Awesome Foundation - Projects

Liverpool (Non-active) – My City: Creative Writing & Storytelling - Persian

2019-03-02T00:00:00Z

This creative writing and storytelling workshop for ages 15+ planned to take place at the Central Youth Club in Liverpool in May to coincide with WoW Festival aims to bring together the Iranian diaspora with the wider communities of Liverpool through storytelling. -extending on the social events to celebrate national and cultural occasions and the English classes for adults to help the new immigrants handle day to day conversations we offer. Using The Book of Tehran - a new collection of short stories translated into English by some of the best contemporary writers from Iran as inspiration for the day the group will explore how they might apply these themes to their own place of writing. What is the Iranian community’s experience of life in Liverpool? What can we learn from the style of writing, language and interpretations across cultures? How does this evoke a sense of place, what do we learn about Tehran, how does this compare to our experience of these cities? The leader would then introduce exercises for the group to try, leading into creative time in which to write something exploring their relationship to Iran, the UK or both. There would then be time for the group to share their stories and feedback. Proposed workshop leaders are local artist and creative writing expert Vahid Davar and The Book of Tehran contributor Orkideh Behrouzan.

Minas Gerais (Non-active) – Sarau Litero Musical

2019-03-01T00:00:00Z

PROJETO DANÇADO Totalizando, até o momento, 10 apresentações, todas sem fins lucrativos, em quadra aberta da Escola Estadual Gerson Gomes de Almeida, em Ipaba, objetiva, envolvendo alunos, seu entorno e a comunidade, trazer mais cultura à cidade. Este é o projeto Awesome de Março! Composto por cerca de 400 (!) alunos de 07 a 14 anos é liderado pela professora Sônia Cristina, o sarau faz agora 14 anos e se mantém pela ajuda dos pais, professores, direção da escola e comunidade. Ela quer dar continuidade ao projeto pela emoção de ser portadora de cultura em sua comunidade e pela arte da dança, em si, por que tem muito amor! O coral traz em torno de si um público estimado de 2000 pessoas. QUE SEJA AWESOME

Gloucester, MA – McPherson Walkway Gardens

2019-03-01T00:00:00Z

Libraries (Non-active) – The Library for Food Sovereignty

2019-03-01T00:00:00Z

The Library for Food Sovereignty (LFS) is a knowledge commons for inspiring, exchanging, and safeguarding farmer innovations, famer-led research, and farmer stories from around the world. What our grantee has to say: "This project explores the application of information and communication technologies within the indigenous farming community, I will specifically use this funding to help develop participatory innovation development and farmer-led documentation practices. What our trustees have to say: “A unique approach to building a knowledge commons that not only facilitates the sharing of information but also its protection from commercial interests.” “This project aims for a delicate balance between culturally-sensitive open access and the preservation of intellectual property rights for individual farmers.” “An inspiring project with a big impact.”

North Minneapolis, MN – Save the Youth, Save the Future

2019-03-01T00:00:00Z

The Brother’s Foundation’s (TBF) was formed by young men, connected to the streets, from rival Northside gang factions. On a mission, to prevent/interrupt and divert Northside middle school boys (including their sons) from participating in street and/or gang violence. As fathers of young males reaching middle school age, we are reminded of what caused us to put down the balls and pick up the guns.” Peer pressure, the longing to belong to a group, to be seen; caused us to make some bad choices. We want to get ahead of that curve and interrupt any alienation with society that occurs as they enter their teens. Hence, the name Save the Youth, Save the Future. As former gang members ourselves, we do not want the next generation to follow in our footsteps. We want to interrupt the cycle of violence that manifests as Northside young males enter puberty. In small groups, TBF will offer these youth the opportunity to build relationships with adults they can trust, be able to voice their needs and concerns We will provide opportunities that we did not have as youth. We will offer a safe place where they can express themselves, discuss their challenges and speak for themselves. TBF will provide support in the form of resources and encouragement.

Melbourne (Non-active) – Children of Cherbourg

2019-02-28T00:00:00Z

We plan to freight 1200 books we have collected from Melbourne Libraries and private donors across Melbourne to Cherbourg Aboriginal Learning Centre, so that parents and children can borrow books to read with each other at home as well as the Cherbourg Primary School students having full access

Raleigh, NC (Non-active) – Let's Hop NC

2019-02-28T00:00:00Z

Let's Hop NC is a North Carolina based project that brings art to the streets, literally! With this project, I plan to transform sidewalks into exciting playgrounds with unique hopscotch boards. After securing the proper permissions, these hand-painted boards can be painted anywhere in the city attracting and connecting people of all different backgrounds and generations. Each board will be unique and completely different from the next.

Disability – DREAM

2019-02-28T00:00:00Z

DREAM is a national online organization that connects and supports students to become leaders and agents of change on their campuses through programs such as DREAM Chapters and Affiliates, Mentor Monday webinars, and Disabled & Proud student conferences. DREAM members strongly advocate for disability culture, community, and pride as well as the interests of college students with disabilities and strive to develop into an online disability cultural center for students who want to connect with other students and the disability community. DREAM is led by an advisory board of outstanding college students from across the U.S. and a part-time coordinator and has over 40 chapters and affiliates. Our sponsoring organization--the National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD)—is stretching a 3-year U.S. Department of Education grant to cover 5 years and has no funds to develop new DREAM programs. Except for the conference, which is offered at low or no cost, all our programs are open to students for free. Our last Disabled & Proud conference was held online in October 2018 for nearly 500 students and featured over 50 presenters, mentors, exhibitors, and sponsors (https://www.disabledandproud.org). Based on feedback emerging from conference activities, the DREAM Board would like to provide students with more support to build and sustain their organizations as well as more events promoting disability culture and pride. Keri Gray with the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) has proposed a fantastic pair of workshops on how to sustain student organizations and their leaders over time. In addition, we’d like to have a disability film screening and student-led Twitter chat as an online social activity. Finally, we'd like to further support our 2019 Mentor Monday guest mentors who are authors, like Naomi Ortiz and Keah Brown, by buying copies of their work for promotional giveaways to students (guest mentors receive a small honorarium from NCCSD). What our grantee is saying: "We at DREAM are so grateful to receive this grant from Awesome Disability! The grant will kickstart new programs to develop college student leadership and disability pride, bringing together Deaf and disabled students from across the U.S. to network and support each other."

