Awesome Foundation - Projecten

Sydney – Back to School with a Smile

2016-11-06T00:00:00Z

South-West Sydney has a high percentage of children living in poverty, with Claymore being one of Australia's poorest suburbs. Intergenerational disadvantage, homelessness, single parent families, unemployment and a high percentage of residents under the age of 15 all adds up to a huge number of children living with social deprivation. Unfortunately, OECD research shows that coming from an environment of disadvantage predisposes students to poor educational results, and this then predisposes them to employment inequality. So, at the most basic level, if a child starts kindergarten without all necessary school supplies to start formal learning, this may put them on the path to continued disadvantage from the beginning. Second Life Stationery is a not-for-profit organisation that takes donations of gently-used stationery & school supplies from individuals and businesses. This group of volunteers then cleans & re-packs the donated items into backpacks, and passes them on to organisations who provide assistance to disadvantaged people. The main purpose of the group is to assist learners who are disadvantaged, in the form of the most basic school supplies like pencils, erasers, rulers & exercise books. We also ensure that each backpack has a reading book at an appropriate level for the age group. Literacy is the key to academic achievement, and sadly, children from low socio-economic backgrounds are at risk of reading difficulties due to a lack of exposure to books. Therefore, even one book in each of these backpacks could assist in improving literacy for these children.

Adelaide – Aware Project

2016-11-04T00:00:00Z

The Aware Project is a social media platform for awareness and dialogue on issues that are negatively impacting young Australians. The way that we generate our content is through young people submitting personal stories about their experiences with these issues to the Aware Project, and also by interviewing influential Australian figures about what they think needs to change in our society. I started the project while living in Alice Springs last year in my gap year with the help of two other friends. The reason I started the project was because I was sick of seeing issues that were obviously happening in Australian society not given the attention they deserved or treated as taboo topics. These issues include mental health illness, disability, bullying, racism, discrimination, gender and sexuality. In September last year I began the Facebook page for the project and a week later it won the Foundation for Young Australians Jumpstart Award, (an award for a young person who has the potential to scale their idea through digital but needs a jumpstart), I created a website for the project with two of my close friends who also wanted to impact these issues by increasing awareness about them. Since then the Aware Project has gone on to publish 20 stories and 15 interviews, all gaining substantial traction and views, and we are adamant on continuing to share these important stories and interviews. At the start of this year, however, my two friends (and co-founders of the Aware Project) moved to Melbourne and I moved to Adelaide. While this hasn't stopped the work we have done, it's definitely been a bit of a roadblock because we only have one camera and one microphone between us which is used in Melbourne whenever we do interviews there. This means that I've had to film interviews on my phone whenever I want to do interviews in Adelaide, and means that the quality of these important interviews we do aren't as good as they can be.

Washington, DC – Community Bus Stop

2016-11-04T00:00:00Z

There is a bus stop directly in front of my house and I'd like to reserve part of my front yard to make install a comfy bench, community library, some art work, and other amenities for the community. Currently people including families and children are frequently sitting on the sidewalk or steps behind the bus stop while waiting for the bus and this would make it a more enjoyable and colorful bus waiting experience. The bus stop is on a very busy street next to 3 hospitals and 2 universities so it gets a lot of use and street exposure.

Annapolis, NS (Inactief) – Annapolis Royal Space Agency - Space Probe Launch

2016-11-04T00:00:00Z

Okay, so sending a probe into space may be a bit misleading. A more accurate description would be sending a probe into the upper atmosphere using a high altitude balloon. But when you see the curvature of the earth, with the backdrop of space behind it, it looks like the probe is in space. High altitude ballooning has become much more accessible due to the low cost of materials. Last year, we were able to be the first school in Nova Scotia, to successfully launch and retrieve a high altitude balloon. This year we want to repeat the project with more sophisticated technology on board. We also want to find ways to involve more people and organizations in the community. The technology being used for this project is called Arduino. It is a programmable micro controller built originally in Italy. The board is about the size of credit card and cost about 5 dollars to purchase a Chinese clone. These boards are programmed using a free software interface which uploads coded commands to the Arduino board. The Arduino board then controls a variety of electronic components and sensors. As an additional bonus, you can strip parts from any electronic waste to use in your project. This makes projects more affordable and encourages students to recycle electronic devices that are at the end of their life cycles.

Oakland, CA (Inactief) – Frailty Myths Workshop Tool Sets

2016-11-04T00:00:00Z

Frailty Myths is a non-profit founded by four women and four friends; using the foundation of their friendship to create a transformative experience for other women. The idea behind Frailty Myths is simple, yet powerful: Give women the space to discover just how empowering it is to explore their physical strength together. Frailty Myths offers an array of free and paid workshops that train women in traditionally male-dominated activities like word working, power tools, welding, climbing, art, and sailing. Each workshop will offer hands-on skill building as facilitated discussions that examine the learning experience and how societal myths have kept women from actively participating in these spaces. Our workshops aim to empower women to recognize and dispel the myths of frailty through dialogue and exploration of their physical capabilities. This October, for the launch of Frailty Myths, we’re hosting five workshops in Oakland, California, open to everyone in the community. These community workshops are being offered to individuals with an emphasis on reaching low-income and marginalized communities. These workshops are offered on a donation basis with no one being turned away for lack of funds. Over 1,500 women expressed interest in the event on Facebook and over 300 women registered for tickets on our website to the workshops. So far we’ve done everything in this process on our own. From writing the articles of incorporation, creating the bylaws, and becoming a nonprofit here in California, to funding five free workshops here in Oakland, everything so has been self-created and self-funded by our leadership team.

Sarnia (Inactief) – The Shop

2016-11-04T00:00:00Z

Jumbos (Inactief) – Garden of Mercy (working title)

2016-11-02T00:00:00Z

On September 11, 2001 my father, Anthony Mazurek, was on a business trip at the FedEx headquarters in Memphis, TN. His trip began ominously the night before: a man who sat beside him on the airplane unfolded a large knife from his pocket–a gesture that was both subtle and threatening. Over the next 24 hours, the attacks in New York, D.C. and Pennsylvania would send my father and his three co-workers on a surreal two day, 900+ mile road-trip home to their families. Their path would take them through remote and economically distressed areas of the Deep South, ultimately leading them to a series of heart-wrenchingly beautiful moments; kindness unfolded from tragedy. I learned about my father’s journey nearly a decade later as a 21 year old student attending SMFA/Tufts University. My Dad, who was on yet another business trip, took me out to dinner and our conversation brought us back to September 11th. To discover what he went through and how deeply it affected him so long after the events initially transpired, immediately invoked an overwhelming sense of guilt–it made me realize my own selfishness. Providing for our family, making sacrifices to give my siblings and I a better life, is what sent him away from us on these trips in the first place. Our conversation made me realize that I’d never taken the time, I’d never asked what he’d been through after he finally returned home to us in 2001. The older I become, the more humbled I am by the magnitude of my parents’ love for their children; I realize their selflessness in ways I never did before. I am translating these ideas and emotions into a multimedia project that uses my Dad’s experience on 9/11/01 as a catalyst to examine parent-child relationships and how they evolve as each get older. The project's main narrative element is a road trip my Dad and I just returned from: on 9/11/16 we journeyed together from Memphis to Baltimore, the very same route he took 15 years ago.

