Awesome Foundation - Projecten

Awesome Without Borders (Inactief) – Making organic pictures- A learning project

2020-08-10T00:00:00Z

This innovative learning project will raise knowledge, understanding and engagement with organic photography. It consists of a series of online events including a workshop, a peer feedback session, a talk, and a high-quality step by step video where a female artist will share in-depth knowledge of organic photography and the extraordinary outcomes it can produce. Based on the success of a previously released 2-minute clip on chlorophyll printing, which had 79k Instagram views, 15k YouTube views, and +400 Facebook shares, we decided to run an online Q&A on chlorophyll printing. The event was quickly oversubscribed and had +300 participants. Recent follow-up comments, messages, and emails made clear to us that there is a huge appetite for in-depth knowledge of organic photography that is safe, sustainable, affordable, and that can easily be practised by a variety of audiences in different contexts, including families at home. There is a remarkable interest in organic photography amongst artists, scientists, but also amongst non-specialised audiences such as families. Making organic pictures will provide much-valued content to a variety of international audiences of all ages interested in the arts and culture. Audiences will be reached via The London Alternative Photography Collective social media and email channels (+16k subscribers), and through a wider community of networks working with us, such as Guest Projects, BowArts, Peabody Culture Thamesmead, Australian Analogue Photography Network, universities’ photography groups, and social media craft, parenting, and environmental groups. In the current context, it's particularly relevant and pertinent to provide online opportunities to make, reflect, and share. It has never been so important to eliminate barriers in education and to facilitate access to knowledge so audiences can have self-managed learning experiences. This project is an exciting eye-opening opportunity for audiences to engage with organic photo.

Aviano (Inactief) – Community Mountain Hike

2020-08-09T00:00:00Z

We’re sponsoring the cost of providing refreshments for a checkpoint booth for a community mountain hike in the mountains of Aviano, Italy.

Sarnia (Inactief) – Pedals for Purpose

2020-08-06T00:00:00Z

Pedals for Purpose is a not-for-profit organization started by two Sarnia Police Officers, Fraser Moore and Ryan LeBlanc. This initiative is collecting donations of new and used bicycles from members of the community, and donating them to disadvantaged youth who may not otherwise have the means to own a bicycle of their own. Pedals for Purpose was created to address a number of issues and obstacles observed in the community such as: physical and mental wellbeing amongst youth, the positive environmental impact cycling presents, the freedom and opportunity owning a bicycle allows youth to have, and the financial obstacles some parents may face in purchasing bicycles.

Newcastle – From A Distance Sessions

2020-08-05T00:00:00Z

From A Distance Sessions is a free community broadcasting centre setup by Joshua Barnett and Allon Silove. We rose to the occasion in order to save live performance and to help the music industry through the Covid crisis. FAD sessions wants to live stream a fill 5 hour festival for some of Newy's best scene bands on the 28th of June. We have combined forces with support newy music, who have had amazing success with their Instagram live festival, And we intent to take the concept of a digital festival to the next level As we are a volunteer based program we would need a lot of hands on deck in order to facilitate such a large project. 10 bands over 5 hours, we intend to take on the task that no loc organization this side of Sydney has been able to take on board. Not only will it help these bands reach their audience in their time of need but it will encourage the community to come together in order to help the music industry through this emergency. We are only one small peice to the larger puzzle however, every part helps The bands will all get a copy of the footage so they can use that for their own promotions and future endeavors

Oakland, CA (Inactief) – The Queer Choir

2020-08-05T00:00:00Z

The Queer Choir (QC) is an ensemble of 20 queer and trans singers from diverse backgrounds with varied musical experiences and voice types. QC encompasses two main programs: QC rehearsals and performances, and Community Open Sing. We hold bi-weekly rehearsals and perform 2-3 times per season. Open Sing is a free, low-commitment monthly event that we host for the local queer and trans community. Through this event, we foster a creating, learning and healing space for the broader queer and trans community to come together through song. Our choir creates an accessible and welcoming space where we can musically challenge ourselves and other choir members, and share skills. Each member is asked to contribute to the operations of the choir by actively participating in leadership roles that are essential for the bi-weekly functioning of the choir. Roles range from section leaders, who serve as the liaison between musical directors and section members, to Open Sing coordinators, who facilitate community singing events. This collaborative approach establishes each of us as an essential part of the group. Additionally, this approach requires that we continue to practice accessibility and work toward developing anti-oppressive, anti-racist, collectively-run community work. Part of this work includes offering auditory learning options through recorded audio tracks. During our bi-weekly meetings, we use our time together to engage in many kinds of learning, from music theory to community harm reduction. One of our core commitments is to serve and sing with people of varied musical experiences, and this begins by creating an welcoming and inclusive environment for singers from varied backgrounds and identities.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactief) – Ameelio

2020-08-03T00:00:00Z

Nearly one in two Americans has a family member who has experienced incarceration. When a loved one is imprisoned, staying in touch is vital. Yet prison communication remains prohibitively expensive. The $1.2 billion prison telecommunications industry is one of the most under-reported bad actors in the criminal justice space. Private telecommunications companies exploit vulnerable families’ desire to remain connected while separated by incarceration. These providers profit primarily from low-income families: one in three families with incarcerated loved ones are forced into debt due to the costs of maintaining contact. We want to reconnect incarcerated people and their loved ones, for free. "Letters for Families" enables users to send free, physical mail to any correctional or detention facility in the United States. Users can search an incarcerated loved one’s mailing address, draft a message, attach a photo, and track their letter until the physical copy arrives safely. "Letters for Organizations" connects criminal justice and re-entry groups with incarcerated people who are nearing their release dates. Closing the revolving door of recidivism requires coordinated reentry support to help recently incarcerated people find employment, housing, healthcare, legal assistance, and more. This summer, we hope to launch "Connect": the nation’s first free video conferencing platform to serve correctional and detention facilities. We’re building a secure platform to connect incarcerated people with loved ones, lawyers, and remote telehealth, educational, and religious services – all for free. Our vision is to disrupt the prison telecommunications industry by outcompeting incumbents with services that prioritize users over profits. There is strong evidence that sustaining contact during incarceration improves post-release outcomes and reduces recidivism. We hope that in the long term, our services will significantly shrink prison populations.

Baltimore, MD – Hearing stars

2020-08-03T00:00:00Z

This fall/winter, composer collective Consonance is partnering with the Bergamot Quartet and the Baltimore-based Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) to compose and produce Hearing Stars, an album of five original 8–15min. music videos detailing the life cycle of stars. In light of the pandemic, we have shifted our production focus from live events in Baltimore this fall to producing high quality videos that will give us flexibility in allowing for virtual events. Inspired by the Hubble Space Telescope’s iconic photography, Hearing Stars was conceived as an interdisciplinary means of introducing people, primarily young audiences, to contemporary classical music and astronomy. Over the course of the album, viewers and listeners will be introduced to five distinctive stellar life stages: 1) protostar, 2) star system, 3) supernova, 4) black hole, and 5) dark matter. The project will simultaneously showcase the compositional work of the members of Consonance, the Bergamot Quartet’s musicianship, and STScI’s photography/visualizations. Our shared hope is that Hearing Stars will serve as a tool to ignite curiosity in a new generation of scientists and musicians alike. Each composer will partner with STScI researchers, who will serve as creative and scientific consultants throughout the process. In the fall, Consonance and the Bergamot Quartet will work with recording artists and videographers to produce high-quality audio-visual materials. The videos will be released online via social media channels and STScI’s Communications department, with the opportunity of presenting our music as part of STScI’s monthly lecture series and other community events. The audio album will also be made free for streaming on platforms such as Spotify and Bandcamp. Once the effects of COVID-19 have subsided, Bergamot and Consonance will take the album on tour, presenting free concerts in Baltimore schools, with visuals broadcast on projector screens.