San Antonio, TX – World's 1st Wall-Mounted Solar Mural Installation

2019-02-28T00:00:00Z

The World's 1st Wall-Mounted Solar Mural Installation will be mounted on the west-facing exterior wall of JT Brackenridge Elementary School at the historic crossroads of San Antonio's Westside: Guadalupe and South Brazos Streets. The Land Art Generator--a piece of public art producing renewable energy--will consist of 18 solar panels coated with image-embedded photovoltaic film. The Esperanza Center has long been collecting and exhibiting historic photos as fotobanners along the streets of San Antonio’s Westside as part of a project called En Aquellos Tiempos: Fotohistorias del Westside, a unique outdoor street museum highlighting the area’s rich historical and cultural heritage. One section along the Guadalupe Street fence of JT Brackenridge Elementary School which you arrive at as you enter the Westside over the Guadalupe Bridge, is devoted to fifty sepia and black-and-white shots from 1906 to 1960 of children from this barrio. This stretch is impressive during the day but dark at night: Esperanza has long wanted to nocturnally illuminate this important “art”-ery. The World's 1st Wall-Mounted Solar Mural Installation will provide the electricity to do just that. Last spring, Land Art Generator Initiative--global leaders in the crusade to make renewable energy beautiful--conducted community engagement workshops with over 75 fifth grade science students who learned about renewable energy and helped determine content/composition for the Solar Mural project. Then LAGI worked with a group of Westside community elders addressing the same challenge. Consensus between the two generationally-diverse groups led to selection of two images for an awesome Solar Mural artwork: a sepia-toned 1906 class picture of JT Brackenridge Elementary School students at the school’s nearby original site juxtaposed against a current color shot of the 75+ fifth-graders who helped with the project. 18 60-cell solar modules--9 modules per photo, each in a 3x3 composition!

Aviano (Non-active) – Great Gelato Giveaway

2019-02-28T00:00:00Z

We love gelato and think that ice-cream is a great way to help people bond. As spring approaches with warmer weather, the gelato shops in the Aviano area are getting busier. We plan to donate some funds to a number of these places to give away ice cream to groups of people at their discretion. What an awesome way to celebrate spring.

New York City, NY – Project X Bronx Poetry & Arts Festival

2019-02-27T00:00:00Z

We love to support people who are passionate about building and supporting their communities, so we are so excited to support Project X as they launch a new Poetry & Arts festival this summer. In organizer Noel Quiñones's own words: _Over the past three years Project X has organized nearly 40 slams, workshops, & community programming in the Bronx. Through this, we experienced the power poetry has on uplifting & connecting communities of color, income, disability, & sexual orientation. Throughout our season, we watch people slowly come out of their shells while making friends & gaining professional development & experience. We want to celebrate the artists that worked hard throughout the year. We want them to celebrate themselves & their resilience, & most importantly we want the rest of the Bronx to see the beautiful work growing in their backyard. Therefore our awesome project is to create and host the first ever Bronx Poetry & Arts Festival to be held in the South Bronx in August 2019._ _We create a space for Bronx poets & artists to grow through friendships & opportunities. The Bronx has NYC’s highest poverty rate, leaving many artists without the leisure to work solely on their art. This combined with consistent violence on immigrants, women, & LGBTQ individuals, leads many to feel beaten down & forgotten. Project X wants to empower them to feel worthy & supported. The Bronx birthed us & art carried us through. We will remain a resource for Bronx poets & artists & commit to holding ourselves accountable. We will not be forgotten._ The festival will be held on August 10, 2019 at the iD Studio Theater in the Bronx. We hope to see you there!

Kingston – Gnome for a home

2019-02-27T00:00:00Z

"Gnome for a home" is 10 years old Lylia dream to help homeless in Kingston. During the holidays, Lylia designed and painted 200 greeting cards (representing gnomes) that she sold ($5 each) to help the homeless in Kingston. On December 21st, she was able to donate $ 1000 to the non-profit organization Martha's Table. "Gnome for a home" cards has sold so fast and Lylia was so proud that she decided to paint another 200 Valentine's themed cards (representing) gnomes and taking 100% proceeds again to Martha's Table to help homeless. Lylia's dream is to see "Gnome for a home" club in schools in Kingston and why not other Canada cities... may be around the world? "Gnome for a home cards" have been seen in Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, Paris and Tunis !!! Many other kids can join and personalize her cards and use their own network to sell even more cards! Lylia is already thinking about Mother's Day and Father's Day themed "Gnome for a home" cards.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Fat Girls Hiking

2019-02-25T00:00:00Z

Fat Girls Hiking is fat activism, body liberation & outdoor community. We want to take the shame & stigma out of the word FAT & empower it. Our motto, Trails Not Scales focuses on Self Care in the outdoors. We promote weight-neutrality & Health At Every Size. We want all people to feel comfortable outdoors & be able to access the outdoors in a way that meets their needs & to be able to claim their space on the trail. We believe that folks of all ages, sizes, shapes, races, religions, classes, abilities, genders and sexual identities should be represented & celebrated in the outdoors. Our community is for everyone! We encourage & support folks who want to get out & hike, to do so!

Washington, DC – The Wash & Learn Initiative

2019-02-25T00:00:00Z

Many families living in poverty spend 90 minutes and $5 each week at their neighborhood laundromat. Waiting for laundry provides an opportune time for families to complete administrative/educational tasks, such as tax prep or book readings with kids. This project will create a pop-up library at one laundromat in Washington, DC, and engage local organizations/volunteers to facilitate educational workshops in the laundromat. Imagine this: You walk into your neighborhood laundromat, drop your kids off with the children’s librarian reading books to kids in a quiet corner. This gives you time -- the first time ever at the laundromat -- where you can fold your clothes calmly without running around after your kids (who usually entertain themselves here by jumping into the laundry carts). While your clothes are in the washer, you are invited by a certified CPA to ask her any questions you might have about your taxes due in April. While your clothes are in the dryer, you sign onto one of the provided computers to check your e-mail, and with occasional help and encouragement from one of the volunteers on site, you write your first digital resume and submit your first job application online. I have scoped out the laundromats in the city, and have received oral commitments from laundromat owners in wards 8 and 4 to utilize the waiting rooms in their stores for a pop-up event. I intend to take this one-off event as an opportunity to build momentum behind more frequent and more sustained events inside laundromat waiting rooms across our city. I want to transform all laundromat waiting rooms into public access computer labs with facilitated learning opportunities because I believe in a prospective future unhindered by structural inequalities.

Alaska (Non-active) – Visit and Play at the Fairbanks Children's Museum

2019-02-25T00:00:00Z

Fairbanks Children's Museum is a small nonprofit organization that serves 40,000+ people per year. It is our mission to inspire and connect families through discovery and the power of play. That sets us apart from other children's museums that have mission statements that are child-driven. We are family-driven. We strive to extend our reach to everyone in Fairbanks. Recently we began working with the Fairbanks Corrections Center, improving their contact visitation space, because every family deserves to have meaningful connection. We offer significantly reduced admission to anyone with an EBT card or foster parent card, and regularly offer reduced or free admission for special events to extend our reach to special sub-groups like military families, and often to the entire community at large. In December, we started a new program called Visit and Play where the museum is open extended hours twice a month, exclusively for children in the foster care system to have visits with the biological parents, at all levels of supervision. We have some parents who have just earned unsupervised visits but need a place outside of their home, we have supervisors from state and nonprofit organizations, and we have foster parents that serve as supervisors. We offer the parents a safe, non-judgmental place where they can connect with their children in a way that traditional supervised visitation scenarios do not allow, where, maybe, for an hour, they can forget about all of the other factors impacting their contact with their child. Parents struggling to get custody of their children face plenty of uphill battles, and one of them simply does not need to be facing the judgment of those who have not a clue what has brought them to this point.

