tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:/hy/projects?page=7 2024-08-13T06:39:29Z tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/282906 2024-08-12T00:00:00Z 2024-08-13T06:39:29Z We plan to create a summer cinema for the youth of Gavar community and all those people who love cinema. It is a great opportunity to combine watching movies and enjoying the wonderful nature and fresh air of Gavar. The main goal is to gather young people around one event, thanks to which we will be able to hold both film viewings, film discussions, and original film screenings, during which an opportunity will be created to talk with directors and creative groups. We also plan to create a platform for local young producers to sell their own products, which will give an opportunity to taste different kinds of AWSOME dishes during breaks. Norik Hergnyan Summer Cinema Corner in Gavar |#Gegharkunikawesome Armenia Yerevan https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/yerevan tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/283856 2024-08-12T00:00:00Z 2024-08-13T06:40:11Z Թվային անվտանգություն Ես ներկայացնում եմ Աժդահակ բնապահպանական կենտրոնը, որտեղ գյուղաբնակ փոքրիկնին սովորեցնում եմ համակարգչային հմտություններ և անվտանգություն։ Դիմում եմ այս ծրագրին, որ հնարավորություն ստանամ Գեղարքունիքի մարզի սահմանամերձ գյուղերի և Արցախից բռնի տեղահանված երիտասարդներին ուսուցանել Թվային անվտանգություն` մեդիագրագիտություն, անվտանգ համացանցի գաղտնիքները, սոց ցանցերից օգտվելու էթիկա և անձնական տվյալների պաշտպանություն։ Այժմ շատ անհրաժեշտ է մարդկանց տիրապետել թվային անվտանգության գաղտնիքներին, քանի որ մենք ապրում ենք սահմանային լարվածության պայմաններում և թշնամին բոլոր ճակատներում և մանավանդ համացանցում շատ ուշադիր հետևում է մեզ ու տարածում ապատեղեկատվությունն։ Մեզ շատ է անհրաժեշտ տիրապետել թվային անվտանգության գաղտնիքներին, ունենալ համապատասխան գիտելիքներ մեր անձնական տվյալները պահպանելու և պաշտպանելու խաբեբաներից ովքեր դրանք կարող են օգտագործել տարբեր չարագործությունների մեջ։ Ծրագրի նպատակն է' Երիտասարդների շրջանում բարձրացնել մեդիագրագիտությունը Համացանցից օգտվելու կանոնների ուսուցումը, այդ թվում սոցիալական էջերի վարելու էթիկա, Ինչպես նաև կիմանան անձնական էջերի պահպանության երկաստիճան համակարգերի մասին, որն էլ կնպաստի անձնական տվյալների արտահոսքի կանխմանը Ծրագրի իրականացման համար նախատեսվում է սեմինար_ հանդիպումների շարք Գեղարքունիքի մարզի համայնքներով, շեշտը դնելով սահմանամերձ գյուղերի երիտասարդներին ինչպես նաև ներգրավելով Արցախից բռնի տեղահանված երիտասարդներին ովքեր ապրում են այդ համայնքներում։ Երիտասարդներին հնարավորություն տալով կրթվել և ստանալ գիտելիքներ թվային անվտանգության վերաբերյալ, որն էլ նրանք կօգտագործեն առօրյա կյանքում և աշխատանքային գործունեության մեջ։ Մարկոսյան Նախշուն Թվային անվտանգություն | #gegharkunikawesome https://www.facebook.com/ajdahakbkmail.ru?mibextid=ZbWKwL Armenia Yerevan https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/yerevan tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/281359 2024-08-11T00:00:00Z 2024-08-30T21:32:13Z Kwanza is an annual celebration of African-American culture which is held from December 26 to January 1, culminating in gift-giving and a feast of faith, called Karamu Ya Imani. It was created by Maulana Karenga and first celebrated in 1966. Date: December 26, 2024 - January 1, 2025. Celebrating Kwanza in Newburgh in partnership with the Newburgh Free library is presented in conjunction with UJIMA (third principle of Kwanza) a Children's literacy program which is a series of programs for children's ages 5-8 that celebrate Art, culture, history and story telling through the work of African American Authors and Illustrators. Malinda Ware Annual Kwanza event - Ujima Principle United States Newburgh, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/newburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/278932 2024-08-10T00:00:00Z 2024-08-11T00:03:17Z The whole community benefits with increased CPR/AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) training, but the classes are often difficult to access, especially for seniors This grant will fund upgraded equipment and allow for new weekly AED mini workshops at the Santa Cruz Community Farmer’s Markets. Current CPR classes are not geared to the elderly as First Responders. Studies reinforce the inability of the elderly to compress the adult manikin chest deep enough to be effective, although they can maintain the correct speed for compressions. On July 15th a trial AED/CPR workshop resulted in all senior participants learning about their roles as possible First Responders, and how to use the AED system. They learned how to place the AED pads on infant and adult manikins and press the AED shock button. Afterwards several felt they could save a life. Elizabeth Yznaga Senior-focused CPR/AED instruction United States Santa Cruz, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/santacruz tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/239792 2024-08-08T00:00:00Z 2024-08-12T18:58:06Z Congratulations to AwesomeStPaul August 2024 grant recipient to buy books. The 1200 students at Como Park High School will now have relevant and engaging books. AwesomeStPaul Trustees always are doing our best to encourage reading. Librarian Sheri Chaffee-Johnson explained in her application, “Giving our students access to current, relevant, and inclusive library books is so important. Students reading is so important. They will become better readers if there are books that they want to read on our shelves. I've weeded out the books that are outdated or outright racist and what's remaining is pretty thin. Can you believe in our sports section there was a 1952 copy of "Square Dancing: How to Call and Dance Them". Seriously... in 2023 in an urban school that is so diverse 45 languages are spoken in our hallways! I'm asking for money to update our library collection with some highly engaging books that reflect the lived experiences, identities, and culture of our students. Books that speak to current understanding around careers, finance, technology, history, politics, science, etc. Students should see themselves on the covers of books and as the characters in stories they read. Help me give them quality book choices.” Sheri Chaffee-Johnson Engaging, Inclusive, and Relevant Library Books United States St. Paul, MN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/stpaul tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/283665 2024-08-07T00:00:00Z 2024-08-08T03:32:53Z Anomalies is a production that will be showcased at the inaugural New Works Festival, running from September 20th to October 5th at the Old Fitz Theatre. Anomalies is a world premiere and my debut work. I developed the piece as a challenge to the contradictions and demands of exploitation that historically excluded artists must adhere to. Instead, I flip the power dynamic, introducing audiences to the three descendants of Earth's billionaires facing the contradictions of their existence. By staging this work, I hope to spark meaningful conversations about our moral identities as Australians, inspire other theatres to embrace diverse voices entirely and without consequence, and show other underrepresented artists that they can pave the path to their artistic careers. We are a team of community-focused artists who are First Nations, disabled, LGBTQIA+, people of colour, women, and from low socio-economic backgrounds. I believe we are a collective of artists with the wealth of experience and expertise needed to creating inclusive, intentional, and impactful theatre. The opportunity to premiere Anomalies at the Old Fitz is exceptional, but it is important to us to overcome as many access barriers that our venue, which is a 150-year-old building, poses to welcome as many audiences and our communities as possible. I hope to transform our venue into an active community space by hosting community nights, Auslan-interpreted performances, and audio descriptive performances. We have found our fundraising efforts won't be able to cover many associated costs, so this incredible grant will be used to pay for the two Auslan interpreters and contribute to the development of the audio descriptive script. Anomalies is set to be a vibrant contribution to the Sydney theatre scene, the Australian linguistic canon, and our wider communities that often find themselves underrepresented in traditional theatre spaces. The local community will ultimately benefit from having access to a transformed landmark venue as an active community space. Our audiences will gain exposure to new, diverse perspectives, fostering greater understanding and empathy. Additionally, we are committed to ensuring that our productions are accessible to all, thereby including and empowering the diverse communities in Sydney. Jordyn Fulcher Anomalies https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/anomalies Australia Sydney https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sydney tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/278154 2024-08-07T00:00:00Z 2024-08-21T05:24:59Z Community Disability Alliance Hunter (CDAH) Writers and Hunter Writers’ Centre (HWC) are collaborating to create a spoken word event which will take place on the International Day of Disability (IDD), 3rd December 2024, called ‘Listen Up Now’. Listen Up Now will showcase the writing of 10 persons with disability (PWD) from across the Hunter Region. It is a hybrid event both in person and with writers