Awesome Foundation - Projects

Ann Arbor, MI – Ypsi High Superhero Program

2016-12-12T00:00:00Z

The Ypsi High Superhero Program is a high school youth initiative located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, that utilizes superheroes to improve character through creative storytelling and fictional character development. Superheroes are colorful representations of our dreams, hopes, and life experiences. The journeys they endure are often inherently reflective of our own lives. Rather it's overcoming their fears to defeat a formidable enemy, or accepting the responsibility that comes with great power; superheroes, at their core, are human. This program uses these principles and converts them into life lessons for youth. These lessons will help build character and improve confidence while providing students with a platform to creatively tell their own superhero stories, where they are the heroes.

Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) – Legal Name and Gender Marker Change Clinic

2016-12-12T00:00:00Z

After the election, Gender Justice League, a trans activist organization located in Seattle, WA, asked the trans and gender-diverse community what they felt they needed immediately to help them stay safe during what promises to be a degressive presidential administration. Overwhelmingly we heard that having up-to-date identification documentation (DL, birth certificate, passport, social security, legal name change, green-card, etc) was high on their list. We then immediately began the process of organizing a clinic that would provide the access to legal and medical professionals that are necessary to this process. And because the community as a whole lacks financial wealth, we knew that we needed to also come up with funds that would pay for all the necessary state and federal filing fees. Here in King County, WA to change the name and gender marker on every piece of identification information costs almost $500. Having up to date and accurate identification documentation helps to protect trans and gender-diverse folx from housing, employment, and travel discrimination, and more than 80% of the trans and gender-diverse population lack it. When one's previous gender marker and name does not match the identity of the individual, it creates opportunity to discriminate against them, as well as reminding them of an identity they never truly felt comfortable in. We want to do what we can for our community. We want to provide access for every individual to have the reassurance that their true and authentic identity is recognized by the State, that their ability to travel, and to find employment and housing isn't impeded by not being able to afford to update their gender markers and name on all documentation.

Yerevan – Սառցամագլցման բուրգեր

2016-12-09T00:00:00Z

Ջերմուկ քաղաքում մի խումբ խենթեր, այդ թվում և ես, 2012թ,-ից որոշեցինք նպաստել ձմեռային տուրիզմի զարգացմանը և ինչպես Չինաստանում, Ռուսաստանում, Կանադայում և այլուր, սեփական միջոցներով կազմակերպեցինք «Ձնեմարդուկ՝ ձնե արվեստների փառատոն»-ը: 2015թ․ փառատոնն այնքան մեծ արձագանք ստացավ ու այցելուներ ունեցավ, որ հաջորդող տարիներին մեզ անհարժեշտ միջոցներն այլևս բավարար չէին էլ ավելի մեծ ու հաջող 2016-ին այն կազամակերպելու համար, չգտնվեցին նաև համապատասխան ներդրումներ: Բայց ջաններս եռ է գալիս, ամբողջ ընթացաքում տեղներս հանգիստ չենք նստել ու որոշել ենք 2017-ի փետրվարի 17-19 կազմակերպել փառատոնն էլ ավելի մեծ շուքով, առավել ևս, որ համայնքապետարանը գործուն աջակցություն է ցույց տալու: Քանի որ իմ նպատակը ոչ թե փառատոն կազմակերպելն է, այլ ձմեռային տուրիզմը զարգացնելը, կուզենայի Ձեր օժանդակությամբ կառուցել Հայաստանում առաջին արհեստական, քաղաքային սառցե բուրգերը, որոնց վրա կկազմակերպվեն սիրողական սառցամագլցումներ: Բուրգերը կլինեն տարբեր բարձրության՝ ըստ բարդությունների: Հայաստանում չկա որևէ փորձ սառցամագլցման արհեստական պատ կամ բուրգ սարքելու համար և մեր փորձը կլինի առաջինը, որի հաջող կիրառումն ու իրագործումը հնարավորություն կտա նաև հետագայում՝ 2018թ․ փառատոնը կազմակերպելուց առաջ այն օգտագործել ինքնաֆինանսավորման համար, հատկապես Ամանորի ակտիվ զբոսաշրջային սեզոնի հետ կապված: Արդեն իսկ ունեմ պայմանավորվածություն քաղաքապետարանի հետ Ջերմուկ քաղաքի հանրային այգիներից ցանկացածում այս հունվարին կառուցել և տեղադրել ՀՀ-ում սառցամագլցման առաջին արհեստական բուրգը:

Orlando, FL – Artborne Magazine

2016-12-08T00:00:00Z

Artborne Magazine is an independently published, print and online publication dedicated to the development and advancement of Orlando’s art scene. The monthly magazine features local artists and organizations, and ranges from Q&A’s, essays, reviews, and artists spotlights on the fine arts, music, performance, fashion, and literary worlds. “Orlando is coming into it’s own, and this magazine is just another example of this city’s role as a leading creative hub” says Jonathan Yubi, Founder and Publisher of Artborne Magazine. Yubi arrived to Orlando in the fall of 2013, and immediately became involved in the arts. “ My first experience was with the Young Artist Group, an educational program sponsored by the Downtown Arts District. I learned then, that this city is committed to developing our creative community, and I hope our Magazine can be a key component in our continued growth.” Artborne Magazine has garnished the attention of local media outlets, such as the Orlando Weekly "No growing pains here: Artborne sprang onto the scene fully formed, its design and aesthetic perfectly professional and its insider knowledge of Orlando's art world deep and tasteful. It's the local art magazine we didn't know we needed, but are so glad to welcome." Artborne Magazine launched inconspicuously via Instagram on April 14, 2016, and with a month before the inaugural issue hits shelves and countertops all over Orlando, Artborne has managed to amass a team of artists, writers, and creatives alike. Matt Duke, local artist, blogger, and radio host, joins the team as a partner and Creative Director, along side Mary McGinn; a notable Orlando writer, poet, and publicist, as Artborne’s contributing editor and writer. Jason Fronczek, a University of Central Florida graduate joins the team as Senior Photographer and Graphic Designer.

Orlando, FL – "SKIP's Big Ideas" Reality Television Show

2016-12-08T00:00:00Z

Orlando-based pop artist SKIP (of Franchise Industries & The B-Side Artists) stars in new reality television series called, “SKIP’s Big Ideas.” The show is currently in production with local online network Studio17TV, and follows the creation and construction of SKIP’s large, interactive art installations, demonstrating the creative process from initial concept to dramatic, public reveal. Over the last few years, SKIP’s larger-than-life art installations have received a considerable amount of media attention, both locally and abroad. His works have been published in Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Shape Magazine, FoxNews, as well as online culture blogs Refinery29 and Bustle. A true roller coaster of circumstances and opportunities have proven that for SKIP, “going big” is as vital to his style of artwork as the bright colors he uses, and the satirical humor that underpins everything he stamps as Franchise Industries. One of these opportunities was the chance to document the process of fabricating a brand new line of Franchise installations in the approach and format of a reality-style television show, with the intention of later shopping the series to cable networks and larger distributors. “SKIP’s Big Ideas” will be filming the show over the next three months and will begin airing season one this Fall (official release date to be determined). We encourage individuals interested in following the production and making of the show to follow us online / social media, and to attend the reveal of the installations in person at Maker Faire Orlando (October 22 & 23) and Art in Odd Places (November 11-13), where they could become extras on the show!