Tilburg (Inactief) – Artomaat

2016-11-02T00:00:00Z

Mijn project is de Artomaat, een oude sigarettenautomaat die omgebouwd is tot artomaat. In de artomaat zitten doosjes waarin kleine kunstwerken van lokale kunstenaars zitten met informatie over het kunstwerk en de kunstenaar. Op dit moment heb ik één automaat in bezit, maar het plan is om meer vintage automaten aan te schaffen en deze op plekken in de openbare ruimte of in horeca- en/of culturele instellingen op te hangen. Mensen betalen dan een klein bedrag, op dit moment €4, en krijgen daarvoor een gesigneerd kunstwerkje. Je weet niet wat je uit de artomaat trekt. De verschillende kunstwerkjes van de verschillende Tilburgse kunstenaars zijn verdeeld over de pakjes en de automaten. Kunst voor een kleine prijs.

Philadelphia, PA – Healing Window Paintings

2016-11-02T00:00:00Z

.We would like to bring an exhibit of Healing Window Paintings into a skilled nursing home and rehabilitation center for three months. While the exhibit runs, we would like to do a collaborative activity with staff and residents so together we can create a small permanent piece for the facility. Healing Window Paintings are created with translucent paint on clear plastic and are adhered temporarily to windows. In the daylight the paintings glow much like stained glass cascading color and light into rooms and hallways. The healing qualities of these paintings come from their images, colors and texture which encourage engagement and stimulate conversation. Residents and staff benefit from the stimulation and relaxation the paintings bring to the environment. During the activity, each participating resident or staff receives a small piece of acrylic to paint their own painting which we then adhere to a larger surface using the smaller components to paint one organic whole. This painting will then be giving to the facility so staff and residents can enjoy their own work which can continue to heal. We have been able bring paintings and activities to 16 locations in the Philadelphia area and have seen firsthand the changes our project can bring to the environment. We are highly motivated to continue to bring Healing Window Paintings are art activities into more places, but need the funding to do so!

Portland, OR – Project POOCH, Inc.

2016-11-01T00:00:00Z

Project POOCH began with one dog and one youth in 1993. Since then, Project POOCH has paired hundreds of shelter dogs with hundreds of incarcerated youth at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility. The youth in the program train, groom and care for the shelter dogs while incarcerated. They learn the life skills of responsibility, patience and compassion while working with the animals, and leave the program with vocational skills. The youth pursue a canine education certification, and leave corrections with proof of the courses completed, including proof of certification for pet first aid. Many Project POOCH alums work with dogs upon release from corrections. Project POOCH also has an overwhelmingly positive impact on the welfare of dogs in the program. Project POOCH saves dogs from shelters that often have histories of neglect, abuse or abandonment, even saving some from euthanasia. These dogs then receive veterinary care. This includes a neuter or spay, and bringing the dogs up to date on vaccinations. Because these dogs often come from unfortunate backgrounds, we frequently see dogs in poor health due to lack of dental care or proper nutrition. These dogs are seen by a veterinarian and a treatment plan is developed. Before we find these dogs permanent homes, they are microchipped, groomed and trained to be a canine good citizen. The microchipping process ensures that dogs will be recoverable if they are lost in the future. The dogs are then trained by the youth in order to pass the Canine Good Citizenship (CGC test). Dogs are then ready for adoption, and we carefully screen applicants to guarantee that we have found the right home for the dogs in our program. Our adoption process involves a home visit and a trial overnight. If any dogs need a “brush up” on their training, we provide it for the life of the dog.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactief) – Disability Allies blog series

2016-10-31T00:00:00Z

I'm Bryce. I'm a Youth Services Librarian and the author of the blog Bryce Don't Play. Recently I wrote a post urging librarians to see themselves as disability allies (linked above), like they see themselves as allies of other marginalized groups. It garnered 3000 views in 1 day, far more in that amount of time than any post I'd ever written. It was clear there needs to be more discussion about this. I enlisted the help of three other librarians with disabilities that I know online, and we decided to start a blog series about ableism and allies. First, we'll discuss our own internalized ableism and relationship to disabilities; then, we'll tackle ableist issues and how able-bodied librarians (and people everywhere, really) can help, as well as work better to become allies. We will be seeking guest posts to ensure we cover many different perspectives.

Austin, TX – Plastic Planet Animated PSA

2016-10-31T00:00:00Z

Plastic is everywhere. The man-made substance litters roads, fills oceans and has entered the tissue of all living things. Humans transformed nature to make our lives more convenient, only to leave a massive mess for the next generation. What are the steps to solve this crisis? Like the scavenger animals she sculpts, Calder Kamin collects a variety of colored plastic bags from friends and family. She then strips and twists the bags until they fold into a texture like fur or grass, and meticulously apply each piece. The Plastic Planet series diverted thousands of plastic bags from the environment. With the help of the Awesome Foundation, Kamin will debut an animated call to action via a 1-minute stop-motion video about the plastic crisis that will air on KLRU and online.

Stockholm (Inactief) – Mega-grant coming soon!

2016-10-30T00:00:00Z

We like to mix things up. That’s why Awesome Foundation Stockholm will invest our October grant to maximize impact. The 5000kr will be seed money for an event that will generate a mega-grant for one mega-awesome project in Stockholm. We’re planning the event for February 2017 where we hope to attract and fund some of the larger projects in Stockholm. The event will, obviously, be awesome. Watch this space and spread the word. More info coming soon…

Rio de Janeiro (Inactief) – Projeto Capacitex

2016-10-28T00:00:00Z

O Projeto Capacitex é um Projeto de Informática oferecido pelo Instituto Thereza Tosta com atendimento socioeducativo em meio aberto a crianças e adolescentes em horário complementar ao da escola, por meio de atividades culturais, esportivas e sociais, com foco na tecnologia educacional. Nós executamos o projeto na Associação Beneficente Projeto Elikya – ASBEPE situada na Rua Siriema, 34 – Ramos, CEP: 21.040 – 090 no Estado e Município do Rio de Janeiro. Atendemos crianças e adolescentes em dois turnos e nas 3º, 4º e 6º feiras. O primeiro turno entra 08h00min e fica até 10h30min e o segundo turno das 13h00min ás 15h30min, nestes horários estão incluídos 30 min para o lanche. Os inscritos são divididos em quatro grupos e com faixa etária de 6 anos a 15 anos , atualmente atendemos 100 crianças e adolescentes. Nossas aulas vão além de utilizar os programas de computador, mostramos casa do futuro, inovações tecnológicas e os perigos da internet, por isso todo ano participamos das campanhas da Safernet. Acreditamos no potencial da internet para alavancar o empreendedorismo nas comunidades do Rio de Janeiro.