presenting their work via zoom. The venue is yet to be decided, but will likely take place at Newcastle Library. We aim to have live captions on zoom and an AusLan sign language interpreter on the night, and possibly live-stream on Facebook. A 1 ½ hour event MC’d by Cedar Whelan. A callout to PWD writers across the Hunter will open on 24th September 2024 and close 5th November 2024. Performers/readers will be chosen by 12th November 2024 by random selection. Listen Up Now will be free for all to attend and participate if we can obtain funding for costs involved. HWC recently established a Disability and Inclusion Action Group, who advise and provide expertise to HWC to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of their services and programs. Katherine McLean (HWC Director) invited Cedar Whelan (facilitator of CDAH Writers) to collaborate to produce an event which has become Listen Up Now, and which may be an annual event if successful. Listen Up Now is a celebration of diversity. It will enhance community connection and appreciation of diverse voices, enrich the cultural landscape of Newcastle, and have a profound impact for both participants and audience. Participants, writers and storytellers with disability, will be empowered to share their unique stories, fostering self-expression and visibility. The audience will leave with a greater appreciation of the lived experience of people with disability, promoting empathy, respect and understanding. Cedar Whelan Lissten Up Now Australia Newcastle https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/newcastle tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/262221 2024-08-07T00:00:00Z 2024-09-10T20:02:25Z I am a professional cosplayer, which I only classify as someone who has a small business specifically dedicated to their cosplay endeavors. I have invested in quite a few upgrades over the recent years but am in need of an upgraded resin printer and/or an upgraded filament printer. I have been featured in Carroll County Times and have brought my experience to a public setting - I am also the manager of Exploration Commons where I teach others how to utilize digital design and fabrication technologies. The items I make with these printers are highly visible online and in-person, and I even donate items regularly to the Arts Center for display to help inspire others. I'd like to continue spreading the knowledge and joy of cosplay with these purchases, and the grant money would go towards improving my tech to help keep putting Westminster in the forefront of the professional costume design scene. Candace Michelle Birger Cosplay Upgrades http://www.plexicosplay.com United States Westminster, MD https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/westminster tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/269772 2024-08-06T00:00:00Z 2024-08-08T16:15:15Z Título: Projeto "Momento Relaxante para Mães de Crianças Atípicas de Baixa Renda" Introdução: O projeto "Momento Relaxante para Mães de Crianças Atípicas de Baixa Renda" tem como objetivo oferecer um momento de descontração e cuidado para as mães que possuem filhos com necessidades especiais e que enfrentam dificuldades financeiras. Enquanto as crianças são atendidas, as mães terão a oportunidade de desfrutar de um tempo para si mesmas, proporcionando um alívio emocional e físico. Objetivos: 1. Proporcionar um momento de relaxamento e cuidado para as mães de crianças atípicas de baixa renda. 2. Promover o bem-estar físico e emocional das mães, fortalecendo sua saúde mental. 3. Proporcionar um ambiente acolhedor e seguro para as mães compartilharem experiências e estabelecerem vínculos de apoio mútuo. 4. Oferecer atividades terapêuticas e de lazer que possam contribuir para o autocuidado e o fortalecimento emocional das mães. 5. Promover a conscientização sobre a importância do cuidado e apoio às mães de crianças atípicas de baixa renda. Estratégias: 1. Parcerias com profissionais da área da saúde e bem-estar para oferecer serviços gratuitos às mães, como massagens, terapias relaxantes, sessões de yoga, entre outros. 2. Realização de encontros periódicos, onde as mães poderão compartilhar suas experiências, desafios e conquistas, promovendo o apoio mútuo e a troca de informações. 3. Organização de oficinas e atividades terapêuticas, como pintura, artesanato, dança, música, que possam proporcionar momentos de expressão criativa e relaxamento. 4. Criação de um espaço de convívio agradável, com decoração acolhedora, música ambiente e a disponibilidade de lanches leves e saudáveis. 5. Busca de patrocínios e doações para garantir a continuidade e sustentabilidade do projeto, garantindo que seja acessível a todas as mães de crianças atípicas de baixa renda Rosemeire Pereira de Aquino Cuidar de quem Cuida!!! http://www.redesolidariabh.com.br Brazil Grande Belo Horizonte https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/rmbh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/279562 2024-08-06T00:00:00Z 2024-08-07T16:14:03Z I’m an Oakland bike nonprofit volunteer who found out the donated bikes we refurbish and gift to the community get stolen (and folks riding those bikes sometimes get hit by cars). I'm running a fundraiser this year to raise money for bicycle locks and lights for people who benefit from the Bike Fix, Scraper Bikes and the Crucible open shop. https://www.gofundme.com/f/bike-locks-for-oakland https://www.instagram.com/ride4bikelocks/ https://sites.google.com/view/bigassbiketripforbikelocks/home July Tenenbaum Bike locks for community bike shop users https://sites.google.com/view/bigassbiketripforbikelocks/home United States San Francisco, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sf tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/279909 2024-08-05T00:00:00Z 2024-08-12T21:46:49Z Hot salt cold light: an oceanopera is a lo-fi experimental multimedia musical performance piece about missed messages, shitty jobs, invisible labors (both human and non), technological nightmares, and mass extinction. It’s about moving forward through wave after wave of catastrophe, and mostly, about loving whales and the ocean beyond human time. Created by Svetlana Chirkova and Kristin Dombek, for analog, digital, and human voices under the influence of waves and whales, hot salt cold light is premiering at ArtBuoy, a warehouse beside the Hudson River, in Kingston, NY in August, 2024, with Brittany K. Allen, Ashley Crawford, and Lindsay Quayle performing. In coming years, we hope to visit other venues both waterside and landlocked. Kristin Dombek hot salt cold light: an oceanopera https://oceanopera.com/ Worldwide On the Water https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/onthewater tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/280104 2024-08-05T00:00:00Z 2024-09-30T01:16:46Z As part of Festival Fleurieu 2025 (19/4 - 27/4) we are planning to hold a two day children's literary festival. The aim of this event is to expose children from the Fleurieu Peninsula to the world of writing, illustrating and reading books to further develop their literary and artistic skills, South Australia based children's authors will present age specific workshops on how to put a story together. The children will begin (and hopefully complete) their story as part of the workshops. There will also be a series of workshops presented by local artists and illustrators to enhance the participants knowledge, skills and understanding of what is involved in illustrating your text, There will be two lunchtime guest speakers who will present to "children" of all ages. We have been successful in obtaining Mem Fox as one of these speakers. Additionally, the finalists in the Mayor's Story Challenge for Yankalilla District Council and Victor Harbor will have to opportunity to either read their story or have it read on their behalf. There will also be authors providing story telling and activity sessions for pre - schoolers to ensure everyone can be involved. The event will be held at the Yankalilla Library and Cultural Centre and has the support of Council and Library staff. Add in food and drink providers and market stalls selling books and educational toys and we think it will be a great event. The reason we are approaching you so early is that we need to have everything finalised by November for the printing of our programs for the entire festival. Festival Fleurieu Children's Writers and Readers Festival http://festivalfleurieu.com.au Australia Fleurieu https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/fleurieu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/276512 2024-08-01T00:00:00Z 2024-07-31T17:53:40Z Hero School, located in San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala. departs from traditional rote-memorization based teaching through an innovative project-based learning curriculum. In 2024, our students at Hero School will plan and implement green building infrastructure projects. Students will plan, design, and implement their infrastructure projects across their classes. With the permission of the community, Hero School students conduct surveys in social studies class to evaluate living conditions. Then, they design their assigned infrastructure project in math class. At the end of the school year, the students go to the community to construct their project for a family identified in the survey in teams composed of students, teachers, builders, and