Raleigh, NC (Inactief) – Gifting: Human Rights Stickers for All

2020-08-01T00:00:00Z

After going to a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Raleigh I loved seeing all of the signs but was also really inspired by the swag people were wearing...George Floyd shirts, I can't Breath masks, etc. It made me think that it would be great to see more of this messaging in everyday places, not just at a protest. So I went home and designed and ordered 100 stickers (using my own time and money) and gifted them to protesters in downtown Raleigh the next week. I was nervous to approach strangers. I was afraid they would reject or criticize my gift and had to remind myself that either of those are perfectly acceptable reactions. I reminded myself of the principle of gift giving (according to Burning Man): “The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value” I got to meet a lot of people and hear their stories as I offered them a sticker. It was a way to connect with strangers and also surprise people with kindness...a gift. Its a small but powerful gesture that tells a stranger they are special. The sticker itself is a material symbol thats communicates solidarity and compassion. I think it's good to post stuff on social media but we can also spread our message in the “real” world and subtly remind friends, family, and strangers that we support all human’s rights...with a sticker :-) A sticker on a laptop signals to people in the library or coffee shop that you’re on their side. A sticker on a front door or mailbox lets neighbors and delivery drivers know that you stand with them. A sticker on your car reminds passersby that they are not alone. My goal is simply to spread and share this message!

State College, PA – Cultural Diversity Community Mural

2020-08-01T00:00:00Z

The grant money would go towards painting a public mural in support of local Black Lives Matter efforts and cultural diversity. It would be a community event, with a local artist and members of the community coming and helping paint the mural. It would be a 2-3 day event depending on how many people come to help paint etc.... We are State High students very involved in activism. We both took part in organizing two major protests in State College recently for Black Lives Matter movement.

Libraries (Inactief) – We Here

2020-08-01T00:00:00Z

As stated in their mission, "_We Here_ seeks to provide a safe and supportive community for Black and Indigenous folks, and People of Color (BIPOC) in library and information science (LIS) professions and educational programs, and to recognize, discuss, and intervene in systemic social issues that have plagued these professions both historically and continue through present time." The recently launched _We Here Community School_ hosts events like multi-week courses and webinars, most of which are open to the public, in an effort to provide a learning community with opportunities for personal and professional development based in anti-racism pedagogy as well as recognizing and acknowledging systemic racism and oppression. As practitioners, learners, and people who contribute to the LIS profession, _We Here_ understands more is needed than a diversity course to embed racial justice and equity into our profession. What our grantee has to say: “What an honor! Thank you so much for wanting to support our work toward systemic change in LIS and creating a safe space for BIPOC in libraries and archives.” - Jennifer A. Ferretti, Founder

We Here Community School from We Here on Vimeo.

North Minneapolis, MN – Pet Resource Center

2020-08-01T00:00:00Z

The North Minneapolis Pet Resource Center is a pet food pantry providing free pet food and supplies to North Minneapolis residents. We provide dog and cat food, litter, leashes, collars, toys, and other supplies families might need for their pets. Families can request supplies once per month, no questions asked. We offer free delivery on Saturdays to zip codes 55411 and 55412. We also offer pickup on Tuesdays and Thursdays for anyone who can drive to the center, regardless of zip code. In recent months, we’ve also been distributing both pet and human supplies at pop-up distribution sites to help families in neighborhoods where grocery stores have been damaged.

San Antonio, TX – Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

2020-07-31T00:00:00Z

“Shakespeare in the Parking Lot” will offer up free family-friendly comedies by Wiliam Shakespeare that patrons can watch from the safety and comfort of their vehicles. Performers will also practice social distancing while wearing masks on stage to promote current best practices in health and safety. We are currently seeking permission from The Pearl to use the parking lot at Camden St under I35. To prevent overcrowding, patrons will reserve free tickets ahead of time. Patrons will watch the performance while tuning into their AM radios. A pre-recorded audio of the performance will be transmitted via AM radio while actors perform the physical aspects of the play on a raised stage located on the South-Southwest edge of the parking lot (near the Bexar Stage building).

Adelaide – With Love Formal Wear

2020-07-31T00:00:00Z

A daughter who lost her mother to suicide, and her kinship carer have launched a formal-wear charity for Adelaide teenagers in care who may miss out on Year 12 celebrations because of tight budgets. More than 1000 donated dresses, shoes, bags, jewellery, shirts, ties and suits have been amassed over the past five months by Public Servants Sarah Bisbal, her aunt Joss Adele and a group of dedicated committee members. The pre-loved formalwear will be offered at no cost to teenagers in care of foster parents and kinship carers as preparations begin for 2020 Year 7 Graduations and Year 12 Formals. This year the committee have also decided to support families in hardship due to the impact of Covid19. Sarah came into formal care of her aunt April 2009 and was completing Year 12 at the time of the family tragedy. She recalled her Year 12 formal as a significant turning point. “I remember it like yesterday- I was so happy” she said I felt beautiful and it felt so good to be a part of something. Sarah, from Norwood said the donated formal wear could change perspectives for teenagers in care encountering one of the hardest years of school high school. “It’s not just about looking pretty in nice clothes- it’s about feeling empowered loved and capable of anything,” she said. It’s about hope! ‘With Love’ formal wear is a non-profit charity organisation that dresses Young People in Care at no cost for Year 7 Graduations and Year 12 Formals. They are working closely with The Department of Child Protection, The Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People, Connecting Foster & Kindship Carers- SA and Grandparents for Grandchildren. The team are focused on the principle “It takes a village to raise a child’. All formal wear is being generously donated by community members. It’s a heart to heart donation.

Disability – Exploring the Impacts of Ableism during COVID-19

2020-07-31T00:00:00Z

For the past two months, myself and two other members, Connor Roach and Martín Lazarte of Cuéntame Zine, a storytelling platform that explores the impacts of ableism, have been documenting the ways in which ableism has influenced the media and the U.S. government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the media and the U.S. government have focused on reopening the economy without much consideration for populations they have deemed vulnerable such as the chronically ill, disabled, immunocompromised, and neurodivergent communities. Media outlets and lawmakers continue to push out their own narratives and rarely are members of these vulnerable communities invited to share information about their experiences. The Cuéntame team has been exploring ableism by interviewing and photographing a diverse group of individuals from the aforementioned communities. Over the past two months we have interviewed 70 individuals from the aforementioned communities. The interviews have documented (1) how participants are dealing with COVID-19, (2) participants’ thoughts on the media coverage and government policy proposals (e.g. reopening the economy and the stimulus package) and (3) how participants would like to see society respond to the pandemic. In addition to interviews, we have photographed 35 of the 70 interviewees in a socially distant manner (following CDC guidelines) in the South of the U.S. Over the next 60-days we will photograph the rest of the interviewees. The goal of this series is to amplify the diverse voices that make up the aforementioned communities and influence how ableism is understood. The photo-essays will be utilized for a virtual gallery for educators. The gallery will be accompanied by a curriculum that educators can use to provoke conversations with their students about the impacts of ableism during the pandemic. The series will also be shown in print format (i.e. books and galleries) as it is important for individuals of all ages to examine ableism in their own life and community. **What our grantee is saying:** "We are beyond honored to receive the Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter’s grant for July 2020! This grant will ensure that the stories of chronically ill, disabled, immunocompromised, and neurodiverse individuals are heard during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you so much!"