Chicago, IL – Bridging the Gap

2016-10-28T00:00:00Z

My students who are apart of the Peace and Leadership Council (PLC) rangeS from 5th through 8th grade at Marquette School of Excellence discovered that young people and police on the Southwest side of Chicago have a strained relationship. The students explored the root causes of the issue and concluded that the lack of trust is what's causing the gap in the relationship. Last year, they decided to host a basketball game aimed at restoring the trust between the police and the young people in the community. Not only did they host a basketball game, but they also hosted two breakout workshops where young people and police both participated in. During one workshop, the students facilitated team teambuilding activities such as minefield and balloon tower. During the other workshop, the students in the PLC facilitated a discussion using questions they brainstormed a week before to get to the root cause of the lack of trust between young people and police. The event was successful. We had 8 police officers show up and 30 young people. This year, we are thinking of continuing the project but change it up a bit.

South Bend, IN – Dr. Angie's Dental Health Exchange-filling the gap

2016-10-27T00:00:00Z

Dr. Angie's Dental Health Exchange (DADHE) provides low income residents of St. Joseph County with an opportunity to exchange volunteer hours for dental care. This awesome pay-it-forward project recognizes that everyone's work has value whether it is filling teeth or volunteering. To participate in the program, you must be at least 18 years old, live in St. Joseph County and have no dental insurance. Since its beginning, DADHE has provided almost two hundred dental procedures including fillings, extractions, cleanings and X-rays. Almost all of dentists in St. Joseph County have agreed to treat patients. DADHE's target population was those individuals who sought dental treatments in hospital ERs where they received antibiotics and pain medication. This care gave pain relief but did not treat the cause of the pain, so patients returned to the ER over and over again. Today, these patients can get a permanent solution to their pain. This is awesome and increasing oral health in our community.

South Bend, IN – Westside Wednesday - 2016 Holiday Edition

2016-10-27T00:00:00Z

In December of 2015 it started with lunch. One lunch, called Westside Wednesday, to promote businesses and the improvements on Western Ave. Those kept going monthly, until summer came, and people asked for a bigger evening event. So we delivered an evening festival with beer, tacos, art, music, culture, and lots of kids activities. We estimated over 1,000 people went! So now as we near the one year anniversary of Westside Wednesday we are planning another festival. Our first festival was a summer family event, well this one will be a festive holiday event! We are planning to have Santa, maybe sleigh rides, an art project for kids, a Christmas Bazaar (crafts fair), hot chocolate, etc. We have booked December 10th as the date, we are working now with the city to get holiday lights up on Western Ave before the event, and it will be a day to celebrate the great things happening on the westside and get ready for the holidays! Downtown South Bend always has fun First Fridays, Holiday Lights, great flowers, family activities... our families on the Westside of South Bend deserve the same. This event helps create pride in the neighborhood, great memories for kids in their neighborhood, and gives them something to be proud of in their neighborhood.

South Bend, IN – The Local Cup Leadership Training Program

2016-10-27T00:00:00Z

Here is a synopsis, but first let us say that we have made one key change since our previous Awesome grant, which came up a bit short. The focus is still the great teen program, but now we have secured a donor who will match a 1k grant in order to fund the truly Awesome college intern we have to be able to stay next summer to fully operate and grow our program. With that, here is the context: The Local Cup is a non-profit neighborhood coffee shop in a diverse part of town that seeks to create a space for neighbors to come together, form relationships, and strengthen community (and drink tasty, locally-roasted, pour-over coffee). In an attempt to welcome all, we have adopted our pay-it-forward system, where your coffee and muffin have been already been paid for. You are then free to accept the gift or pay it forward, in any amount, to keep the chain of neighborly generosity going. As part of our commitment to the neighborhood and its people we have developed a teen internship Leadership Training Program. Too often in this part of South Bend, the goal of youth is to be able to move to another area, But through this program we provide paid internships to local youth, who work behind the counter and serve hand-crafted coffee drinks. Most importantly, our program also provides mentorship, skills training and teambuilding. The Local Cup's pay-it-forward donations cover the costs of coffee, baked goods, supplies, and even paying the interns (mostly - and we're working on covering that gap elsewhere). But the revenue does not provide for the operation of the Leadership Training Program. So far this work is being done by the all-volunteer managers of The Local Cup, as well as by a College Intern, who is able to use approved Federal Work Study resources for this community outreach. But these funds do not cover the summer, and our experience last summer was that without this help, burnout for us volunteer managers is a real possibility!

Portland, OR – Spaceness 2017

2016-10-25T00:00:00Z

We are three artists that run a free, annual art event called SPACENESS. Spaceness is a celebration of time, space, and "the unknown" through sculpture, performance, and experimental installation. We take over the shady coastal Sou'Wester Lodge (near Astoria, OR) for one weekend each year. Last year over 200 people came out from Portland to participate in Spaceness, and this year we expect that number to double. Our audience ranges from toddlers to serious art critics, and our artists range from quirky outsiders to established career professionals. We are quickly watching our event grow from a quirky experiment to a serious annual art event. We have always paid for the event out of pocket and this year we are getting serious about raising funds to PAY our artists for their time and materials. Examples of past Spaceness projects: - sculptural performance based work, where small packages of food wrapped in parachutes, were launched from a cannon - visitors had to run to catch their lunch - a replica of the Monolith from 2011: A Space Odessey was installed mysteriously on the beach - a geodesic dome filled with hammocks and inflatable hot tubs was provided for all visitors to use - a dance interpretation of sci-fi classic Invasion of the Bodysnatchers was performed - a cabin was transformed into a glowing dream portal - a handpainted Roswell Crash Site Photo Booth was installed with a handmade alien crafted by a local puppet maker - an artist held a roundtable reading of the play Macbeth as if written by Philipp K Dick - and so on! A special and magical community develops around this free/public event each year. Please help us make it even more magical in it's third season! Thank you AWESOME FOUNDATION <3

Melbourne (Inactief) – Pihuru Community Sanitation Project

2016-10-25T00:00:00Z

Pihuru community is located on Makira Island, Makira Ulawa Province, Solomon Islands. The community population is 400 which comprises of men, women youths and children. The community have access to water supply however, proper sanitation is the community's biggest problem. Currently the community is using coastal seaside beaches as toilets. It is anticipated that once approval and funding is given, the community will use funds to built proper toilets using low cost pour flash system seeing that water supply access is already available in the community.