volunteers. Construction materials include a combination of traditional materials and “ecobricks,” which are glass and plastic bottles filled with plastic pollution which has been removed from the environment. Matt Paneitz Hero School Green Building Projects https://lwhome.org/studentledprojects Worldwide Conservation and Climate https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/conservationandclimate tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/276669 2024-07-31T00:00:00Z 2024-11-27T17:12:12Z My big idea is to organize an empowering event called "Like A Queen" dedicated to celebrating the power, resilience, and strength of Ukrainian displaced people. This event aims to benefit the Ukrainian women living in Liverpool, particularly those who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict or other adverse circumstances. The event will not only serve as a source of inspiration and empowerment for the Ukrainian displaced community but also as an opportunity for them to connect with each other. We will empower the Ukrainian women by hosting an event in our community space where we will hold this wellbeing day were we will provide: nutritional food, make-up pampering bags, childcare provision, wellbeing hand massages for 13 women. The space will be welcoming and atmospheric, benefitting from room decorations, relaxing music, positive feelings and comfortable, safe settings. I was grateful to receive the 'Highly Commended' Employee of the Year 2023 award from Knowsley Business Chamber that highlighted the impact our work has had to people in need and I am proud of the resilience and engagement that the community has worked hard on together to achieve so much in such a short space of time, this funding would help to continue this work. By bringing them together in this context, you're not only celebrating their individual achievements but also fostering a sense of community and camaraderie among peers who have shared similar experiences and challenges. It's an opportunity for them to connect, bond, and support each other in a positive and uplifting environment I am very passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of Ukrainian ladies. Together, we can amplify their voices, uplift their stories, and empower them to reclaim their dignity and thrive, like the queens they truly are. Anna Ekvist Like a Queen United Kingdom Liverpool https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/liverpool tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/281157 2024-07-31T00:00:00Z 2024-08-20T19:59:04Z I started putting on puppet shows for community events and non-profits 10 years ago, and I absolutely love it. Utilizing the art of puppetry to share inspirational messages to a broad audience is incredibly fulfilling. I will be performing Wings of Hope, an extension of a short puppet show I performed around Easter. The show will involve butterflies and birds that I crafted using feathers and polystyrene, along with a full-body puppet named Gigi who will share inspirational messages, quotes, and encouragement for people to hold tight to hope. Candice Preau Wings of Hope http://jophielproductions.com United States San Antonio, TX https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sanantonio tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/278256 2024-07-31T00:00:00Z 2024-08-01T13:13:16Z Queer StoRIes Project (QSP) and the RI LGBTQ+ Community Archive at the Providence Public Library will partner with Project Weber/Renew’s (PWR) "Beyond the Understanding of Gender"—a trans of color support group—to offer an oral history training workshop series. The program will encompass oral history interviewing, recording, and transcription technology skills, preparing participants to lead their own interviews of trans of color Rhode Islanders, which will be added to the RI LGBTQ+ Community Archive. This will fill an existing hole in the historical record of Rhode Island from the perspective and with the priorities of those who lived this history. Virginia Thomas RI BIPOC Trans Oral History Project https://weberrenew.org/programs/ United States Rhode Island https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/rhodeisland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/276550 2024-07-31T00:00:00Z 2024-08-05T21:26:43Z July’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Ben Compton for workshops to support those pursuing their own archiving projects outside of major institutions. “Everyone Archives,” explains Ben, “uses the shared experience of archiving as a vehicle for intercultural, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary community-building. At the core of our mandate is a belief that each and every person has a relationship to archiving.” “Whether someone is researching the history of their neighbourhood, organizing a music library, tracing bits of their family’s origin story, collecting recipes, or stressing about the limited storage on their phone,” says Ben, “they are an archivist.” “In March,” Ben continues, “we held our first event at Bethell Fieldhouse, in Centretown. It was a huge success, bringing community members from a variety of backgrounds. The incredible turnout, as well as steady engagement on our Instagram account and media interest, has affirmed Ottawa locals’ desire for future workshops in the field of preservation and archival best practice.” To learn more, visit [everyonearchives.ca] (http://everyonearchives.ca), or follow along on [Facebook] (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556759555108) or [Instagram] (https://www.instagram.com/everyonearchives). Ben is an administrator, artist, and amateur archivist. Ben Compton Everyone Archives http://www.everyonearchives.ca/events Canada Ottawa https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/ottawa tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/276586 2024-07-31T00:00:00Z 2024-09-03T07:16:16Z Our project is a Medical Supply Drive that will give people with disabilities who have a surplus of medical supplies the ability to share their excess supplies with those in the disability community who need them. Through a partnership with the Mosunmola Care Foundation for spinal cord injury communities in Nigeria (which was founded by a Women on Wheels member), WOW will collect medical supply donations locally and send them to spinal cord injured people in Nigeria who often lack even the most basic and necessary supplies. WOW conducted their first Medical Supply Drive last year during the holiday season, and was able to collect 15 large boxes of medical supplies, including basic supplies like catheters, gloves, bed pads/chucks, incontinence supplies, and cushions. We would like for this Medical Supply Drive to be an annual event. **What our grantee is saying:** "This donation means the world to Women on Wheels. With it, we can assure our medical supply donation drive to Nigeria’s MOCAF Foundation will be successful. We can cover costs for acquiring and shipping materials to assure others with spinal cord injuries across the globe receive the support they need. Thank you so much!" Natalia Mendez WOW Medical Supply Drive http://womenonwheelsnyc.org Worldwide Disability https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/disability tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/270470 2024-07-31T00:00:00Z 2024-08-18T22:05:31Z Our summer newsletter was taking a little summer break, but we're back to announce that our July grant was awarded to the Veritas Academy in Flushing, Queens to take their seniors to an Adventure Park as part of a series of class trips for all students in good standing. Why? Let's hear from school field trip coordinator LisaMarie Martin: _"I would love to treat students who are on top of their stuff – not necessarily the top academic students, but students who always do the right thing, try hard, show up – to a day at an Adventure Park in Brooklyn where they can blow off steam and have a good time without worrying about the financials. It would make meaningful memories for a lot of kids who don't always get rewarded and don't have a ton of cash on hand. We have lots of partners for stuff like theater and museums, but no funding for just being silly kids."