tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:/hy/projects?page=21 2024-02-28T04:15:14Z tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250918 2024-02-27T00:00:00Z 2024-02-28T04:15:14Z I am working to create a martial arts and self defense program for refugee children and teens. I began this program months ago, when Chicago's refugee population skyrocketed and I noticed an increase in young refugees with very few positive outlets. I welcomed several youth into my gym, Mission MMA and Fitness, and quickly learned of the growing need. I decided to launch a more formal program to better reach and serve these youth. This program will be open children and teenagers who arrived to the US as refugees or asylum-seekers. All participants will be given martial arts gear and access to classes 3x/wk. Classes will include kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and self-defense, with a special women-only self defense program for young women and girls. This program has the potential to reach hundreds of Chicago youth! Our team is excited to welcome these kids into our gym community as soon as we have the funds to make it happen. Said Hatim Martial Arts & Self Defense for Refugee Kids https://missionmmachicago.com/classes/Kids-Jiu-Jitsu United States Chicago, IL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/chicago tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/251850 2024-02-26T00:00:00Z 2024-03-02T00:26:07Z Libereaders along with Serve Your City will hold a 6-week Black Liberation school designed to provide DC youth (middle school/early high school) with an in-depth understanding of Black liberation, social justice, and advocacy. Participants will engage in interactive lessons, discussions, and activities to develop a strong foundation in these critical areas. DC needs to do this because it would foster an understanding of Black history, culture, and identity – particularly as it relates to DC, encourage critical thinking and discussions about racial justice, develop leadership skills for advocating for change, and create a sense of community and empowerment among participants. All of this will strengthen and enrich youth in the DC Community. Jen Jenkins DC Black Liberation School https://www.libereaders.org/ United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/dc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/253130 2024-02-21T00:00:00Z 2024-02-22T05:18:57Z Field trip to Honolulu Thearte for Youth to see the play The Great Race. Sharel L Kasai Grade level funds http://NA United States Oahu, HI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/oahu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/243864 2024-02-20T00:00:00Z 2024-02-22T05:16:21Z Բարև ձեզ, սիրելի ընկերներ։ Այսօր ուզում ենք ձեզ հետ կիսվել մեր նպատակով և երազանքով, որն է՝ ստեղծել երաժշտական ​​ստուդիա քաղաք Ախալքալաքում։ Մինչ մանրամասն ներկայացնելը, թե ինչ նպատակներ ունենք և ինչ քայլերով ենք մտադիր գործել, կուզեմ ուշադրություն դարձնենք երկու հարցերի․ 1․առաջին հերթին՝ ինչ միջոցներով է այսօր ժամանակակից աշխարհում մարդն ունկնդրում երաժշտություն, 2․ կա՞ն արդյոք Ջավախքում միջոցներ, որով Ջավախքի ձայները (երաժիշտները և երգիչ/երգչուհիները) կարողանան իրենց ձայները և գործերը լսելի դարձնել ոչ միայն տարածաշրջանում, այլ նաև ժամանակակից համաշխարհային հարթակներում ։ Պատմության տարբեր ժամանակաշրջաններում մարդը երաժշտությունը ունկնդրել(լսել) է տարբեր կերպ ։ Նախկինում՝ մինչև ժամանակակից տեխնոլոգիաների ի հայտ գալը, երաժշտությունը կենդանի զգալու հիմնական միջոցներից էին համերգներն ու օպերային ներկայացումները ։ Ժամանակի ընթացքում երաժշտություն լսելու ձևը զգալի փոփոխություններ կրեց: Եթե (CD) կոմպակտ սկավառակները հայտնի էին 2000-ականներին, այժմ հոսքային/թվային ծառայությունները դարձել են երաժշտություն լսելու գերիշխող միջոց: Օգտատերերը կարող են միլիոնավոր երաժշտական գործեր լսել այնպիսի հարթակների միջոցով, ինչպիսիք են Spotify-ը, Apple Music-ը, YouTube-ը, soundCloud-ը , Deezer-ը կամ այլ հարթակները։ Այս հարթակներ մուտք գործելու համար անհրաժեշտ է կատարել հնչյունային ձայնագրություններ։ Այսօր Ջավախքում կան շատ երաժիշտներ, երգիչ/երգիչուհիներ, ովքեր ճնչյունային ձայնագրությունների համար գնում են այլ քաղաքներ(Երևան, Թբիլիսի և այլն), քանի որ Ջավախքում չկա ձայնագրման ստուդիա։ Հիմա սիրով կուզեմ ներկայացնել Ջավախքում երաժշտական Ստուդիա ստեղծելու գաղափարը, որի առաքելությունը և հիմնական նպատակներն են՝ 1․աջակցություն ստեղծագործ երաժիշտներին, 2․ոգեշնչում և նորարարություն երաժշտության աշխարհում։ Մեր ծառայությունները․ - ձայնի ձայնագրում և միքսում, - երաժշտական գործիքավորում, - վարպետության դասեր, - ստուդիայի վարձույթ, - երաժշտական ​​միջոցառումներ և համերգներ։ Artyush Pogosyan Երաժշտական ​​ստուդիա Armenia Javakhk https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/javakhk tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247404 2024-02-20T00:00:00Z 2024-02-22T05:16:05Z "Ari" podcast-ի շրջանակներում Ջավախքի երիտասարդներին ծանոթացնելու ենք այն բոլոր անհատների, կազմակերպությունների հետ, ովքեր մեծ ներդրում ունեն երիտասարդների զարգացման գործում։ Այն հնարավորություն գտա տանը նստած՝ ծանոթանալ այն բոլոր ռեսուրսների հետ, որոնք շատ մոտ են, բայց ոչ իրենց հայտնի,,նոր կապեր ստեղծել և միանշանակ յուրաքանչյուր փոդքաստի ժամանակ մեր հ՛յուրերը խոսելու են շատ կարևոր թեմաներից, միաժամանակ կիսվելու են իրենց փորձով՝ դառնալով մոտիվացիա։ Նմանատիպ ֆորմատը նորություն լինելով Ջավախքում կարող է խթան հանդիսանալ քառակուսիների մեջ փակված երիտասարդներին դուրս գալ թաքստոցից և ավելի մեծ երազել։ Մենք ցանկանում ենք ոչ մի միջոց բաց չթողնել մեր Ջավախքը զարգացնելու և այնտեղ ապրող երիտասարդներին մեծ հնարավորություններ տալու համար։ Հ.Գ Փոդքաստը առանց տեխնիկական պատրաստվածության մեկնարկել է։ Մեր առաջին հյուրը եղել է Դավիթ Մկոյանն էր, ով կիսվեց իր փորձով, պատմեց երիտասարդներին տրվող հնարավորությունների, Awesome Foundation Javakhk-ի և մի շարք այլ կարևոր բաներ։ Մարիամ Սահակյան "Ari" podcast Armenia Javakhk https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/javakhk tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250276 2024-02-20T00:00:00Z 2024-03-23T18:41:33Z Minha idéia é construir um atelier no meu quintal, em Casa Branca/Brumadinho. O objetivo é trabalhar com cerâmica no torno e modelagem. O espaço serviria para dar aulas , compartilhar vivências na arte ceramista onde moro tendo em vista que é um lugarejo que não possui esse tipo de tipo de espaço e tem grande potencial pois está próximo ao circuito de ceramistas de Palhano e região. Débora Amaral Meneguci Atelier Verde Encanto http://Instagram:@atelierverdeencanto Brazil Brumadinho (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/brumadinho tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250756 2024-02-19T00:00:00Z 2024-04-10T17:33:05Z Walkway Over the Hudson Friends group in partnership with Big Gay Hudson Valley will host the first-ever LGBTQ+ Pride event on the Walkway Over The Hudson - called 'Pride in the Sky' on Friday, May 17 from 6pm to 10pm. During the event, LGBTQ+ community groups will be invited to set up interactive booths on either side of the bridge to share information on June Pride activities throughout the area. In addition, Big Gay Hudson Valley working with both Ulster and Dutchess Tourism will use the event to promote their newly released queer maps/guide for Ulster & Dutchess Counties. We anticipate have groups like the Dutchess Pride Foundation, The Hudson Valley LGBTQ+ Community Center, and others exhibiting at the event to promote their services to the region's LGBTQ community and our allies. We also plan to have a DJ present in the center of the Walkway to keep the spirit high and deliver some beats, while also encouraging attendees to wear illuminated outfits to show off their Pride. Starting at 8:30 Walkway will illuminate the bridge's LED lights in rainbow colors and invite guests to stay through the evening (10pm) to enjoy the Walkway after hours. This will be the first time that the Walkway will be utilized in Rainbow, and we will coordinate with the Mid Hudson Bridge to ask them to please do the same. Pride in the Sky will be free to the public and support from the Awesome Foundation will help to defer the costs for the production of this community wide event that will take place in the City of Poughkeepsie and in the Village of Highland. In the event of inclement weather, the rain date for the event is Saturday, May 18th. Stephan G Hengst Pride In The Sky https://biggayhudsonvalley.com/ United States Poughkeepsie, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/poughkeepsie tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/251020 2024-02-19T00:00:00Z 2024-04-19T11:48:43Z The Healing with Nature Mosaic Project will offer communities a vehicle for facing grief and transforming suffering together. The first iteration will be offered to the Squirrel Hill Community in the healing environment of the Frick Environmental Center. Through this project, community members of all ages will be shepherded by professional therapeutic staff through the vicissitudes of grief with healing elements of therapeutic storytelling, ritual and ceremony, and through the creation of a collective mosaic mural with the artistic direction of accomplished mosaic artist Laura Jean McLaughlin. The project will gather shattered pieces together to tell a story of community healing and resilience. The community mosaic will be installed at the Frick Environmental Center as a testament to the healing power of community and as a refuge for all who grieve and long for sanctuary. Susan Spangler