tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:/pt/projects?page=19 2023-07-31T01:07:32Z tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223027 2023-07-05T00:00:00Z 2023-07-31T01:07:32Z I own Alice's kitchen a home registered cake business. I want to provide cupcake decorating workshop for women in shelters. This can be an activity to empower them to do something and can also have a positive impact on their mental health as it allows them to be creative. Alice Mbara cupcake decorating workshops https://alicekitchen.com.au/ Australia Newcastle https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/newcastle tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/218877 2023-07-04T00:00:00Z 2023-07-17T21:48:11Z Our Cool To Be Smart, HBCU initiative is to increase the awareness of HBCU's and hopefully encourage enrollment among South Bend Students. Starting in February, we will bring in notable Tennessee State University alumni to do workshops with high school students. In April we are planning a HBCU college tour to Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. We are currently putting a group of high school students together who will go on the trip and be able to submit transcripts, talk to recruiters and find out about scholarship opportunities. This fall leading up to the Notre Dame Vs Tennessee State football game, we are planning 4 days of events. A welcome reception on Thursday to welcome TSU dignitaries to the city, Panel discussion, College Fair, Scholarship Giveaway, Pep Rally and Greek Step Show on Friday. An HBCU style tailgate on Saturday. On Sunday we will focus on wellness in an even we are calling college Sunday where all the fraternity and sororities are invited to attend worship service together, followed by vendors, food trucks bouncy houses and hopefully the TSU band. The main goal of all these activities are to give South Bend a small taste of the HBCU experience. Brian Frazier HBCU, It's Cool To Be Smart Initiative United States South Bend, IN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/southbend tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/221063 2023-07-04T00:00:00Z 2023-07-17T21:46:11Z Talent attraction and retention is a high priority for city officials, organization executives, higher education, and community organizations in the South Bend Elkhart Region. It is no question that people truly care and are invested in making the South Bend-Elkhart region the best place to live, work, and play. We have seen great strides of improvement over the past 5 years, however, we believe there is additional opportunity to improve the “stickiness” factor and accelerate these initiatives in the region. Once an organization has incentivized someone to move to the region, there need to be various organizations working together to retain talent. Today more than ever, people crave human connection. As Kurt Vonnegut argues, “the most pervasive American disease is loneliness”. People stay in a region if they develop friendships, get involved in the community, and have access to an abundance of engaging activities and experiences. Connect 574’s focus is to help individuals find their "home" through intentional connection. Connect 574 is in the early stages of testing the idea and concept with members of the community. There are four key pillars to our business we are in the process of testing: 1) unique Connect 574 experiences 2) special access to events in the region 3) member portal, 4) Connect 574 member card At the moment we have hosted (2) Connect 574 experiences. We had 100% attendance from registrants and each attendee met someone new. Our ultimate goal is to establish a membership model that will provide perks to different activities and opportunities. We believe it’s important to develop a base of raving fans and add value to individuals today to understand the value they see in Connect 574. We’d like to approach local corporations and organizations to include a Connect 574 membership into their onboarding kits for new employees to help them establish their “home” in the South Bend-Elkhart region with intentional connection. Cat Edmonds Connect 574 http://connect574.com United States South Bend, IN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/southbend tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223738 2023-07-04T00:00:00Z 2024-05-13T07:56:36Z Our Awesome project is facilitating the first Operation Flinders team for Goolwa Secondary College! There are 10 young women from Alexandrina Region who will be directly impacted by this experience. The girls, accompanied by 2 school staff will travel to ‘Yankaninna Station’ in the Flinders Ranges, to hike as a team and camp out for 7 nights. They will walk many kilometres over different terrain, work as a team, complete challenges and experience the difficult moments of being in the outdoors - like carrying a heavy backpack, rocks, prickles, blisters, camp toilets