Boston, MA – Gentle Love Diaper Pantry

2020-07-31T00:00:00Z

With the current health crisis, the need for diapers has skyrocketed. Diapers are an essential item for any family with infants or toddlers, but unfortunately government programs like WIC and SNAP cannot be utilized to defray the cost for families. Hundreds of parents are unemployed, and cannot afford to purchase diapers, which easily accumulate into a significant expensive for families, costing upwards of eighty dollars per a month per a child. Retailers have also struggled to keep shelfs stocked with diapers because of disruption within the supply chain and influx in demand. Currently there is no diaper pantry within my community or really in the Greater Hartford Region as a whole. In attempt to solve this injustice, Gentle Love Diaper Pantry was formed. Gentle Love Diaper Pantry is a youth led initiative that distributes diapers and wipes along with other baby essentials through a network of local agencies, including MACC Food Pantry and the ECHN Family Development Center. The ECHN Family Development Center alone serves 120 families living in poverty through their early head start program and more than a 100 additional families through the FRCs at Waddell and Maple Street Elementary School. Each month, the pantry holds a contactless diaper drive to collect diapers and wipes. Since our launch in June we have collected over 30,000 diapers and 26,000 but certainly are destined to grow with your support.

Liverpool (Inactief) – Time For Bread (Classes)

2020-07-31T00:00:00Z

From September I want to run virtual bread classes for people who are at risk of social isolation and living in areas of Liverpool considered to be ‘in need’. These classes will increase access to tasty, nutritious bread made from quality ingredients by teaching the skills needed to produce it. Using Zoom, myself and 18 participants (3 x classes of 6 people) will start with a simple sourdough rye bread and talk about the benefits of home baking, wholegrain flours and traceable ingredients as well as anything else food and non-food related that anyone wants to talk about. Class participants will be identified and contacted in collaboration with Rotunda (https://www.therotunda.org.uk), who specialise in adult education, skills and training. We have identified two groups to work with. The first consists of young people with autism and ADHD. The second are adults aged 24 plus who were recently given digital technology to prevent digital isolation and to help them become more confident when working and communicating online. All class participants will be provided with the ingredients and any extra materials they need to take part. These will be delivered to participants homes the day before the workshop. Class participants will receive a small amount of sourdough starter that they will feed the evening before the class so that they can use it to make their bread. They will also receive an email outlining how the class will run, what it will entail, start and finish times etc. The evening before the workshop we will all meet for 10 minutes on zoom to ensure that participants are familiar with the technology and that there are minimal technical issues on the day of the workshop. Ordinarily these classes would take place in a kitchen, but there are many benefits to learning at home. I’ve taken lots of different types of bread classes and I believe that once you have figured out how to make bread at home you are more likely to continue doing it.

New York City, NY – Public Assistants

2020-07-30T00:00:00Z

AwesomeNYC is excited to support muralist DonChristian Jones and his Public Assistants project, a new community art space in Crown Heights, **launched in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic to serve as a space built by, and for, traditionally marginalized BIPOC creatives, artists, makers, and doers**. _Operating out of an inherited industrial lot, laundromat, and abandoned medical center, PA has become a hub of resistance and mutual aid here in Crown Heights. For twenty consecutive days, we as a hyper-local community of friends, family, and neighbors, have turned this vacant space into an oasis for peace, connectivity, and nourishment amidst daily protest._ _In twenty days, we have sowed and planted a community garden, installed and manage a community fridge, painted four murals, hosted community meals, and made resistance material (signage, banners, etc.) for nearly every major action/march since June 8th._ _Our infamous tape-produced banner font has since been turned into a free and public downloadable font by Genderfail Publishing. Our work has been featured in The New York Times, GQ, CNN, to name a few, and this is only the beginning._ _Each day, I am able to feed upwards of twenty people. The neighborhood parents send us their kids to help organize, brainstorm, and paint. We are skill-building, soft and hard skill sharing each day, all while maintaining adequate COVID-19 procedure._ In addition Public Assistants is launching the following programs: - P.A. Radio: The Wash - Bike Repair Workshop (starting week of July 20th - Three week Youth Mural Residency Program (starting July 29th) ‍- Black Women's Defense Training (August 1st) - Public Assistants Publishing will soon publish independent written works, zines, art books, etc. (date of first release TBD) Our grant will help Public Assistants continue to grow and thrive as a space and resource in their community.

Fleurieu – Indigenous Mural

2020-07-30T00:00:00Z

Our awesome project is a contemporary Indigenous mural to be displayed at the front of the Eastern Fleurieu 7-12 Campus. I lead the ATSI Education team, and we're a small but extremely passionate bunch, who care deeply about the lives, learning and culture of our Indigenous students. In 2019, no such team existed, and in less than six months, we’ve built something truly special from the ground up. We care deeply about our kids and take every opportunity to support them with strong advocacy to feel a sense of pride and safety in their culture. Safety is the key word. We want our students to feel cultural safety here at EFS. We want them to feel a sense of belonging and we want them to experience the same level of personal pride in themselves, that matches how proud we are of each and every one of them. We want to commemorate the journey we have started with an Indigenous mural to be painted along our frontage, that reflects the energy, love and vibrancy of ATSI students, and the team that supports them.

Portland, OR – Black Futures Farm

2020-07-28T00:00:00Z

Black Futures Farm is a community farm, staffed by volunteers and two resident farmers. We sit on 1.15 acres with 17 different fruit trees, vegetables, flowers, medicinal and cooking herbs. We are a group of Black identified/Diasporic and Continental African people working together, growing food and community. Our aim is to implement the best methods of growing food, taking the best of what we can from our ancestral practices while innovating. We also have a community garden on the site of BFF, where our members teach one another and lead skillshares. Later this season, we will produce and release a series of 8 videos featuring community members sharing their knowledge around food preservation, gardening, and making specialty dishes such as Fig cobbler and Carolina slaw pickles.

Singapore – Nature therapy for special needs kids

2020-07-28T00:00:00Z

Hi. I have been working with numerous special needs children (including my own) on emotional and social skills, using nature spaces. I have great feedback from parents who would like more support in this area and I am keen to pioneer a study into looking at the therapeutic effect of nature on children with special needs. Each program will last about 8-12 weeks and require parents to participate in ongoing surveys. The main cost would be manpower estimated at $1,600-$2,400 part funded by this Awesome Grant and my own monetary contribution (as we intend to launch the program to families with special needs at a significant subsidy).

Melbourne (Inactief) – Buy Bla(c)k

2020-07-28T00:00:00Z

Buy Bla(c)k is a business directory website profiling Black-owned businesses across Australia. In solidarity with the First Nations Australians, this business directory focuses on African-Australian and Indigenous businesses, products and services - filling a gap for these underrepresented and commercially overlooked for minority groups. It's an effort to encourage Black Australians and our allies to invest in Black Businesses and help build wealth and self-determination within our community. The aim is to bring these businesses to the forefront and make the easily accessible to all. HOW IT WORKS: The home page categorizes businesses by service or product in the top navigation menu. Once you have selected a category, you are taken to a landing page that lists black-owned businesses state by state, along with a short overview for the business, and a link to each site. The web design is sleek and simple, easy to use and I have written all of the descriptive copy myself. So far it's been a one woman project... but if I am to succeed, I'll be needing your support. I've attached screengrabs of the website so far, and have purchased the domain www.buy-black-owned.com with my own funds.