Newmarket – Poplar Bank Public School Student Garden

2016-10-25T00:00:00Z

Poplar Bank Public School is a virbrant French immersion school in northwest Newmarket. We have a currently enrollment of 470 students at our school, and we are fortunate to be able to offer many clubs and activities to our students. One such focus is healthy living and healthy eating. We operate a healthy breakfast/snack program called Crunchy Manchu which serves 1000 items each week free of charge to any student who wishes to partake. In hopes of expanding on the success of this project, we are in the midst of gaining approval from York Region District School Board to build a Student Garden. The garden will help us green an underutilized area of our school grounds, as well as offering a unique outdoor classroom opportunity. Students will be involved in selecting, growing, maintaining and harvesting the garden. Items grown in the garden will supplement the crunchy munchy program as well as donations to the Newmarket Food Bank. Our goal is to encourage lifelong healthy eating habits, teach a skill students can use for life and encourage them to be responsible citizens within their community

Twin Cities, MN (Inactief) – Grand Oak Opry

2016-10-24T00:00:00Z

Grand Oak Opry brings neighbors and people from throughout the Twin Cities together with local musicians into a casual setting -- our backyard -- under a 200 year old White Oak. The objective is to promote the creativity and unique qualities of our neighborhood, West 7th, and to support local musicians. * Attendees are asked to donate up to $10, with 100% of their contribution going to the musicians. No one is turned away for an inability to pay. Musicians make $500-$2700. * Local business sponsors cover the hard costs associated with the program. * We don't make any money on the project. The "recipe" works for everyone: * Musicians have a casual and intimate setting in which to perform. One performer wrote this review: "By far one the most genuine, unique and sincere shows I have ever played. Tim and Sean are the most gracious hosts you will ever meet and the community they are creating is endearing and inspirational. Hats off to the people that put the time and energy into making something special happen, not only in the world but right in their backyard." * Individuals and families who might not be able to go to clubs are able to see great local music. Kids are welcome and encouraged to attend. The shows start at either 4:30 pm or 7:30 pm and never run past 9:30. * Neighbors fully support the program. It's become a local point-of-pride for many in West 7th. We don't have a single complaint yet from anyone! Neighbors contribute their talents to making the program happen: last year the person behind us took the photographs and the person next to us developed the logo that we still use online. Another neighbor contributes benches for people to sit on, and other neighbors act as greeters. Last Saturday a local bakery, Brake Bread, showed up to give away extra product. We believe that it's a unique mix that builds community and highlights the unique qualities of our neighborhood, and support local musicians.

Alaska (Inactief) – Mountain View Post Magazine

2016-10-24T00:00:00Z

Mountain View is a complex place -- a diverse Anchorage neighborhood with a long, colorful history and a rough reputation. I call it home, and I publish local news and stories from my neighbors at MtViewPost.com. Through a partnership with the Mountain View library and numerous local contributors, we’re transforming the website into a magazine. It’s a place to share stories and build community; a hyperlocal spotlight on the issues and experiences overlooked by traditional media. The Mountain View Post blog has received multiple awards from the Alaska Press Club and built a strong network of readers and neighbors. The magazine will help us reach even more people. The inaugural print issue focuses on neighborhood youth. The average Mountain View resident is around 27, according to census data, and about 30 percent of the neighborhood is age 17 or younger, so we’re building our first issue around the things that are important to them. Basketball. Music. Art, gaming and the future. Our contributors include young illustrators and photographers and writers who share their hopes and dreams and ideas for the neighborhood. The magazine is a megaphone for the community, by the community and about the community. We won’t stop with one issue, either: We plan on publishing the magazine quarterly, expanding to reach more readers and eventually offering door-to-door delivery throughout Mountain View. For free, of course.

Kingston – QSB Presents: Slaying Senior Year

2016-10-22T00:00:00Z

"Slaying Senior Year" by Alisha Grech is the first musical of Queen's Students on Broadway's 2016-2017 season! Slaying Senior Year is a musical parody of beloved, cheesy high school-slasher films, pulling elements from titles such as Scream, Psycho, Heathers, Mean Girls, and so many more. It is packed with Broadway and classic rock hits, pulling from musicals such as RENT and bands such as Queen. Slaying Senior Year was written by second-year Queen's University student, Alisha Grech, with the goal of getting as many members of the Kingston community involved as possible. Following the mandate of Queen's Students on Broadway, who are producing the show, all proceeds from the show go towards youth arts charities in Kingston and youth outreach programs in the Kingston area. With this goal in mind, Slaying Senior Year needs to be as amazing as it can possibly be!

Pittsburgh, PA – Hops On Lots Pittsburgh

2016-10-21T00:00:00Z

Pittsburgh has 90 different neighborhoods. Imagine if each neighborhood had its own beer? That’s what we are trying to do: Bring the communities, neighborhoods, and the breweries together. Hops On Lots Pittsburgh (HOLP) is project that brings together communities and local breweries through urban agriculture. Created by three guys; Pete, Joe, & Jonny, we are using our years of experience in gardening and beer tasting to think outside the box. Our project plans to grow hops in a way that not only benefits the local communities financially and aesthetically, but also benefit Pittsburgh area breweries and brewers by supplying locally-sourced hops. The HOLP team has been working hard on our two projects this summer; the YMCA in Hazelwood (15 plants) and the retaining wall in Stanton Heights (78 plants). So far this season, the hops have grown well beyond our expectations. At the YMCA location 80% of the plants have sprouted and over at the wall in Stanton Heights we have 75% of the plants sprouted. We are also excited about the harvest coming up this fall and what will happen with the hops. We are in the midst of planning release events at both locations. Full Pint Brewery and Spoonwood Brewery will be brewing a beer with the YMCA hops and we are excited that Roundabout Brewery will be using our hops grown in Stanton Heights. The HOLP team has also been working behind the scenes to develop a couple of projects for next season that will allow us to help more communities in and around Pittsburgh. Check out a story about us by Next Pittsburgh: http://www.nextpittsburgh.com/eatdrink/hops-lots-betters-communities-beer/

Pittsburgh, PA – Boys Build

2016-10-21T00:00:00Z

Boys Build is a program sponsored by The Flower House Collective members and is lead by national exhibiting artists Darnell Chambers. Boys Build introduces new builders and youth to a broad range of materials and tools. We believe hands on learning is important to the lives of young men. Our kids work on individual and group projects with real tools and materials while engaging in creativity, problem solving, safety, and respect. Our goal is to share the joy of building, revising, and repairing. The program will be held at the Flower House community space on Penn Ave. The goal of our program is to lead young boys away from the school to prison pipeline, and equip them with basic handyman skills they can utilize. Our main mission is to develop young boys with active and creative minds. We will encourage imagination and problem-solving skills of our boys by showing them that they can learn to make anything they want with the help of some wood, a hammer, and some nails. This we will do by engaging the whole child: mind, eyes, hands, ears and bodies are all part of the learning process. Our workspace, materials, and teaching methods are interwoven to create safe and creative educational experiences for mainstream, special needs, and gifted/talented learners. This is what will make Boys Build so effective. Not to mention they will be working beside mentor-men who will be showing them the importance of safety, respect, and building from their own minds.