Oahu, HI – Mural - Mele on the Lawn

2019-02-22T00:00:00Z

After all these years Kalaheo High School is finally getting a functional field for our sporting events! Our Principal wants to celebrate this with a field dedication event called "Mele on the Lawn" that involves the entire community of Kailua. There will be music, Hawaiian cultural activities, and food vendors; along with an announcement of the new field's name. The proposed date of the event is slated to take place on April 4, 2019. Everyone in the community is invited and welcome to participate in this event, and the art department is creating a mural with the field's name that we hope the community can help us with! We hope to create a design that will allow everyone to add a few brushstrokes to!

Orlando, FL – Night Shift: An Experiment

2019-02-21T00:00:00Z

Night Shift: An Experiment, is an immersive, pop-up event, that will showcase a diverse range of media—including sound performances, installation art, avant-garde film, and experimental textile — all created by local Florida artists working outside of the traditional institutional system. The lineup: *Carl Knickerbocker: Avant-garde Film *Bethany Mikell: Experimental Textiles *Bahareh Khoshooee: Installation *Chris LeBrane: Sound Art *Brittany Metz: Immersive Video Experience The evening will include a chance to meet and greet all artists and experience their art first hand, while also seeing some of them "at work", creating experimental art live in the museum. Additionally, there will be music by local DJs and guests will have access to the Museum’s two new exhibitions: Nick Cave: Feat. and Purvis Young and His Angels. An additional experience may include an awesome experimental projection mapping on the landmark sculpture by Dale Chihuly, by local new media creatives Ascend Studios. This is where we need your awesome grant!!

Newmarket – Feed Your Mind (Nutrition Program)

2019-02-21T00:00:00Z

Our Breakfast program at Sir William Mulock Secondary School is a far reaching initiative providing access to a healthy meal daily to students in need while concurrently developing employment skills to at risk students in specialized programming. Our breakfast program provides three basic food groups to over 100 students every day in our school. We have created an environment where any student can come to our Main Office, Learning Commons (Library) or our Breakfast room and receive grab-n-go healthy snacks to fuel their brains and bodies. We feel that accessibility to healthy food is vital for all students. Therefore, it is very important that students do not feel stigmatized for accessing these resources. Therefore, our program provided equal access for all students who might not have access to healthy food. We, also, want to encourage healthy eating options for all of our students. In addition to feeding hungry teens, our program provides learning opportunities and job experience to many specialized programs in our school. The students in our Autism program are given employment ready skills through our program by baking muffins, doing laundry, delivering snacks, and bagging cereal for our program. The students in our Multiple Exceptionalities class deliver snacks to many locations in our school daily. Our Community class learns food preparation skills by preparing fresh veggie snack bags for our program on a weekly basis. Our Alternative Education classes prepare snacks, bake muffins, and prepare hot foods for the Breakfast program.

Yerevan – Modern Urban Art

2019-02-21T00:00:00Z

Արտասահմանում փողոցային արվեստի օրինակներ շատ կան՝ օրինակ մեր հարևան երկրում գտնվող FABRIKA-ն, Մոսկվայում գտնվող FLACON և այլն։ Սակայն մեր երկրում այս արվեստը զարգացաց չէ՝ կարծես անգամ գոյություն չունի։ Modern Urban Art նախագիծն իրենից ներկայացնում է ժամանակակից փողոցային արվեստ, որի նպատակն է քաղաքային միջավայրում ուշադրության դարձնել այն վայրերն ու պատերը, որոնք մարդկանց կողմից լքված են և անուշադրության մատված։ Քանի որ Հայաստանում արվեստի այս տեսակը գրեթե բացակայում է, նախագիծի իրականացումը կօգնի զարգացնել այն մեր երկրում՝ կյանքի կոչելով լքված հին պատերը։ Նախագծի հիմքը դպրոցի և մարդկանց անցուղու բաժանարար բետոնային պատ է՝ 100 մ երկարությամբ և 1.8 մ բարձրությամբ: Հիմնական շեշտը դրված է լուսավորության և գեղագիտական լուծման վրա: Որպեսզի պատը ստանա իր գեղագիտական նշանակությունը, այն ներկվելու է ողջ երկայնքով՝ օգտագոծելով 4 հիմնական գույներ՝ կարմիր, կապույտ, դեղին և կանաչ: Տվյալ տարածքի հիմնական խնդիրը լուսավորությունն է և մարդիկ ամեն օր առընչվում են այդ խնդրի հետ: Այդ իսկ պատճառով այն կլուսավորվի գիշերը՝ ստանալով էլ ավելի գրավիչ տեսք։ Նախագիծը կիրականացվի ԹՈՒՄՈ ստեղծարար տեխնոլոգիաների փողոցային արվեստով հետաքրքրված կամավորների հետ միասին։

Ottawa – Electro-Stitches: Free E-Textile Workshops

2019-02-21T00:00:00Z

February’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Lee Jones to support a series of free e-textile workshops in Ottawa. “E-textiles and having electronics in your clothes might sound like science fiction,” explains Lee, “but are actually a fun and easy way to learn all about electricity and building sensors. E-textiles combine learning craft techniques such as sewing, weaving, knitting, and crocheting with the added excitement of making a circuit work. Learning to sew with e-textiles also allows individuals to upcycle old clothes into items that are personally meaningful.” “Typically,” continues Lee, “when individuals get started with electronics they need to purchase $100-$300 worth of kit. With e-textiles, instead of buying individual sensors and components, you can make your own out of a few conductive and resistive materials, and the rest you can recycle from old clothes or get at the dollar store. There are also added learning opportunities because you get to customize your sensors to your own needs, and learn about how they work along the way.” In Lee’s introductory workshops individuals will learn all about soft circuits and get the chance to make their own. The workshops will cover the basics of sewing with conductive thread, how to build circuits, and sewing tools and techniques for putting everything together. Participants will also build off their new-found knowledge of soft circuits and start their own interactive projects, learning how to make soft sensors that can detect touch, stretch, and movement. No prior knowledge of electronics or sewing will be required. For more information, and to sign up for a workshop, visit electrostitches.com. Lee is a PhD student at Carleton University, researching ambient wearables at the Creative Interactions Lab. She also teaches the Bodycentric Technologies class at OCAD University in Toronto. She fell in love with e-textiles while doing research on wearables, and enjoys how they allow individuals to combine craft techniques and electronics.