Healing with Nature Mosaic Project United States Pittsburgh, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/pittsburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/252152 2024-02-19T00:00:00Z 2024-02-19T23:51:06Z The Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter was created by Tiffany Yu and Alice Wong, two disabled women of color, in April 2017 to spread awesomeness in the disability community. To date, we have awarded $83,500 to 84 grants in 11 countries and have received over 7,000 submissions. We know that there is a need for more access to funding in the disability community, with only about 2% of philanthropic dollars going to disability advocacy globally. All of our trustees identify as disabled, showing that disabled people are funders, decision-makers, and leaders. Over the years, we have had over 30 disabled people join us as trustees. Tiffany Yu Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter http://disability.awesomefoundation.org Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249016 2024-02-15T00:00:00Z 2024-01-29T15:42:04Z Peace, Love, Dolls is a nonprofit committed to bringing smiles with toys. We collect donations of used toys, restore them, and donate them to children in need locally as well as across the globe . We donate and restore all kinds of toys to keep them out of the landfill and give them a new life to where they will be loved. Peace, Love, Dolls has worked hard to keep all toys we receive out of the landfill so the ones that unfortunately cannot be saved are sent to Mattel to be recycled and made into new toys. Peace, Love, Dolls got its start in Westminster in 2017 with a humble donation of just thirty dolls to the Department of Health and Human Services and Safe House of Carroll County. Since then, we have expanded on a global scale sending donations to Ghana, Jamaica, and Honduras while also remaining dedicated to our local community here in Carroll County. On a local level we work with the Boys and Girls Club, ConnectandoUS, Shepard's Staff, and Live, Hope, Laugh. In 2020, We also donate to Carroll County Public Schools and individuals who are in need. Peace, Love, Dolls launched a diversity initiative to provide representation of all body types, ethnicities, physical abilities, interests, races, etc. to the children we donate to. This initiative has the goal of fostering a kinder, confident, and more accepting future generation by providing well-rounded, inclusive representation. We have made tremendous progress in working towards our goal by gaining more diverse toys to donate and by providing education on representation and diversity both in person and through social media. As of December of 2023, Peace, Love, Dolls has donated over 6,000 toys. Lastly, in 2022 we gained nonprofit status as a registered 501c3. Makenna Steele Peace, Love, Dolls United States Westminster, MD https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/westminster tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250683 2024-02-15T00:00:00Z 2024-03-02T23:30:45Z In the heart of Fargo, a transformative celebration unfolds annually, breathing life into the community through the Fargo Juneteenth 5th annual cultural event. This vibrant gathering, scheduled for Saturday, June 15th, is a tapestry of education, entertainment, virtual reality, art, and volunteerism. At its core, this celebration serves a profound purpose - to provide nourishment, both for the soul and the body. One of the hallmark initiatives of this event is the feeding of 250 low-income kids, a testament to its commitment to inclusivity and community support. With a dedicated team of volunteers, Fargo Juneteenth strives to create an immersive experience for these children, where the joys of celebration are coupled with the fulfillment of basic needs. The annual budget for this noble endeavor is $2500, ensuring that every child attending the event is not only enriched culturally but also leaves with a full stomach. In this poignant commemoration of Juneteenth, Fargo Juneteenth invites you to be part of a movement that not only celebrates the past and present but also invests in the future of our community. Through the lens of unity, education, and nourishment, this annual cultural event promises to be a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations to come. Fred 5th annual Juneteenth http://www.fredsdissonance.com/juneteenth United States Cass Clay https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/cassclay tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/251337 2024-02-15T00:00:00Z 2024-02-21T19:24:23Z I have been hosting cultural events emphasizing inclusive community and showcasing diverse talent in the Kingston region for 20 years. In the last two years, I started a collective under the name ‘Many Moons’ that has programmed over 50 events in Kingston and on Wolfe Island. Many Moons programming is informed by a mandate emphasizing the inclusion of women, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC performers. With Many Moons, I strive to curate national talent alongside local performers. I often program touring bands and DJs mid-tour as the Kingston region presents a natural stop for artists travelling between major city centres for gigs. Kingston has so much potential to become even more of a cultural hub than it already is and it needs as many diverse artists, event organizers and patrons as it can find to help it get there. I want to see my home town continue to be the type of vibrant place I'm excited to live in. With that in mind, as of Dec 2023, I began renting a studio that can serve as a crucially needed small venue for Many Moons Events. By securing this space, I am creating the potential for Many Moons Events to expand on its programming within Kingston, where previously a lack of small to mid sized venues served as a significant barrier. I have already been in talks with other community organizers hoping to use this space to host their own events, talks, art exhibits and concerts as well. In addition to this, the venue can equally serve as a jam space for local musicians in desperate need of places to practice. Receiving community funding will go a long way in the sustainability of this project, keeping rental costs low or non-existent to third parties, allowing patrons to "PWYC" at all events, and allowing for all excess funds raised at events to go directly to the artists and performers involved. This is a space that the public and local artists can presently access on a PWYC (Pay What You Can) basis, providing much needed practice space as well as a venue for performance. Laura Kelly Many Moons Events http://Instagram.com/manymoonsevents Canada Kingston https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/kingston-on tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249082 2024-02-14T00:00:00Z 2024-02-25T17:28:49Z Our Awesome On the Water Project is a summer camp for kids to engage with river conservation by learning how to play and build traditional Andean wind instruments, like the sukus fuyu or the pallas, which are made from carrizos, a type of reed that grows in river beds. Sadly, rivers are losing water, which not only affects our wildlife, habitat, and production, but also our music. If our rivers are not healthy, our flutes sound empty and out of tune. If the carrizos do no grow big and strong, we cannot create the flutes and the tunes of our ancestors risk being lost. In addition to learning how to build and play the andean flutes, we will also have activities to protect our watersheds. One of the activities is to plant native trees and bushes in critical points. We have an alliance with a local plant nursery which will provide us with native plants and technical asistance. Last year, we were able to launch a small pilot project with 10 people and it was very successful. The link to the video was posted in the page of a local NGO called FUCAE and is shared with you in this application. The pilot project proved to us there is interest in participating. With your help, we want to increase the number of participants and reach more communities. In our area, most parents work long hours in the flower industries and when they are not in school the kids are left home alone. This summer camp provides a fun and educational alternative. As the famous Baba Diuom stated in 1967 "In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught". Nowadays kids are used to playing with plastic toys and cellphones waiting for their parents to buy from a store. We have had a disconnect from nature and forgotten many of the joys and uses our ecosystems provide us. Our awesome project aims to reconnect kids with nature and teach them about the importance of water conservation through music and play. Alex Dario Panama Perugachi The Songs of the River https://www.facebook.com/100068086930425/videos/7779419702128747 Worldwide On the Water https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/onthewater tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249131 2024-02-14T00:00:00Z 2024-02-15T15:00:13Z I started a camp out reach program over the past summer. We have had many "tent city's" pop-up in and around the Annarbor-Ypsilanti area. The people within are are not refugee's but are part of are community. Unfortunately many of us are one paycheck away from housing insecurity. I currently work for the shelter association of washtenaw county. I work