents do not have any college degrees and this has not allowed the children to know of all of the endless career choices there are. By creating this fun wall, the children will not only begin thinking of their futures but it will also serve as a fun motivator in the school. If the environment of the school is fun and attractive to the children, they will become more motivated to do better in their studies. We want to create something inspirational, fun, motivating, and mind-opening for the children and this chalk-board wall is something that has proven to work. Aside from the wall, we would also like to create a garden at the entrance of the school. The reason for this is to give an appealing environment for the students, teachers, and families. The better the teachers and student feel about their environment, the better each one will perform.

Kingston – KMS Outreach Workshop Kit

2014-01-23T00:00:00Z

KMS has been asked to participate in outreach activities, sharing knowledge and skills throughout the community. At the FL&A Science Fair (http://www.flasf.on.ca) we've been asked to run workshops for Grade 5/6 students, a similar request has come from Science Rendezvous (http://www.sciencerendezvous.ca). We would love to be able to participate, to share our love of science and technology with other Kingstonians. However, we need to provide our volunteers with a Workshop Kit full of fun science & techy things which will help engage their audience, and give the audience hands on opportunities for participation. We're used to sharing individual items in the Maker Space, but running a Workshop for 30 plus students requires having many multiples of the same thing, that becomes cost prohibitive for our non-profit volunteer driven organization.

Boulder, CO (Non-active) – Display Cases for Metal Arts

2014-01-21T00:00:00Z

We want to display metal art to the public in Boulder but are limited by the lack of display cases in local art venues. We want to surprise and delight the art-going public in Boulder by offering a familiar medium with a new meaning: stunning metalwork and art jewelry created by hand, by local artists. There’s only one catch; we’re physically unable to exhibit our art work. Two of the notable art venues in Boulder, The Dairy Art Center and Chatauqua don’t have display cases and as a result, won’t exhibit small-scale metalwork.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Take a seat, Make a Friend

2014-01-20T00:00:00Z

Serve the City Belgium's 10th anniversary is next year and culminates in the 10th annual Big Volunteer Week in July 2014, when hundreds of volunteers come from all over the world to improve our city via people-to-people community service projects throughout Brussels. It takes a lot of work to get local residents - especially Belgians, who tend to be more reserved - interested and comfortable enough to help out on a team with people they don't know. I'd love to re-create Soul Pancake's "take a seat, make a friend" idea at different locations throughout Brussels this year to build community, inspire friendships, raise awareness, and get people involved in Serve the City projects by the time Big Volunteer Week rolls around next summer. "Take a seat, make a friend" involves turning a large wooden crate into a ball pit with questions written on all of the balls. There is enough room for 2 people at a time to sit in the crate and talk to each other at a time. You can watch how it played out for Soul Pancake here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfHV4-N2LxQ#t=66. I'd like to do this, as well as a similar project with thermos of hot chocolate, plastic cups, and paper slips with questions for the more shy people in the community to get to know each other, too. The ball pit would be moved to different locations around the city one day per month to build community and raise awareness for Serve the City's Big Volunteer Week amongst potential volunteers. The similar hot chocolate idea will be employed weekly on a smaller scale in our Saint Catherine neighborhood, where it will seek to build community and raise awareness more amongst the people we serve and who may not have shelter or other forms of warmth against the cold.

LA South Bay, CA (Non-active) – Little Free Library for DaVinci Innovation Academy

2014-01-17T00:00:00Z

One day I went on a walk with my Mom and we went across the street. Suddenly, we came to this house and I saw a little box standing in front of the house. There were books in the box. We found out it was a Little Free Library. You could keep the books, bring them back whenever you want or give it to a friend. Or you can put other books of your own in the Little Free Library. A Little Free Library I want to use it at our school. I want to have books so we can share the books. A Little Free Library is a library that it could help you learn to read. And I really like to give it to friends and I like reading new books. Thank you for thinking about our community and to help the country learn to read.

Seattle, WA – Trans Love, An honest guide for parents

2014-01-17T00:00:00Z

As a trans* person I see an utter lack of resources that are directed at parents that feel useful and respect a complicated trans* experience. For most things today we just recommend that if you want to know something- you should just do an internet search. This can be a disaster when it comes to your parents trying to access information that is not reflective of your experience, simplifies trans* identity and maybe even gives inaccurate facts. I have crafted a draft of a guide for parents that's written by a trans* person. I am going to gather feedback from my community and from parents of trans* folks. I am writing an honest, vulnerable and direct guide that will address common issues that come up in ways that don't pathologize trans* people and holds compassion for both parents and their offspring. I will do my best to make sure this guide is simple but accessible to all different kinds of families and communities of color. What will be brought up in the guide will shift the focus from trans* people being the problem and talk about how transphobia and other oppressions affect our community. We will also address real solutions to work on within relationships. This guide will be available at no cost online as a PDF, available for order via a printed booklet for very little money and we will create empowering posters as well. I believe artistic design is hugely important to how something is received. Our guide will have graphic design and illustration that will reflect its creativity, passion and vulnerability. It will also look professional and be appropriate for personal relationships as well as medical or counseling environments. My activist colleague, Rae Senarighi has offered their graphic design services at a highly discounted rate. You can see their work here: http://raesenarighi.com/ and they also did the final graphic design of Meet Polka Dot- the first book in a series for gender variant children: http://dangerdot.com/faq-the-polkadot-series/