Oahu, HI – Personal Empowerment Program (PEP)

2016-10-21T00:00:00Z

Our Awesome Project is to provide up to 20 girls in Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility (HYCF) a four-part workshop designed to assist them in successful transition from the correctional facility to long-term placement or reintegration into home and community. The intent is to provide these high risk girls with skills they will need to guide them through life and lead them on a successful track of healthy choices and self-management. PEP is based on a proven evidence-based curriculum, Skills You Need: Helping You Develop Life Skills, which assists high risk girls with self regulation, problem solving, relationship building, service learning and leadership development. Content curriculum addresses: Looking after your body; rest and sleep; food, diet and nutrition; exercise; doing the right thing; looking after your mind; stress and health; the good and healthy mind; and the power of positive thinking. Four two-hour workshops will be developed by Hoola Na Pua Starfish Mentoring Program Director to help develop life skills through fun, experiential and interactive activities designed to develop key physical, mental and emotional habits, skills and maintenance. The workshops held at the HYCF will be broken down as follows: Session 1: Self-Regulation & Managing Stress Activity - Yoga/Coloring books Session 2: Fun Health and Safe Exercise Activity - Zumba/Dance exercise Session 3: Protective Factors and Healthy Mind Activity - Cooking for the brain/Mind body connection Session 4: Self Care and Health and Hygiene Activity - Hygiene products/Hair/cosmetology/Rest & sleep Success and outcomes of this program will be measured, qualitatively and quantitatively, with a pre- and post- survey self-evaluating measuring how each girl rates herself (on a scale of 1-10) in the four areas of life skills, prior to the workshops and after completion. Additionally, each girl will be asked to come up with a personal transition plan addressing each session.

Louisville, KY (Inactief) – Steve's Club Louisville

2016-10-20T00:00:00Z

Steve’s Club Louisville is the local chapter of a national non-profit called Steve’s Club. Steve’s Club provides free CrossFit to at risk and high risk youth at no cost. All middle schoolers and high schoolers are welcome. We are located in West Louisville, historically an underserved area of the city. Our goal is to make a positive influence on youth through the mentorship and guidance of our adult members of our CrossFit gym. Our gym has two classrooms in the front where students can study and we want to provide the students an afterschool snack as well. The gym is a safe place for these students that might not have anywhere else to go after school.

Antigonish, NS (Inactief) – NSSSA Regional Leadership Conference

2016-10-20T00:00:00Z

L.I.F.T. U.P. 2016 is an overnight conference that takes place at St. Francis Xavier University in Anitgonish. It's open to all High School Students in the Strait Regional School board for a registration fee of $75. Our conferences focus on building leadership skills in youth through our awesome activities. This year our conference is called "Leadership Involving Fundamental Teamwork and Understanding Possibilities" as we will be focusing on themes of teamwork and planning ahead. Our conferences have many different activities including skill building sessions, How-To sessions , a group leadership challenge, an hour with a motivational speaker, a dance, a talent show and high energy sessions The core of our conference is in the skillbuilding sessions. Students in Antigonish and surrounding area will learn the key skills to becoming a leader including teamwork, problem solving, listening, organization, communication, personal leadership, and working under pressure. The sessions are comprised of 8-10 students and 2 experienced student facilitators. During our conference we have approximately eight one hour sessions, each with a different theme. The How-To sessions are around 20-30 minutes long and range from how to get involved in extra curricular activities to how to end mental health stigma. The group leadership activity teaches students to use both teamwork and problem solving while under pressure. Almost everything for L.I.F.T. U.P. is planned and executed by high school students, with the exception of our Regional Teacher Advisor; Dawn Thompson, our regular advisors and our chaperone, logistics and first-aid team.

Tallahassee, FL (Inactief) – Keeping Godby Heart Healthy

2016-10-19T00:00:00Z

Who We Play For brings together heart screening groups across the country who all have their own lost loved ones, their own motivation and their own story – those who we play for. All these individual groups and foundations, created in memory of a lost loved one, have banded together under the WWPF umbrella. Together we work to inspire and empower communities to provide every student with the opportunity to get a heart screening, no matter the level of athletics, socio-economic status or geographical location. What started as individual efforts in many different communities has grown into a unified heart screening movement with a simple, flexible and expandable delivery method that works in any setting. WWPF provides turn-key methodology and medical expertise to deliver the highest participation rates possible with the most accurate interpretations. It is our great privilege to know that our combined efforts have helped WWPF grow into a program across seven states, screening more than 70,000 athletes and saving more than 60 lives. All with a simple ECG.

Bend, OR (Inactief) – Bend Butt Project - Presented by The Broomsmen

2016-10-19T00:00:00Z

Cigarette butts are the most commonly discarded piece of waste worldwide. It is estimated that 1.69 BILLION pounds of butts wind up as toxic trash each year, creating an enormous environmental, health, and economic burden. Our quaint little mountain town of Bend is not immune to this problem. Many of the discarded butts ends up in our river and water supply which is absolutely unacceptable! A strong stance must be established or we will be overrun by the disrespectful slobs. Our mission will be to actively identify areas of highest litter rates, put into place infrastructure to capture the litter, monitor the results, and finally establish a sustainability model to ensure the program remains properly funded, Local Businesses will be brought into the project, Litter cleanup costs the U.S. more than an estimated $11.5 billion each year. Businesses pay $9.1 billion of the cleanup costs, or about 80%. They can help most by allowing us to put the receptacles on their property, helping us empty them when they become full, and pledging financial support to keep the project running. Cigarettes collected will be recycled by TerraCycle: https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/cigarette-waste-brigade#how-it-works Once collected, the cigarettes and packaging are separated by composition and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled industrial products, such as plastic pallets. The ash and tobacco are separated out and composted in a specialized process. For every pound of cigarette waste collected, TerraCycle will donate $1.00 towards the Keep America Beautiful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program. I will also find local sponsors that would match or pledge a certain dollar amount per shipment to keep the program running. This is a sustainable model which will be funded by local level support from businesses and concerned citizens.

Adelaide – Karma and Crow Cafe and Studio Collective

2016-10-19T00:00:00Z

My business partner and I are converting a warehouse into a cafe and artist studio space 5 minutes from the CBD. We're nearing completion of our project but we're almost out of funds. We are dedicated to using recycled goods wherever possible in our fit out, eco friendly packaging and all our appliances are green. Our mission is to create a community within our building. We are focussed on delivering an art space with diversity in it's occupants so that each occupant can bring with them their own connections, skills and know-how and share these things with the other occupants. We also offer creative people an opportunity to make money and impart knowledge with an area dedicated to workshops attached to the studio area. So far we have an acclaimed painter, a tattoo artist, a comic artist, a yoga instructor and a leather goods artist.

Boulder, CO (Inactief) – Without But Not

2016-10-19T00:00:00Z

When I lived in Denver last year, I was so full of hop and love for the homeless population. I dreamed of having a dinner, block party, a giant picnic, or something of the sort. Basically, I dreamed of starting a movement. At this dinner party, everyone would be invited! This would include but not be limited to the homeless, the churched, disabled, abled, CEOs, janitors, etc. It would be something simple: pasta, salad, tea, beer. At this dinner, I believe it would be important to have cardboard boxes. And each person would be invited and encouraged to write: "Without this but not that." Without arms but not ability. Without a home but not love. Without family but not friends. Without work but not hope. Without debt but not despair. Without child but not memories. I've been gone from the city for about ten months, and I can't shake this desire. People need to know people for who they are and not for what they portray because of where they stand or what they hold or how they dress. People need people to live and grow. And I fully believe that we all have an innate desire to live life to the fullest. We have to do that together, but before we can, we have to be real. My desired has grown, and I have a huge hope to do this in several cities in the US. If able, I'd spend some time in each of those cities, connecting with locals, and researching a good place to have this Without But Not Party. And from the events, a blog/vlog will be created and turned into a book. Social media will be used heavily, and others will be urged to help end a stigma that needs not exist. People are people are people are people. Regardless of socioeconomics, people are people.