Washington, DC – Constellations Gift of Music Initiative

2020-07-28T00:00:00Z

Our "Gift of Music" initiative will provide custom-designed and specially curated monthly classical virtual concert programs of approximately 40-45 minutes of music free of charge to nursing, independent living, assisted living, and continuing care facilities in Washington, DC. Constellations Chamber Concerts launched the Gift of Music (GOM) initiative in June 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to help ease the pain of isolation experienced by DC-area seniors who are on strict lockdown with no visitors allowed because of their high-risk status with the coronavirus. The GOM initiative is meant to complement our Virtual Concert series that presents regular concerts online featuring world-class musicians in varied and exciting programs. Our Virtual Concerts have been ongoing since April 2020, creating enriching and interactive experiences for our virtual audience while providing compensation to performing artists whose livelihoods have largely been cut off by virus-related shutdowns. The GOM initiative amplifies the impact of our Virtual Concerts by using (with artist permission) the virtual performances with commentary from Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo as part of special monthly programs compiled by Constellations and distributed, free of charge, to DC-area facilities. We tailor the delivery format to each facility's request, offering DVD, digital download, or streaming options to make it as easy as possible to share the program with their residents during the virus lockdown. We currently have 21 facilities signed on to receive these monthly programs during the pandemic, but only one so far (Chevy Chase House) is within DC proper. With an Awesome grant, we want to reach out and provide this music to additional senior facilities in DC while continuing to create our concert programs. We have two so far, for June and July 2020, which you can view at these links: https://vimeo.com/426483906/4f9125c120 https://vimeo.com/435631691/f661678730

Washington, DC – #BikeMatchDC

2020-07-28T00:00:00Z

In Washington, DC, bicycles are essential transportation for many who need to get around during the coronavirus outbreak. This may include traveling to essential jobs, running crucial errands, or participating in mutual aid for vulnerable people who cannot leave their homes. BikeMatchDC is connecting people in DC who have an extra bicycle with people who need one. Whether you have a bike or need a bike, fill out the form below and we will match you. Guidelines 1. Only offer bikes that are in ready-to-ride condition. 2. If you are offering a bike, for sanitary purposes, clean the bike thoroughly before hand-off (handlebars, gear shifters, seat, etc) with soap and water or isopropyl alcohol. 3. Both people offering and receiving bikes will be expected to participate in an outdoor, no-contact exchange in a public place observing physical distancing guidelines. 4. If you have a fever or cough, or have been exposed to someone who has a fever or cough, please self-quarantine and refrain from participating. 5. For sanitary purposes, all bike exchanges are permanent. BikeMatchDC only has the bandwidth to make matches inside the Beltway. This includes Washington, D.C., Arlington and Alexandria, Va., and the inner suburbs of Montgomery and Prince Georges County, Md.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactief) – Art Yard Shenanigans

2020-07-27T00:00:00Z

Art Yard Shenanigans was born in April of 2020. My whole family had Covid-19 and could not go anywhere. While recovering I watched lots of news stories. One aspect of the hardships of 'Shelter In Place' was for families... parents trying to work from home and help their kids continue school work. I knew I could help by adjusting a dream I had for myself, into a dream that would help my neighbors. As soon as I regained some of my strength, I created a stone carving area in my front yard. I began carving stone in my front yard for the enjoyment and education of my neighbors and their kids. Using only hand tools for carving and manpower for lifting and moving stone, classes for the kids were developed. Each week I provide a different lesson for the kids and parents to participate in. Lifting heavy objects, calculating the weight of stone, art history, strategic planning, patience, moving heavy objects across long distances, and of course carving. It has been wonderful for all. But more amazing things than I could have imagined happened. Some folks shared that they go for their daily walk; even when they don't feel like it, just so they can see the progress of my work. NBC News did a story on what I am doing to encourage folks to be positive. Advocate Magazine has done a story and is writing another one. Neighbors who would never speak have opened up and will chat. A few artists saw what I am doing and we now have started an neighborhood artist group to encourage, network and support each other. The first sculpture was a heart titled Loving Kindness. I auctioned it off & 25% of the winning bid was donated to charity to provide an ambient tricycle to a mobility challenged teenager. 20% of the sale of my Art Yard Shenanigans Pop Up Show was donated to The Wounded Warrior Project. My current sculpture will be auctioned as well with another donation going to the charity of the winning bidder's choice. Teaching kids, entertaining folks, bringing joy, and making donations!

Alaska (Inactief) – Student Atmosphere Committee

2020-07-27T00:00:00Z

Last year our school had 3 students attempt suicide. Thankfully, none were successful. To confront this issue, we created a Peer Helpers Group. (Students trained to assist peers in crisis). However, our Peer Helpers group went rogue. They rejected the staff’s vision of their group. Instead, they wanted a more holistic approach, an approach focused on prevention. The students believed they could have a greater impact by improving the school’s overall climate and atmosphere. With this in mind, they changed the name of their group to The Student Atmosphere Committee. The name needs work, but I love their mission statement: "To improve the school: academically, socially and aesthetically." One of the first things the students did was schedule a meeting with the teachers. At the meeting, they laid out some hard facts, facts about how we were teaching, facts the staff found hard to swallow. Although nervous, the students handled this meeting with aplomb--firm, polite and clear. In time, the staff came to accept much of this criticism. We plan to continue this conversation by meeting with the committee once a month during the next school year. The academic portion of the mission statement the students have covered--at least for this year. Their ideas to improve the school socially and aesthetically, however, need money. Socially, the first thing the students want to do is welcome new students with a bag containing local resource information pertinent to teens and small gifts: a pass to our pool, tickets to the movie theater, a school t-shirt, etc. Aesthetically, they want artwork--not cheap school posters, but real art--to brighten the dingy tan walls of our hallways. To raise money, they’ve planned a “Breakfast Store,” selling packaged breakfast foods before school starts. They are also writing a grant. My goal is to make this group a permanent fixture in our school.

Homelessness (Inactief) – Veterans and Students Village

2020-07-27T00:00:00Z

Come join us on an amazing journey of building mini-homes and villages for those that need a hand up. For those that don’t know who we are, the Montana Co-op and the Kids Co-op are two non-profit organizations working together on the same missions and principles. These principles include cooperation, collaboration, encouraging others, protecting our environment, supporting all with basic needs (food, shelter), and love for one another. Together, we’re starting to work on the second Montana Co-op Food HUB location on the Flathead reservation. This next Food HUB location in Pablo, MT will also include housing. Housing will be for the students and workers living on this 48 acres with everyone benefitting from home ownership (mobile tiny-home) and business ownership (in a worker owned co-op model).The Pablo HUB has many similarities to the Polson Montana Co-op Food HUB project that started with fixing up the building, then set up a community focused youth center, and tied into local food production and marketing. Many of the same people that helped in fixing up the Polson building are still around to help with the Pablo property (Polson’s neighboring town). The first step of coming together on this project starts with gaining financial and labor support from like minded people. These funds will pay for supplies and equipment so our volunteers work can be accomplished faster and more efficiently. We’re starting a cooperation of many people and organizations that believe we can make a difference in this world. The Montana Co-op Pablo Food HUB project has been in the planning phase for 5 years. The old mill site of 175 acres was subdivided into 5 lots. The Montana Co-op and Kids Co-op have a lease agreement with an option to purchase.