with the financially unstable daily and think I could do more. I currently go around to are local "camps" and assist people with everyday needs. With your help this program could help feed, cloth, and protect people from the elements by providing tents. As well as help get state ID's, rides to FIA (welfare office) or CMH (community mental health) and the delonis center. We help people find their selfs again and rejoin the community at a productive state. Matthew Ousley Camp compassion/ A2outreach United States Ann Arbor, MI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/ann-arbor tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215341 2024-02-14T00:00:00Z 2024-03-10T17:12:12Z I started Peace Love Dolls when I was in the 4th grade and now I am a junior at Westminster High School. My mission is simple. Spread smiles with dolls. Since starting I have expanded from just Barbie's to all dolls, as well as action figures, and dollhouses. To date I have restored, repaired, and packaged over 6,000 dolls and toys. I originally started with Social Services, and Safe Houses. I knew my items needed to be small and fit in a backpack. My idea and project grew from that point on. Not only do I work locally with several non-profit groups but I also work with an orphanages in Ghana. I have also helped to supply several mission trips with dolls and toys and they were able to put them in the hands of the local children. My newest initiative is to have more diverse dolls. Studies show that if your doll looks more like you it creates a better self image and foster acceptance of all people. These dolls, for this initiative, are oftentimes not donated and need to be purchased. I was able to grant three Christmas wishes this year by refurbishing dollhouses as well. So my mission is truly three fold: spread smiles with dolls, help our environment by recycling toys, and creating a confident, more accepting future future generation. My bonus is that if for some reason I cannot use the doll Mattel will recycle them. To date I have kept 1,000's of toys out of the trash by recycling them. Peace Love Dolls is meant to provide smiles for all it touches. I gained 501C3 status in 2021. Makenna Steele Peace Love Dolls https://www.facebook.com/peacelovedolls United States Westminster, MD https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/westminster tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/248961 2024-02-13T00:00:00Z 2024-02-14T23:20:22Z I am the mom of two train-obsessed children, one of whom has severe autism. Trains are what has brought my neurotypical child and his autistic brother together. My neurotypical son wants to "run the MBTA and fix it for good" because of his love of toy trains. (And heaven knows we need that!) My autistic son has bridged gaps with his brother and other neurotypical kids because of trains. My project would be to have the first-ever "Ipswich Train Cafe." An event where kids and adults of all ages and abilities can gather and admire and play with trains. We would set up a model train display or two (one that we own, one from a local volunteer), and then have wooden train layouts for kids and adults to play with. Quite importantly for all the moms out there, there would be coffee for the adults. The aim of the Ipswich Train Cafe would be to show the community that no one is too old to play with trains. Also given that many neurodivergent people also like trains, it would be an accepting and welcoming place for those adults and children to celebrate something they love. This event would be free to the Ipswich community. This is important because so many train-related activities in the area (Wenham Museum, Museum of Science's holiday train exhibit, the Wilmington Train Show) have admission costs that prevent families with tight budgets from attending. Katherine Cornetta Ipswich's Train Cafe United States Ipswich, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/ipswich tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249632 2024-02-13T00:00:00Z 2024-02-14T23:21:12Z We are quickly approaching our 2024 season of the IHGM and looking for this years sponsor of the Student Artist Booth! In 2023 this student artist booth was fully funded by a grant from the ICC. One of our pillars is to fully support local student artists by giving them the opportunity to showcase their art! Dana Sayers Funding the IHGM Student Artist Booth 2024 http://Www.ipswichhomegrownmarket.com United States Ipswich, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/ipswich tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249489 2024-02-12T00:00:00Z 2026-01-24T19:19:58Z 1. Het Vragenloket is een plek in de stad waar je met al je vragen terecht kan. Je krijgt altijd een antwoord, maar van wie, dat weet je niet. Het vragenloket staat in de openbare ruimte en iedereen kan er terecht. Wie een vraag neerlegt bij het loket neemt even plaats en binnen een minuut is er een stadsbewoner gevonden die je vraag vervolgens beantwoord. Zo komen Utrechters met elkaar in gesprek. In een tijd waarin we ons focussen op onze eigen successen is het belangrijk om je perspectief te blijven trainen en daarvoor zijn verhalen van anderen, gesprekken met anderen - buiten je bubbel - essentieel. Wie veel perspectieven hoort, traint diens perspectivische lenigheid. Daar is het vragenloket op gericht. Dus van vragen als 'Is het friet of patat?' en 'Waar komt het drinkwater uit Utrecht vandaan?' tot 'Hoe vind ik mijn grote liefde?' of 'Hoe maak ik het snelst een miljoen?'; jouw vraag, ons antwoord! Wij zoeken iemand die je kan helpen. En zo ben je in je missie om nieuwe schoenen te scoren, boodschappen te doen of een cadeau te halen, ineens verreikt door de blik van een ander. Je hebt een verhaal gehoord van iemand die je niet eerder ontmoette of een praatje gemaakt met een vreemde mede stadsbewoner. Xander Lenders Het Vragenloket/ Question Office https://www.instagram.com/xanderlenders/ Netherlands Utrecht https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/utrecht tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/217144 2024-02-12T00:00:00Z 2024-02-12T21:07:36Z The Rocky Horror Picture Show was made for misfits. It was made for outcasts, weirdos, and freaks and it does so in a way that is both humorous and empowering. This is a film that was ahead of its time in terms of its representation of LGBTQ+ characters. In the years since its release, TRHPS has become a cult classic, but the play has never been acted out on the Georgian stage. Georgia has struggled to end discrimination against the LGBTQ+ communities, even though the country's parliament passed an anti-discrimination law that includes protections for gender identity and sexual orientation. Queer people living in Georgia know how hard it is to live a day-to-day life. They are often refused service by businesses and hospitals, bullied in schools, and harassed by the police or civilians, not to mention the more severe cases. Despite all the challenges, the LGBTQ+ community in Georgia faces, It still tries to make a stand and fight back in a non-violent fashion, by organizing parties, theatrical plays, fashion shows, and such. Due to the relentless work of the community, there have been some advances in promoting acceptance, tolerance, and diversity. Queer party series "Horoom Nights" at the renowned Georgian club Bassiani, the first Georgian Drag Ball, the opening of the first Queer Bar "Succes", have all been major in tackling the problem of homophobia in Georgia. By Staging the Rocky Horror Picture Show in Georgia, The community has the power to present themselves in a playful and entertaining manner, offering a new and positive outlook without encountering negative judgment. It’ll have a big cultural and social benefit by bringing polarized and divided people together. Most importantly, it brings opportunities for LGBTQ+ people to have a way of self-expression, another safe and inclusive place to celebrate their identities, and a meaningful source of income, which today in Georgia is so hard to come by because of the oppressed. Elene Garuchava TRHPS Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247277 2024-02-11T00:00:00Z 2024-02-13T18:00:57Z Mic Drop is an "ALL the Way Open" Mic Community that meets once per month, every last Sunday located at The 418 Project in Downtown Santa Cruz. Our Mic Drop! community is built on a desire to build space where difference is celebrated, not only just tolerated in a brave safe space, but also in an inclusive environment, particularly for those persons who have been excluded from venue access & the arts. We seek out and support a wide variety of creators who might otherwise be on a journey of sharing their creative endeavors at various points of the process & from a variety of shared perspectives. Our intention is to come together to provide a safe space for unseen, unheard groups allowing folks to realize they are valuable, worthy of being heard, seen, & have great potential. Funds will be used to offset costs of producing these events including paying featured artists to perform. Suzanne Connolly and Jessie Marie Mic Drop! Open Mic https://www.instagram.com/__.mic.drop.