Gloucester, MA – Positivity Messages O'Maley

2016-12-08T00:00:00Z

In O'Maley School, we will post positivity messages to all the O'Maley Community! We will invest in positive message posters to permanently hang for all of us and future classes to see. We will also buy poster supplies to have kids' artwork be displayed around the school with positive messages. We will also buy a supply of post it notes to keep in containers outside of classrooms to write positive messages on and give it to anyone having a bad day. Lastly, we will buy a supply of greeting cards to write out a nice message to give to anyone who needs it.

Gloucester, MA – Soccer O'Maley Style

2016-12-08T00:00:00Z

Santa Fe, NM (Inativo) – Playschool of the Arts for Kids

2016-12-07T00:00:00Z

We are the Playschool of the Arts for Kids, a non-profit preschool serving children ages 18 months to 4 years in the Siler Arts District in Santa Fe. We proudly serve families regardless of their ability to pay tuition; therefore over 70% of our student body is on tuition assistance from the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department. Our mission to accept children of all economic backgrounds keeps our community diverse and inclusive. It also, however, means that we operate on a shoestring budget. Still, we make the most of what we have. Our classrooms contain a learning circle, book center, block area, dramatic play center, animal and garden area, and, of course, an art area. Art supplies, books, doll houses, trains, trucks, cars, and road building materials, dress-up wardrobes, and more are always accessible to our children. Children play daily in our large outdoor playground. Multi-purpose mats are outstanding venues for music and dance. Our curriculum consists of music, song, dance, art, drama, science, math, emotions, and kindness. Topics include the alphabet, seasons, habitats, community service, conservation, and more. Movement is a critical component of our kids’ curriculum, not just on the playground, but coursing throughout their entire day. All of our classrooms are designed and set up for movement, which has been proven to improve kids’ cognitive development. We would buy two colorful rugs with the Awesome grant. We are located in a warehouse-style location. The enormous open space allows for our children to really move. We have concrete and hard floors and they can get quite cold in the winter, which can be problematic as many of our kids often go shoeless at school for mat activities.

Paris (Inativo) – 48h en scène!

2016-12-07T00:00:00Z

48h en scène! est à la croisée du festival de théâtre et de la résidence artistique. Nous accueillons 6 jeunes compagnies et leur donnons 48 heures pour créer un spectacle de 15 minutes à partir d'un même thème. A l'issue de ces 48 heures, les 6 représentations ont lieu devant un public et un jury. Le thème imposé pour la première édition était « la contrainte ». L'exposition de 6 regards différents sur un même thème exerce le regard critique. La compagnie ayant le plus séduit le jury s'est vu offrir deux jours de représentations 48h en scène! is both a theater festival and an artist residency. We welcome 6 young theater companies and give them 48 hours to create a 15 minutes-long show, all based on a common theme. After those 48 hours, the 6 shows are performed in front of a public and a jury. For the first edition the theme was « constraint ». By showing 6 interpretations of one theme we develop critical perspective. The wining company was given the opportunity to perform for two days in a Parisian theater.

Rotterdam – RotterdamBooth

2016-12-07T00:00:00Z

RotterdamPhotoBooth on tour. So-called 'Photoautomats' are well-spread throughout Berlin. People can shoot Awesome pics with their best friends for only 2 euros, all day every day. In The Netherlands, the concept is regularly part of weddings, festivals and other events. Let's make this a definite, perminant part of Rotterdam with RotterdamPhotoBooth on tour. The photo booth will be put in a different part of town every month.

Baltimore, MD – Mural/Landscaping artistic collaboration in Bmore

2016-12-06T00:00:00Z

Public murals and landscaping are similar in their purpose: beautification of spaces yet are rarely created as an organic collaboration between the landscaper and muralist. Nether's art gives blighted communities vibrance and voice. His familiarity with the city, and commitment to know the people of the innumerable different neighborhoods he paints in, ensures that his art is not only beautiful but also relatable to its stakeholders. Elise’s landscaping abilities complement Nether's imagery by providing a space in which neighbors reflect and escape. Her designs are not just based on uniform aesthetics, they are purposeful as well. She uses mostly native plants, her works redirects stormwater waste and improves soil drainage. The first opportunity to collaborate arose this spring when they conceptualized, planned, and executed a collaborative mural / landscaping piece at 25th and Greenmount on the side of a local substance-abuse rehabilitation center. The character in the mural stands in water, half submerged, trying to save the a lotus flower, which reflects her beauty and strength. The obscured face recognizes the recovering addict’s inner battle in Baltimore with shame, anonymity, and pride for overcoming addiction due to public stigma. Following the mural, together they merged by consciously designing a space focused on healing and togetherness. The basic concept in the design continued the visual composition of the natural flow of the water through landscaping features, a path, and native plants to Baltimore. We seek funding to continue our efforts by bringing a large-scale collaboration to life on the 1000 Block of North Carey Street in Sandtown. We already have community/property owner approval and are in the process of getting permission for the landscaping plot. We need funding to bring this organic style of collaboration to life in Baltimore, while safeguarding a plot of community land in Sandtown.

Asheville, NC (Inativo) – The Fish Tank

2016-12-06T00:00:00Z

I own my own graphic design business, and when I first got started people thought I was alone. That was not the case; being only a 2 month old business, I needed help. That help was my mom. Her experience being a business coach surely helped me get started and stay afloat. People should not be alone when they first start a business, and thats where the Fish Tank comes in. The Fish Tank is a teen business workshop and grant program. Over the course of 8-10 hours, students will learn the basics of writing a business plan and pitching it to business professionals. At the end of the project, five teens will be chosen to receive $100 each to help get their businesses started. My potential partners for this project are Mountain Biz Works, Green Opportunities, and the Housing Authority. Shovunda Harper has stated we could use the Eddington Center to house the project. (Housing Authority)

Washington, DC – Children of Promise

2016-12-06T00:00:00Z

This project is to give some children in our community who's parents are incarcerated this holiday season. For the pass 6years my organization along with help from my church have held a "Children of Promise" event for children who's parents are incarcerated or who just need a little help for the holiday. We have helped as many as 80 to 100 families in the past years as well as other outreach programs, such as showcases for our veterans, nursing homes women's transitional homes and scholarships for our youth. Because of budget cuts and funding our Children of Promise event could use so help. We have a big celebration for those children to get past that sad time . We have brunch or lunch with Santa ,gingerbread house making , a Christmas performance, gift cards, filled stocking and lots more. We know that because of funds we can not have this event on a large level but maybe on a smaller level which would still help between 125 to 150 families (including children and the care givers who have stepped in to help those children during this holiday season. Over the years I have looked into those children's faces and heard them say this was the best Christmas ever. I fill what make this project so awesome is that it is all about what each and every parents wants from their own kid, and that is to show extra love and joy all years but especially during the holiday season

Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) – Carcel - Clothing from the inside

2016-12-05T00:00:00Z

CARCEL is a social start-up that aims to employ women in prison around the world through the production of sustainable and exclusive Scandinavian clothing. Each item that we sell on our online community platform/shop creates employment and fair wages for a woman in prison, challenges stigma and prejudice about female incarceration and expands the sustainable Slow Fashion market. CARCEL is run by three women’s empowerment-through-business-aficionados. We believe in sustainable and ethical business solutions to address pressing issues. Why women in prison? In the past 15 years, there has been an alarming increase in female prisoners in the world, which in some developing countries has been up to 100%. The majority of women in prison are mothers under the age of 30 and they are incarcerated due to poverty-related crimes such as theft and drug trafficking. Coming from poor communities, an imprisoned woman does not only struggle with the emotional aspect of being distanced from her family, she is also excluded from the financial market and made unable to provide for them. From our experience of visiting five women’s prisons in Peru, many women are already highly skilled in knitting and sewing and work several hours a day. However, they lack access and knowledge of the market and therefore their products are not in demand. CARCEL provides women in prison with knowledge and access to the market by building on their existing capacities to produce Scandinavian fashion with locally sourced, organic materials, which we sell on our online shop. Our aim is to alleviate poverty for incarcerated women and their children who are extremely marginalized and vulnerable so they can become economically empowered and set up their own business once they are released and avoid criminal activity. Our vision is global, we start in Peru.