Yerevan – <<Երաժշտական նստարաններ>>

2020-07-23T00:00:00Z

Յուրաքանչյուր քաղաք գեղեցկացնում են նրանում ապրող դետալները, սկսած շենքերից մինչև նստարանները, որոնք յուրօրինակ շունչ և կոլորիտ են հաղորդում քաղաքին: Նստարանները շատ բան կարող են պատմել քաղաքի մասին, որովհետև քաղաքի տարբեր անկյուններում ծվարած իրենց գիրկն են առնում սիրահարների, ծերերի ու երեխաների, երազում են նրանց հետ ու կիսում ամենախենթ պատմությունները: Մենք նախատեսել ենք Վարդենիսի Մհեր Մկրտչյանի անվան մշակույթի պալատի և Վարդենիսի թիվ 1 մանկական երաժշտական դպրոցի դիմաց տեղադրել մեկական նստարաններ, որոնք կունենան երաժշտական գործիքների մոտիվներով լուծումներ, ինչպես նաև մեկական աղբամաններ: Մեր պատկերացումներում երաժշտական նստարանները կարող են լինել մեր փոքրիկ քաղաքացու ուղեցույցը, կամ մեր ծեր երաժշտին հիշեցնել խենթ օրերի մեղեդին: Ծաղկող քաղաքում նման լուծումները երիտասարդների մեջ կձևավորեն մշակութային ոգի, նրանց աչքերում կդաջեն մշակութային քաղաքի այդքան կարևոր դիմագիծը, ինչի պակասն այսօր ունի մատաղ սերունդը:

Rockport, MA – Addressing Food Insecurity in Rockport

2020-07-22T00:00:00Z

In partnership with Rockport Exchange and We're All in This Together, Awesome Rockport will work to create a sustainable food collection and distribution system designed to end food insecurity in our community. The project will leverage We're All in This Together's existing collection and distribution of non-perishable foods to families and individuals in need. Further, the project will also create a system, drawing on Rockport Exchange's farmer's market and network, for intercepting surplus fruits and vegetables grown by local farmers and backyard growers, and integrating this produce into We're in This Together's system. And perishable foods unfit for human consumption will be given to owners of food insecure animals in the local area.

Ottawa – Community Supported Gratitude

2020-07-21T00:00:00Z

July’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Heather Dewar, Rachel Boere, and Mary Paquet, to support weekly giveaways of products from local businesses in recognition of everyday people. “We are three community builders, storytellers, and locally minded women who, in looking for meaning and a way to give back, developed Community Supported Gratitude,” explains Heather. “A couple of Zoom-storming sessions yielded this initiative – which is by community, for community.” “Every week,” she continues, “we purchase gifts worth about $100 from local businesses. Then, community members do the nominating. Folks are invited to nominate someone who is working hard right now, someone they're grateful for, or someone who could just use a pick-me-up. Our team reviews these nominations and delivers the gift package to someone new each Friday, sharing the story about the recipient on social media. The goal is simple – to connect our community on a personal level and to support local businesses.” “We recognize that the current situation is both difficult for people personally and economically challenging for local businesses,” Heather explains. “Our aim is to brighten the day of the recipients and support local businesses through direct purchases and the associated promotion. And soliciting nominations from the community gives people a chance to recognize and celebrate each other.” Community Supported Gratitude, which is operating in partnership with Together Apart, has so far given out 11 gift packages. These have included items from 36 local businesses. Recipients have ranged from a nurse at the Safe Injection Site at the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, to the team at the Elgin St. Dollarama, to a neighbour who has been supporting her local community with freshly baked treats and more. To learn more about past recipients and gift packages, follow Together Apart on Instagram or Facebook. To nominate someone, visit together-apart.ca. Heather, Rachel, and Mary are three friends who met while working at a local non-profit. One is still working there, and the other two are now freelancers and consultants.

Chicago, IL – Rogers Park Community Response Team (RPCRT)

2020-07-21T00:00:00Z

We are a collective of hundreds of volunteers, community organizations, and our local Alderwoman and her team, working to provide for our neighbors. We started in response to the coronavirus. We have a hotline, hundreds of volunteers, and a large number of ways that we disburse resources to our neighbors. Initially, we were doing grocery shopping for people who were high risk for the virus. Callers would reimburse shoppers. Over time, more people needed food to be donated. We have since converted to a twice-weekly grocery delivery of standardized boxes of food. We also have "depots" throughout the neighborhood for people who call the hotline needing items but are unable to afford them. We order in bulk and then our delivery people can simply go to our different depots hosted by different neighbors for no-contact pick up. This eliminated the need for volunteers to go into stores. We offer everything from toilet paper and cleaning supplies to anything families might need for babies and children. Our other programs include working to redistribute resources to families who need them. We have a Community Cash program where people can call the hotline to receive $50 for whatever purpose they need it for. We also have a program called Hardship Cash where we partner with organizations in the community who select different clients each week to receive $500. Our goal is to hand out $5,000 each week. We are trying to eliminate as many barriers as possible for people to access this money. We encourage organizations to focus on people who may not have access to other resources offered by the government or others. So the people chosen tend to be the most marginalized in our community and with the greatest need. We place no stipulations on how they will spend this money because we believe they know best what they need.

Chicago, IL – Jumping Juniors Double Dutch

2020-07-21T00:00:00Z

My name is Paulette Jones and I belong to a group call 40 + Double Dutch Group. We are a group of women over 40 that under the direction of Pamela Robinson wanted an exciting, affordable way to tone and burn calories while interacting with other women, reliving positive childhood memories and creating new ones! Jump rope has been around forever and people of all ages are fascinated with it. However, there are no jump rope programs or individuals teaching the youth this wonderful sport; especially to high risk and/or improvised youth. This camp will service 20 children on the south side of Chicago, specifically in areas where discretionary income is nonexistent or next to it. When this type of income is nonexistent, so are extra curricular activities. This grant would allow 20 kids to attend this outdoor camp without imposing a financial contribution from their parent(s). Jumping Juniors will leave this camp with increased communication skills, increased teamwork skills, new relationships developed, a sense of community all while learning a new sport and having fun. Jumping Juniors will have plenty of fun during this six week camp. The sessions will be held outdoors on the playground of Euclid Park located at 9800 S. Parnell in Chicago. Jumping Juniors will meet for six consecutive sessions starting on Saturday, July 18th and ending on Saturday, August 22nd. On the last session, kids will be allowed to invite family and friends to show them their newly acquired/increased skill.