__/ United States Santa Cruz, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/santacruz tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/248570 2024-02-09T00:00:00Z 2024-02-09T23:13:33Z Established in May 2023, Hot Spell Farm is a woman-and-nonbinary operated, diversified vegetable farm located in the farthest eastern corner of Travis County. Hot Spell emerged from a desire to contribute to Austin's local food system and create a farm operation that broke the individualistic norms of how farms are traditionally operated. Compost can be the most expensive yet critical input on a farm. Whether for soil tilth, good fungal and microbial diversity, or water retention, farmers call it black gold for a reason! A $1000 grant from the Awesome Foundation will fund Hot Spell Farm's first bulk compost order and a volunteer compost project day on the farm. Hayley Wood Composting for a Soil-Rich Farming Future https://hotspellfarm.com/ United States Austin, TX https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/austin tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/244340 2024-02-07T00:00:00Z 2024-02-14T10:42:13Z I am working with a volunteer rescuer/carer Helen Coy from Sydney Wildlife Rescue to help build a much needed kangaroo rehabilitation and orphan joey enclosure in the Windsor area. Helen is an aged pensioner and the sole supporter of her husband, an ex NSW police officer suffering from dementia. Her respite from looking after him is volunteering to save native animals. Sadly this much needed service is unfunded in our communities right across Australia and all costs are borne by the individuals who help. Sydney Wildlife Rescue is in need of an enclosure for kangaroos injured by cars and their orphaned joeys. There are a lot of kangaroos and joeys in Sydney that are euthanased because of a lack of rehabilitation facilities so Helen very generously offered that it could be constructed at her property. To build this enclosure means saving many animal lives not only now but into the future so that they can be returned to a safe environment in nature. Our native animals are born to live healthy and free instead of being a victim of urbanisation and societal apathy. It is wrong that these beautiful Australian animals are killed unnecessarily because of a lack of resources and money. I believe our wildlife and the people who care for them deserve to, and should be helped. I know Helen very well and she is a dedicated and sincere lady who puts all her spare time and money into our precious wildlife. I've never applied for a grant before and do not want assistance for myself. If funds were granted I would like them allocated to Helen Coy on behalf of Sydney Wildlife Rescue to help save our kangaroos and joeys. I have secured the best quotes for the materials to build the enclosure and have organised volunteers for its construction. Your grant would mean making this project possible. The future of wildlife is everyones responsibility and making that a reality is more than awesome. A $1000 would be the difference between life and death for our wildlife. Jill Gilbert Kangaroo & Joey Rehabilitation Enclosure Australia Sydney https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sydney tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/225808 2024-02-07T00:00:00Z 2024-02-28T03:53:02Z At Meals on Wheels Wellness, our mission is to uplift and empower isolated seniors, reigniting their connection to the community and helping them rediscover the joys of life. It all began when we noticed that many of our clients, whom we initially served by delivering meals, were facing a profound sense of isolation and disconnection from the world around them. Determined to make a positive impact, we launched our innovative Wellness Program. Through this program, we go beyond delivering meals to address the deeper needs of our seniors. We organize engaging activities, heartwarming outings, and create a supportive network that fosters meaningful connections. Our aim is to bring these isolated seniors back into the vibrant embrace of their community, where they can once again enjoy the richness of life. By providing opportunities for social interaction, physical and mental well-being, and a sense of belonging, we witness incredible transformations. Seniors who were once disconnected and lonely find themselves surrounded by friendship, laughter, and support. Meals on Wheels Wellness is more than just a program; it's a lifeline that helps our seniors reclaim their place in the world. We believe that every individual deserves to live a fulfilling and vibrant life, regardless of age or circumstance. Susannah Kelly Elderly Wellness Program https://mow.net.au/wellness-program/ Australia Newcastle https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/newcastle tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/248708 2024-02-07T00:00:00Z 2024-02-14T10:46:46Z MYST Katoomba brings Sydney city to the Blue Mountains for one night to entertain and celebrate Mardi Gras for the local youth. The Mountains Youth Service Team (MYST) is hosting a live stream of the 2024 Gay & Lesbian Sydney Mardi Gras on a big outdoor screen. The event is specifically for LGBTQAI+ individuals and supporters aged between 12 to 17 years living in the Blue Mountains area. It is designed to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all. Another community service from the region will support the event by providing activities and prizes. These activities include a fashion parade, a Bop it Passes competition, a glitter stand for making pronoun badges, a sexual health wheel, felting and decorating pot plants, planting flower seeds, a pool table, Xbox, and PlayStation. Flinn Donovan MYST Madi Gras parade screening party https://www.mardigras.org.au/event/myst-parade-screening-party Australia Sydney https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sydney tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/245538 2024-02-06T00:00:00Z 2024-03-03T17:28:25Z Արցախում 9 ամիս տևած շրջափակման պայմաններում 2023-ի ապրիլին Ստեփանակերտում կայացավ արցախյան վերջին համերգը՝ ջազի միջազգային օրվա կապակցությամբ։ Արցախահայերի բռնի տեղահանման և Ադրբեջանի կողմից էթնիկ զտման քաղաքականության պայմաններում՝ նվագախմբի ղեկավար Տիգրան Սուչյանը կազմակերպեց նաև նվագախմբի երաժշտական գործիքների տարհանումը, իսկ Հայաստանում նվագախմբի անդամների բնակեցման առաջին իսկ օրերից հոգեբանական աջակցությամբ՝ կարողացավ մոտիվացնել երիտասարդ երաժիշտներին՝ շարունակելու իրենց սիրելի գործը։ Ջազը միավորում է մարդկանց, հետևաբար մենք ևս նպատակ ենք հետապնդում նվագախմբի անխափան գործունեությամբ միավորել մեր հայրենակիցներին՝ խրախուսելով սիրել, զարգացնել և տարածել երաժշտարվեստը։ Նվագախմբի գործունեության հանրահռչակման համար նախատեսում ենք իրականացնել հայկական հեղինակային ստեղծագործությունների պրոֆեսիոնալ աուդիո ձայնագրություն, որի միջոցով հայ և արտասահմանյան երաժշտասեր հանրությունը հաղորդ կդառնա ժամանակակից հայկական ջազ ստեղծագործություններին։ Anna Kostanyan Սիրված երգի ջազային ձայնագրություն https://www.youtube.com/@artsakhstatejazzorchestra Armenia Artsakh (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/artsakh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247593 2024-02-06T00:00:00Z 2024-03-05T05:22:51Z Objective: Empower 25 homeless individuals by providing free haircuts, professional attire, and comprehensive job readiness training, enhancing their confidence and employability. Components: Free Haircuts (Barbershop Collaboration): Partner with local barbershops to provide free haircuts for participants. Estimate cost: $5 per haircut x 25 individuals = $125 Professional Attire Distribution: Collaborate with thrift stores or seek donations to secure affordable professional attire (suits, business attire). Estimate cost: $20 per outfit x 25 individuals = $500 Resume Writing Workshop: Hire a professional resume writing coach or consultant to conduct a comprehensive workshop. Include sessions on resume building, cover letter writing, and LinkedIn profile enhancement. Provide writing materials for participants. Estimate cost: $300 Mock Job Interview Session: Arrange for career professionals or HR experts to conduct mock job interviews. Create a realistic interview environment to help participants gain confidence and polish their interview skills. Offer constructive feedback and tips for improvement. Estimate cost: $75 for refreshments and materials Transportation Assistance: Allocate a portion for transportation assistance to ensure participants can attend the workshop and interview sessions. Estimate cost: $100 Documentation and Photography: Capture the transformations and success stories through photography. Document the journey for potential future collaborations or fundraising efforts. Estimate cost: $50 for photography services Total Estimated Budget: $1,050 Timeline: Week 1-2: Secure collaboration agreements with barbershops, thrift stores, and workshop facilitators. Week 3-4: Collect professional attire and distribute to participants. Week 5: Host the Resume Writing Workshop. Week 6: Conduct the Mock Job Interview Session. Week 7: Follow up with participants for feedback and further support. Impact Evaluation: Nasihah Jones Shape Up & Shape the World United States Newburgh, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/newburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249249 2024-02-06T00:00:00Z 2024-02-07T04:52:35Z The most fun I've ever had volunteering was when my kids (now in their 20s) were in kindergarten. At a school science fair, I taught a class called "Bubbles: 101." It was a blast! We had lots of bubble solution for the kids to play with, a bubble machine, a foam machine, giant bubbles that kids