Singapore – Empower Seniors by Reviving Nostalgic Foods

2016-12-05T00:00:00Z

At True Origins, we tap into the seniors' wealth of knowledge and empower them to revive nostalgic foods and pass down their stories, values and wisdom to future generations. The seniors (e.g., those who lived through the WWII, those living alone in rental flats) are key resources to our intangible cultural assets and documenting their stories in an engaging manner is crucial to spreading awareness about Singapore's beginnings, culture and identity. This project aims to start a social movement towards reliving our kampung days - times when people regardless of race, language, religion or generation are strongly bonded together by reviving nostalgic foods that are long lost or on the verge of disappearing!

Stockholm (Inativo) – The Good Talents Botkyrka

2016-12-04T00:00:00Z

The Good Talents identifies and highlights young talents in the suburbs of Stockholm that otherwise don't receive exposure. These talents all have business or project ideas that solve local challenges and are given training in sustainable development, social entrepreneurship and leadership. To celebrate these talented young people The Awesome Foundation will sponsor one with 5000kr to achieve awesomeness. To find out more, check out our social media which will tell you all about it.

Boston, MA – Invisible Fractures

2016-12-03T00:00:00Z

I've always wanted to use my photography to help people, so I was thrilled when I came up with a framework that helps to enact positive social change while empowering rather than exploiting participants. In this framework, I photograph people impacted by an issue in a way that is meaningful to them (and me), and use print sales, gallery openings, etc. to help raise money and awareness to combat the issue. For my first test of this framework, I am photographing people who have been severely emotionally abused in visual representations of the way the abuse made the participants feel. I am also recording the participants describing the abuse, how it has impacted them, and how they managed to escape (if indeed they have). I have partnered with the largest provider of domestic violence support services in Boston to use money raised through the gallery opening on 2/3/17 to provide real assistance to victims of emotional abuse, as well as to provide informational material at the gallery opening to help current victims to become aware of the resources available to them. This project has already had a profound impact on the lives of participants and people who have simply heard about the series, and I'm extremely excited by the potential to help many more people when the project officially goes live!

Boston, MA – Outdoor Classroom Initiative Game Area

2016-12-02T00:00:00Z

The Outdoor Classroom The Mary Hurd Academy is a small public alternative school that serves 33 high need students in grades 6 through 12. Students who attend the school face a variety of challenges that make traditional schooling very difficult for them to be successful in. Hurd Academy staff members strive to teach essential skills such as problem-solving and collaboration while working with students to learn content necessary for our 21st-century world. The Vision: Our project is to develop an Outdoor Classroom, a non-traditional, fun, effective context for learning. This project will provide students a wide variety of experiential learning opportunities designed to help students learn the skills that they need to be successful at school and work. The area will include a multi-tiered balance beam with many problem solving and trust game possibilities, a “flea hop,” and a landscaped multi-use initiative area with materials for games including “Island Hopping” and “Charlotte’s Web”. ” We will also construct a briefing / debriefing area consisting of eight small benches permanently mounted in a in a circle for students to sit and talk before or after participating in our adventure based, life skill lessons. Sustainability The Awesome Funds invested in our project would have longstanding impact on our community. Students will construct the site from planning to building. We will use materials with long life expectancy and we expect the area to be serving our students for at least twenty years. The neighboring North Berwick Elementary School and local Scouts will have access to the area, impacting hundreds more students annually. Additionally, funding our request would serve as the foundation for a bigger project that will consist of a high-level ropes challenge course with several different obstacles. Our outdoor classroom will be our foothold from which to show positive results and from which we will make an even more “Awesome” learning area.

Sarnia (Inativo) – Steph's Self-Care Packages

2016-12-02T00:00:00Z

Many people donate to cancer patients and sick kids, but many people tend to forget about the psychiatric wards in hospitals. Steph's self-care packages are packages distributed to both the Sarnia and London child & adolescent psychiatric wards as well as eating disorder patients in Sarnia. Self-care is a very important skill to have while recovering from any illness, especially if you do not feel worthy of time and space. Each package contains a homemade, no sew pillow with a positive word, a journal and pen, Kleenex, because everyone cries and a fun item (craft, mini stuffed animal or fuzzy socks).

Sydney – TechFugees Australia #Hack4Refugees

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

TechFugees Australia is the Tech Community's response to the current global refugee crisis. We bring together Hackers, Hipsters, Hustlers and Humanitarians over a weekend to design tech solutions to the problems that people face when settling into Australia. It is completely non-political. It is all about creating community harmony. The secret sauce in our Hackathon is that we partner with NGOs and "co-design" with refugees and new settlers themselves. They present their challenges to Hackers around common themes and then work together to develop creative tech solutions. The majority of participants are not tech people and we mentor across the weekend to teach Lean Startup principles. We've been stunned by the generosity of our tech community in providing their time to do this. We have run two Hackathons in Sydney and Melbourne. In September we are planning to run a Hackathon for Young People in Parramatta. Some of the hacks developed in Sydney included an app that help refugees find the closest Doctor who speaks their language; "Refugee Intern" which connects people to companies and indivduals in their profession; and a "Settlement" portal connecting refugess to all the services they need when they arrive. Hackathons are the entry-level drug to the startup world and the alchemy of the weekend is all about connecting people and creating relationships that survive the weekend. We'll be especially thrilled if this happens with this Hackathon focused on Young People. Story about first Hackathon http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/hackathon-to-develop-ideas-to-help-refugees-20151128-glac8a.html Disclosure: Nicole Williamson is an Awesome Foundation Sydney Ambassador

Miami, FL – Science Cafecito #HappinessIsAwesome

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

Storytelling is an ancient art form. Whether at home reading a book or with friends over a cafecito, we enjoy being told engaging stories, not only because of the what, but, sometimes most importantly, the how. Recently, podcasts have successfully tapped into our shared love for storifying information given podcasts’ accessibility and dynamism. The podcast Science Cafecito is born to tell intertwined stories of science, from a South Florida perspective, that entertain and challenge the minds of critical thinkers. The first season will consist of eight episodes and focuses on water and its many tributaries, that will take our listeners into a fantastic voyage from the depths of the ocean to the edge of the universe. Following seasons will cover other overarching themes. Hosted by an astrophysicist and a marine biologist, each episode will include recurring sections and special guests to helps us illustrate the relevant role South Florida plays not only on current science, but also technology, innovation, and art through a scientific lens. The podcast’s anchors are both foreign born Hispanics who have lived in Miami for much of their adult careers, and are currently members of the new Frost Science museum team. They are well connected with many compelling local scientists, are trained science communicators, and are able to make science relevant to Miami’s multicultural audience.