_ Congratulations to all the seniors at Veritas Academy for winning this month's grant. We hope you have a great time! LisaMarie Martin Take Our Students Out to Trampoline Park https://www.veritas.nyc/ United States New York City, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/nyc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/278946 2024-07-31T00:00:00Z 2024-08-22T23:43:10Z The Reconciliation Education for Cultural Harmony (REACH) Association creates connections between children across Canada from Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities through writing traditional letters. In our six-month pilot project, 40 primary school students from Toronto exchanged letters, photos, artwork, and even recipes with their pen pals from Mary's Harbour and Cape Saint George, two remote communities in Newfoundland and Labrador. Through these exchanges, the children learnt about traditions, heritage, the importance of family, and the land we all share. They also had the opportunity to make traditional raisin bun cookies, guided by a southern Inuit NunatuKavut elder, and listened to stories from the past during a virtual event. These interactions not only built friendships but also enhanced the children’s capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect—directly aligning with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 63. The children's eagerness to participate in the REACH Pen Pal Program was truly remarkable. Students of all learning styles were equally engaged and enthusiastic and they expressed countless kind thoughts, questions fueled by curiosity and their desire to continue writing letters throughout the summer holidays. With support from the Awesome Foundation, we will be able to expand the REACH Pen Pal Program for Cultural Harmony to reach more children in Toronto during the 2024-2025 school year. Gwim Philipp REACH Pen Pal Program for Cultural Harmony https://www.TheREACHAssociation.org Canada Toronto https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/toronto tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/268923 2024-07-29T00:00:00Z 2024-07-30T17:47:22Z I am a local author, and my husband and I currently run a local literary reading series from our home. Over the course of the last year, we have hosted more than 70 unique Washington, DC-based authors of novels, poetry, short fiction, and essay collections. However, many of these authors, including ourselves, published or are in the process of publishing with smaller presses and thus find it difficult to gain the visibility to sell widely. Further, many Washington, DC bookstores don't have a section for local authors of literature. It is difficult to gain readership, even in local venues. Using an example that has worked in other countries such as Japan, Sweden, and Germany, we are fundraising to purchase a book vending machine to be placed and operated in a heavily trafficked part of DC. Some schools have them, but to our knowledge, they are not common items in public places in the U.S. We are hopeful that by getting the necessary licenses and placing a machine in a heavily trafficked area, we could give local authors more visibility and also sell their books. We would change stock every month so that each month featured new authors, representing a range of literary styles and tastes and also representing the spectrum of literary, experiential, racial, gender and socioeconomic diversity of the DMV region. Lauren Woods Local Authors Book Vending Machine http://NA United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/dc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/276749 2024-07-29T00:00:00Z 2024-08-09T15:17:41Z VOTE - Voices of Tomorrow Empowered - is a free week long program that increases understanding of civic engagement, teaches the tools of social change through the arts, and fosters an early interest in and commitment to civic participation. The program, which is run primarily by program alumni, serves economically marginalized youth from the Hudson Valley between the ages of 13 and 18. Activities, coordinated by a former Capitol Hill staffer, include mock legislative procedures, visits to the offices of elected officials, the use of theater, art and music as tools for social change and community service. Each year the participants culminate the program with a public presentation of their art project. Past projects have included the installation of a mural in downtown Poughkeepsie, the screening of self-designed public service announcements and the building of artistically decorated benches and tables for urban parks in Poughkeepsie.. The program is held on the campus of Oakwood Friends School where participants live in the dorms and have use of the 55 acre campus including the gym, theater, and classroom spaces. Participants also take part in local recreational activities including bowling, swimming, mini-golf and Splash Down Beach. Each year the program includes a service learning component where participants volunteer at area non-profits such as Dutchess Outreach, the Poughkeepsie Community Fridge and Poughkeepsie Farm Project. Julie Okoniewski Voices of Tomorrow Empowered (VOTE) summer program https://www.facebook.com/VOTEforVoices United States Poughkeepsie, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/poughkeepsie tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/274133 2024-07-25T00:00:00Z 2024-07-25T22:33:53Z "Cultural Renewal" aims to empower a rural Armenian community by integrating cultural preservation with environmental sustainability through artistic recycling and educational cartoons. Local students and villagers will collaborate to transform recycled materials into vibrant models depicting significant episodes from Armenian history and folklore. Additionally, educational cartoons based on these cultural episodes will be created to educate and inspire about Armenian heritage and environmental stewardship. Project Objectives: 1.Cultural Preservation through Art: To select and depict key episodes from Armenian history, folklore, and literature through artistic models created from recycled materials. 2.Educational Cartoons: To produce animated educational cartoons based on selected cultural episodes, incorporating themes of Armenian heritage and environmental stewardship. 3.Environmental Education and Action: To introduce waste separation practices in the village and use recycled materials (such as paper, cloth, and plastic) in the creation of artistic models and educational cartoons. 4.Community Engagement and Empowerment: To empower local students and villagers through hands-on workshops and collaborative art projects that enhance cultural awareness, creativity, and environmental stewardship. 5.Scalability and Replication: To document project outcomes and methodologies, enabling replication in other rural communities across Armenia, thereby multiplying its impact and fostering sustainable practices. Expected Outcomes: •Creation of artistic models and animated educational cartoons that creatively depict Armenian cultural episodes using locally sourced recycled materials. •Increased adoption of waste separation practices and enhanced environmental consciousness among villagers, contributing to cleaner and more sustainable communities. •Strengthened community cohesion and cultural pride through collaborative art projects, educational cartoons. Arevik Ghrmajyan Cultural Renewal Armenia Yerevan https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/yerevan tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/266836 2024-07-25T00:00:00Z 2024-07-26T11:08:19Z The Joy Group here started to have events here to help our neighbors who are shut ins and without family find a little Joy in their lives in hopes of alleviating loneliness and depression. Our event for July is a Casino non-cash night that they will be given chips to exchange later for prizes. We are asking participants to dress up like they are going to a Casino hoping to give them an experience that will last for awhile. We are currently reaching out to local bossiness in hopes of Prize donations. We plan on making sure everyone walks out with some type of goody bag. Regina Oriley McPherson Park Casino Night Extravaganza United States Gloucester, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/gloucester tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/267931 2024-07-24T00:00:00Z 2024-07-24T05:14:15Z Young people, especially teens, are struggling right now to maintain their mental health. Forty-two percent say they feel persistently sad or hopeless; twenty percent have seriously considered suicide (cdc.org). These numbers are even higher for LGBTQIA+, female, and BIPOC students. Yet, through so many challenges—a pandemic, global warming, school shootings, anti-LGBTQIA+ threats—these young people have amassed a ton of wisdom and some pretty incredible coping strategies. We believe they belong at the center of our conversations about emotional wellbeing, and we believe they have the creativity and wisdom to lead the way for their peers, younger youth, and all of us. The OK Challenge, to launch October 1, 2024, will invite middle and high school students from across the country to take their rightful place in the conversation and convert their mental health experiences into positive action for the benefit of their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of their peers and younger students. Youth will be invited to consider and share their ideas for how creative practices can be used to navigate emotions and keep us connected to our OK selves. To incentivize youth to participate, we will be offering cash prizes along with the opportunity for their arts+wellness project ideas to be included in a downloadable e-book to be shared on OK You’s website for the benefit of youth and youth supporters everywhere. The intent of this e-book is to provide peer-to-peer wellness support and ready-made lesson plans for counselors and teachers. We are especially excited about the impact these youth-designed projects will have on younger students who are just beginning to learn how to navigate life’s challenging moments and emotions, and who are looking to older students for guidance. Kathleen Lane The OK Challenge: A youth-led wellness movement http://okyou.org/ok-challenge-2024 United States Portland, OR https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/portland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/277972 2024-07-24T00:00:00Z 2024-07-25T00:59:50Z I am Hard of Hearing Author and Apple App Game Developer. The books are written for Animation Movies with Sign Language 🤟 Characters and