could stand inside, square bubbles (yes, it's real), dry ice bubbles, and bubble painting. Everyone got messy and had fun while I explained the science behind bubbles like surface tension, air pressure, and light diffraction. I want to teach Bubbles: 101 at several different venues this spring: First, for the kids in my neighborhood. I live a in low-income public housing development with about 30 kids around 5-15 years old who never get to participate in wholesome fun activities. Second, at the Tracy Earth Day Community Event on April 22. Earth Day events here are free to the community and always have hundreds of young visitors. It is the perfect place for Bubbles: 101. Third, on the first Saturday that the farmers market opens in the spring (date TBA). For several months each spring and fall, Tracy closes off the streets downtown on Saturday mornings for lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, food trucks, arts and crafts, music, and more. I want to have my bubble class on one or more of these Saturdays. This would require me to pay a vendor fee. Melinda Ramirez Bubbles: 101 United States San Francisco, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sf tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249868 2024-02-05T00:00:00Z 2024-02-05T19:21:25Z Love Shouldn't Hurt Kids. We have a program that we currently run that is called Love Shouldn't Hurt. We have decided to launch Love Shouldn't Hurt Kids and Love Shouldn't Hurt Babies for those adults who have kids and babies but want to attend our program. We have had to turn participants away because we didn't have a program for their kids or offer childcare. Other times we invited them into the program which we identified as both, not age appropriate and a total distraction for the other participants. We developed an anti-bullying program for kids ages 5-12. And childcare for kids 6months-4. We created an ambassador program for teens ages 13-17 (who have gone through our program) to facilitate this class. We currently have 3 ambassadors facilitating the program. We also have one volunteer who is assigned to the childcare program. We currently do not have any participants who have babies, but participants in the past have not attended a class on days that they could not get childcare. Our Love Shouldn't Hurt Kids Program, mirrors our Love Shouldn't Hurt Program, as much as possible, replacing the different domestic violence discussions with bullying discussions. The goal of this program is to address the do's and dont's of healthy friendships, identifying signs of bullying, and how to identify and express feelings. It is a 12-week program designed to run alongside the 12-week program, Love Shouldn't Hurt that is on the other side of the wall. Therefore, both programs are running concurrently. Tracy Evanson Love Shouldn't Hurt http://www.healedwomenheal.org Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249436 2024-02-02T00:00:00Z 2024-03-25T22:13:35Z The 'Felt by the Community' project supports a series of four felting workshops in the Adelaide Women's Prison for women who are in direct contact with Aboriginal leader, Aunty Pat through the Salt and Pepper program. Aunty Pat and Margie -Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women - started Salt and Pepper to support and liaise with women in prison, their families and support services, including on release. Aunty Pat has invited me to conduct felt-making workshops that will be for the women inside prison hence the title of the project 'Felt by the Community'-Inside. The women will learn the basics of felting and design their own 3D artpiece that we will hopefully be able to display. Our aim is to provide an expressive and creative opportunity for the women to learn skills that will be of benefit to them on release. Felt-making is a mindful process with many wellbeing benefits. These workshops are beginner friendly with an open access point. These workshops have the benefit of providing Aunty Pat to engage with the women during and after the process. This additionally gives longed-for support to the women - inside. Louise Davies 'Felt by the Community' Inside Australia Adelaide https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/adelaide tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/253590 2024-02-02T00:00:00Z 2024-07-16T00:50:17Z This project is diverting unbooked council kerbside furniture to people in need. The Awesome grant has funded vouchers for households looking to donate furniture. This stops people leaving furniture by the side of the road that would otherwise go to landfill and also helps provide free furniture for those in need, such as women fleeing domestic violence who have to start over and more. The application was submitted by the founder and director of Cobber Technologies Pty Ltd (“Uber for secondhand furniture”). She is an entrepreneur with lived experience around transport barriers with secondhand furniture (in the process of being rehomed following domestic violence issues). Roann Junio-Hartmann Secondhand furniture for those in need http://www.cobber.app Australia Adelaide https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/adelaide tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/243445 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z 2024-04-21T17:24:36Z Bread of the Mighty Food Bank (BOTM)-a branch of Feeding Northeast Florida-has been a community staple for over 3 decades, providing +57,000 local family members experiencing food insecurity with reliable, nutritious food. BOTM collects, sorts, stores, and distributes food and basic essentials to over 200 nonprofit agency partners with pantries and feeding programs. Our dedicated team travels five days a week to collect donations from generous retailers and wholesalers. Our service area supports families throughout Alachua, Gilchrist, Levy, and Union counties-as part of the twelve-county reach of Feeding Northeast Florida. To sort, inspect, and prepare items for redistribution, we depend on the generous time gifted by thousands of volunteers every year. When students, families, and team members from local businesses come together through volunteerism, we are able to spread awareness about local hunger as well as move nearly 7 million pounds of charitable food out of BOTM and to community hands quickly to be enjoyed vs. languishing in a landfill. The food bank is overdue for renovations, including an expansion to the volunteer working space. Although construction is in process now, we seek partnership with The AWESOME Foundation to support a hydration station. A water bottle refill station would ensure clean (contactless) access to water for volunteers that breaks the reliance on plastic bottles, promoting sustainable practices. According to The Urban Institute, there are numerous critical aspects of volunteer retention, including allocating sufficient resources to the volunteer experience. A pleasing environment with adequate resources fosters a sense of community and engagement where volunteers can connect, collaborate, and share their experiences. This promotes volunteer retention and satisfaction, as well as encourages long-term commitment and ongoing support-essential to our food bank’s plan to double our food output in 2024 to nearly 16 million pounds. Kelly N. Brenner Bread of the Mighty Food Bank-Hydrating Volunteers https://breadofthemighty.org/ United States Gainesville, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/gainesville tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/245518 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z 2024-05-07T15:24:30Z Nosso Coletivo LLGBQTIA+ existe a mais de 06 anos,representando a comunidade lgbt+ de Santa luzia,organizando e pleiteando as demandas nas politicas publicas e canais de participação social.Realizamos no último dia 26/11/23 a nossa 1º parada LBGTQIA+ de Santa luzia com tema : Por um mundo sem racismo,machismo e LGBtfobia.No total de 07 horas de enevnto alcançamos o público de 1.000 pessoas,um marco histórico na cidade e dentro do coletivo. Agradeço a oportunidade e o apoio que a A Nossa cidade nos possibilitou com a ajuda de r$ 500,00.Grata em nome de todo o Coletivo LGBT. Santa Luzia VANESSA DE SOUZA PEREIRA 1º PARADA LGBTQI+ SANTA LUZIA https://www.instagram.com/ Brazil Grande Belo Horizonte (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/rmbh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/239436 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z 2025-03-11T20:42:22Z iAmMe Girls is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2015 by Camelia Wyman, a clinical social worker and native of North Carolina. The organization is based in Durham, N.C., and provides services to girls between the ages of 10 and 18. The mission of iAmMe Girls is to empower and inspire young girls to love themselves unconditionally, regardless of their circumstances, to become leaders within their communities, and make informed and healthy life choices. iAmMe Girls has developed a comprehensive program to address these needs. The program focuses on providing year-round support and initiatives dedicated to the growth and development of girls. By providing a supportive environment and offering various programs and services, such as workshops, mental health support, mentoring programs, and community engagement, the organization aims to equip young girls with the necessary tools to navigate through