Oahu, HI – HOLOMUA NA OHANA - Weinberg Village Waimanalo

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

Holomua Na Ohana is a non-profit organization that helps homeless families. We operate two clean and sober transitional housing programs. At Weinberg Village Waimanalo, we have 30 families in our two year program (currently there are 77 children here.) We have been open for 22 years and have helped over 500 families get on their feet and become self-sufficient and permanently housed. Our shelter is funded through a grant from the State of Hawaii's Homeless Program Office. Our clients also pay program fees like a small rent each month. We also accept donations but don't usually get money which we desperately need to continue operating. Costs for utilities have skyrocketed in recent years and we are struggling to make ends meet. One of the components of the program is that the adults attend classes on various topics from money management, budgeting, nutrition, health related topics, parenting, support groups, legal services and a variety of other topics. We have never had to pay for the classes as they are provided by other non-profit organizations who have grants to provide these services, until now. Each Head of Household is required to attend at least two case management meetings each month to create Social Service Plans which are goals to help them plan their futures and stay on track. All adults are required to work or go to school while here. We also have community activities and events for the residents. The goal is build self-esteem, secure a good job, become self-sufficient and move into permanent housing so ultimately, they never become homeless again. Our families are in extreme poverty and can benefit from parenting and life skills classes. We want to partner with PARENTS, Inc who will teach these classes but they do not have the needed grant money to do it at this time. We humbly request this funding to pay for two series of classed provided by our partner agency. The Village is an awesome place to start a new life!

Miami, FL – CodeArt Hour of Code #HappinessIsAwesome

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

Computer Science Week is December 5-11, 2016. During this week, Code.org encourages everyone to try coding for at least one hour. CodeArt proposes to create a CodeArt Hour of Code! We will reach out to local schools and community centers and offer to lead an Hour of Code event for students at their locations. The CodeArt Hour of Code tutorial will teach students how to write code in JavaScript to generate a self-portrait. Whenever we do this lesson in our workshops, our students have a lot of fun with it and especially enjoy sharing their portraits with family and friends! (See images below.) Our goal would be to hold at least one CodeArt Hour of Code event on each day of Computer Science week. The organization CodeArt is focused primarily on inspiring girls and underrepresented minorities to learn to code, especially those from underserved communities. Therefore, we plan to reach out to the Young Women’s Preparatory Academy, Pace Center for Girls, COPE North, and the Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center to offer to lead Hour of Code events at their locations. We would also like to hold an Hour of Code event at the Venture Café on Thursday of “Hour of Code” week. If we have the capacity, other groups we would reach out to include Miami Children’s Museum, Lowe Art Museum, and local libraries. In addition to leading the tutorial, CodeArt would provide each student with a folder that would include 1) certificate of completion, 2) fun and motivational stickers, 3) a 1-page Coding Tips Sheet that would include the main points covered in the lesson, 4) a list of online & local coding resources, and 5) a list of upcoming coding events for students wanting to continue learning more. The folder and all of the materials would be designed to be colorful and attractive. If resources allow, we would also give each host site inspirational posters and include smaller versions of those in each student folder.

Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) – Skateboarding Liberia

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

The Foundation for Women is introducing skateboarding to Liberia, a totally new concept for this country. Our Founder/CEO Deborah Lindholm has made it her mission to bring fun back to Liberia after a brutal civil war and the recent Ebola crisis. We hope that the introduction of skateboards will not only bring fun to the people of Liberia, but also possibilities for social businesses, partnerships with US schools and businesses, and employment opportunities for the people of Liberia.

Annapolis, NS (Inativo) – Art Heals

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

My gallery will be used as a platform to introduce the creative, art-as-therapy process and bring together our community and specifically our youth to participate in exhibits, art related workshops and talks for the month of May as Mental Health Awareness week is May 2-8. There will be 3 different, complimentary elements in this month-long event: 1-Exhibit: Clients of art therapy from our area are welcome to display their art, incorporating the theme: “Reflected Self” - a self-portrait technique that is practiced in Art Therapy where the individual has to use various media meant to facilitate healing by reflecting and processing emotions through art making. The exhibitors will be featured in a program which will highlight the artist’s story and their journey. 2-Talks: The “Reflected Self” exhibitors are invited to share their stories. These talks will be scheduled during the day/evenings for community members to attend (free). 3-Mask Making workshop: My husband, James Lightle is a patient of art therapy and trained sculptor. He will facilitate a mask making workshop with Students (at the local school) and introduce the history and significance of mask making in art therapy. “Making a mask invites the creator to explore various aspects of his or her own persona. The activity can be revealing because it takes the mask maker out of the realm of words and employs imagination and nonverbal action. Besides being a therapeutic tool, mask making can be a simple pleasure on its own” (goodtherapy.org). The expected outcome for this month-long exhibit and education event is to not only increase awareness of the impact of Mental Illness and the recognition of Healing through Art, but to also raise funds for a worthy Mental Health organization and to increase the exposure of our gallery and the Annapolis area.

Orlando, FL – Creative City Project 2016

2016-11-30T00:00:00Z

The Creative City Project is excited to announce Creative City Project 2016 FREE, arts festival in the heart of Downtown Orlando Saturday, October 15, 2016 5 PM - 11 PM Featuring • Acrobats from Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba performing from a crane high above Orange Ave. • An immersive Orchestral Experience by the Central Florida Community Arts Orchestra and Big Band • New dance performances by Orlando Ballet • For the first time in 2016, a performance by the Orlando Philharmonic   And performances and interactive installations from hundreds of artists from Central Florida and beyond! The Creative City Project is an arts non-profit with a three-fold mission : • Cultivate a thriving arts community in Central Florida. • Nurture a deeper sense of ownership of and care for Orlando amongst its residents. • Shape the global perception of our city as one known for innovation and creativity. Additional Act Highlights • Red Bull BBoys : Some of the best break dancers in the world dancing at the Red Bull Stage • Accidental Music Festival : 40 instrumentalists and vocalists present John Luther Adams’ 70 minute, immersive orchestral piece, “Sila: The Breath of the World.” • The Cook Trio : Three piece “gypsy jazz.” • SAK Comedy Lab : Live, improv street theater • The Radial Conservancy : From Nashville, TN; An ensemble of classical and modern musicians pair in collaboration with immersive projection artists • Maitland Stage Band : a big band of more than 15 musicians • “Carnivals, Cultures and Diversities” : a celebration of Latin American music and dance • Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra : Central Florida’s best student musicians perform live • Gregg Pollack’s, “The Audio Experiment” : An interactive app that leads people through the streets and public spaces of Downtown Orlando with a new, creative perspective. • Asian Cultural Association : Live music from eastern cultures • The Strolling Piano : A piano on wheels that travels the streets

Austin, TX – Successful Smiles of Texas

2016-11-30T00:00:00Z

Successful Smiles of Texas is on a mission to stop dental decay by promoting oral health education and having a mobile clinic visit the middle and high schools to give preventative dental services to students. Many Austin-area schools have a large amount of disadvantaged students without any dental coverage, or the parents can't afford to take off of work to take their child to a dental appointment. The Austin Awesome Foundation's $1,000 grant will cover enough supplies for a full dental exam, x-rays, and cleaning for 288 Austin children.