Baltimore, MD – The Board Room Chess Baltimore

2019-02-20T00:00:00Z

The Board Room Chess is a community initiative committed to creating safe spaces for Baltimore City Youth to gather and learn values, respect and develop self esteem, all while learning the game of chess. The Board Room meets twice each month. Each session includes basic chess instruction and segments on the importance of making good decisions, planning ahead or strategizing, setting goals, family values and the importance of authority, whether family, municipal or education. All participants receive a t-shirt, free lessons and a chess journal. Lunch is served each session. Baltimore is the home of many young people with aspirations and talent outside of the normal stereotypes. Not all of our children would prefer to dribble a basketball or pass a football, however, there are not too many other options for those who would like to be challenged intellectually. At the Board Room individuals will be challenged as they learn the game and those who are familiar with the game will have the opportunity to mentor their peers. We hope to extend our program to a summer program to serve 35-50 youth. As our youth learn the game of chess they will move to different levels. Each level is a bit more challenging as is life. Our coaches prepare each child to understand the game and the importance of being confident in making the right decision. As they perfect their game they will have the opportunity to receive ten lessons, taught by Chess Master William Morrison. Each participant will also be entered in the Annual Knights Pawn Tournament to compete with others their age and older. Parents are encouraged to support their children. For parents we will offer mini workshops on financial literacy, which places an emphasis on saving and living within your means. Healthy eating and food friendly education for diabetes and high blood pressure will be offered as well as first time home buyers which will include education about grants, the buying process and credit education.

Chicago, IL – Energy Audits Evanston

2019-02-20T00:00:00Z

Our project connects Northwestern engineering students with low-income Evanstonians to provide free energy audits in Evanston’s Fifth Ward. We estimate that we can reduce utility costs by up to 30%, resulting in up to $350 a year in savings per family audited. Evanston faces a crisis of affordability. Between 2004 and 2013, Evanston lost 40% of its affordable housing, according to a 2019 report by Apartment List. For many in Evanston’s Fifth Ward - traditionally low-income and African-American - managing a rising cost of living while property taxes skyrocket has become almost impossible. Compounding the problem for Fifth Ward homeowners is the high cost of utilities. The housing stock in the Fifth is some of the oldest in the city, with most houses built nearly a hundred years ago. These old houses leak heat. While the median price for utilities in Evanston is approximately $95, one Fifth Ward resident told us that they paid as much as $300 per month in utilities -- yet their house was still too cold. Providing free energy audits will help ease the cost for these already burdened homeowners. Thanks to our partner organizations in Evanston, Connections for the Homeless, and Open Communities, we are connecting engineering students with Fifth Ward families who want to participate in our program. Jim Cavallo, a professional with decades of experience, will train the engineering students to perform a room-by-room examination of the house, find leaks, and install simple fixes. Our partners at Citizens’ Greener Evanston (CGE) have agreed to provide critical heavy equipment, such as an infrared camera and a blower door. We have a strong relationship with Robin Rue Simmons, the Fifth Ward Alderwoman, who has put us in touch with a number of families already. Our first audit training for engineers will take place in late January and we will begin site visits in mid-February. If successful, we will expand next year to the Second and the Eighth Ward.

Ann Arbor, MI – Jade + Woe

2019-02-19T00:00:00Z

Jade + Woe, a Detroit based, non-profit art collective dedicated to conceptualizing and creating solutions in visual + experiential communication. We are not one physical space; we are a catalyst for collaboration that brings artists together through in real life experiences and interactions. The fundamentals of our multidisciplinary platform focus on collaborative and autonomous projects, in which, continuous development and encouragement of artists to step outside of their status quo is encouraged. With a goal for total inclusion, artists are invited to further their experience, promote their work, and connect with like-minded individuals. Our first project connects visual artists with musicians within the Detroit area and focuses on minority groups within these creative fields in efforts to take physical action toward creating what we common know as a ‘safe space’ but rarely experience. It will be an art exhibition held in February at Hard Gallery in Detroit with proceeds from the sold art going to the Ruth Ellis Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ youth.

Brumadinho (Non-active) – Expedições Paraopeba Vivo

2019-02-19T00:00:00Z

Expedição de Diagnóstico, Articulação e Cuidados Esta será a 1a expedição que o coletivo tem intenção de realizar 1a: diagnóstico, articulação e cuidados 2a: impulsionar cocriação e planejamento de projetos locais em rede 3a: implementar projetos, capacitando atingidos nas tecnologias de regeneração escolhidas por eles. Ao final de cada expedição faremos um encontro público de compartilhamento do processo e chamadas para a sociedade civil apoiar missões que emergirem do território. Tarefas a serem realizadas: -Escuta ativa e afetiva do território e leitura do cenário -Mapeamento de atores, lideranças, talentos, recursos, demandas, parceiros locais e comunidades tradicionais atingidas -Oferta de cuidado terapêutico (chás,barro, pomadas, massagem) -Estimular a criação de rede de saúde individual, coletiva e da natureza: articulando necessidades locais + terapeutas da rede + ferramentas do Fundo Aliança Brumadinho -Alimentar a equipe do Fundo com informações locais -Apoiar grupos e movimentos já atuantes na localidade -Fortalecer espaços com potencial regenerativo (ex: centros culturais, espaços comunitários) -Criar bases para uma Aliança Regenerativa, que estabeleça parcerias entre Rio Doce, Paraopeba e outros territórios ameaçados -Fazer oficinas e rodas de conversa Quem somos Aliança Rio Doce é um coletivo e rede com objetivo de apoiar a regeneração integral do Rio Doce, promovendo a aliança de pessoas, organizações, talentos e recursos, fortalecendo iniciativas locais através da cocriação e realização de ações, protótipos e projetos colaborativos. Estamos em rede com diversos grupos e organizações da sociedade civil atuando localmente. Para saber mais: www.aliancariodoce.org e www.regenerariodoce.org Nossos valores em: http://wikiriodoce.org/Aliança_Rio_Doce TOTAL: R$2460

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Exposure Therapy

2019-02-18T00:00:00Z

Obscenity, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. The beholder, however, does not exist within a vacuum. Societal norms, social pressure, and misinformation all direct our eyes and tell us what we should see. I believe the oppression of women takes many forms, one of which is the notion that our bodies alone are pornographic. A nipple alone is not pornography, it’s not even gendered. We need to fight this absurdity once and for all — beauty and obscenity are in the eye of the beholder. My body is not the problem, your eyes are. To aid in our fight, I offer Exposure Therapy: nipple stickers to get our point across. Stickers will be placed around the world, on any and all surfaces, to ask questions such as: Is a car with a nipple sexy? Could a sidewalk with a nipple be pornographic? Is my laptop now inappropriate? Would a telephone pole be obscene? Is a tree with a nipple dangerous? With my own efforts I have already gotten nipple stickers in the eager hands of all genders, and placed in California, New York, Norway, Spain, and beyond. I believe this project will help dilute our misunderstanding of the nipple, and further the empowerment of women's bodies. We all have them, only women are shamed for it. People only think about hypocrisy when exposed to it. [The nipple stickers are waterproof and do not damage surfaces (they can be removed if desired)]

Singapore – Party Game: Will you make it to Planet B?