life's challenges successfully and to help girls develop a positive self-image and build resilience against societal pressures and negative influences. Camelia Wyman IAmMe Girls Mentorship http://www.iammegirlsrock.org United States Durham, NC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/durham tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/358450 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z 2025-07-17T00:23:03Z The project is focused on providing members of the Heritage Park neighborhood a place to grieve and memorialize their loved ones that have passed away. Within the past couple of months, many members of our neighborhood have voiced that they have lost loved ones. We have also had many conversations around how unexpected and difficult the grief has been. The plan is to provide an ongoing grief group for members of the community to utilize as the need arises. This group will provide us with a place to process our grief by sharing memories of loved ones, partake in activities to process grief, and receive information on support outside of the group to provide positive coping mechanisms. - Good Grief United States North Minneapolis, MN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/northminneapolis tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/244418 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-16T09:16:37Z We're happy to announce that our January grant has been awarded to "Fatherhood and Fades: Barbershop Talks," a new initiative which celebrates the bond between fathers and children through engaging panel discussions and free haircuts for kids. This initiative is being organized by Cambria Heights, Queens-based BeingEgypt Cares which focuses on eradicating youth illiteracy and combating bullying. They partner with schools and organizations, providing reading materials and writing services to encourage innovative literacy exploration. Children will be gifted with books at the event, promoting literacy and education and each participating barbershop receives a bookcase filled with children's books, turning these spaces into nurturing environments for learning and dialogue. _"Beyond promoting literacy, this event plays a crucial role in strengthening the relationship between fathers and children. Through engaging panel discussions on fatherhood, fathers not only bond with their kids but also find support among other men, sharing insights and experiences. This collective dialogue equips fathers with valuable guidance and fosters a supportive environment for effective parenting. Ultimately, it's not just about books and haircuts; it's about creating a community where literacy thrives, familial bonds strengthen, and fathers find the support they need in nurturing their children."_ Their first event will be held on **June 11th, 2024**. Follow them on [Instagram](https://instagram.com/beingegypt) and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/beingegypt) or visit their website http://www.beingegypt.com for more information. Shaleem Bush Fatherhood and Fades: Barbershop Talks http://www.beingegypt.com United States New York City, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/nyc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/246790 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-02T18:58:15Z COVID taught us how to pivot and be creative in our teaching. COVID forced us to either learn online or in small communities on campus. I teach an Adaptive Living Skills, Community Based Instruction Program. My students work towards a Certificate of Completion rather than a diploma. During COVID we were not able to practice our work skills at off campus work sites and thus our on campus coffee cart was born. The students serve coffee, tea, homemade lemonade and baked goods to the staff on campus. Through this they practice real life work skills both technical and soft skills. They learn how to be on time for worked, dress and presentable, create drinks and snacks, take orders, prepare the orders, compute totals and make change. They are also able to work on their communication skills while working on the coffee cart. The special education students are joined by general education students who help to work at the coffee cart creating an inclusive environment. Shariann Ikeda SURF's Coffee Cart United States Oahu, HI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/oahu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247060 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-02T18:57:52Z Middle school students will collaborate with community gardening experts to create a natural learning environment for their elementary school partnership. The middle schoolers interviewed the staff and students of the new elementary school, and brainstormed different ideas to beautify the new campus and to make it a safe and welcoming learning environment. An emphasis is placed on creating outdoor spaces that add a learning component opportunity to the beautification. They will: 1) add native Hawaiian shade trees to one end of an open play area, 2) add in a butterfly garden to the back side of the largest open play area, 3) create a vegetable garden that allows the elementary students to participate in and learn from, and 4) build bird boxes to encourage birds to visit the shaded areas. The middle grade students will meet weekly to work on this project and will help teachers find appropriate activities and lessons to use these outdoor spaces. In addition the middle school students will work with a group of elementary students taking the lead on their campus, serving as mentors to the elementary students. The new elementary school is a k- 5 grade school serving 150 students from a diverse population, including a high population of Hawaiian students. It is a school that focuses on project and place based learning. The middle school team comes from the pbHTA program (a sister school to the elementary school). They will be learning how to engage in project management; learn about soil sciences, water quality, irrigation designs, and plant sciences; use math skills for planning, drawing and construction; learn to use power tools safely, and improve research skills in developing activities/lessons for the teachers. These learning opportunities meet the middle school students' standards in multiple subject areas. The efforts of the middle school students will lend to supporting the elementary students' learning standards as well. Project will start immediately. Sharon A Schleigh Outdoor Learning Spaces United States Oahu, HI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/oahu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247085 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-01T04:43:39Z Vents Contraires provides material support for people with precarious immigration status staying in informal camps and squats in northern France. Our van is set up to refill tanks with safe drinking water, as well as setting up hot showers and a laundry service during our distribution hours. For many people, our service is the only regular access they have to take a shower or to wash their clothes. Especially during the winter months, being able to have clean and dry clothes, and take a hot shower, is so important. We've been running this project for 18 months and adapting it based on feedback from people who access different services. Therefore I really think we're offering a useful and needed service. Libby Kane "Fuelling" our generator ! and our project Worldwide Homelessness (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/homelessness tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247136 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-07T04:12:59Z Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users comprise a linguistic and cultural minority group that is severely underserved in healthcare education and access. Deaf adults who use ASL are approximately 7x more likely than hearing adults to have low health literacy, regardless of education level, and are 3x likely to report fair/poor health than the average American adult. Social factors including communication barriers, discrimination, lack of resources, and isolation can impact and contribute to Deaf people’s health and wellbeing. Poor mental health, including depression, anxiety, social isolation, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, and PSTD are commonly reported among this population. Availability of suicide prevention resources is extremely limited. This project by DeafHealth [http://www.deafhealthaccess.org/] promotes the mental health of the Deaf community in the U.S. who communicate in ASL through the creation and dissemination of culturally and linguistically accessible videos that focus on equipping Deaf individuals with knowledge and available resources needed to prevent suicide, including essential information about the recently implemented 9-8-8 hotline in ASL by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration this past September (https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/20230908/988-suicide-crisis-lifeline-adds-american-sign-language-services-deaf-hard-of-hearing-callers). Seven informational videos on suicide prevention, knowledge, and resources will be disseminated virtually within the Deaf community through social media platforms and email communications, such as Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/deafhealthaccess], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/deafhealthaccess/], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/deafhealthaccess]. In and around May 2024, all seven videos produced by this project will be shared and disseminated in consideration of Mental Health Awareness Month. **What our grantee is saying:** “A simple online search shows that there are very few videos on suicide prevention and available resources in American Sign Language (ASL). DeafHealth recognizes this critical gap for the Deaf community, and is grateful for the opportunity to raise more awareness to available and accessible resources, including the 9-8-8 hotline in ASL.” – Allysa Dittmar, MHS Senior Director of DeafHealth DeafHealth Suicide Prevention Awareness & Knowledge in ASL https://deafhealthaccess.org/ Worldwide Disability https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/disability tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/248044 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-04T20:34:51Z Project Valentine is an annual event that we hold, where our volunteers handwrite messages and make cards which are sent to brighten the day of front-line workers such as paramedics and hospital workers! Following the recent Covid-19 pandemic, we understand how important it is to show our love, support and appreciation for those on the frontlines. Through this project, not only can volunteers gain their hours, but they can also give back to their community in a positive way. Unlike other card-making initiatives, these cards will be given to front-line workers for their continuous efforts to keep the community safe and healthy. Since each card must also be made by hand, every card will have personalized and unique artworks with original messages coming straight from the heart of our volunteers! Project 5K was able to engage over 400 student volunteers in 6 provinces across Canada with more than 2800 cards being made. Project 5K Project Valentine https://www.project5k.ca/project-valentine Canada Toronto https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/toronto tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/248683 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-02T12:34:24Z The Georgetown Council on Aging is looking to provide opportunities for older adults to stay active and socialize. We currently offer several fitness classes as well as a small gym. We do see a need for more interactive activities. The combination of social interaction and physical activity is one reason that pickleball has taken off throughout the region. Unfortunately in the winter months we don't have an appropriate space for our seniors to play. What we would like to do is provide the opportunity for our residents to be able to play other social games indoors for cold weather months, rainy days, or extremely hot days throughout the year. In one of our rooms we currently have a pool table. We would like to convert that space into a "Game Room" that would include Ping Pong tables, Corn hole boards, indoor shuffleboard, as well as more traditional games, such as cards, cribbage, etc. We would like to make this space warm and inviting. We have received donations of a ping pong cover for a pool table, and a corn hold set. We are seeking a permanent ping pong table to allow two games at a time, indoor shuffleboard set, and new table top games. We also plan to improve the aesthetics of the space to make it more welcoming, and provide more of a fun atmosphere. Our hope is that this will provide a variety of opportunities for socialization and physical activity regardless of weather. Kristin Crockett Georgetown Senior Community Center Game Room United States Georgetown, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/georgetown tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249021 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-01T04:44:29Z As part of the work we do with our nonprofit, Global Education Connection, we want to continue and expand our programs this year. One of the programs has been providing educational materials and art supplies to an orphanage in Reynosa, Mexico. The orphanage also supports a school with over 600 children and our goal this year is to provide support to all 600 of these children. The goal of the program is to support both the orphanage and the school so children have a safe place to live as well as a safe learning environment. We plan to send art supplies, coloring books, backpacks, projectors, stationary, and books to these children to continue to assist in their learning and development. Carter Beck Mexico Orphanage Education Support http://www.globaleducationconnection.org Worldwide Homelessness (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/homelessness tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249587 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-11T14:20:26Z Our project is a weekly arts and craft session for community members who attend Our House Walton Community Hub. It is mostly people who live in Walton that attend this group but it is open to anyone and people from outside the area have attended. In 2023, Our House worked with around 750 people on various projects. I asked community members what they wanted to do which led to a collective decision of creative arts so we collaboratively began this group. The attendees at each arts and craft session is usually between 8 and 12 people each week with the highest attendance being 15. I invite every community member to attend and always make sure to make new members at Our House feel welcome. The target demographic of this group is adults and elderly people. The hub is a vital resource for our community members as they attend every day. We keep contact details of our members and we use social media to promote our services. Our House has funded the arts and craft project for the past 3 months. I have had to look for low cost items in order to keep within the small budget. Our House is a newly established charity and does not have endless amounts of funding to continue this project. We do not ask people to fund these sessions as Walton is an area that experiences poverty and disadvantage. According to the MP for Walton, Dan Carden, Walton is now the most deprived constituency in the country. A lot of the people who attend these sessions would not be able to afford to pay for the classes and materials which is why Our House has funded it so far. This project is facilitated by Our house staff and volunteers. We do plan to look for some more volunteers who could bring fresh ideas to the group. With more funding, we also plan to look into some more difficult crafts. The £500 pot will not be part of a larger pot. With this funding alone we will be able to fund the arts and craft sessions for 20 weeks as we have managed to do so since October on a limited budget. David Carney Creative Connections - Our House Walton Community https://ourhouse-walton.co.uk/ United Kingdom Liverpool (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/liverpool tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249865 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2025-03-13T15:44:30Z I created an Instagram account about four months ago in order to share my favorite parts of Happy Valley. I had no idea that the account would grow at the rate it has and with the excitement surrounding it! I was approached several months ago by Nan Barash, the daughter of Mimi Barash Coppersmith, local philanthropist and former PSU Board of Trustee. Nan asked if I would like to meet with her mother, and suggested that I consider carrying on my own version of “Lunch with Mimi” (interviews published monthly in Town and Gown). I was honored to be asked by Nan and excited about the idea of sharing the ideas and stories of locals in the area. My first interview is with Mimi herself, where we discuss what Happy Valley means to her. These interviews will be published on YouTube, as well as other social media channels and will hopefully help to build community, document history and share the love that is Happy Valley. Hannah Morris Happy Valley Hannah- Happy Hour with Hannah http://HappyValleyHannah.com United States State College, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/statecollege tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250727 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-02-11T14:18:55Z Our ambition is to provide serious first aid training to children and young people who have parents, siblings or loved ones with serious health conditions or long term health conditions. This will ensure the best chance for our young Carers and families to get help when it may be needed and confidence to know what to do, despite their age. The 2011 Census identified 177,918 young carers in England and Wales. One in eight of those were aged under eight; we know that these figures are much higher now, especially with people living longer and with more complex health issues. Our young people are little heroes, we know they often help in a crisis and know what to do. This training will encourage safe practice and enable us to empower our children and young with the correct tools to help the wider community. We would use this budget to provide training for us to 25 identified young people who's family member have complex needs or if they have a medical condition themselves. Sharon Munroe Young First