Rotterdam – Jurassic Parkoer

2016-10-19T00:00:00Z

“T-Rex doesn't want to be fed. He wants to hunt. Can't just suppress 65 million years of gut instinct.” -Dr. Alan Grant Who doesn't know this scene?! During the first tour through Jurassic Park, the main characters stand in front of the T-rex cage. It's dark and it rains. The power drops out. The lawyer rans away and hides on the toilet. The T-rex however discovers the lawyer and eats him. Jurassic Parcour bought two gigantic T-rex suits to lift people up to race people from the toilet towards the end of the parkour. Awesome!

Ottawa – Project Cold Days

2016-10-18T00:00:00Z

October’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Stephen R. Coleman, to support the completion of a documentary about homelessness during the cold Ottawa winter. Stephen and his team have been working on the film, unfunded, for over two years. “Our main goal is to produce a beautiful film which will be intriguing for people to watch,” explains Stephen. “From the microcosm of each individual to the macrocosm of the city, we want to explore what life is like in the winter for people struggling. At the same time, we want to highlight the triumph of the human spirit and the beauty contained within those struggles.” Over the last two years, Stephen’s team has spent hundreds of hours volunteering at shelters around the city and has worked closely with The Shepherds of Good Hope and its clients. The team released a trailer in September, and to complete filming this winter Stephen will be homeless for one month, living with the main subjects of his film 24 hours a day. Stephen is an aspiring filmmaker who moved to Ottawa ten years ago from Almonte, where he was born and raised. You can follow him on Twitter at @LexMagOttawa.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactief) – #JustSaySorry

2016-10-18T00:00:00Z

#JustSaySorry is an educational grassroots campaign to empower campus survivors of gender-based violence and allies to demand apologies from the institutions that failed them. My co-founder Kamilah Willingham and I regularly burn different items from our academic journeys institutions until we get an apology that we deserve. Using this and other tactics, Willingham and I are using the campaign to highlight just how much power universities have over trauma survivors' healing and creating a safer, rape-free campus.

Beaverton & Beyond, OR (Inactief) – Do You See What I Hear

2016-10-18T00:00:00Z

The Companion Program presents “Do You See What I Hear,” a digital arts project completed and presented by artists who experience developmental disabilities in Washington County. Artists from The Companion Program’s Art Studio in Forest Grove will document their unique experiences using digital media and present a series of free showings at the studio in Forest Grove. The Companion Program’s Art Studio seeks funding for 10 - 7 inch Amazon Fire Tablets tablets, a color printer and projector. With these devices we can explore digital media for storytelling. Filmmaking, animation, photography and music composition will be part of our community showing in Winter 2016. We are artists who struggle to have our stories expressed so it is important that we find dynamic ways to do so. Additionally, artists will be empowered by learning 21st Century skills. The Companion Program in Forest Grove supports local artists in Washington and Yamhill counties diagnosed with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Our Art Studio program encourages adults to formulate their creative abilities and find their identity as local, independent artists. The Art Studio consists of a Art Director, and Staff Artist, and volunteers. All of whom facilitate artists with disabilities in reaching goals of inclusivity, independence and productivity. "Do You See What I Hear," will be held at our studio in Forest Grove, Washington County. When more people in Washington County understand and respect people with different abilities our community becomes more awesome. Particularly in the artist community, when our work is included in the rest of the arts community then the Washington County Art scene becomes immensely rich. At this writing we serve approximately 20 artists with disabilities in Washington County. Success=Artists learn to use digital media and create a product between 11-12/2016. 2) Full house on show dates, 3) Successful reviews from evaluations at show nights. 4) Not sure if we can measure it but a new working understanding of what it means to have a developmental disability in Oregon. Want to Help? The Companion Program Art Studio is looking for community members to volunteer in the studio. Studio volunteers, work alongside artists, mentor specific artists, or present workshops. We are also always in need of quality supplies, such as acrylic and watercolor paints, art pencils, charcoal paper and watercolor paper. Contact: Javaughn Fernanders · artist(at)thecompanionprogram(dot)org · 503-359-2512 Learn more: https://companionartstudio.wordpress.com/

Gloucester, MA – Health and Harmony: Music Therapy at Grace Center

2016-10-18T00:00:00Z

Since its inception, the Grace Center of Gloucester has lived by the mantra: acceptance, hospitality, opportunity. Each element of this expression is crucial to the way in which we serve Cape Ann's homeless population. Whether it be through advocacy, referrals, job training, or simply a listening ear and a hot, nutritious meal, the staff and volunteers at Grace Center are constantly doing the most they can for our guests. An average of 60 guests join us a day! We insist on being adaptive and creative in our work. Most recently, Grace Center has enthusiastically nurtured a budding music therapy program. In fact, as I write this application, a developmentally-delayed guest is playing piano and serenading an attentive and appreciative audience. Our guests are benefitting from the therapeutic potential of music. No where is this more apparent than in our newly-formed Grace Center Jug Band. A heartfelt collaboration among staff, volunteers, and guests, the Grace Center Jug Band embodies the spirit of community. It's a creative outlet for guests, and it allows them to shake away some of the stress associated with homelessness and addiction. With a grant from Awesome Gloucester, Grace Center will initiate a weekly music therapy program. A certified music therapist will visit the Grace Center once a week for four hours, and work with guests in individual and group sessions. Your money will help us strengthen the bond between community and music, health and harmony.

Miami, FL – Birthday In A Box #HappinessIsAwesome

2016-10-17T00:00:00Z

Every child deserves to celebrate their birthday! Ask just about any child what their favorite day of the year is. Most would respond with an excited "My birthday!" However, many families face difficulty in providing their children with what many families may take for granted - a birthday celebration. It’s My Birthday, Inc. is an organization dedicated to celebrating the birthdays of underprivileged children, particularly those who live in poverty or suffer from various illnesses, including cancer, heart failure, leukemia, and many more. For children who are confined to the hospital and may often have limitations on visits or interactions with people for various medical reasons, often we cannot provide a traditional party where we would sing and provide party favors like balloons and cake. However, we still want to be able to provide the children with a birthday celebration. So we came up with the idea of Birthday in a Box! The Birthday in a Box is a “party in a box,” including a fresh cake (or cake mix), or cupcakes, candles, party utensils, and an age-appropriate wrapped gift. A few days prior to the child’s birthday, a Birthday Box is delivered to the family at the hospital. As a component of the box, we would like to also include grip socks to make their stay at the hospital more pleasant. The socks would be customized to include a short, but encouraging message to add a personal touch!