Sydney – Keeping Rough Sleepers Warm

2020-07-20T00:00:00Z

My name is Jackie Warn and I'm a director of a charity called One Meal it Makes a Difference. We provide food services to over 9 different locations (and growing) across Sydney with the one I am mainly involved with being held each Saturday night at Green Park in Darlinghurst starting at 7 pm then the first Sunday of the month starting at 6pm. I would like to apply for the $1000 "Awesome" grant which if successful would greatly benefit our homeless and marginalized within the Darlinghurst, Surry Hills and Kings Cross area. The money would be spent on 2 things. Hooded Sleeping Bags to help keep the rough sleepers warm. Over the last few weeks, I've noticed at service that it's getting bitterly cold in the park and having sleeping bags to offer the rough sleepers would be a massive help to them. We also have a lovely gentleman (patron) who lives in public housing who would benefit from having a microwave, an extra he is unable to afford. This would be really beneficial to him as he would be able to take any extra meals we have available (we often get donations of frozen meals to give to our patrons that have accommodation so they have access to free and nutritious food during the week) saving him money on his grocery bill. At the moment he only has a very small cooktop so he is unable to heat any extras we can give him. As with all charities, our expenditure has been enormous these last few months due to COVID19 and all the problems this has caused. We have had to purchase extra food and water to feed the patrons over all of our services as the volunteer numbers have dropped significantly, which means the food donations drop as well, as well as take away containers, hand sanitizer, extra gloves etc. It's been a difficult few months, but we have never stopped our services, something we are proud of when many other charities services have been suspended. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my application.

Artsakh (Inactief) – Փողոցային բացօթյա գրադարան

2020-07-19T00:00:00Z

Ֆինանսավորումը տրվել է միանգամից չորս հեղինակի, ովքեր սկզբում ներկայացրել էին առանձին հայտեր նույն թեմայով, սակայն, ի վերջո, համաձայնել են հանդես գալ մեկ համատեղ նախագծով: ՆԱԽԱԳԾԻ ՆԿԱՐԱԳՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆԸ. Նախագծի նպատակը Ստեփանակերտ քաղաքում փողոցային գրադարանի ստեղծումն է, որպեսզի մարդիկ ամառային օրերին կարողանան նաև այգում ընթերցանությամբ զբաղվել։ Համավարակի օրերին բոլորս օնլայն տիրույթում ենք,որի պատճառով հաճախ ձանձրանում ենք, կամ ինքնազգացողությունն է վատանում և դրա համար ուզում ենք այնպիսի բան, որը դուրս կլինի օնլայն տիրույթից։ Քանի որ կան մարդիկ, ովքեր իրենց ժամանակը անցկացնում են դրսում, փողոցային գրադարանը կլինի Պյատաչոկ այգու մոտակայքում, և մարդիկ գիրք վերցնելով կարող են այգում, նստած խոտերին ուղղակի վայելել գիրքն ու մաքուր օդը։ Հնարավոր կլինի նաև գիրք թողել կամ նվիրել, գիրք փոխանակել, իսկ ամեն տարի գրքի օրվան նվիրված այս տեղը կարելի է վերածել իսկական տոնի։ Շատ երկրներում տարածված է այս փողոցային գրադարանի գաղափարը, ռիսկերի մասին կարելի է մտածել փորձել այն մինիլամի հասցնել, բայց պետք է նաև փորձել և հենց այս մշակույթը նաև այստեղ` մեր մեջ տարածել, գրքի հանդեպ հարգանք տածելու, խնամքով վերաբերվելու։ Կազմակերպելու ենք նաև գրքահավաքներ, կան մարդիկ արդեն, ովքեր պատրաստ են գրքեր նվիրել, կարծում եմ այս հատվածում այն նորարարություն կլինի,գուցե այսպես հիշեցնենք գրքի կարևորության ու երբեք չհնացող փաստի մասին։

Birmingham (Inactief) – Gilgal Birmingham Domestic Violence Refuge

2020-07-17T00:00:00Z

Gilgal has been supporting women and children in Birmingham for 26 years. They are a refuge begun by two churches who saw the need for this kind of support. When a woman is faced with abuse of various kinds, it takes a great deal of bravery to walk away. Gilgal determined from the outset that they would have support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Despite financial constraints they have managed to maintain these supports. Finances are always an issue and this has become increasingly so in recent years. Since the Council halved their Supporting people Grant in December 2019, they have been scrambling to cover our core costs. ____ We wanted to support Gilgal Birmingham to help women rebuild their lives and get on their feet again. Our donation will help Gilgal with their refuge running costs, allowing them to continue helping so many people in our community. We’re proud to support such an amazing charity at such a difficult time.

Miami, FL – Better Bus Stops Campaign

2020-07-16T00:00:00Z

The Better Bus Stops Campaign started as a way to document the conditions of bus stops across Miami-Dade County. We're proud to have worked on providing the platform for users to report bus stops that they see on their commute. Our project includes our social media campaign to raise awareness for the lack of bus stop accommodations in our county, as well as the web database that helps visualize the need for better bus benches in our county.

Lake Mac – 80's Skaties

2020-07-15T00:00:00Z

I created a Facebook group called 80's Skaties. My friend and I loved skating when we were young and started back up again. We wanted to meet with other people interested in skating on a Friday night where we could have free family fun. The polished concrete runway next to the big park at Speers Point is the perfect spot. Its open to all wheels - scooters, skateboards etc and is wheelchair friendly. We listen to 80 s music on a music box and skate from between 7pm and 9.30 pm every Friday night. Some of us have light up wheels so its fun for the children as well. We started with 2 members and now have over 900.

Cass Clay – GiGi's at Home

2020-07-15T00:00:00Z

On March 13, 2020 all in-house programming was suspended impacting over 135 families. Families depend on programs to facilitate the development of the learner with Down syndrome. Programs focus on fine and gross motor activities, language development, reading and math skills, and fitness. On March 26, 2020 GiGi’s at Home, virtual programming, launched. Virtual programming allows families to safely engage in programs at home through GoToMeeting, however, program materials and supplies are limited to what families have access to at home. Many of our families are medically high-risk with GiGi’s providing a place of support and resources during trying times. However, the transitional supports we have provided are no longer safely accessible. We are rapidly responding to our families ensuring they receive the supports needed with limited access to resources. With virtual programming extending into summer, it is crucial to provide families with tangible resources for successful program participation.

Cass Clay – An Adventure Lab for Fargo-Moorhead

2020-07-15T00:00:00Z

Last fall, I launched the first official GeoTour in the state of Minnesota and North Dakota. A GeoTour is a series of geocaches designed to give people a tour of an area. The Fargo-Moorhead GeoTour features 24 unique caches, all placed at interesting destinations in our community. Many of the caches feature custom art by local artists. It may sound strange to a non-geocacher (muggle), but geocachers plan vacations around geocaching, and GeoTours are a big draw. Since September, we’ve had hundreds of people complete the tour from all across the world! According to the staff at the Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center, it’s been one of their most successful programs to-date. In this new reality, many individuals and families have started geocaching as a way to spend time outdoors while adhering to social distancing guidelines. With the influx in new geocachers, I’m spending more time and money on maintaining geocaches and answering questions. It's a labor of love, but I see it as my way to give back to the community I am proud to call home. My goal is to make Fargo-Moorhead the “geocaching capital of the Midwest” and I’m writing to request funding for an Adventure Lab. With social distancing slated to continue for the foreseeable future, I’m anticipating a busy summer of people visiting the area to geocache. Unlike traditional geocaching, Adventures do not require a physical container and can be located indoors. The possibilities for an Adventure Lab (or multiple!) are truly endless. A few of my ideas include a tour of public art, campuses, historic buildings, and parks. My experience as a geocacher, as well as an active and engaged community member gives me the perfect combination of skills and connections to make this project a success. What I have in passion, I lack in funding, which is why I’m applying to Awesome Foundation. I appreciate the consideration and will happily address any additional questions or concerns the committee might have regarding this project