Aiders http://www.enw.org.uk United Kingdom Liverpool (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/liverpool tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250746 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z 2024-03-04T19:49:09Z In the past our school has provided food baskets and boxes for families over holiday breaks. We used our own budget for sides for thanksgiving to subsidize donated turkeys, and for winter break we were generously given boxes of blessings from a local organization. What many often do not account for are spring breaks for students. Our students will be without their school given meals for one week in the spring which is often a hardship as some shelters and pantries may only operate in the winter months. Based on our school survey, we have the highest percentage of students in need for our district based upon food insecurity in our area. It is our goal to be able to make around 75 food baskets to give out to families right before the spring break and pre easter holiday). Previous interest forms have indicated over 90 families interested in a support such as this for breaks. Allie-Cate Phillips-Madrigal Spring Break baskets United States San Antonio, TX https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sanantonio tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/240873 2024-01-30T00:00:00Z 2024-02-07T02:55:48Z We are small developers, investing in the Monroe Park neighborhood of South Bend. Through our work rehabbing dilapidated buildings, we are enhancing the beauty and function of the neighborhood while honoring the history and preserving the culture that already exists. We keep rents affordable and target solutions attuned to the local community’s needs. In early 2023, we acquired the Monarch Printing Co building in Monroe Park. We were awarded the Awesome Fund grant in May of 2023, with a focus on unveiling the Monarch storefronts. We used the money in conjunction with the Exterior Enhancement Grant through DTSB, so we doubled the impact! Over the summer, we acquired our second commercial building - the former Hope Ministries building at 530 S Michigan which is only separated from the Monarch by an empty lot. We now have the opportunity to develop the entire block from 516 to 530 S Michigan. Through our development of this block we will provide the South Bend community with numerous commercial spaces designed for small businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as up to 14 residential units with access to outdoor spaces. Our plans include making this a culinary destination with everything from brewery co-op, food collective, community kitchen, restaurant, and a fresh foods market. We’re also creating numerous green spaces with native and edible plantings, using regenerative practices. Not to mention, we are restoring landmark buildings neglected for years and previously in danger of demolition. Winning the Awesome Fund grant in May was a momentum boost for our small business, and now with this significant addition to our portfolio, we are hoping to do it again as we grow and continue supporting and revitalizing our neighborhood and community. Charity Stowe and Rachel Mospan The Monarch & Hope Block https://www.instagram.com/herstoricdevelopment/ United States South Bend, IN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/southbend tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247473 2024-01-30T00:00:00Z 2024-02-07T02:53:44Z The purpose of my project is to save our children from violence, death, and incarceration. On a daily basis we are hearing in the news, or reading in the newspaper about street violence that is being perpetrated by our youth. The impact of this has a negative, painful effect on the lives of these children, their families, the families of others, and the economy. By offering education, counseling, resources, and training, some of these children may be saved and violence may be reduced. Rosemarie Harris Save Our Children United States South Bend, IN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/southbend tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250396 2024-01-30T00:00:00Z 2024-02-07T02:50:37Z We give bicycles to kids 13 & under. We want to also give them helmets, but we are out of helmets. Karen Haun Provide free bicycle helmets for kids http://Sbbikegarage.com United States South Bend, IN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/southbend tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249349 2024-01-29T00:00:00Z 2024-02-01T12:15:43Z Labor of Fire is a visual arts exhibition about labor, featuring the works of emerging female and minority artists from Washington, DC and the DMV area. The exhibition will highlight the artists' critical insights into the social and political dimensions of labor. The selected artists turned their own labor into the subject as well as the means of inquiry. They reframed discounted forms of labor as foundational, and recast the art object as a fossil of labor itself As the curator, I am committed, to ensure they are compensated in proportion to their contribution to the exhibition, even though, sadly dominant trends in the art world tend to the opposite: the work of female and minority artists is often overlooked and under-funded. They are frequently expected to fund their own work with little to no compensation for the content they provide to exhibiting institutions. Too often they work just for visibility and under inequitable contracts. The DC Arts Center (DCAC), in Adams Morgan, will provide the exhibition space and part of the funds that will cover the artists' fees. More is needed to ensure performance fees are also covered , in line with the standards set by W.A.G.E. (https://wageforwork.com/fee-calculator#top), the most reputable organisation in the US advocating for equitable artists pay. If realised with adequate funding, Labor of Fire will bring together a collection of labor manifestations that explores different dimensions of labor from the most intimate to the most collective. Meditation, maintenance, care, craft, social commentary and activism will coexist in the show as equally important practices of world-making. Benedetta Castrioto Labor of Fire https://www.dcartscenter.org/curatorialinitiative United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/dc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249706 2024-01-29T00:00:00Z 2024-02-01T12:15:16Z DAPSN, or the DMV Abortion Practical Support Network, is extremely awesome! DAPSN provides hands-on support for those seeking abortion care in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. In collaboration with other community groups and abortion funds, DAPSN’s network of dedicated volunteers provide patients with housing, rides, escorts to their appointments, emotional support, childcare, meal assistance, and other ancillary forms of aid. The need for this type of service has only increased over the past year after Roe v. Wade was overturned and states have imposed restrictive abortion laws. DAPSN provides reassurance to patients that after all the work they have had to do to get to a state with less restrictions, they will be greeted by a friendly, supportive face who is there to listen, provide comfort, or just give them a ride when they need it most. DAPSN has seen an increase in monetary support requests in the past few months but we do not always have the resources to fulfill these requests, as we do not fundraise or receive ongoing contributions. Meriwether Beatty DAPSN Volunteers are Awesome! https://dapsn.wordpress.com/ United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/dc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249877 2024-01-29T00:00:00Z 2024-02-22T01:16:17Z The D.C. metro area routinely tops both the list for the highest median household income and the list for the worst rates of displacement of working-class and poor people. All of these trends have disproportionately harmed Black native Washingtonians, many immigrant diasporas, and queer and trans people of color. So in June 2021, we launched an awesome experiment: could neighbors replace investors and developers to create a limited-equity housing cooperative and mutual aid hub? Two years later, we did it. We mobilized as organizers from the Ward 1 DC Mutual Aid Network, a grassroots, community-led effort to take care of our neighbors. Neighbors and tenants came together to build a community-led economic structure and facilitate wealth redistribution within our networks to protect a small apartment building from being sold to a luxury redeveloper. We the Ward 1 community members resisted displacement and successfully bought an apartment building in the Howard University neighborhood to transform it into a visionary community space: an affordable housing cooperative and a hub for mutual aid among neighbors. Now, we’re a limited equity housing cooperative that preserves affordability in perpetuity while enabling self-determination by tenants and creating a new space for mutual aid organizing to continue to combat gentrification and systemic neglect in our communities. As we build a space of abundant Black joy, with regular community meals and political education events, we would love support to help kick off our grand opening celebration. Baldwin House Baldwin House Cooperative Association https://baldwin-house.org/ United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/dc