2019-02-18T00:00:00Z

We have designed a human-scale game, sort of scavenger hunt, to raise awareness on sustainability and inequality issues and educate people on these issues. Here is the story we have imagined : We are in 2060. We exhausted the resources of Planet Earth. Millions of people have been killed because of the rise of the sea level, climatic catastrophes and water wars. Fortunately, space explorers have found another planet where we could migrate to.m (Planet B). However, that planet is already populated. The autochtones living there are afraid that we, Earthlings, destroy their beautiful planet as we did with ours. Therefore, they want us to go through an immigration process before they grant us a special visa. 8 delegations from Earth, representing each one of the most powerful nations will have to go through 4 checking points. YOU have been chosen to be part of one of these delegations and contribute to saving humanity. " The game will work like this:: we will have 8 teams of 5 people, and they will have to find the checking points around Chinatown with clues. At each checkpoint they will have a challenge to complete. Each checkpoint on a specific theme: health, art, gastronomy and sustainability/social impact. This last check-point will be a quizz game where they will have to rank activities according to their carbon footprint, and answer some questions on sustainability and social impact. Winners will get a symbolic reward, and everyone will get a free drink in a bar at the end of the game.

Pittsburgh, PA – Roadkill Gallery

2019-02-18T00:00:00Z

Roadkill Gallery is a space focused on accessibility; four walls on wheels housed in a 20' box-truck built to promote collaboration, performance, and arts education throughout the greater Pittsburgh area. This experimental space offers a versatile platform for local artists to exhibit their work and a unique way for the public to engage with it. The gallery’s mobility allows artists to reach new audiences as well as bringing art to a broader range of demographics across Pittsburgh. Communities thrive on art, and art thrives through communities. The idea of a mobile gallery came about while working on .5 Gallery, a creative space in Etna built from the ground up with my childhood friend, James Olson. We wanted to open a creative space in our neighborhood, and in doing so spread our passion for the arts throughout our community. While successful, I came to realize how isolated each Pittsburgh neighborhood can be. This, coupled with a general lack of affordable and convenient transportation options, severely limits how and when people access the arts. Moreover, in cases where people don't lack the means of getting from a to b, they often lack the motivation. My goal is to use Roadkill Gallery to help address these issues. This space will go around to surrounding neighborhoods to bring art to their communities. The main challenges surrounding Roadkill are similar to other Pittsburgh galleries- getting those interested in art who were not previously. With Roadkill Gallery’s accessibility, are also able to provide a further opportunity to partner with other local businesses such as cafes, breweries, libraries etc to develop a wider network of support. Connecting with High Schools and being part of their art program also is a way to influence and interact with a younger generation of aspiring artists. In doing so, we are able to work together and build our community.

Cass Clay – Liz's Closet

2019-02-18T00:00:00Z

"Giving Hearts Day" is this Valentine's Day. It's a day in which the community comes together to raise money for area charities. It's the largest 24-hour giving event in North Dakota and Northwest Minnesota. Each year, thousands of people rally around hundreds of nonprofits in our area. "Liz's Closet" is one of the participating charities. It provides a location at Fargo's three middle schools where students can quietly and confidently acquire items like nonperishable food, hygiene supplies, school supplies, and other basic needs. Over 500 students were helped last school year. The Awesome Foundation of Cass/Clay is participating in Giving Hearts Day by choosing Liz's Closet for this month's $1,000 gift. Liz's Closet is made possible via the Fargo Public Schools Development Foundation, which participates in Giving Hearts Day. To support Liz's Closet and the Fargo Public Schools Development Foundation, or any of the hundreds of participating charities, visit impactgiveback.org on February 14th.

Poughkeepsie, NY – VFW Backpacks for Homeless

2019-02-17T00:00:00Z

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 170 in Poughkeepsie, NY is providing drawtsring bags packed with essentials for our local homeless population. We are partnered with Hudson River Housing to distribute the bags. Our goal is to provide at least 500 bags each year. The bags are filled with everything from socks to portable food and toiletries.

Artsakh (Non-active) – Swing, Swing Together!

2019-02-17T00:00:00Z

The awesomeness of the project “Swing, Swing Together” is that in Hin Shen, where we are surrounded with amazing nature, we want to create a garden of swings for kids and the whole community to swing in the mountains together as the great craze of 2019. As it says in the famous song: We can swing together, 'cause we feel we're doing it right We can swing together; we can swing all through the night So, there will be a swing garden in the mountains, comprising of swing-sets, each of which will be designed for three people. All the three-seated sets will be connected together through a bright orange line, symbolising the energy drawing interconnection within, between and beyond the whole (see the picture)'. 'Swinging with two other people has greater potential than swinging alone'(see the picture). In this regard, there was an experiment, revealing that simply moving in sync improves pro social behaviour - empowering the process of getting along, acting empathetically and cooperatively with one another. The garden of swings will accumulate the whole community energy into a collaborative action through inviting not only kids but also their families and other community members to join and combat social apathy through play, swinging and having fun together. The main outcomes of the project would be as follows: 1. the community will create a child-friendly space which will encourage the local authorities to take action to transform it into a bigger playground later on 2. the process of the building up itself will empower community volunteering and engage the whole community-families of the villagers to participate in creating something for the benefit of others, as well as gathering everyone in the village to be connected through one action 3. the project can connect two neighbouring villages as the children/community members from Mets Shen can also join in to swing and, thus, create an environment of friendship between two communities

South Bend, IN – Sip Strums - Community Music Lessons

2019-02-15T00:00:00Z

My idea is to host group ukulele and guitar lessons at a local establishment. We have an agreement to host these lessons at Chicory Cafe on Tuesdays. These lessons would be in the style of those "wine and canvas" events. I would like for this idea to achieve two things: Combat creative atrophy in the lives of adults and promote a recurring community event that people can look forward to and count on. Students would come together bi-weekly with the common goal of learning music as a group. As students become more skilled at their instrument there will be opportunities for recitals and even graduation celebrations after having reached certain milestones.

South Bend, IN – South Bend Zine Club

2019-02-15T00:00:00Z

Zine club is a recurring, open-to-all gathering where people make mini zines as a fun way to connect with other creatives in South Bend as well as to stimulate one's own creativity. We will meet in a public place, and the first person to arrive gets to choose a theme for the zines made that day as a prompt for those who may need some inspiration. I would provide collage materials, paper, markers, scissors, glue, and tape, and I'd teach everyone how to make a mini zine using a single sheet of plain 8.5x11" paper. I'll collect everyone's zines at the end and make enough photocopies of each one to distribute to everyone who attends the next gathering. The zinesters will quickly grow their personal collection of locally made, limited edition zines while having fun and making friends.