Minas Gerais (Inativo) – Empoderação Kids

2016-11-30T00:00:00Z

O Empoderação Kids é uma roda de conversa organizada pelo coletivo Afrontar-se, destinada a empoderar crianças negras em idade escolar. O trabalho visa dar conhecimento e ferramentas para que essas crianças não sejam psicologicamente afetadas frente ao racismo que vivenciam diariamente diante da sociedade. Com duração de 1h30, a oficina levanta, primeiramente, casos de racismos vividos pelas crianças, em sala de aula e apresenta possíveis soluções, para ela e para a turma. Em um segundo momento, heróis, heroínas e pessoas famosas consagradas pela grande mídia, de etnia negra são apresentados a essas crianças com o objetivo de mudar e fortalecer seu imaginário de representatividade. A ideia de uma oficina que atendesse diretamente as crianças nasceu de uma demanda apresentada por parte de uma escola localizada na periferia da cidade de Uberaba (Residencial 2000). As crianças de pele mais clara estavam cometendo racismo com as crianças de pele mais escura. A reprodução do racismo no ambiente escolar estava resultando na evasão escolar. O resultado da implantação do ‘Empoderação Kids’ foi positivo e reproduzido em outras escolas. Com o apoio de colegas e parceiros que confiam que o ensino sobre a negritude é a única solução para reduzir os dados negativos do Brasil. O dinheiro será utilizado para custear as oficinas. Identificamos que em muitos locais as crianças são subnutridas ou estão com fome no período em que a oficina é ministrada. o que faz com que a aprendizagem não aconteça da mesma forma, a ideia seria oferecer um lanche a essas crianças, falando um pouco sobre alimentação saudável a cada encontro. E com o mesmo dinheiro custear traslado e material a ser utilizado, também na manutenção da oficina. Agnes, líder do projeto, é jornalista, graduada na cidade de Uberaba e atualmente integrante do Coletivo Afrontar-se, responsável pelo Empoderação Kids que tem no estudo de forma autônoma da história da cultura negra em suas raízes a partir de África, a base para a atuação do coletivo.

Washington, DC – Beat & Beans

2016-11-30T00:00:00Z

I love coffee, the culture that surrounds coffee and making music. A few years ago I was stuck in a creative rut, making music at home in my basement. My wife suggested that I leave my space to find a different space in hopes to obtain different results. So i packed up my laptop and midi-keyboard and posted up at a small coffee shop in NE DC. The coffee was killing, the space was awesome and the sensory overload from the blending of smells, sights and sounds helped to birth the Beats & Beans series. Beats & Beans Series is a citywide traveling residency. Presented weekly over the course of 2 months, the series provides a unique outlet and platform that seeks to: engage creatives with open discussions about sustainable non-traditional creative spaces (similar to the public library) and the creative economy while also serving as a conduit for open collaboration and community financial investment in neighborhood coffee shops. The free discussions are held in selected coffee shops throughout the city and feature an interview with a guest artist that will speak about; their creative process, the need for reimagined creative spaces and how artistic creation leads to investment in local businesses. In activating non-traditional creative spaces through site specific programming and designating these spaces as creative hubs, the investment in turn will contribute to both local economic growth as well as helping to build and sustain the local creative economy. Each conversation is filmed, hosted on a central site and posted on various social networks.

North Minneapolis, MN – Green Garden Bakery Youth Leader Winter Retreat

2016-11-30T00:00:00Z

The Green Garden Bakery (GGB) is a youth social enterprise in the Heritage Park neighborhood of North Minneapolis teaching youth about the environment, healthy and nutrition, and entrepreneurship through the creation of a youth run "green" veggie dessert business. GGB was started in 2014 by a group of youth who had participated in years of cooking/gardening programming in Heritage Park and wanted to take it to the next level The business went full-circle from youth locally gardening and growing green tomatoes, baking the organic cakes, creating eco-friendly packaging and marketing, to final sale at co-ops, farmer's markets, and festiv in Minneapolis. The 2014 GGB sold their green tomato cakes at two events and raised over $1,500. GGB was absolutely the most successful youth afterschool program in the neighborhood and some of our most at-risk students flourished within the structure of the program. It directed their energy and desire for attention towards a project that would benefit the neighborhood while providing them with tangible skills that could be utilized within future environmental endeavors. The youth presented their project at the Hennepin County 4-H Showcase and received an award for the most "community-centered and impactful" project. The 2014 youth participants voiced their desire to take their business and grow it into a larger operation that can benefit more youth and adults in the community. Therefore, in 2015 they expanded the model for GGB by adding leveled classes so that youth with a variety of skill sets can be incorporated in this program. Also, in 2016 the older youth leaders formed a Youth Executive Team of 15 teens. These youth leaders work tirelessly to grow GGB and make all of the business decisions for Green Garden Bakery from finances to sustainability to social media to baking and sales. They run weekly committee meetings, bake and sell on the weekend, and attend a number of community events as Heritage Park representatives.

Piqua, OH (Inativo) – A Heart Filled Holiday

2016-11-29T00:00:00Z

Will be considered at a later date

Piqua, OH (Inativo) – PCIS Family Math Night

2016-11-29T00:00:00Z

I would like to organize a PCIS Family Math Night that will allow students and parents to come together and share in the learning process. PCIS families would be invited to share 7 math activities with their child. Teachers will build connections with PCIS families and encourage parent/student involvement. The 7 activities for this event will include: 1. Equations with Candy 2. Real Life Grocery Shopping 3. Cards and Fractions 4. Skittles Data 5. 3D Marshmallows 6. Volume with Boxes 7. Laffy Taffy Long Jump Studies show children do better when families are involved in the school. There is no question in my mind that all families want to see their child succeed. Teachers need to communicate and listen to the families to help leverage the education process. Families need to have a clear understanding of teacher expectations and teachers need to understand family concerns. Building trust and convincing parents that we all have the same goal -- wanting what is best for their child -- creates a partnership that will help increase student achievement. If teachers and families can come together to support the schools, we can maximize a child’s chance for success. I’m hoping this event can bring that partnership together. Please note: I will be glad to send pictures after the event.

Portland, OR – Puzzled Pint 2017

2016-11-29T00:00:00Z

We've been running Puzzled Pint (PP)--a volunteer-organized, non-profit, solving-for-fun event--every month since July of 2010. What started out as a Portland-only pub thing has grown into a worldwide phenomenon spanning nearly 40 cities in 5 countries, attracting over 1,800 players every month. Puzzled Pint has been an all-volunteer endeavor from the very start. We're dedicated to producing original, beginner-friendly puzzles every month, with the goal of introducing new players to the growing world of puzzle hunts. We don't charge our players to participate, we don't accept commercial sponsorships, and all our Game Control members--"GCs"--pay out of their own pockets for printing, web hosting, and other organizing costs. PP is still headquartered in Portland (with a lot of help from other GCs everywhere), but as our growth continues, we're looking for better ways to manage and sustain this ever-expanding organization. Our 7th anniversary is coming up, and we're approaching a tipping point as far as needing to formalize how we run things. More about PP: http://www.puzzledpint.com/info/about/ See some puzzle walk-throughs: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSGs3r0v0WWV65tTS53h43XMFlcJxJmi9

Melbourne (Inativo) – Greening Kensington’s Industrial Streets

2016-11-29T00:00:00Z

Dinosaur! The Kensington Neighbourhood House will establish community gardens in the industrial areas of Kensington. As a lead organisation of the Kensington Community Network, we are committed to delivering on the key focus areas of the Network’s Action Plan. Key focus area 1 is to “Facilitate access to fresh, affordable and nutritious food”. This is a pilot to show how community organisations, private business owners and local residents can come together to contribute to food security. We have done the initial consultation along with soil testing and the next step is to start the hard labour in February next year. We have approached a private owner of a strip of shops in the industrial area in Arden street Kensington who is keen to work with us and allow us to cultivate his green spaces to grow food and establish a worm farm. The tenants there are also very excited about the project. We have been working with Vincent Care, who work with elderly disadvantage people in the area, and we will be encouraging their participants to join in as members. They have already been doing some voluntary gardening and many are keen to be involved in this new project. We’d also like to run some workshops for our members around composting, soil cultivation, seed saving etc. We see this as a wonderful way to involve local business owners, their tenants and employees in local food security projects as well as creating a link with some of our most disadvantaged elderly residents who have gardening skills and wisdom and are looking for opportunities to be involved in the community. We can all be learning from each other. Our intention is to evaluate the project and to document a replicable model.