Oahu, HI – Thrift Store: The Musical

2014-01-17T00:00:00Z

Our initial submission has all of the project details. Here are some of the characters appearing in the show: SALLY SWANSON, middle-aged, ambitious thrift store manager. She's lost it all in the "great recession" and needs to get back on her feet. Down but not out, this may be her last chance. FATHER PAUL, older gentleman, kind, thoughtful, wise, has a twinkle in his eye. He's got a flock to take care of and he's way too creative to follow the strict doctrine of the church. RHONDA, the psychic hair-dresser who comes to volunteer at the thrift store. Heartbroken and desperate for love, she's middle-aged, flamboyant and overly-dramatic but playful enough to see her own foibles. CLAIRE: A young (teenage) homeless girl who lives in the park just outside the doors of the thrift store. She deserves a better life and is offered a chance to work at the store. FRANCESCO ANTONIO PADOVA, an Italian clothing designer, a distinguished gentleman, suave and debonair. He has a eye for fashion and for the ladies -- and he wants both. BRENDA BATTLEAXE, Sally's nemesis and former business partner. She's nasty, pushy and boisterous and she means business. She's about to open a competitive big box thrift outlet right across the street. FIFI LA FONG, THE FASHIONISTA: a young, stylish, cyber chic, attached to her cell phone and to her identity as one of Honolulu's top fashion bloggers. Where ever Fifi goes she is sure to cause a stir. HENRY, neurotic, quirky and outrageous, he's a hoarder who tries to donate his things. His family has done an intervention and he’s in recovery, but his shopping addiction continues. SUSTAINABLE SAM, a young, non-GMO, organic environmentalist and activist. Dedicated to the cause. Reuses and recycles everything, a fix it man with a plan. EVE, Bohemian artist, alternative, Generation Y, about mid-twenties. She’s looking for her Burning Man costume and is a street performer.

Detroit, MI – Better Detroit Youth Movement Marketing/Media Team

2014-01-16T00:00:00Z

The Better Detroit Youth Movement is a non-profit coalition of positive-minded individuals and groups who are committed to working together with communities, parents, schools and students to improve the quality of life and learning for our city's children. One of our primary goals will be to improve communication among Detroit’s youth service providers by developing a database that will help enhance delivery of services, and serve as the basis for production of a resource guide to provide comprehensive services and solutions for Detroit youth. Citizen volunteerism, and youth engagement and participation are key components of the BDYM. We believe by fostering higher levels of communication, cooperation and collaboration among our citizens and communities, while seeking out areas where we can better work together, we will achieve greater success with and for our young generation.

Detroit, MI – Enhancing Drawing Detroit

2014-01-16T00:00:00Z

Having a successful launch, Drawing Detroit would like to take the blog to the next level. We would like to become the go-to site for Detroit data and discussion. In order to do that we would like to improve the skill-set of the Drawing Detroit staff. The current staff includes one part-time student, who is also a journalist, and contributions from Center staff, including GIS (mapping) analysts and masters and doctoral-level researchers. While a great deal of capacity exists within the staff, this grant would allow us to improve our site by allowing us to get graphic-design training for our staff, allowing us to improve the creativity and appearance of our graphics and thus our audience interest and engagement.

Tel Aviv - קרן בקטנה (Non-active) – System Ali House

2014-01-15T00:00:00Z

This project will fund the first professional Ethiopian hip-hop group in Israel to record their first album. They will be mentored by the now famous Arab-Russian-Jewish hip-hop outfit, System Ali. We love them because... well - just check out the link to a clip below and you will see why :)