South Bend, IN – The Reimagine Competition

2019-02-15T00:00:00Z

The Reimagine Competition is a contest for high school and college students to enlist their imagination and ideas in reimagining the reuse and repurposing of industrial buildings in South Bend. The contest is inspired by the transformation of the buildings now housing LangLabs and Vested Interest in the Sample Street industrial corridor. There are many industrial buildings sitting vacant in South Bend, whose owners do not know what to do with the properties. These buildings are large in their square footage and located in underserved areas of town. The buildings (known as Class B or C properties) are hard to sell, often sitting on the market for 2 years, all the while costing their owners money. Realtors, only motivated by transactions and commissions, often give up on these buildings when they don’t sell, and aren’t incentivized to think of creative ways to monetize or use these spaces. This competition will help to spark this creativity. It is also inspired by the Smart Growth America initiative, in which a technical assistance grant was awarded to the City of South Bend to research ways to spur the resurgence of manufacturing as a contributor to urban economic growth. The Smart Growth America team will be in South Bend April 23-26, and this competition would be part of that week of events. The competition organizers, led by Invanti Fellow and entrepreneur Celena Green, would select 3 industrial buildings in the South Bend area, that have been vacant for over a year but are compliant with all local laws and ordinances. Students (individually or in teams) from South Bend local high schools and colleges would be introduced to these 3 area industrial buildings, given a virtual or in person tour and some background history, and then challenged to reimagine the use of that space. A panel of judges would vote on the most promising ideas. There will be 3 winners, who wiill receive small prizes and media visibility for their ideas, and internship opportunities.

Austin, TX – Transgender Day of Visibility

2019-02-14T00:00:00Z

The creators of the Gender Unbound Art Fest, an annual multi-discipline trans and intersex art festival, are creating the first ever Transgender Day of Visibility celebration in Austin, TX on March 31, 2019. The Transgender Day of Visibility event is intended to provide an open space and open stage for trans, intersex, and GNC community members to express pride and visibility in a mutually supportive and creative setting. Transgender community members are invited to draw on a collaborative gallery wall, participate in open mic performance, and write affirming messages on paper tiles that make a mosaic of a transgender flag when put together. In addition to the interactive art activities, we will provide vital transgender community resources to our attendees through partnerships with organizations like Center for Health Empowerment, Out Youth, TGQ Social, allgo, and Black Trans Advocacy Coalition.

Boston, MA – Bringing Nature to Medford Square

2019-02-14T00:00:00Z

I'm planning on repainting at least 10 electrical boxes in Medford Sq. to revitalize the area and bring nature into an urban environment for all to enjoy. I've consulted local ecologists to develop a list of plants and animals endemic to the Mystic River area and am working with the Medford Arts Council and Mystic River Watershed Association to get the citizens of Medford to vote on which ones they would like to see represented. Each box will portray one plant and one animal, and will also have a fact or poem about those species. These boxes will replace cracked, faded, and peeling designs with bright, informative blocks of color all the way around the square.

Glasgow – Cancer Support Scotland

2019-02-14T00:00:00Z

Cancer Support Scotland is a charity that was founded by renowned cancer specialist Professor Sir Kenneth Calman to bridge the gap between medical care and support for cancer patients. We deliver a centre of excellence in cancer care offering counselling, stress management, podiatry and complementary therapies that are tailored to every person in our care. What makes us distinctly different is that we are not a 'patient only' or an 'inpatient only' service and our help is extended to patients, their families and their carers. People come to us at their most vulnerable and in their greatest time of need. The support we offer is first class. We help people to cope with the most overwhelming side effects of cancer, emotional distress and physical discomfort by providing a range of services. Our Counselling Service People have the opportunity to work with our counselling service over the course of six appointments, after which time most feel they are better able to cope and no longer need the support of a counsellor. If more support is needed the counselling sessions can be extended. In the case of someone who has terminal cancer, we may continue to provide support indefinitely. Our Complementary Therapy Service Our complementary therapists are brilliant and have undergone specialist training including Oncology Massage, Oncology Facials, Oncology Indian Head Massage, Lymphatic Drainage Massage, Myofascial Release Therapy, Reflexology, Facial Reflexology and Palliative Care. Each person receives treatments specifically tailored to allow them to get the maximum benefit. Our Podiatry Service Our Podiatry Service is very much in demand because of the profound impact some cancer treatments have on fast growing cells such as nails. Pain in the feet and the damage caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy is one of the most significant side effects of treatments. This can be so severe that it impacts on mobility and the ability to walk.

Liverpool (Non-active) – Finding the Energy in different plastics

2019-02-13T00:00:00Z

The problem I am trying to tackle is plastic pollution. My aim is to find the energy amount in different plastics and to compare it to the energy efficiency when burning crude oil and recycling plastics. I am doing this to stow that it could be of interest to burn plastics and use the fresh hydro carbons from crude oil to make new plastics instead of using large amounts of energy to recycle the existing, used plastics, see Figure 1. I think this is a novel and easy to implement approach to tackling the problem of plastic pollution. This fits very well with the sustainability and plastics project that we are doing in our school. I soon realised that I did not have a calorimeter available to do the required experiments I intended to perform, to advance my laboratory skills. Therefore, I then started to design and build my own calorimeter preferably in a cheap way relying on available materials. So, I used waste materials (food tins, polystyrene box) to construct a calorimeter of limited complexity. I only ordered heat resistant paint and expanding insulation foam. When I tested my self-built equipment with ethanol I realised the material I used (Plexiglas and polystyrene) was not resistant enough to heat produced. So, I tried to add a heat resistant mat, instead of the Plexiglas, and polystyrene. When testing this combination, the heat resistant mat cracked, and the polystyrene lid was damaged again, so next I will try to add tin foil underneath the heat resistant mat, to reflect the radiation back into the chamber. However, even with this improvement I fear the calorimeter will not be durable enough to do the planned serial tests. Regardless the problems I faced, even experimenting with this very limited setup and possibilities I managed to capture 91% of the literal calorific value of ethanol in my first experiment.

Liverpool (Non-active) – Liverpool litter picking Crew

2019-02-13T00:00:00Z

My awesome project is the Liverpool litter picking crew. we would do a monthly litter pick in the baltic triangle and we would do a litter pick in a different area in Liverpool every month based on the feedback from the members. The blatic triangle litter picks would switch each month from a 30-minute lunchtime litter pick to a Saturday litter pick. Once we get a crew behind us we would add more litter picks. I believe that Liverpool would love and thrive of Liverpool litter picking crew. We would also work with national and local organisations,.

Liverpool (Non-active) – Pause

2019-02-13T00:00:00Z

pause is one big statue made out of lots of little statues put around the city in different places, which the local businesses can and put their positive thoughts all over the statue, then after, we can collect it off them. The statue would be in the shape of a pause button symbolising our idea name and the message we are trying to give. With our product we would start a sales company selling badges, trying to project the message “pause”.