Jumbos (Inativo) – ATTILA

2016-11-28T00:00:00Z

In 2014, my father was courageously battling cancer. As his primary caregiver, I found myself meditating on legacy and what we leave behind. He had been an actor in his youth, before giving up that career to be present as a loving father to my brother and me. As I looked at my ailing hero, I realized the greatest gift I could give him was a return. A comeback. Impulsively, I wrote a one-act play to submit to the Samuel French Short Play Festival in Manhattan. Set during the Civil War, ATTILA was based on the Home Letters of Major General William T. Sherman. It was a bristling two-hander between Sherman on the eve of his climactic March to the Sea and an escaped slave turned contraband soldier. The piece demanded exceptional actors for a journey of intense emotional substance set in the past but very much about the pressing issues of our country today. A topical, incisive piece with great ambition. We made it into the Sam French festival and premiered at Playwrights Horizons in NYC. My father and I drove into the city from Pennsylvania every week to rehearse with the other actor. Dad gave everything he had and slept on the car ride home. It exhausted him and kept him alive and vibrant all at once. It was a transformative, emotional experience, two years before this election cycle came around. We talked about making a short film adaptation of the play at the time. A month ago, we pressed ahead. We have secured incredible locations, including: Widener University (previously the Pennsylvania Military Academy), which will stand in for Michigan Military Academy, where Sherman gave his famous "war is hell" speech to graduating cadets in 1879, along with Valley Forge Military Academy, and two 19th century preserved historic homes on the Delaware River. We filmed "b-roll" in Virginia a month ago, embedding our cameras at a reenactment with hundreds of infantry, cavalry, and artillery units. All that's left is to film the principle scene.

Piqua, OH (Inativo) – Shock and 'Awe - some' Piqua/Troy Football Game

2016-11-27T00:00:00Z

I would like to provide some awesome moments at the Piqua - Troy Football game that can be enjoyed by our large crowd. These moments will provide a lot of spirit and pump up the crowd. It will also draw a lot of attention to your organization. I will prepare two videos that celebrate our students and or fans to show on our large screen score board. A sample script might say something like, "Piqua fans are the best in our conference. You have done a great job this season and I along with the Awesome Piqua Foundation would like to show our appreciation by giving you this..." the jumbo scoreboard screen would go black then two cannons will shoot massive amounts of confetti over the audience. Another video would be at a different point in the game but ending with the same words...I along with the Awesome Piqua Foundation would like to show our appreciation by giving you this..." then a large number (around 500) of small foam footballs with Piqua Indians on them would be thrown into the audience. A final video could be made with members of your group saying something like, "If you enjoyed tonight's spirit provided by Awesome Piqua and you have an idea that would be awesome to do in our community, visit (insert website here) to share your idea and get one thousand dollars to fund your idea." Of course the message can say anything you like, but it would be a great way for us to recognize your sponsorship while also bringing awareness to a large crowd of Piqua citizens. Most importantly, this will provide a lot of spontaneous and surprise fun at a well attended community event.

Newcastle – Welcome Ride

2016-11-24T00:00:00Z

The Welcome Ride is a 2 day bus ride around Newcastle to WELCOME newly arrived young refugees that stops at places of significance for fun & activities. Welcome Ride is to promote inclusiveness, unity and diversity within the Newcastle community and to highlight places that host free and safe activities. Welcome Ride is for newly arrived young people in high school and up to 25 years from other countries, religious backgrounds and cultures, targeting refugees. Welcome Ride adventures will introduce young people not only to other young people & support workers but to places of significance that host free and safe activities including libraries, galleries, museums, nature reserves , beaches etc. Wrap up will be end of day x2 where families will be invited to attend beach volleyball and early dinner to meet with families of other young people to support and form friendships. This is extremely important for young women. A month after the Welcome Ride, participants will be invited to the newly created multicultural youth group to relink attendees and strengthen relationships.

Ottawa – OCAPDD GLEEKs

2016-11-24T00:00:00Z

November’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to the glee club at the Ottawa-Carleton Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OCAPDD), to support expanded activities. Members of the glee club — the “GLEEKs” — number around 20 and meet twice a month for an evening of song. Until this month they had only performed at BBQs and picnics, but on November 1 they brought their voices to the OCAPDD 60th anniversary gala, and this Friday, November 25 they will perform in front of 450 people at the organization's Christmas party. "The ability to sing with pride and confidence is one that every one of us has, and deserves to share with the community," says OCAPDD staff member Lesley Ahee. The glee club hopes to one day have a concert to share their hard work and talents with the community, and the award from Awesome Ottawa will support equipment and t-shirts that will get them closer to this goal. "Hanging with the GLEEKs makes any bad day disappear," says Lesley. “What’s truly inspiring,” says fellow staff member Hope Lalonde, “is seeing our glee club members come in after having a hard day and leave with a smile.”

Newmarket – NHS Healthy Schools Council's Breakfast Project

2016-11-24T00:00:00Z

The general idea of the project is to promote the habit of eating a healthy breakfast. This campaign will take place throughout the year, and a lot of our events will be focused around this campaign. An upcoming event, we have named ‘Bananas and Pyjamas’, will be held on Tuesday November 8th. Healthy Schools Council, which consists of approximately thirty-five students, will be collaborating with the newly formed Cooking Club to prepare a complimentary, healthy breakfast to students in the school. The first two hundred students dressed in pyjamas will be served a yogurt, banana and a healthy breakfast loaf. This loaf will be made in collaboration with the Cooking Club and the Hospitality teacher. Students will also take part in a small survey designed to determine how many students at Newmarket High School eat a nutritious breakfast on a daily basis. From the data that is collected, Healthy Schools Council will design and organize additional events throughout the year that support this campaign’s purpose. The data will also help to inform what types of recipes students would like to see in the Cooking Club. The council is committed to continuing to survey the student body at future events and through Twitter polls on social media, to follow the progress. Through the influence of our project, we would hope to see an increase in the amount of students who make a habit of eating a healthy breakfast. We will promote having at least one serving of fruits and/or vegetables within each breakfast. Healthy Schools Council will not only be following this guideline with the food being served at the Bananas and Pyjamas event, but also this guideline will be advertised through recipe cards given out. Beyond this upcoming Bananas and Pyjamas event, Healthy Schools Council will continue to host events surrounding the campaign's purpose and advertise the benefits of consuming a healthy breakfast, daily.