Miami, FL – The Little River Project #HappinessIsAwesome

2016-10-17T00:00:00Z

Miami’s Little River is a habitat home to migrating bird species and a manatee breeding ground running through El Portal, a village where peacocks, native plants and a Tequesta ancient burial ground create a distinctly vibrant neighborhood. Little River is also rapidly developing and attracting the attention of developers and businesses. A flood of new businesses, galleries, restaurants and cafes are beginning to transform the area. All this change will inevitably have significant impact not only on the residents living within the neighborhood but the Little River’s ecosystem as well. The Little River Project will highlight the natural beauty, vulnerability and cultural heritage of the Little River, reimagining the world beneath the river through experimental film and music. The project will include the screening of a ‘work in progress’ of Zenú, a surreal short film shot on the Little River about a musician that embarks on a journey on the river, where he meets natives in a Gauguinesque scene and receives a gift from a shaman under the I-95 Bridge, An augmented reality sound installation with sounds capturing the river’s ecosystem will complement the film and a resource guide/map will be developed to promote local efforts to keep the river clean.

San Francisco, CA – Badass Boarders

2016-10-16T00:00:00Z

At its core, Badass Boarders is a group of women learning to skateboard together. However, its mission extends beyond cruising, ollies, and kickflips; this is an inclusive community dedicated to supporting, mentoring, and empowering one another to become not only badass boarders, but also confident, radiant women unleashing our inner awesomeness into the world. All women, regardless of age, background, or anything else, are welcome. The idea was born out of indignation. Inspired by the Venice Beach Boardwalk and videos of Casey Neistat skateboarding through airports, Kasley decided it’d be fun to try. Her (now ex) boyfriend at the time scoffed and said, “No, that’s stupid,” and the salesman at the skateboard shop asked if she was buying it for her brother. Annoyed, she learned anyway, and found she loved the challenge and how emboldened it made her feel. Wanting to share the experience (and not be the only female at the skateboard park), Kasley created Badass Boarders.

Seattle, WA – AIR SENSOR BETA TEST FOR SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOL

2016-10-16T00:00:00Z

We want to see the invisible and report back to the world! TOPS (The Option Program at the Seward School) is a Seattle public school with a social justice mission. We draw kids from all over to the city to participate in our learning community. This project will enable us to be a part of a the world's most exciting experiment in networked air quality monitoring. We will assemble and program the kit ourselves so that we can test the air over our campus. Our device will measure airborne particulate matter in PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 sizes. (That's small!) We will be part of a network of sensors that monitor Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Ozone and Methane. We’ll also be logging temperature and humidity for calibration purposes. We will install our device outside our school which happens to be RIGHT NEXT TO I-5. Help empower kids to learn science by being a part a project that can have a big impact in the Seattle community.

San Francisco, CA – World's Largest Nachos!

2016-10-16T00:00:00Z

Hello! I work with a company called Chirps that makes cricket tortilla chips to get people excited about eating bugs! We have 2000 lbs of tortilla chips leftover from a client that over-ordered that will expire in December... unless we do something ridiculously cool with them like BUILD THE WORLD'S LARGEST SERVING OF NACHOS and invite the entire city of San Francisco to a giant bug nacho party! However, we are a small company of 3 recent college grads, and we don't have the funds to buy the other ingredients- hundreds of lbs of cheese and beans and salsa. $1000 would make this project possible!

San Jose, CA – GO! GO! Gong Show!

2016-10-15T00:00:00Z

I always wanted to experiment with a talent show, but I wanted it to be wacky and in-your-face. So went back to the 70's... GO! GO! GONG SHOW! is San Jose's merciless tongue-in-cheek talent contest hosted by Mighty Mike McGee on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at Cafe Stritch, as part of Wax Wednesdays. Anyone and everyone gets FOUR minutes to compete using whatever entertaining talent or skill they have. The winner takes home $50 in quarters in a sock, a Certificate of Awesome, bragging rights, and San José’s undying gratitude! FORMAT & GUIDELINES • Sign up in person on the day of the show by 9:00pm. • Three “CELEBRITY” JUDGES will be selected by the host prior to the show. The judges will be allowed to make comments and impose bias upon any of the performers they wish. They are the only people allowed to use the GONG per show and may use it any time they wish during an act’s performance. • If the act is not entertaining, the audience is encouraged to chant 'Go! Go! Go! Go!' until the performer leaves or a judge hits the gong. • All ACTS get a MINIMUM of ONE (1) minute and UP TO FOUR (4) minutes to perform. All performers WILL get cut off at 4 minutes by the host. • Performers will be introduced by the host. Host will start the timer and announce: “Your time starts now.” Upon the four minute mark, the host will make a noise and return to the microphone to thank the act and: • IF THE ACT IS GONGED BEFORE THEY HAVE COMPLETED THEIR PERFORMANCE, THEY ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE COMPETITION. • If the act completes their performance, then they will receive three scores from 1 to 10. • The act with the highest score at the end of the show wins. • If there is a TIE, the audience will choose the winner by applause, or decide if they should split the prize. • The winner will receive $50 in change and a slot in the FINALS to be announced later this year. • The host is in charge and can allow and veto anything they wish regarding the rules and format.

Cass Clay – The Joy Project: Granted

2016-10-15T00:00:00Z

The Joy Project is simply a network of friends, businesses and community who work together (not a non-profit, we have no funding) to make sure those living in hotels and other temporary living situations have a homemade Christmas Eve meal and a gift to open! Santa Claus takes a break from his busy schedule to hand deliver gifts to the kids living at the hotels. Last year we provided meals and gifts to people living at Grand Inn Motels, Rodeway Inn (West Fargo), Gladys Ray Shelter, Dorothy Day House, Stepping Stones Resource Center, YOUTHWORKS, YWCA Shelter and Project Hart (for homeless Veterans). We visit each location earlier in the day to decorate and make the location as festive as possible. Then we come in later to set up a meal, visit, pass out gifts and clean up. Everything is done by people volunteering their Christmas Eve to help out!