Rotterdam – The 1st Queer & Feminist Poetry Awards Rotterdam

2020-07-15T00:00:00Z

Reaction after winning: "We feel so grateful to have won the Pitch Night #22 and for the support from the Awesome Foundation to make the 1st Queer and Feminist Poetry Awards by @unwantedwordsproject a reality. This money will be used to cover the costs to make custom-made trophies for the winners as well as marketing expenses to promote the event. After tonight, we will also include a new category for the awards, the Awesome Performer Award powered by Awesome Foundation Rotterdam." The 1st Queer & Feminist Poetry Awards are a moment to recognize the talent and excellence in our community in Rotterdam. The Awards are a non-for-profit celebration of the best and most outstanding poets and spoken word artists whose works talk about topics of queerness and feminism from a diverse and intersectional perspective, with a special emphasis on BPOC (black and people of color) artists. We believe that intersectionality is the way to bring our city together. This year has been marked by the feminist protests in Latin America, the Black Lives Matter uprising in the US and the rest of the world and historic breakthroughs in the LGBTQ+ human rights movement. And even though these movements may seem isolated, they bring multiple realities and dimensions of identity that need to be celebrated together. We host a series of Queer Poetry Nights that aim to be a safe(r) space for the LGBTQ+ community in Rotterdam. Every event has a door policy and house rules based on consent, privacy and respect in order to offer a platform for people to share their art and stories about gender, race and mental health. To mark a special moment in the growth and strengthening of our community, we want to make the first Poetry Awards that highlights these voices and stories that are often unseen, unheard or unwanted.

Philadelphia, PA – MURALJAWNS: Murals for Black Lives Matter

2020-07-14T00:00:00Z

Our project is to create public artwork in the community by connecting storefront businesses with black, Philly-based artists in an effort to transform boarded up storefronts, windows and walls into murals that celebrate black lives.The protests and actions throughout the country, but particularly in Philadelphia, over the past month were the start of a long overdue, city-wide recognition that Black lives matter. MuralJawns wants to ensure that the calls that filled our streets continue to reverberate in our communities by working with artists and businesses in solidarity. Local artists are working with MuralJawns to create a portfolio of potential murals for business owners to choose. On the day of mural installation, MuralJawns coordinates communication between the artist, the business, as well as a community of volunteers that contribute to the artpiece. Volunteers will help to paint, sketch, and support the project by offering their own time and expertise. The permanent and temporary murals we create will support communities as they continue to have long-term dialogues on what actions they need to take to show that Black lives matter.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactief) – Restoration of Garden of the Groves post Hurricane

2020-07-13T00:00:00Z

Last September, Hurricane Dorian destroyed our pumps that produce continuous water flow at the tropical Garden of the Groves and its beautiful waterfalls! The ponds, lush vegetation and water features are home to 130 +. migratory and Bahamian speciality birds throughout the year! The site represents a "hotspot" where birds are observed and recorded for the ornithological database at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y! Due to Covid and lack of cruise ship and tourist arrivals, Garden of the Groves has been shut down and lack of income has prevented us from purchasing and installing new pumps to re-create essential water flow!

Vegan (Inactief) – GoVegan Guatemala

2020-07-12T00:00:00Z

GoVegan Guatemala will empower 30 indigenous Mayan student activists from three communities in Guatemala to educate their communities on veganism during the current crisis and beyond, as well as deliver emergency food parcels to the most vulnerable families who would otherwise go hungry during the current lockdown. The MVP model is based on an introductory workshop plus additional online training. This program will help student activists participate as humane educators and builders of health in their communities.

Orlando, FL – Olly Olly Oxen Free

2020-07-10T00:00:00Z

Olly Olly Oxen Free” is a catchphrase used in children’s games to indicate that players who are hiding can come out into the open without losing the game, that the position of the sides in a game has changed, or, alternatively, that the game is entirely over. The newest series by Sumner Mormeneo explores this playful yet dark concept of truth through body language. The surreal imagery throughout Sumner’s work reinforces the psychology of the conscious and subconscious; Mormeneo’s new works delves into what one intends to convey in contrast to what is actually perceived. We will be hosting the opening of Sumner Mermeno's exhibition at CityArt's first floor Gallery space on August 20th. This will be unlike any exhibition ever done in the City. Sumner is best know for his performance work titled "The Infinite Conversation" this is a surreal Chaplin-esque performance piece that combines pantomime, projection mapping, and larger than life moving props. The story centers around "The Mover" as he begins unpacking in a new space. As objects begin to animate and play with his head, he finds himself falling deeper into the world of his subconscious. Throughout the last year Sumner has dedicated himself to his visual arts. On the evening of the opening, Sumner will transform into his character "The Mover" and put on two performances which involve describing his artwork though his silent performance. We will also be hosting a closing preformance on Thursday, September

San Jose, CA – Students for Hospitals

2020-07-09T00:00:00Z

With the sudden explosion of Covid-19 cases across the U.S., hospitals quickly fell short of necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). As a result, healthcare workers had no choice but to resort to reusing old face shields and face masks, attempting to wipe down the equipment to prevent cross-contamination, or even committing to work without any PPE at hand. Such methods put our healthcare workers in danger, as the doctors and nurses have direct contact with the virus without the proper protection to mitigate contamination. To combat the shortage of PPE in our local hospitals and clinics, Students for Hospitals—a team of Bay Area high school students—designed a protective face shield to support our healthcare workers. Face shields, which should remain strictly single-use to prevent contamination, often cost around five dollars each, and are also in low supply. Wanting to address this issue, we aspire to provide healthcare workers access to protective equipment as they diagnose and treat patients. Moreover, in addition to our overarching goal to provide face shields to healthcare workers and help ensure their protection against Covid-19, members of Students for Hospitals have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in areas such as collaboration, leadership, and communication under the various branches of our team. Essentially, by participating in the organization, high school students gain real-world experience by applying practical skills to aid our community. As of June, we have raised over 2,000 dollars and donated over 2,000 face shields to hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes across San Jose, and we aim to produce 300 more face shields in the coming week.

Ann Arbor, MI – Summer Books for Students

2020-07-08T00:00:00Z

Summer Books for Students will provide free books for students to keep. It has been so sad to be out of my classroom and not to be able to 'talk books' with my students. It's been even more sad that so many books are sitting there, not in a kid's hands. With libraries and community centers closed, I’m sure many students in need do not have books available that they haven’t read. I would like the opportunity to get books to students for summer reading. With money from you I will get as many books into the hands of students in the community as possible. I hope to visit the food distribution sites provided by the Ann Arbor Public Schools and have piles of books ready for kids to take home for summer.

San Francisco, CA – Climate Resilient Schools

2020-07-08T00:00:00Z

Since fall of 2019, Mycelium Youth Network has been working with the San Francisco Unified School District to support a Climate Resilient classrooms pilot program out of SFUSD. In Fall 2020, this vision will become a reality at Mission High School in San Francisco. Mission High School will serve as a pilot program and resilient hub for the surrounding community, with youth positioned as emergent community leaders that are actively responding to the challenges their neighborhoods face and will continue to experience during climate change. . Over the course of the year, Mycelium will work with and alongside Mission High students to: 1) prioritize areas of concern related to climate change; 2) develop practical solutions that will be embedded in a tailored curriculum for high school students and 3) guide youth in building out those solutions at their school. For example, if water scarcity is an issue, youth will assess their neighborhood’s likelihood for drought, and then build out full-scale water catchment and purification systems aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This project will create a fully functioning pilot resilience curriculum that can be then used and contextualized by educators at our school sites as well as within our broader network to support our youth and our larger bay area community to become more climate resilient.