Gloucester, MA – Gloucester Boxing Club

2016-11-22T00:00:00Z

The Gloucester Boxing Club serves the community of Gloucester by offering first class instruction in the sport of Boxing. While all sports provide participants a physical workout, boxing offers a unique set of benefits beyond the obvious self-defense and exercise. Learning to box challenges the body, the intellect, and the will of everyone who steps through the gym doors, whether or not they choose to compete. As one learns the sport, their levels of confidence and self-worth inevitably skyrocket. The amazing part is that while this occurs, a new level of humility and respect for hard work develops as well. Growing up in Gloucester in a blue-collar family, Carlo DaSilva saw the challenges life can present at a young age. After falling in love with Boxing, Carlo began to compete and win matches, eventually becoming New England Golden Gloves Champion. He learned just how the sport can change a person for the better. The only problem was that he had to travel to find quality training partners and gyms. This led to the founding of the Gloucester Boxing Club, and a chance for Carlo and his team to train the next generation of Gloucester’s champions. Now, over a year and half in to operations, the Club boasts registered 501(c)3 non-profit status and a growing membership. Gloucester youths make up much of the membership, with kids’ classes several afternoons a week. Centrally located on Sargent Street, we are accessible to most of the young people in town. Members vary from competitive boxers to casual members of our women-only classes, offered twice a week. Carlo’s own brother (and greasy pole champ!) Joe DaSilva won the 2016 Golden Gloves after 3 victories in a row in Lowell, MA. Carlo has assembled a team of qualified volunteers and active members from every walk of life including professional boxers and martial artists, tradesmen, local small business people, attorneys, college students, and members of two Cape Ann police departments. Thank you all!

Boulder, CO (Inativo) – Sonder Immersive Dance Theatre Production

2016-11-22T00:00:00Z

Sonder is an immersive dance piece directed and co-choreographed by Makena Sneed. The production invites audiences into an ethereal labyrinth of hedges, where memories become lost, fragmented, and ultimately rediscovered. Sonder creates various dreamscapes through performer-audience interaction and diffuse dance sequences. Sonder is a performance event that is new and will carry a lasting effect. In each of Sonder’s 5 acts, the audience drives the experience instead of the performers, and is dependent on audience interaction and response. In performance, audience members engage with issues related to coming of age, holding conflicting interests, and carrying nostalgic recollections of youth. Older audience members have the chance to re-examine their past experiences in a new light. While a younger generation are given an opportunity for pensive consideration of their future idealisation of the present. Sonder is the first immersive theatre production written and staged in Boulder. Immersive theatre emphasizes a multi-sensory audience experience that is dependent upon the interactions of audience and performers alike. Sonder will not be in the same, old vein of theatre— of sitting in a chair, merely watching and listening. Sonder pulls the audience into the frame of performance. Furthermore, this project carries the belief that what matters most is empowering young creators to create. As part of our production team, Makena Sneed has brought together Caroline Fenty (playwright), Elizabeth Goitia (co-choreographer), and Amanda Berg Wilson (consultant), who each reflect Boulder’s young and driven voice in the arts. Furthermore, the cast has some of the most distinguished young performers in the country— from Macy Gosch, a Pre-Professional Trainee with the Colorado Ballet, to Terin Christopher, who assists dance conventions nationwide. Ultimately, the production is infused with the youthful energy and excellence that makes Boulder such a vibrant arts community.

New York City, NY – Coffee Cup Artwork

2016-11-22T00:00:00Z

The Center for All Abilities is a NYC-based nonprofit that celebrates and nurtures the multi-faceted talents of the young people with special needs (autism and other developmental disabilities) by promoting growth in social and motor skills, mental and physical health, and creative expression. They provide information and resources to their families through free or affordable, culturally sensitive, and informative workshops and services in Chinese dialects. In their own words: We want to print 1,000 printed paper cups with artwork created by our students from the Center for All Abilities. The paper cups will allow the student's artwork be showcased in a non-traditional medium (coffee cups) and reach a different audience than typical CAA supporters. We want to empower the students as artists and members of society that contribute great beauty through creative work. The $1,000 Awesome Foundation grant will allow us to print two different prints onto the coffee cups and use it to pay for postage to send the paper cups to two coffee shops (Dirt Coffee in Denver, Colorado and Cultural Cafe in Ontario, Canada). These two coffee shops empower individuals with disabilities through hiring them as employees. Partnering with these two like-minded businesses/social enterprises is a powerful way to empower our youth and their artwork. We are excited by this unique opportunity to bring CAA's mission and work to a wider audience. While this first round is limited in scope, it's our hope that this first run will inspire more coffee cup artwork in the future!

Portland, OR – Making On-Demand Animal Law CLEs Accessible

2016-11-22T00:00:00Z

I am an intern for the Center For Animal Law Studies on Lewis and Clark Law Campus this year. We are working independently from the university to create an interactive Continuing Legal Education program for lawyers in the Portland area, as well as around the country. The focus is on Animal Law. Animal law is an expansive field ranging from local anti-cruelty and other animal related statutes to animal welfare in zoos and in research facilities to wildlife conservation. We want to make it so that existing attorneys are able to get general required CLE credits while learning the tools to better be able to help the animals in the area.

Portland, OR – Cat Traps for Clackamas County

2016-11-22T00:00:00Z

Although our project is not sexy or fun or cool, It is vital for a desperately overlooked problem. While the feral cat situation in Portland is currently being addressed by organizations like the Feral Cat Coalition (FCCO), it is quite a different story in Clackamas County, Portland's neighbor to the South. Although Clackamas County government provides services for dogs and wildlife in need, they have absolutely no programs that serve the cats in the community. This means that every stray, every feral, every cat left behind when their owner moves away, becomes incapacitated, or dies without a plan for pet care, is at risk of becoming homeless and forgotten . Without the assistance of the county shelters, this situation places an unsustainable burden on the smaller animal welfare organizations in the Portland area since they end up being the only ones taking these cats in, providing services for them or working to find them placements so they don't end up suffering and perishing. The problem is especially critical in the feral cat community, where there are absolutely no local services to provide spay/neuter surgeries, relocation or medical care. Our project will provide 20 humane feral cat traps which will be stored in Clackamas County so that residents and volunteers can have ready access to them instead of traveling to FCCO in SW Portland every time a trap is needed. Having Clackamas specific traps cuts down on time committed and money spent on gas for residents who are often already financially burdened. Volunteers will help transport the cats in traps to Feral Cat Coalition where they will be spayed/neutered and returned to their property in Clackamas County, assuming other rehoming situations are not available. While the ultimate goal would be to campaign for the county to include cats in their animal services department, this is our starting point in what can hopefully grow into a movement and ultimately change the policies currently in place.

Philadelphia, PA – Queens Code Mentoring Program

2016-11-21T00:00:00Z

The project is a mentoring program "Queens Code". Queens code is a 10 week program needed in the North Philadelphia area for girls ages 8-16. This program was designed to pair College students with a young queen to serve as a mentor for social and economic differences. This program teaches the young ladies the power of confidence through education, self-esteem building and service initiatives. The mission of this program is as follows: Mission- To teach and inspire young ladies ages 8-16 to embrace their inner beauty and understand the power of confidence. The vision of this program is as follows: Vision- Queen’s code will consist of a 10 week program that focuses on the social and personal aspects of a young ladies development.