soundtrack by Lucie & The Perfect Wave . The books discuss Ocean Clean Up , Anti-bullying and we are writing Cool Acts of Kindness with Awesome Foundation Winner Susanne Sims . I have created 2 animation video song trailers with Water Flow the Whale with closed captions for Clean Water Foundation Founder Leon McLaughlin and United Nations. Leon will be visiting Waikiki Anyibully Month October 10-15 and Whale Watching December 2024. He would love to help present these books and water Filter Unit to Waikiki School for The Deaf . Please visit www.Acts of Kindness Series.com I have created 4 Tube Videos with the Signing Puppets to learn the ASL Alphabet. Online Chapter courses of spelling marine sea life Counting rainbow 🌈 in sign language number 1-9 . These books are on social emotional learning curriculum . Please visit www.ActsofKindnessseries.com Www.LucieLynch.bandcamp.com Www.CleanWaterFoundation.wa.org Seattle I Marianne Ambrose Acts of Kindness Series United States Oahu, HI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/oahu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/261210 2024-07-24T00:00:00Z 2024-07-27T12:30:39Z OUTCHEA has been designed as a radical invitation to (re)introduce Gainesville’s Black community to Florida’s unique natural spaces. OUTCHEA strives to spark intergenerational social cohesion and youth empowerment through experiential/experimental pairings, like ROUGHAGE + RATCHET, where folks are invited to an urban farm to harvest fresh produce followed by a TUBI watch party and a game of GOOD|BAD BLACK MOVIE BINGO, along with a customized popcorn bar inspired by African American foodways. Each site is designed as an ongoing series with a theme (mental health, nutrition, water safety, etc.) and related communal activity. Kenya (Robinson) OUTCHEA: Expanded Access in the Florida Wilding United States Gainesville, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/gainesville tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/263715 2024-07-23T00:00:00Z 2024-07-24T05:13:28Z HI! Banana Pitch is a live variety show that takes place every month in Portland, Oregon. The host, Michelle Kicherer, is a music and arts journalist who interviews each artist on stage ahead of their set. Every show is recorded for the podcast as well as the radio show, which airs every second Sunday at 7 on 99.1 fm, or Portland Radio Project streaming (prp.fm). We've had a lot of big acts and are expanding as we reach out year anniversary this September! Michelle A Kicherer The Banana Pitch Show http://www.bananapitch.com United States Portland, OR https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/portland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/268593 2024-07-23T00:00:00Z 2024-07-30T00:25:49Z We are singing for a ceasefire in a new massive choir convening in Chicago, August 18th through 22nd!   This movement launched in the Winter of 2023, with cheeky protest carols and heartfelt folk singing for a ceasefire in Palestine and justice for everyone everywhere.  It quickly evolved in cities across the U.S. as way of singing, yelling, and incorporating music, dance, and visual arts into our most creative direct actions, all by completely amateur participants finding joy and meaning in our shared cause.   This convening is our first big collab by St. Louis's Ceasefire Choir STL and Chicago's Songs for Ceasefire.  We are hosting more choir members from midwestern cities like Detroit, Ann Arbor, Minneapolis, Springfield, IL, and hopefully much more! We are chomping at the bit to get together for a super powerful convening of us all, so we can build a wall of sound together!  We will swap music in English, Arabic, and Hebrew.  We will teach out the bops and bangers we have perfected all year and we will do it in several public locations around Chicago, for everyone to join and enjoy!   Jennifer Kovar Ceasefire Choir Convening in Chicago http://instagram.com/ceasefirechoirstl United States Chicago, IL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/chicago tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/269388 2024-07-18T00:00:00Z 2024-07-19T13:15:37Z Imagine not being able to have a beach experience.....the place where memories of fresh air, water and soaring seabirds absorbs the stressors of everyday life. Each August the Special Events Committee organizes a bus trip to St. Lawrence Park Beach, which allows families and other community members facing social isolation and other barriers to come together for a BBQ and fun in the sun. The beach is wheelchair accessible, senior friendly in terrain and shade with a beautiful vista of the St. Lawrence seaway as Lakers glide by the Islands. A crescent sand beach allows for children to splash and play under the watchful eyes of lifeguards, staff and parents. What a beautiful worry free day for families in these stressful times. Last year we sold out 3 buses and had a waitlist of folks who did not get to attend. So sad. KCHC (Kingston Community Health Centres St. Lawrence Beach trip http://KCHC.ca Canada Kingston https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/kingston-on tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/267474 2024-07-17T00:00:00Z 2024-08-16T13:37:16Z IG: Driving_For_Inclusivity Recognizing the lack of accessibility in sports and competition for neurodiverse individuals, particularly in golf, I embarked on a mission to level the playing field. I began Driving For Inclusivity in 2023. I developed a comprehensive weekly golf skills training curriculum for disabled patrons that included swing drills and putting practice. I also collected hundreds of golf clubs, tees, and bags to provide neurodiverse young people with opportunities to participate and build a hobby to enjoy. I established a neurodiverse golf team at my high school, Miami Palmetto Senior, offering weekly skills training and mentorship support to empower these new athletes toward competition. From regional to state competition, we brought home some winning medals. Their sheer joy of these neurodiverse young people was palpable. This taught me that anything is possible when we are willing to contribute and level the playing field. . I am now embarking on bringing Driving For Inclusivity outside of my school site and into the community to give disabled children and young adults, recently out of school with limited social networks, an opportunity to build new skills through golf training, take home equipment, and most importantly participate in competition and socialization. With the Awesome Foundation Miami's support, I will begin a series of golf skills training days in the Fall on Saturdays culminating in a tournament. Once I have received small donations to buy needed equipment outside of the drive, but once this community neurodiverse golf program is successful, I plan to encourage the golf courses to take on this initiative moving forward with my support. Aiden Barreras Driving For Inclusivity http://www.driving_for_inclusivity.org United States Miami, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/miami tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/275206 2024-07-17T00:00:00Z 2024-07-26T00:49:47Z We as a community in somewhat isolation geographically could be over 30 minutes away from emergency medical care in the means of an ambulance. This is vital when dealing with a sudden out of hospital cardiac arrest. It is well documented that time is muscle and with every 1 minute of downtime your chance of survival decreases by 10%. Australia has a survival rate of approx 8% of out of hospital cardiac arrest and it is easily achievable to significantly increase the survivability rate with the use of a community defibrillator. Currently we have 3 Defibs available 24/7 in Catherine Hill Bay(CHB) but we require 2 more Defib’s to give total coverage of both new CHB and original CHB. In conjunction with the installation and availability of these Defib’s a free community CPR course has been held and a refresher CPR course is scheduled for September 2024. This is also dovetailing into the Goodsam App which alerts registered users to be tasked in commencing CPR and bringing a defib directly to the scene until professional help arrives With this in the event of a cardiac arrest we should have a responder and defib on scene within minutes ultimately resulting in a potential positive result Once CHB is serviced we would like to extend this initiative to surrounding suburbs such as nords wharf, Murray’s beach, grandstand, and Summerland point which are all somewhat a significant distance from immediate ambulance response Bruce Shiach-Wise Community defib https://communitydefibproject.org.au/ Australia Lake Mac https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/lakemac tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/258926 2024-07-16T00:00:00Z 2024-07-19T18:45:10Z This proposed project is specifically aimed to target African American/African Ancestry young girls ages 6-10. I have noticed that there aren't many developmental programs for this age group; most that I come across target children ages 11-18 or 13-18. I want to show the younger kids there is something for them too, something new to get exposed to within their culture and we see them! The vision is for the workshop to teach about how to incorporate Creativity (Kuumba) in their lives. Kuumba is one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa celebrated in our culture. The