Oakland, CA (Inactief) – Covid-Affected Period Poverty Initiative Team

2020-07-08T00:00:00Z

Our team addresses the issue of period poverty during the coronavirus pandemic. We plan to tackle this issue by distributing menstrual care packages to shelters in and nearby Oakland. For instance, we have already partnered with and plan to donate care packages throughout the future to the shelters SAVE and House of Grace. While doing so, we’ll comply with all general safety regulations whilst alleviating the detrimental effects of period poverty for the greatest number of those at-risk. Materials bought to make care packages using this grant will be shipped separately to each volunteer’s house to ensure social distancing. Care packages will include an array of menstrual products that sustain individuals through several menstrual cycles. Partnering up with our community members, we want to also create personalized messages for these menstruators and include these messages in our care packages. Currently, we have 10 dedicated members and plan to expand as we gain recognition. Volunteers will be tasked with securing monetary and physical donations of menstrual products and putting together our menstrual care packages. Physical donations would be left untouched for 72+ hours to ensure the safety of our volunteers. When donating our care packages to shelters, volunteers will donate their packages at separate times to ensure there are no mass gatherings. We envision supporting 200+ women with menstrual products and other basic necessities through the coronavirus pandemic. Even after restrictions are lifted, we hope to expand our project by creating care package workshops and allowing people to make care packages directly in these workshops, so that care packages are not only donated to shelters after restrictions lift but also to more menstruators directly by putting care packages at designated pickup points such as schools, centers, etc. This all goes towards our mission to protect our community's health and safety, starting with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

Marin, CA (Inactief) – Trips for Kids Marin & Earn-a-Bike STEM Workshops

2020-07-07T00:00:00Z

Trips for Kids Marin (TFKM) is the nation’s oldest youth development cycling organization. It is the original founding chapter of the National Trips For Kids organization and was the model for 50 chapters established across the U.S. Since 1988, we have enriched the lives of over 40,000 young people across the SF Bay Area using a simple yet powerful tool – the bicycle. For over 26 years, TFKM’s Earn-a-Bike (EAB) program has been equipping kids with STEM principles, team building exercises, life skills and bike ownership at our training facility in San Rafael, CA. The regular weekly after-school schedule serves 120 students annually. Our EAB lessons directly connect underserved youth with STEM principles of one of the world’s oldest and greatest inventions, the bicycle, and use the bicycle as a platform for students to study math, geometry, physics, history, the environment, life skills and more. Kids learn hands-on bicycle repair and mechanic skills including: learning the parts of a bike, fixing flats and gauging tire pressure, adjusting brakes, installing petals, handlebars, seats, and building a bicycle. At the end of the program students are able to earn their own bike. Now that they have a bike, many EAB beginner class graduates want to continue learning and sign up for our intermediate EAB classes. A grant of $1,000 from the Awesome Foundation will help us continue adapting our beginner EAB curriculum for virtual learning and online classes with our youth previously enrolled in our program prior to the COVID-19 crisis. While COVID-19 is a challenge unlike any other, our team is continuing to engage our youth by providing EAB virtual programming that extends into their home environments. As our EAB workshops came to a halt in March due to the shelter in place orders, many of our students expressed that they wanted to complete the spring session and earn their bicycle, and advance to the intermediate sessions in the Summer/Fall.

Gloucester, MA – SOS: Support Our Students

2020-07-07T00:00:00Z

During this unprecedented time of abrupt school closures due to CoVid-19 we have been witness to student and family struggles which have propelled us to act, help and try to support our students. The stories are many: :a Gloucester High student's sole guardian spent 6 weeks in the hospital with the virus leaving her home alone at 18 to care for herself. Others were made the sole breadwinners overnight, responsible for paying family rent and bills, while some sadly lost a parent or grandparent to this terrible illness. The stories are endless but the one we would like to tell is that of the school faculty stepping up and raising thousands of dollars to help pay student rent, bills, offer gift cards and deliver essential needs such as food, health items and cleaning supplies. In addition to the unwavering support of the teachers, these efforts were also made possible from the partnership with the Facebook Group, "We're All This Together". The needs have unfortunately not waned and we continue to try to meet the unmet needs of our students. We feel we can not continue to rely on the generosity of our staff and hope that these acts of support can be supplemented by this funding opportunity.

Gloucester, MA – Gerald Taves Fund

2020-07-07T00:00:00Z

I would like to develop a fund that would pay cremation services and run an obituary notice in the paper for anyone who passes who was experiencing homelessness or had been housed due to homelessness, in our community. So many of the folks that i have met along the way pass and the family that is left are scrambling to borrow the money needed to claim their loved one's remains. Unfortunately it is expensive to even run an obituary in the paper and most of the folks who are truly indigent are left to the state without so much is a notice in the paper that they are no longer with us. I want to remove some of that worry for them during an already heartbreaking time. I just want to make it possible to get loved ones home to their families after they pass away. Last December I started a memorial service for those who had died while homeless, housed from homelessness and those who never made it indoors. When I made that list of names there were 79 that just a few of us remembered losing, that number has risen quite a bit since Dec.2019. Nobody should go unclaimed by their community.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactief) – Dee’s Tots Daycare

2020-07-06T00:00:00Z

The microgrant will significantly offset the increased cost of supplies and food for the children we serve. Most of our parents are the essential workers who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. They work nights, have multiple jobs, are healthcare aides, and emergency workers whose work responsibilities have significantly increased over the past three months or who have lost income themselves. With school closures, we made a commitment to remain open and provide our kids with the much needed sense of safety and security for them and their parents and guardians in these turbulent times.

Newburgh, NY – Newburgh Ideas Competition: Design For Play

2020-07-06T00:00:00Z

The Design For Six Feet -- a collaborative of architects and urban designers working to help cities safely reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic -- is launching a design competition for Newburgh. How can we transform the streets of Newburgh so that children - young and old - can safely play, learn, socialize and have fun this summer, and beyond? Thisdesign competition seeks to find the most innovative and creative ideas to activate Newburgh’s streets. In Newburgh, 3% of the land is used for parks and recreation, but the street network is the largest public space in the city. To capitalize on this, the City of Newburgh is making streets available for play streets, slow streets, and open streets beginning June 23, 2020. With most indoor activities still off limits, and many summer camps cancelled, how can we transform the streets so that Newburgh’s youth (39% of the population is under the age of 20) and adults can safely play, learn, socialize and have fun together apart? What public infrastructure, play equipment or activities are needed to activate play streets and bring ‘play’ safely outdoors? Given that many indoor recreational activities and sports will continue to be prohibited for some time, potentially well into the school year, are there ideas that might be multi-seasonal? What games and activities promote health, play and learning for all ages? Anyone can apply! The application will be posted on www.designforsixfeet.org (website to be launched before July 17th). Up to five winning entries will be chosen and awarded a design stipend of $1,000 to develop their ideas further for implementation in Newburgh. We will publish many more ideas on our @designforsixfeet Instagram page and share them broadly to help cities across the U.S. and the globe in their efforts to safely reopen. This is a collaboration between City of Newburgh Planning & Development, Columbia University’s Hudson Valley Initiative, Dept of Small Interventions and the Awesome Newburgh Foundation and it’s dedicated trustees.