Pittsburgh, PA – Girls Write Pittsburgh

2016-11-21T00:00:00Z

Girls Write Pittsburgh inspires teen girls to find their voices through writing. The purpose of Girls Write Pittsburgh is to empower teen girls, exposing them to a world of opportunity through writing. Teen girls, specifically those who are at-risk or underserved often lack skills-building opportunities that result in critical thinking, as found in the craft of creative writing. These same girls, realizing a biological shift within themselves as well as an external shift in self-awareness, require additional support to establish boundaries, develop self-respect, and learn personal power and self-confidence. While parents, caregivers, teachers, and mentors provide certain structure for a girl, many girls lack a creative approach to identify their own capabilities as an individual of worth. Those lacking a supportive external structure are at a greater risk for education prohibitive consequences. The creative outlet of writing offers myriad tools for personal growth and development, providing teen girls with a method of self-expression along with outgrowth skills that will last a lifetime. Girls Write Pittsburgh partners with local outlets to provide a safe and supportive environment for girls to express their individuality through various forms of writing including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, songwriting, playwriting, screen writing, blogging, journalism, and more (Girls Write: Spaces). Other partner organizations play host to workshops and seminars geared toward preparedness including college readiness (Girls Write: Places). Participants in Girls Write will also have the opportunity to publish and read in unique social settings (Girls Write: Faces). The program consists of: Collaborative partnerships: 1 - 3 outreach locations (Brookline Teen OutreachCenter) for once per week group meetings, quarterly workshop sessions at outlying locations, yearly readings and publications with established community partners. One-to-one teen writer to mentor pairing.

Kingston – Human Library of Kingston

2016-11-20T00:00:00Z

Years ago, when Awesome Kingston first started, I pitched the Humans of Kingston project and didn’t win a grant. The project happened anyway, in fact of all the projects we’ve ever worked on has been one of the most popular (engagement, viewer metrics, _______). The project is coming to an end in the spring having reached and in some ways, surpassed, its maturation period. The void of ‘connecting’ strangers in town has been filled, in part, by other projects, and quite frankly our goals have changed. To take some of the momentum we’ve collected in the ~5 years since the project began, we want to feature some of the humans and translate them into books. These ‘books’ will on a yet-to-be-decided date be available to be checked out for a duration of time for an honest, sincere, and unscripted conversation. Our current aim is a modest 50 folks in the ‘library,’ though depending on the logistical juggling we hope to scale that a little higher. Aside from the physical, tangible, IRL (in-real-life) engagements, interactions, and multitudes of story, we’re aiming to design a participatory way of collecting these stories and hosting a digital potluck so that the project may, perhaps, somehow, if possible, evolve.

Tallahassee, FL (Inativo) – DRUM Out Bullying

2016-11-16T00:00:00Z

DRUM Out Bullying is a comprehensive bullying prevention program that uses developmentally appropriate music-based interventions to address bullying behaviors and facilitate the development of healthy social-emotional skills among children in grades K-5. Faculty and students from FSU’s Music Therapy program will partner with the Magnolia School to offer the program to all elementary students (approximately 40) and provide training to teachers. Parents and other community members will also be provided with learning materials and encouraged to participate in a community music making experience that will highlight program concepts. The program will be led by board-certified music therapists who will use music interventions like drumming and song writing to teach participants how to recognize and respond to bullying. Healthy interpersonal and conflict resolution skills will be taught, with “DRUM” used as an acronym for the concepts covered. Program staff will also model and reinforce these skills, and opportunities will be provided to practice the behaviors (Jones et al., 2013; Schroeder et al., 2012; Shafer & Silverman, 2013). A total of 7 sessions will be included, 3 each for students in grades K-2 and 3-5 plus a final community-wide session. The final session will highlight program concepts and promote generalization across the community by sharing the students’ musical experiences. Take home materials will be provided to the children, families, and teachers to promote ongoing use of the concepts learned. To investigate program effectiveness, FSU students and faculty will collect data pre- and post- program using tools adapted from Haner and colleagues (2010). Students and teachers will also be asked program-specific questions. A 3-month follow up will be given approximately 12 weeks post program to determine if information was retained and/or if program concepts were used at school, home, or in the community following completion of the program.

Cass Clay – F-M Rainbow Families: Granted

2016-11-15T00:00:00Z

A community organization focused on providing family-friendly activities and resources to the LGBTQ community in Fargo-Moorhead. So far, we have had a welcoming picnic, a pool party, a roller skating event, and marched as a group in the F-M Pride parade. We are also planning (and funding) holiday-season events, which is an especially important time for members of the LGBTQ community, to have an opportunity to celebrate the holidays in a welcoming environment, as some may not have supportive traditional families.

Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) – Trauma Camp

2016-11-14T00:00:00Z

San Jose, CA – Cambrian Symphony’s June 2017 Concert

2016-11-14T00:00:00Z

Cambrian Symphony is dedicated to enriching the arts in San Jose while working with our community to support the next generation of classical musicians. We are the only symphony in the Bay Area that actively mentors young musicians by engaging students in performance side by side with volunteering professionals, providing students countless opportunities not available via school or traditional student ensembles. This season we are proud to include 20-25 local middle and high school students among our 60-75 total musicians. Our unique combination of professionals and students brings added vitality to our performances and we have earned rave reviews from San Jose audiences. Classical music can be expensive to learn and to enjoy, but Cambrian Symphony is committed to making great music accessible to everyone. We offer our concerts free of admission and charge no tuition to our students, eliminating financial barriers that take classical music out of reach for many. With your support, we can bring more of our awesome music, education, and vision to San Jose! Cambrian Symphony’s June 2017 Concert will showcase a brand new piece written specifically for us by award-winning composer Luis Andrei Cobo. We will perform the world premiere of his Piano Concerto, joined by internationally acclaimed local pianist Tamami Honma. We will also perform two exciting classic works, Gershwin’s An American in Paris and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. We are delighted to partner with San Jose State University’s Beethoven Center, who will deliver a pre-concert lecture discussing Beethoven’s masterpiece. Our students will not only receive a great lesson on one of the greatest composers ever, but will gain the incredible experience of working directly with a living composer, in addition to the exceptional musical training they always receive. We are thrilled to bring this amazing music to San Jose and will present this program free to the public at SJSU on June 16, 2017, at 7:30pm.

Chicago, IL – A Dance of Welcome

2016-11-12T00:00:00Z

Peace is an embodied practice. Dance is a way forward for children living in a volatile world. By creating artistic experiences with intergroup contact, Dance Peace positively disrupt norms of segregation, provides positive and immediate results in prejudice reduction and joy through embodied learning and is intended for areas with insular or divided communities, potential or actual violence, weak interfaith or cross-cultural bonds, and needed Track 3 diplomacy. Our social practice arts interventions inspire an ecology of peace, engagement and entrepreneurship. We are starting in Chicago. According to the UN and Amnesty International, around 13.5 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria; here in Chicago, there are currently 30 Syrian refugee families. They have been resettled near a loving but insular community of Orthodox Jews in West Rogers Park. The two communities share public space but also remain disapproving and distrustful. In this bubble-like context, our team has created a performing arts program integrated the Syrian refugees into the neighborhood. Last spring, I donated workshops for 9 of the Syrian refugee children resettled here. Their hard work and commitment was viewed by a 400 audience at their end of the year recital. What was not necessarily viewed by the audience, is the incredible impact dance has had on these children, myself and the other volunteers. We decided the work had to continue forward and deeper into the needs of this specific neighborhood of divided and insular communities. Project Components: 1. Scholarship fund to integrate 10 Syrian refugees into existing, ongoing arts programs (music and dance) in Chicago each year. 2. Workshop series and collaborative performance by 5-10 Syrian refugee and 5-10 Orthodox Jewish teens in Chicago. 3. Community performance in spring 2017, Northwest Chicago. 4. Training for local arts leaders and arts educators (including refugee artists).