primary focus will be on leadership, financial education (economics), social skills, education, and overall health & wellness. We will also incorporate exploring coping skills such as art (painting, coloring, drawing, etc.) & West African Dancing. Tiye Garrett Creativity Workshop http://www.kuumba.online United States San Jose, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sanjose tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/261929 2024-07-15T00:00:00Z 2024-07-15T00:51:34Z Our project, the Animal Caregivers Wellness Retreat hosted by Lily's Place, is a groundbreaking initiative designed to address compassion fatigue among animal caregivers while simultaneously expanding their understanding of compassion to encompass farmed animals. By bringing together animal lovers primarily engaged in companion animal care, we aim to introduce them to the broader concept of compassion and kindness toward all animals. The retreat provides a unique opportunity for animal caregivers to recharge, rejuvenate, and connect with like-minded individuals who share their passion for animals. Guided discussions throughout the day will explore practical ways that participants can extend their compassion beyond companion animals to include farmed animals in their daily choices and actions. Jamie Sabot The Animal Caregivers Wellness Retreat https://lilysplace.ca/wellness Worldwide Vegan (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/vegan tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/262423 2024-07-15T00:00:00Z 2024-08-08T16:36:00Z The Advancing Equity Together (AET) is an initiative of the West Central MN Continuum of Care (CoC). The CoC works in collaboration with local and regional partners on a plan and homeless response system that strives to make homeless rare, brief, and one-time. The AET was formed by the CoC since inequities exist in our system and to end homelessness and provide a quality system we must focus on building an equitable system. The CoC also realized that without a special focus on advancing equity, we did not have the focus needed to impact change. The AET initiative was designed to help identify goals and measurable action steps that increase equity in our homeless response system. Since the CoC feels strongly that persons with lived experience of homelessness (PLE) need to be center to system planning and improvements, we have centered work on LE Advisory Boards. From the fall of 2021 to the spring of 2022, the CoC hosted five focus group for PLE who were Indigenous or persons of color. Two BIPOC LE representatives served on a leadership team with the CoC Coordinator, CoC Chair, & AET Chair, reviewing feedback on needs, concerns, and ideas for system improvement. Six goals were formed from this process. These were presented to the CoC and newly formed LE Advisory groups in September of 2022. Unfortunately, progress stalled when our chair left. A new chair began in February 2023 but he has only had time to host 4 meetings since then. While the CoC integrated some of the goals identified by the LE Advisory, work was again stalled until this week when a new chair began and is working on reinvigorating the work. The LE Advisory groups will meet monthly and start work on identifying action step. Additionally, the new chair was hired to help support and empower LE members to not just set goals, but collaboratively work with the CoC to achieve them. Carla Solem Advancing Equity Together http://www.homelesstohoused.com United States Cass Clay https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/cassclay tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/266022 2024-07-15T00:00:00Z 2024-11-19T02:06:16Z "Huggable, Loveable Uterus," is an initiative in the form of street performance. It is a project of both theatrical art and public education created towards a wider understanding of the mysteries of the uterus. Our stages will be open spaces where we can present to and engage the public in the streets, sidewalks, public parks, urban campuses. The Huggable Loveable Uterus vision is to empower people with uteruses. We will take full ownership of our bodies and the physical anatomy central to reproductive rights by making it larger than life, visually present, and impossible to ignore. From a place of grounded strength, we will bring joy, laughter and rhythm to one of the most politically and emotionally intractable issues facing Americans today. The engaging power of human-sized puppetry and costume, visual art apparatus, music and dancing will humanize and soften an extremely volatile issue, creating pathways to reach the public in ways we haven’t before. Our goal is to shake up and set ajar a cultural and political space that in most peoples' minds has been in position on one side or the other for many years. Carolyn P. Speranza Huggable Loveable Uterus United States Pittsburgh, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/pittsburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/262484 2024-07-14T00:00:00Z 2024-07-15T00:51:07Z We are organizing an educational and inclusive vegan food festival in the heart of Oklahoma, aimed at spreading awareness and promoting the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle. This event will bring together a diverse community to celebrate delicious vegan cuisine, showcase local vendors and businesses, and provide educational opportunities about sustainability, health, and compassion. We have a huge vegan community ready to support, we just need help financially to make it happen. Brittani Scott Red Earth Vegans Festival (REV Fest) Worldwide Vegan (Ոչ ակտիվ) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/vegan tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/262805 2024-07-13T00:00:00Z 2024-07-15T20:36:20Z Sick and tired of the same tabloids and half-destroyed issues of People Magazine, editor Chris Garcia designed Literature for Laundrymats (so named because 'laundromat' is a dumb spelling!) to fill a void by presenting material of literary merit to those waiting for their clothes to dry. Designed to be read in portions, the project has already began to get submissions and has designed a plan to deliver the zine to laundry facilities around Santa Cruz county. While we're based in Boulder Creek, a lot of our distribution plan is for delivery to Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Felton, and Ben Lomond. Christopher John Garcia Literature for laundrymats https://claimsdepartment.weebly.com/literature-for-laundrymats United States Santa Cruz, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/santacruz tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/267933 2024-07-11T00:00:00Z 2024-08-12T15:23:57Z Congratulations to our July 2024grant recipient. We chose this application because we are committed to encouraging reading in our community. Jessie Young, librarian at Eastern Heights Elementary School, describes the importance of this project. "Our school has the chance to host a visit by author Ruth Chan, through coordination with a local bookstore, Red Balloon! She will discuss her new graphic memoir, Uprooted, with all fourth and fifth graders. This event would help us kick off the school year with literary enthusiasm! Students will see that authors are real people who draw inspiration from their own lives. They will learn more about the writing process through the graphic format so many of them love." Jessie Young Cool Kids Meeting a Cool Author United States St. Paul, MN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/stpaul tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/260455 2024-07-11T00:00:00Z 2024-08-12T15:23:17Z AwesomeStPaul is delighted to announce our latest grant recipient, Camp Cardboard. We chose Camp Cardboard because we want to encourage the creative spirit of young people in our community. Congratulations! Rachel McCarthy explains "Park Square Theatre/SteppingStone Creative Learning Camps are a staple program for any young artist in the Twin Cities. We are known for our high quality educational programming, and families look forward to our summer camps year after year. We are thrilled to be offering all of our camps on a Pay-As-You’re-Able pricing initiative, removing the cost barrier to any families who want to participate. This summer, we are running eight weeks of camp, for over 600 students ranging from PreK-12th Grade. Our summer camps are full of highly imaginative young artists who are collaborating together to create original stories, characters, and environments. While our programs are fuelled by imagination, there is nothing like the feeling of physically creating the ideas that live in your head. In summer camps, our students have one week to devise, plan, and create an original story that is accompanied by low-budget sets, props, and costumes made out of cardboard, paper, and fabrics. We are hoping that, with your support, we are able to incorporate S.T.E.M. learning into our programs by providing specific cardboard creation tools that will spark creativity, promote independence, and enhance design and movement. Currently, the only tools we have to bring these ideas to life are scissors and paint. Cutting cardboard with scissors can be quite challenging, and the types of scissors needed to cut the thick, rough cardboard are not developmentally appropriate for most of our campers. This puts the pressure and onus on our adult staff to do most of the construction, while