New York City, NY – We Radiate

2014-01-15T00:00:00Z

We Radiate is exploring the feasibility of mobile and strategically placed compost units which allow for the transfer of heat energy created through the decomposition and breakdown of food scraps. Heat generated from compost units creates temperatures exceeding 120°F. Our goal is to maximize energy output of small-scale compost units for use in public spaces (eg. bus-stops). And since New York City landfills over 1 million tons of organic material annually, this possibility can create vast (renewable) energy outputs. There are 2 objectives: a) Design innovative, small-unit compost units which optimize heat generation; b) Maximize heat transfer from compost unit to external devices, for consumption in public spaces (bus-stops or to melt ice) We Radiate is conducting multiple experiments to research the most effective methods to create heat energy by small scale compost stations. To reach elevated temperatures of 120°F, compost units must exceed a volume of 1 cubic meter, which is larger than ideal for an urban environment. To make this a plausible city-wide initiative it is necessary to minimize compost unit size. Initial trials have been successful with temperatures exceeding 100°F on a small-scale. This achievement has prompted a continuation in volume reduction - from 2/3rd of the original size down to 1/4th. A prototype is currently being developed for placement underneath a bus-stop bench. This ecologically sound idea would bring forth heated benches at bus stops throughout the wintertime without additional financial resources; this will also offer an educational duality for participation in compost initiatives. We Radiate is looking to expand these design models across the city to encourage awareness and partnerships. We Radiate meets the challenges of two urgent concerns: solid waste management and energy. Our vision enables communities to create, maintain, and possess their own energy generating locally from compost.

Ottawa – Twice Upon a Time

2014-01-15T00:00:00Z

January’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Alexandra Yarrow, to support Twice Upon a Time, a project to provide books to children from families in need. “The pride children experience from owning books further promotes lifelong learning,” explains Alexandra. “We will provide free or gently-used books to children initially through a pop-up shop in Heartwood House's lobby, and later from an independent storefront on-site.” “We envision Twice Upon a Time as a complement to excellent public library service. Many families bring their children to the library, but many do not, because they are afraid of potential fines or costs for lost material, or other perceived or real barriers. And even if families visit the library, studies have shown that children do better in school when there are books at home.” “Our project is inspired by the Children's Book Bank, a charity operating in Toronto’s Regent Park since 2008,” Alexandra explains. She and her team of dedicated volunteers will collect the books through donation bins and community-based book drives. To learn more or to get involved, visit http://ottawachildrensfreebookproject.wordpress.com/. Alexandra is an acting manager at the Ottawa Public Library.

Yerevan – արհեստանոց

2014-01-15T00:00:00Z

2013 դեկտեմբերին ՕՍԸՄ հիմնադրամի ամենամսյա մրցույթի հաղթող է ճանաչվել ԱՐՀԵՍՏԱՆՈՑ նախագիծը: Հիմնադրամի միջոցներից տրամադրված գումարը կոգտագործվի երեխաների խեցեգործական արհեստանոցի համար թրծման վառարան գնելու նպատակով: Ծրագրի մասին հավելյալ տեղեկություներ կարող եք կարդալ ստորև: Սահմանափակ հնարավորություններ ունեցող երեխաների զբաղվածությունը մեր երկրում այսօր թերի է կազմակերպված: Ճիշտ է, մեզանում կազմակերպվում են ամառային և ձմեռային ճամբարներ, որտեղ երեխաները սովորում են կանգնել դահուկների վրա, յուրացնում առագաստանավային սկզբունքները, սակայն գարնանը և աշնանը նրանց ժամանցի և զբաղվածության խնդիրնեըը շարունակում են մնալ չլուծված: Մենք կազմակերպեցինք մի արհեստանոց, որտեղ ես երեխաներին սովորեցնում եմ նկարել, կավից պատրաստել տարբեր առարկաներ, յուրացնել դիզայնի հիմունքները: Ցավոգ կեռամիկայից պատրաստած իրերը մենք ստիպված ենք թրծել այլ տեղում ստիպված ենք երկար սպասել մեր հերթին հասնելուն և կարողանում ենք թրծել արտադրանքի սահմանափակ քանակությունը: Հայտնի է, որ կավի հետ աշխատանքը ունի բուժական հատկություններ և անհրաժեշտ է սահմանափակ հնարավորութուններ ունեցող երախաների որոշ խմբերի համար անհրաժեշտ է՝ շարժումների կարգավորման, ուշադրության կենտրոնացման համար և այլն: Բացի վերը նաշվածից այդ գործունեությունը կարող է ունենալ նաև կոմերցիոն բնույթ: Արկա են նախնական պայմանաորվանությաններ որոշ կազմակերպությունների և բանկերի հետ երեխաների ձեռքերով պարրաստած իրերի գնման մասին՝ տոնական և անվանական նվերներ, հուշանոերներ: Ինչ խոսք, ստացված միջոցները լուրջ խթան են հանդիսանալու երեխաների համար: Հիշեցնենք, որ ՕՍԸՄ հիմնադրամը դիմումներ է ընդունում մինչև յուրաքանչյուր ամսվա վերջին օրը: Ուղարկեք ձեր ֆանտաստիկ գաղափարները եւ հնարավորություն կունենաք ստանալու $1000 ձեր փոքր երազանքը իրականացնելու համար: Մեր պայմանները պարզ են եւ մատչելի, ընդամենը հարկավոր է լրացնել այս ձեւը եւ ձեր ՕՍԸՄ գաղափարը կքննարկվի: http://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/submissions/new?chapter=yerevan