Utrecht – De Oppasmoeders

2019-02-12T00:00:00Z

Er is een probleem in Utrecht. Er worden ontzettend veel taalcursussen georganiseerd, echter komen er te weinig moeders opdagen. Daar willen wij als enthousiaste moeders uit Overvecht verandering in brengen. Wij willen de kinderen opvangen op locatie (bij de cursussen) zodat moeders de verscheidene cursussen kunnen volgen. Op deze manier dragen we bij aan de toegankelijkheid van onderwijs. Wij leren hierdoor ondernemen!

Fleurieu – YACCA (Youth And Community in Conservation Action)

2019-02-11T00:00:00Z

YACCA is an environmental youth group targeting active kids in the community between the ages of 5 to 19, with members split into 3 groups based on age and knowledge. YACCA has 40+ members who are involved in community events and projects such as fauna monitoring at arid recovery, Reef watch, Trees for life revegetation project and currently working on a collaborative plan with the McLaren Vale Biodiversity are project to establish 1100 native plants within a significant wetland region. Using five years worth of experience and knowledge the members of YACCA (Youth And Community in Conservation Action) are creating a comprehensive field ID for the Willunga Basin Region. The book will include photographs, sketches and notes written by the members. A field guide suitable for all ages, being an excellent start for beginners and a wonderful reference piece for experienced botanists living locally.

Vegan (Non-active) – Chilis on Wheels-Columbus Chapter

2019-02-11T00:00:00Z

I am co-organizing the Columbus Chapter of Chilis on Wheels, a 100% volunteer-run nonprofit (501c3) whose purpose is providing free nutritious vegan food to communities in need. Chilis on Wheels started in New York City and has expanded along coastal cities throughout the US. We are one of the first chapters in the Midwest. We are kicking off our first event 1/19/19. The organization's main web address is chilisonwheels.org, our local chapter's social media accounts can be located at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chilisonwheelscolumbus/ and Instagram: @chilisonwheelscolumbus. The purpose of Chilis on Wheels is making veganism accessible to communities in need. Through regularly scheduled meal shares we provide free nutritious vegan food to anyone in need of a warm meal. We have partnered with Blackburn Community Recreation Center in the Olde Towne East neighborhood, we will be setting up here monthly for our meal shares. Our meal shares will be held on the third Saturday of each month from 12-2pm. We expect to distribute 70 meals at our first event and 100 at our second event. We expect these numbers to increase as time goes on and the community learns of the project. Our target audience are families that frequent the community center that can't afford to provide meals to their children completely on their own, homeless in the area, and anyone else in need of a warm meal that can't afford it. This project is important because we are helping fight hunger in the community while also advocating for veganism. We believe in treating all living beings with kindness, empathy, and respect regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, language, religion, ability, ethnicity, class, circumstance, environment, level of education, or species. We build community around free vegan food, this is a unique program in Columbus.

Asheville, NC (Non-active) – Asheville Mini Maker Faire

2019-02-11T00:00:00Z

You've probably never heard of the Asheville Mini Maker Faire, and there's a good reason for that. 2019 (April 6th) will be the inaugural year for the event, and hopefully the first of many! Simply put, the Asheville Mini Maker Faire will be an opportunity for attendees to come see (and touch!) some of the amazing projects makers from across the region have been building – from hobbyist makers working in their garage to students (elementary and up) and faculty at local schools and colleges/universities as well as entrepreneurs and professional makers. There will be a heavy emphasis on projects that are interactive and that will engage visitors of all ages with a goal of not just educating but also entertaining and inspiring potential makers young and old. The event has been described as part science fair, part county fair, and part burning man Some of the projects we already have planned include persistence of vision displays, harmonographs, building and launching paper rockets, and a robot built by UNC Asheville engineering students that can navigate autonomously through an office environment collecting dirty coffee cups for cleaning. The Asheville Mini Maker Faire is being organized by an all-volunteer committee of people who are passionate about making and want to see an event like this happen in Asheville. We are committed to making this a free event to attend, so we are relying on the generosity of sponsors in the community to help support the Faire. Our website should be up soon - hopefully by January 18, 2019 at asheville,makerfaire.com.

Newburgh, NY – McLymore Scholarship

2019-02-11T00:00:00Z

The McLymore Foundation was founded in 2016 and aims to encourage residents of Newburgh to rise above the expectations placed upon them. Through my foundation, I have helped the community by conducting clothing, food drives, art events, vision board workshops, tutoring sessions, community health fairs, family dances and more. For 2019, I am getting workshops, career fairs and english translation courses started. I also started a scholarship fund in 2018 for seniors in the Newburgh Free Academy School District who plan to continue their education (college, university or trade school). Last year, the McLymore Foundation was able to give out $300 to a scholar who wanted to apply to the Ivy League colleges. Through the Awesome Foundation, we will be able to give out greater financial assistance to those who want to apply for a higher degree after High School.

San Francisco, CA – The Sideshow

2019-02-11T00:00:00Z

After experiencing racial and sexual harassment within my high school’s visual art class, I began Independent-Study Studio Art. Following a Title 9 investigation in September, I set up my workspace in my school science lab. It was then I came to the realization that over the course of many months of abuse, my potential to create beautiful, meaningful works of art had been stifled by a work environment that was toxic to both me and my identity as a Latina artist. As I began to produce more work within a few months than I had over the course of the past year, I decided that I needed to find a way to present my artwork in an environment free from my harassers. I also needed to find a way to protest the fact that my school administration failed to appropriately deal with the investigation into hate speech/sexual harassment that runs rampant in classroom environments. This need to fight for my own artistic safe space gave birth to my current creative child, “The Sideshow: The Art Show that was Never Supposed to Happen.” “The Sideshow” will take place on April 11th in my school’s science lab at the same time as my former art classes’ senior showcase and will include a collection of art pieces circulating around themes of social justice and identity, along with an open mic. It will also feature my impending art installation, “The Rosary Wall”, a wall made of rosaries to represent the confiscation of rosaries in US/Mexico immigration detention camps. “The Rosary Wall” is a protest against the suppression of Latino spirituality and the criminalization of the Latino body across borders. It also serves to highlight the parallels between the confiscation of rosaries and the confiscation of wedding rings in concentration camps during the Holocaust. All proceeds from “The Sideshow” will go to the nonprofits, El Otro Lado, which works to provide immigrants in Tijuana with legal services, and Know Your Nine, which works to educate victims of sexual harassment on their legal rights.