students are resigned to sit and watch. We want our students to cut, saw, puncture, fold, and connect cardboard pieces independently, or in small groups with minimal adult support. This will foster an atmosphere of independent learning, problem solving, and innovation. Rachel McCarthy Camp Cardboard! https://parksquaretheatre.org/education-and-youth-programs/summer-camps United States St. Paul, MN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/stpaul tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/265971 2024-07-10T00:00:00Z 2024-07-11T16:26:35Z REpurpose is a small social impact project that I operate from my residential garage in downtown Dexter. We accept donations of pre-loved items from the community, organize them, and then invite everyone to shop the inventory in our garage for free. It’s been going strong for about four years and it seems to be incredibly helpful for our community. We often hear things like, “I’m a teacher and this garage helps be find supplies for my classroom,” or “My kids wouldn’t have had a Christmas if it wasn’t for this,” or “I’m able to find clothes for people experiencing homelessness.” In one of the pictures you’ll see our porch- people can drop items off on our front porch the first seven days of each month. I’ve offered up my side of our two-car garage and have created a free store for the community. If anything is broken or can’t be reused, I work to properly recycle and minimize the items that are sent to the landfill. Jess Pascoal Revamping REpurpose https://www.facebook.com/REpurposeDXT?mibextid=LQQJ4d United States Ann Arbor, MI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/ann-arbor tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/256087 2024-07-10T00:00:00Z 2024-09-10T20:02:42Z Your New Parents is a musical collaboration between vocalist Heather Brown Dodge (Gary Jules, Esquimaux), guitarist Graham Dodge (Esquimaux), guitarist/bassist Mark Jickling (Half-Japanese, Old Songs) and drummer Jake Fine (Luvable Idiots, Fine Tuned Presents). The group is recording a 5 song EP called Westminster which is being recorded in Westminster. Why Westminster? Well, Heather, Graham and Jake are all residents, and Westminster is where Graham and Heather met Mark and Jake and represents the overarching theme of the project with lyrics inspired by various aspects of the community. 4 of the songs are original and include themes about legacy, relationships, mental illness and death. 1 song is a cover by Vic Chesnutt called 'New Town' about a rural town reinventing itself. I've spoken with Evan Davis Media in Westminster about producing a music video and Evan agreed, but perhaps that would be something GLBAL Media could collaborate with? I've also spoken with Billy Lyve about working with his son Skylar (aka Kruddy Lyve) on the mastering and I'd love to hear what his influence on the mixes could sound like, or perhaps there would be a interesting remix opportunity? If not Sky, then Mark knows Don Zientara of Inner Ear Studio (Fugazi, Bad Brains, Foo Fighters, etc), who may be open to mastering the tracks too. No guarantees though. Graham Dodge Your New Parents United States Westminster, MD https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/westminster tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/275215 2024-07-09T00:00:00Z 2024-07-10T13:26:17Z We opened Greater Goods, a free choice grocery store for our neighbors in need in August 2022 at the corner of Kensington and Allegheny, in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia.This is one of the poorest zip codes in one of the poorest big cities in the country. Our goal is to bridge the gap that exists after SNAP benefits have been exhausted. We currently serve approximately 600 people per week and have an overall client base of close to 4,000 unique individuals. The grocery store is a low-barrier option to acquiring free, healthy food for families to cook. We offer meat, poultry, dairy, shelf-stable items, as well as feminine hygiene products and diapers, and other household items such as cleaning supplies. We require photo identification for the first visit. The store operates on a point system. Each client gets 20 poker chips which are valued at one point each. Items vary in "price" such as meat for 4 points, milk for 3 points, eggs for 5 points, etc. Produce is zero points so that people will be encouraged to try new vegetables, We also have a kids section where children have child-sized shopiing carts and their own aisle of healthy snacks. Thet also have a "No Adults Allowed!" refrigerator with items such as milk, cheese, fruit, applesauce, yogurt, etc. We feel that fostering their independence to choose nutritious foods will leave a lasting impact on them as they grow. We are open 5 days per week and facilitate children's events on the 6th day. We offer one day of shopping specifically for kids and one day for senior citizens. Margaux Murphy Greater Goods http://sundaylove.org United States Philadelphia, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/philadelphia tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/274601 2024-07-07T00:00:00Z 2024-08-12T21:50:47Z Newburgh Farmers’ Market Compost Program will establish the city’s first designated collection sites at the two local Farmers’ Markets where residents can bring their food scraps for composting. Launching the program requires training of staff, marketing of the program, procurement of compost bins and kitchen-top containers, and most important the weekly presence at the farmers markets to manage scraps and answer questions. A key part of the program is a customer incentive program that benefits both families who shop at the farmers’ markets as well as farmers. Customers will receive a loyalty card to be stamped each time they drop off food scraps at either farmers’ market. After the 5th time they receive a $10 coupon to spend at either farmers market. This extra money can purchase more fresh and local produce for a family while benefiting our farm vendors who grow and sell their produce in Newburgh. This effort also strengthens our anchoring farmers markets while bringing a diverse community together around food scraps recycling. Access to healthy foods is critically important for many of Newburgh’s low income residents. The rise in the cost of food has rendered local residents to be food and nutrition insecure, the majority being African American/Black and Latinx individuals and families who live at or below the poverty level. At both farmers markets an array of benefits are utilized from SNAP (Food Stamps) to Veterans coupons. An incentive program like this helps subsidize a family’s monthly grocery bill. Unique to this pilot program is the coming together of Newburgh’s two farmers’ markets, NUFFI, Newburgh Recreation Department, and Orange County DPW who are providing significant technical support in launching this pilot program. None of these organizations would be able to pilot a composting program alone. Ilyana Campos Newburgh Farmers’ Market Compost Pilot Program http://www.newburghnyfarmersmarket.org United States Newburgh, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/newburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/263294 2024-07-03T00:00:00Z 2024-06-30T20:04:27Z A $1000 grant from the Austin Awesome Foundation will help fund a year of English Classes for 22 Afghan women in Austin who have never attended school. The program's mission is to empower 22 dedicated refugees with essential English proficiency, opening doors to new opportunities and brighter futures. Two seasoned teachers conduct engaging, two-hour classes three times a week, with two English-speaking refugees provide childcare during class times in order to allow mothers to focus fully on their education. Dedicated volunteers assist in the classroom, guiding students through forming letters, recognizing and pronouncing them, and constructing English words. Women break their isolation by meeting other Afghan women and American volunteers, and a daily tea break fosters community. Chichi Armstrong Empowering Afghan Women Refugees through Literacy http://lltaustin.org United States Austin, TX https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/austin tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/262540 2024-07-03T00:00:00Z 2024-07-17T20:26:25Z Gday! I’m James, the DJ on a bike. It’s a Cargo bike that’s been retrofitted with a car stereo and subwoofer and a DJ deck! The aim of bangers on a bike is to provide the newcastle community with a platform to get together and enjoy tunes around our awesome city. I do this free of charge and to engage with the community and spread some fun. Nothing better than seeing the disbelief but also massive smiles as you ride past pumping the tunes :) James Bevin Bangers on a bike Australia Newcastle https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/newcastle tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/271926 2024-07-02T00:00:00Z 2024-07-05T03:12:40Z Seeding revolution one wildflower at a time. I live in Oakland near 98th and International / E14. About a year ago we got a high speed bus line which runs down the middle of the international. . The ‘landscaping’ around the bus stops is depressing. It is a rock surface with one or two trees. We all know that green spaces are vital, color is inspiring, and flowers bring joy. I would like to bring some of that good energy to