LA South Bay, CA (Inactief) – Special Shades of Color

2016-10-13T00:00:00Z

Special Shades of Color is an online wellness resource for special needs parents. Through a focus on self-care, mental health, and wellness -- we empower, equip, and improve emotional and mental wellness so that special needs parents can better love, care for, and manage the day-to-day challenges of raising a child with special needs. Integrating media, technology, and social media we transform the traditional support group model by busting the door wide open to an easily accessible way of connecting. The Facts - Over 50% of special needs parents report clinical depression. - 14% of family caregivers care for a special needs child. - An estimated 16.8 million family caregivers care for children under 18 years old; 55% of these caregivers are caring for their own children. - Many parents are unable to leave the home to attend support groups because they are primary caregivers and solely responsible to provide care within the home. Our Key Initiatives Mental Health, Wellness and Self-care, Parent Development, and Support Our mission is to provide an online space for parents of special needs children to share, support, and encourage one another in order to build emotionally and mentally healthy and whole parents. Here are a few links to our initial parent contributor videos. We would now like to transition into producing professional-grade videos with the assistance of a filmmaker/documentarian. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3OnIhFPUls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij8ap826RXY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0kEJfiyQDA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUrppbP4SQE Helpful Honda Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwvpwJ3eASw

New York City, NY – Game Night Event Series

2016-10-11T00:00:00Z

Game Night is a series of free public events presenting artist-made games for play under a selected theme. Through playful exchanges created by artists, this series invites participants to interact with works of art and each other, experimenting with creative play as a form of public engagement. **Game Night #5 will be held on October 18th, 2016 at the Denny Gallery, 261 Broome St, NYC. Learn more about this event on their website.** This series is organized by Anna Harsanyi, curator and educator and Sheetal Prajapati, artist and educator. As educators, Anna and Sheetal’s work is concerned with how to facilitate, curate, and organize experiences that engage with creative ideas and objects. Game Night brings these collaborators’ expertise and interests together to offer publics in New York new and unexpected ways to connect with art, the world and most importantly, each other. Game Night has hosted an array of experiences for play including: * life advice from imaginary oracle cards * an updated version of Operation where players remove electronic devices from the body instead of body parts * a gambling game where participants arbitrarily assign value to junk food * sharing memories through a mediated Ouijia-style game These interactions have been successful in provoking conversation, often times between strangers, prompting meaningful ways to reflect on daily life. For the 2016 -2017 season, Anna and Sheetal will organize 3 Game Night events at Denny Gallery.

Asheville, NC (Inactief) – Water Catchment System at VEG!

2016-10-10T00:00:00Z

Verner Center for Early Learning is a high quality early education program nestled in the heart of Western North Carolina. For the past 15 years, Verner has been dedicated to the mission of seeing families and children in Western North Carolina thrive. During the 2015-2016 school year, Verner succeeded in serving the educational and social needs of over 200 children—67% of which suffered from the effects of poverty and low income. One of the most devastating impacts of poverty is food insecurity. To combat this problem, Verner created VEG!, a one acre garden that supplies food and outdoor education opportunities to the school’s low income families. For two seasons, VEG! has succeeded in helping students and their families gain access to organic vegetables. The garden has also fostered an increase in physical activity for children at Verner and their loved ones. However, plans to expand and develop the garden have hit a road block. The main culprit of this stagnation is water supply. To grow more food for families, VEG! needs access to a larger and more sustainable source of rain water. VEG! has been working with water professionals and has developed a water catchment system plan that can divert 400 gallons of rainwater to the garden. This system utilizes rainwater that is drained from the roof, converted to copper reservoirs, and spread through the garden through a drip irrigation system. We have designed this system to be accessible to children, volunteers, and teachers who visit the garden during school hours and on the weekend. The water professionals involved in providing insight into this project stated that a 400 gallon reserve is sufficient to keep the garden lush during times of drought. This system would also ease the strain on the Asheville water system, diverting resources to where they are truly needed.

Singapore – Off the Beaten Tracks: Southeast Asia

2016-10-10T00:00:00Z

The preliminary plan is to backpack across the Southeast Asian region, crossing several borders, namely Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam. The goal is to document the life of the ethnic minority tribes there - their cultures, way of life, and traditions. This would also involve ethnographic experience where my team will stay in the villages / homes of these tribes to fully immerse in the experience. My primary findings will be in the medium of photographs, but also include oral transcripts when conversing with these individuals, written accounts etc. Like my past work (see www.maptia.com/nathanielsoon), I will arrange the collected images post-trip into a story-format to convey my thoughts and experiences of these communities before presenting it in full - the story will largely be centred around the images with captions going alongside to provide some explanations. This idea was derived from my love for cultures and travel - I was first exposed to rural village life in 2011 when I visited Chiangrai, Thailand & lived amongst the tribes, witnessing the spirit of community but also the dangers their cultures face. I took away way more than I gave, for sure. & in a twist, I went back again the next year, and the next and to date, I’ve been on five consecutive trips. This interest in human culture simply grew exponentially. I started reading, writing & studying – I remember writing a school paper based solely on ethnographic observation on my third trip there and this interest has also led me to pick anthropology as a course option for college. This interest has also grown over the years to something more – I’ve grown to feel a sense of concern for the issue of cultural erosion within tribal communities not just in Asia but around the world. With increasing modernisation, many youths are starting to abandon their traditions for ‘city life’. & I say this because I’ve witnessed it first hand. Cultural abandonment couldn't be more clear.

Annapolis, NS (Inactief) – Annapolis River Guardians

2016-10-10T00:00:00Z

The Annapolis River Guardians is a citizen-science water quality monitoring program. River Guardians is Clean Annapolis River Project's flagship project, and was the first water quality monitoring program of its kind in Atlantic Canada. This means that in the Annapolis Watershed we have one of the best long-term data sets around, giving us valuable information about our river's health. Our River Guardians are volunteers who have been trained to collect and analyze water samples. They dedicate their time every two weeks to collect and analyze water samples. As a result of the program, over 100 community members are now educated and skilled citizen scientists, who are able to disperse information throughout their community. There are a lot of threats to our river's health, and the Annapolis River Guardians program enables us to detect these issues, understand long-term trends, and develop projects that respond to threats to ecological health. River Guardians data can be used to detect big problems; in fact, in 2005 monitoring results indicated that something was amiss in the Middleton area. Further investigation identified that problems with the local waste treatment facility were resulting in untreated waste being directly discharged into the Annapolis River. CARP was then able to work with the Town to ensure the issue was addressed. The program also helps community members make informed decisions about water use, to avoid potential health risks. Monitoring parameters include E. coli bacteria. E. coli live in the digestive tract of warm-blooded animals and are used to indicate the potential presence of harmful organisms. E. coli results are posted online and on public signs between Bridgetown and Aylesford, to report whether water is safe for recreational use, crop or livestock watering, or other uses. At the end of each year an Annapolis River Report Card is released, so the public can see what is happening to their river.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactief) – Social Promotion of GenderAvenger Who Talks?

2016-10-10T00:00:00Z

We would create sponsored content on Facebook and Twitter in order to increase the reach and impact of the the GA Who Talks 6 Week Countdown to the Election Initiative. Who Talks?, in partnership with Rutgers University Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) and the Women’s Media Center, monitors, collects data, and analyzes the gender balance of pundits who appear on top-rated morning and evening cable shows, calling attention to poor gender ratios in political commentary on MSNBC, CNN, and FOX. Our report would include social media results in terms of increased activity on both FB and twitter as well as look at any increase in subscribers. Two months ago we used $20 worth of sponsored Facebook content to promote our Who Talks initiative and it generated 6000 impressions and 73 actions. Imagine what $1000 would do split between FB and twitter. NOTE: We have not had the resources to use sponsored content on twitter.

Lusaka (Inactief) – BETHEL HOME ZAMBIA

2016-10-10T00:00:00Z