Brumadinho (Non-active) – Auxílio Doações e Apoio a Cidade

2019-02-11T00:00:00Z

Nós somos da Frente Brasil Popular de São João del Rei e fizemos uma ida na quarta-feira ao assentamento do MST São joaquim de bicas para deixar algumas doações e posteriormente ir à cidade de brumadinho auxiliar na organização de doações, apoio na cozinha, com as crianças e animais. Além das ações acima, ajudamos também a cadastrar demandas por voluntariado e a mapear a situação no acampamento do MST, que segue sem muito suporte das autoridades e em situação de vulnerabilidade devido a utilização da água do rio. Valor: R$180,03 (combustível para o deslocamento)

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Hip Hop Feminism Workshop and Dance Party

2019-02-11T00:00:00Z

Oakland, CA (Non-active) – United Streets of Flowers

2019-02-07T00:00:00Z

Flowers bring light and color into any space. Our hope with this project is to provide ~30 families/homes with weekly free bouquets (the houses on our square block and the adjacent block). Our idea is to unite the individuals in our living area in a small but meaningful way. Many studies have shown flowers' positive impacts on depression, increased compassion, higher energy levels, and general mood uplift, and receiving flowers increases the receivers sense of being cared for. I certainly have found this to be true for myself! Flowers also bring bees, butterflies, birds, and other critters into a neighborhood, increasing the biodiversity and liveliness of the area, as well as providing a habitat for beneficials that impact local vegetable gardens allowing for true local, organic eating. My partner and I live in a fast changing neighborhood in Oakland, near a wide, high traffic street, with little neighborhood communication and a visible class divide. We are blessed with a large yard space on which we grow an extensive vegetable / cut flower garden. A cut flower garden only works with regular harvest (2x/week) creating a true bounty of blooms. After the first three months (around July -- planting will happen in late February for first harvests in April), we will host a community flower party, with tutorials and seeds/starts for passing the gift of flower growing around the neighborhood and encouraging interpersonal interactions. It is fundamental to this project that these flowers go out consistently and as a gift. The expensive nature of store bought flowers have made them into a luxury most cannot afford. These flowers will provide the gift of beneficials to this neighborhood, and maybe the neighborhood will return a gift of unburdened appreciation to these flowers.

Newcastle – Sketch Party

2019-02-07T00:00:00Z

The Sketch Party project is a monthly event aimed at creating a strong sense of community while motivating the use of sketching as a healthy creative outlet. By encouraging patrons to experiment with sketching - all while enjoying drinks, snacks and live music! - The Sketch Party creates a less intimidating environment where people can explore their inner-artist free from judgement or harsh criticism. To support our community creating vision, all materials are supplied and no skill is required, ensuring this event suits a wide demographic. To achieve an inclusive vibe, the tables are grouped together and wrapped in various types of paper, directly on which the patrons can test a range of artistic materials with doodles and drawing. I aim to provide exposure to new and established artists, so each month the best sketch is utilised on the poster for following events. I also aim to support local musicians by providing a relaxing space to play, encouraging both beginners as well as experienced musicians to entertain the crowd! In 2019 I will aim to use a different venue each month in order to further support local business and showcase the many beautiful spaces Newcastle has to offer!

Kitchener-Waterloo – Lego Art for Social Change

2019-02-06T00:00:00Z

In adults, we typically ignore the value of play. Yet, play and art are established treatments for mental illnesses, addictions, grief, or abuse. In fact, locally KW Self-Help, Grand River Hospital's Adult In-Patient Mental Health Unit, and other community resources offer regular art programs for adults. Creation can heal. Lego bricks are a ubiquitous toy for children around the world, but building with Lego bricks can have therapeutic value for helping adults overcome their struggles. As an art medium, Lego bricks have many unique advantages. The barrier to getting started is low. Whereas many adults might be afraid of the challenge of painting or writing, Lego bricks practically build themselves. Unlike writing, dance, or drawing, Lego has instructions for many creative builds, further reducing that fear and anxiety. For adults too distracted to "think creatively", following the instructions can be a peaceful meditation that distracts them from their current struggles. The greatest advantage Lego bricks have is there seemingly limitless possibilities. In fact, just six 2x4 bricks can be built into over 900 million different configurations. Nonetheless, despite staggering possibilities, it is a system that requires no written instructions or language to get started. As well, Lego is endlessly reusable, whereas a canvas or paper, markers and paint are not. It can be purchased at any number of locations, not just at specialized art stores. And unlike most other art media used in therapy, it takes physical form, similar to a sculpture or pottery but without the need for expensive machinery or long "cooking" times. I seek to create physical spaces locally for adults to use Lego bricks as art and play therapy. As well, I am planning a mental health Lego art exhibit, bringing creations from around the world to a local space.

Kitchener-Waterloo – CKMS-FM Community Radio Studio Update

2019-02-06T00:00:00Z

In December 2015 CKMS FM moved our studio from King St. Waterloo to Duke St. inside the old Boehmer box factory in Kitchener due to necessary financial cut backs to afford to keep CKMS community radio alive with the cut back of rent. With switching to this space we have seen our radio membership decline with many DJ's, programmers and shows leaving CKMS. After seeing this transition to a less attractive space and being a member programmer myself I can visually see the difference in space and it is much more unpleasant with the lack of art, unfinished floor and many blank concrete walls in studio. Which brings me to KW Awesome to reach out to you today to schedule me in to hear my proposal to help me improve Radio Waterloo's newest space that we currently lack the fundraising and current live sponsored shows to support the space improvements to happen within our budget. I believe "general space improvements" can make our membership strong again and will have the necessary improvements to attract more members to CKMS soon. Please consider hearing my proposal as CKMS proudly provides a space for its community to use and become more familiar with the radio and broadcastings lifestyles while promoting friendliness and openness to all within the community space. We currently support local, Canadian and independent artists for 40 years and counting; now I look to KW Awesome for some financial assistance to immediately improve our radio station studio space with a membership increase to soon follow with the improvements. I hope I can find your support to improve CKMS FM's new studio on Duke st. to help rebuild our membership strong again in the immediate future. Thank you for considering improving a great space for community and radio of the Waterloo and surrounding regions since 1977. "Please Help me make CKMS-FM KW Awesome again!" Cameron M. Vannatter CKMS FM Radio Waterloo Inc. Board of Directors email: cam@soundfm.ca cell: 519-722-6197

Kitchener-Waterloo – Play the Luka-Kora!

2019-02-06T00:00:00Z

'Luka-Kora Harps' specialize in making 12 string user-friendly instruments that are based on the West African 21 string Kora. Given the therapeutic qualities and sounds of this instrument, Lucas would like to make two instruments to donate to the Working Centre. The House of Friendship is another possibility where Luka-Koras could be donated. One would be kept at the Queen Street Commons where anybody could strum while enjoying a coffee or tea. The other would go to the Commons studio where Nathan Stretch (a WLU Community Music colleague) works and helps musicians and artists record and make videos in the basement. Luka-Koras are portable, easy to play for all ages, and have a soothing sound which can reduce stress and help listeners feel calm and peaceful.