Hella Deep East Oakland. The main population in this area are low income, people of color. There is no coincidence that the sad landscaping was chosen for here. We deserve better, we deserve beauty, and the pollinators need more food. So let’s fill the hood with flowers. Wildflowers won’t fix systemic racism or capitalism, but they definitely can make a person’s day better, and mental health matters. Victoria Hendrix Oppenheimer Hella Flowers United States San Francisco, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sf tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/268932 2024-07-02T00:00:00Z 2024-07-19T13:06:47Z O Conecta Cabana é um jornal comunitário para a região da Comunidade do Cabana, área periférica localizada na região oeste de Belo Horizonte. Estamos em diversas plataformas digitais com a intenção de informar os moradores sobre seus direitos e deveres como parte da sociedade. Além de ir na contramão da grande mídia que na maioria das vezes pauta somente violências que ocorrem nas favelas, mas esquecem da grande potência e manifestações culturais que as favelas produzem. Fazemos uma comunicação de dentro para fora, levando em consideração a vivência dos moradores do local. Abordamos assuntos da comunidade ou qualquer outro que atenda os interesses da comunidade. Como usarei o dinheiro: O dinheiro será utilizado para compra de equipamentos para melhoria das nossas produções. Um pouco sobre mim: Meu nome é Lorrayne Batista, atualmente com 28 anos, e todos esses anos vividos na Comunidade do Cabana, local que faz parte da minha história e de quem sou hoje. Cresci em meio a uma guerra de facções e abusos policiais na comunidade e junto comigo cresceu a vontade de ajudar os moradores a ter uma vida digna e sem abusos. Em 2018 me formei na faculdade de jornalismo e como fruto do TCC nasceu o Conecta Cabana, um porta voz para que os moradores sejam ouvidos e mobilizados para melhorias locais Qual é a cidade e bairro ou regional onde o projeto acontece? (Se essa pergunta não fizer sentido para o projeto, escreva "irrelevante") Cabana/Belo Horizonte Quanto você precisa para o projeto? (o máximo é R$ 3 mil. Projetos que precisem de menos tem mais chance de serem aprovados)) Os três mil seriam ótimo, pois equipamentos são caros, mas qualquer quantia será de grande relevância para o projeto. Como o seu projeto beneficia pessoas ou grupos historicamente discriminadas devido a raça, gênero, orientação sexual, idade, baixa renda, ou status como pessoa com deficiência? Acredito que a comunicação é o início para tudo. Informando os moradores que pertencem a esses grupos historicamente discriminados, estamos levando a eles informações que farão com que lutem por seus direitos, e acessem locais que muitas vezes não tinham conhecimento. https://www.instagram.com/conectacabana/ Lorrayne Batista da Cruz Conecta Cabana Brazil Grande Belo Horizonte https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/rmbh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/263521 2024-07-02T00:00:00Z 2024-08-07T04:56:29Z We’re thrilled to announce our latest initiative at Rapid Bay Primary School: the creation of a rain and sensory garden. This project aims to transform an under-utilised space into a vibrant, hands-on learning environment that will benefit our students and the wider community. The garden will feature native plants, sensory pathways, and a rainwater harvesting system, providing a therapeutic and engaging environment for all. Our goal is to enhance education and well-being by promoting sustainability, environmental stewardship, and sensory development. In collaboration with the Fleurieu Environment Centre, we’ll leverage their expertise and resources to ensure the success of this project. This partnership will not only support our immediate goals but also help us realise our vision of expanding the garden into a bush tucker mini forest, integrating native plants and traditional knowledge into our curriculum. We believe this project will offer students unique, hands-on opportunities to learn about sustainability and the environment, fostering a deeper connection to nature. With careful planning, community involvement, and a focus on sustainability, this garden will be a lasting legacy that enhances our educational offerings and community well-being. We can’t wait to see our students thrive in this enriched learning environment and are immensely grateful for the community’s support in making this vision a reality. Jen McArdle Rapid Bay Bush School https://rapidbayps.sa.edu.au Australia Fleurieu https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/fleurieu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/266554 2024-07-01T00:00:00Z 2024-07-02T01:42:50Z Waterfront Wednesdays is a vibrant community initiative taking place in the Henry Hudson Riverfront Park in Hudson, NY. It provides weekly family-friendly festivities that are accessible to all. In 2023 alone, the event provided invaluable experiences, offering personalized fishing lessons to 120 children and hosting 527 public boat trips aboard various vessels. Adam Weinert Waterfront Wednesdays http://www.waterfrontwednesdays.org Worldwide On the Water https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/onthewater tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/264007 2024-06-30T00:00:00Z 2024-07-26T16:35:07Z June’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Ava Anderson and Holly Brown for a client celebration for Centretown Community Health Centre’s [Trans Health Clinic] (https://www.centretownchc.org/trans-health). “We would like to have a celebration,” explains Ava, “to foster connections between our clients, uplift and celebrate the trans community of Ottawa, and provide services that may otherwise be unavailable.” “Ultimately,” she continues, “we want to bridge the gaps. We want to help connect gender diverse people in our catchment and foster friendships and community. We want to affirm our clients’ identities in an environment that is safe, affirming, and welcoming. We want them to know that they are valued, appreciated, and have resources out there available to them.” The award will support including local businesses – such as a stylist to provide gender-affirming haircuts to clients, or a makeup artist to share gender-affirming tips. “Our clients,” explains Ava, “are gender diverse individuals from Ottawa and the surrounding regions, 17 and up, who are seeking support on their gender journey. This could look like seeking referrals for hormone replacement therapy, referrals for various surgeries, counselling, and group support. We currently have a client base of over 350.” Ava is a fourth year Bachelor of Social Work student at Carleton university completing a practicum at the Centretown Community Health Centre, and Holly is Team Lead of the Centre’s Trans Health Program. Ava Anderson and Holly Brown Trans Health Clinic Client Celebration Canada Ottawa https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/ottawa tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/264331 2024-06-30T00:00:00Z 2024-07-08T19:26:44Z a. According to the CDC, there are over seven million blind and visually impaired people in the United States who study, work and support families while experiencing a 70 percent unemployment rate. One of the most important remedies for this alarming situation is basic financial literacy and planning, yet we face exclusion from the most fundamental financial literacy programs due to inaccessible web sites, materials and/or lack of knowledge about the financial reality of blind people in the financial education field. Penny Forward is a nonprofit organization, founded and led by blind people. Together, we empower each other to navigate the complex landscape of personal finance through education, mentoring, and mutual support. We offer a range of learning opportunities including accessible, self-paced online financial education courses, weekly and monthly personal finance workshops, and personalized financial counseling by blind accredited financial counselors. Our regular blog and podcast introduce blind people who are making a difference in the world and provide timely, critical information to blind people everywhere. Our app reduces the friction even more enabling blind people to access critical information no matter where they are. We are demonstrating that we, as blind people, can take charge of our financial lives and together, we can move the blind community from being recipients of services to being contributors to our society by enabling economic mobility, and assisting people to focus on long-term growth instead of short-term survival. Every individual we mentor contributes to positive, collective, community change. Each day we move closer to erasing the long-standing unemployment rate and financial marginalization among blind people forever. **What our grantee is saying:** "It’s been so wonderful to see first-hand the impact we’ve been able to make on the financial confidence of the people we’ve served so far. As a young and growing organization, we know there is so much more we must do, though. This funding from the Awesome Foundation will amplify our impact making it possible to change even more lives. Thank you, Awesome Foundation, for this generous gift." Chris Peterson Penny Forward http://www.pennyforward.com Worldwide Disability https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/disability