etc. They will also experience the wonderful moments of the outdoors - like summiting mountains, watching beautiful sunrises/ sunsets and seeing native animals in a remote setting! Teams also have the chance to participate in either an abseil or high ropes experience whilst in the Flinders Ranges. We expect that this experience will bring about increased confidence and belief in self, for these young people. They will have an immersive experience while working as a team, learning about empathy, compassion, leadership, outdoor skills and emotional awareness. We expect that these young people will come back to their homes in Alexandrina as changed young women with more direction, more patience and understanding for themselves and others and a different attitude of success to frame future challenges they encounter. We believe that this journey will have a positive difference to their families and wider community also as they seek to connect, learn and support their peers at school with their additional confidence and leadership. Furthermore, participating in this experience allows these young people to be connected with ongoing activities and training provided by Operation Flinders, and opens more doors for development of skills and future employment. Thankyou for your consideration to bring Awesome into the lives of these young people in the Fleurieu! Amy Mackenzie Goolwa Seondary College Operation Flinders Team https://operationflinders.org.au/ Australia Fleurieu https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/fleurieu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/224136 2023-07-03T00:00:00Z 2023-07-03T23:43:05Z - To design and produce a deck of cards of everyday vocabulary in Arberesh (with Italian on the back) with corresponding descriptions and pictures. These can be used to match up vocabulary and description. The cards will have pictures, text and a QR code on them. They will be distributed in person. - The QR codes will link to a video playlist where the descriptions can be heard and seen in audio-visual form as well, in both female and male voices. - The same content will be found in Wikipedia articles where the information will be expanded upon. - These resources will follow a polynomic model allowing and encouraging the representation of more than one variety of the Arberesh language. These decks of cards can eventually be replicated by other Arberesh communities in their own variety. Long-term goals - Maintain its usage among the younger generation - Increase knowledge and awareness of vocabulary - Improve attitudes and challenge dominant ideologies - Increase awareness of the polynomic model of language maintenance - Create a consistent orthography that works in practice and is widely accepted Project Goals - Having resources for the community in an intelligibile and easy to read form of the Arberesh language, that do not reflect purist ideology - To have a stock of videos that serve as a pedagogical tool for any age (but especially for children) and simultaneously as a reference work on the Arberesh Wikipedia (which is currently in incubation: https://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/aae/) Martin Di Maggio KARTË ARBRESHË/ARBERESH FLASHCARDS Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/227260 2023-07-01T00:00:00Z 2023-11-03T08:50:13Z Պերմակուլտուրա այգու հիմնում, գյուղատնտեսական հողատարածքի համադրումը բնության էկոսիստեմների հետ։ Սովորեցնում եմ ինպես համագործակցել բնության հետ, ոչ թե պայքարել բնության մեջ կատարվող երեւույթների դեմ։ Օրինակ ' ինչի բերքի որոշ հատված թողնել թռչունների, որովհետև նրանք հիմնավորվում են մեր տարածքում եւ օգնում կառավարել վնասատուների քանակը։ Սովորեցնում ենք խոնավապահպանման մեթոդներ, ինչես ճիշտ կազմել մարգերի շերտերը, որպիսի ջուր չներծծվի, դառնա գրունտային ջուր, ոչ էլ գոլորշանա, այլ կոնդենսատի ցիրկուլացյիա կատարի հողի վերեւի շերտի մոտ։ Սովորեցնում ենք փոխարինել պարարտանյութերի բույսերով, օրինակ որ բույսերն են ազոտ ֆիկսում, կամ ֆոսֆոր մոբիլիզացնում, եւ ինչպես կիրառել դրանք բերքատվությունը շատացնելու, փոշոտումը խթանելու, հողի որակները բարելավելու համար։ Սովորեցնում են կառավարելի պահել վնասատուների քանակը, օգտակար միջատների շնորհիվ, եւ ոնց արդյունավետ կիրառել այն, խուսափելով թունաքիմիկատների։ Սովորեցնում ենք արեւի էներգիայի մաքսիմալ շատ կիրառման մեթոդ, որը ուգլիռոդների տեսքով էներգիա է դառնում ստորգետնյա կենսաբազմազանության համար, նաեւ մուլչապատման մատերյալ հաջորդ տարվա համար ։ Սովորեցնում ենք ինչպես վարվել հողի հետ, որպիսի այն փորելու կարգի չլինի, քանի որ փորը տարիների ընթացքում էրոզիա է առաջացնում։ Սովորեցնում ենք բույսերի միջոցով վնասատուների դեմ պաշտպանության համակարգի ստեղծումը, օդային թակարդների հիմնումը։ Սովորեցնում ենք բոլոր տեսակի թափոնների կիրառումը, կամպոստերի պատրաստում, կամ հենց կամպոստի պատրաստում, որը մաքսիմալ շատ միկրոօրգանիզմ ներդրվի հողի մեջ։ Անձրեւաջրերի կառավարում, գրունտային ջրերից օգտվելու եղանակներ, վալականավաների պատրաստում, ագրոանտառաբուծության մեթոդներ, օդից ջուր ֆիքսելու , միկրոկլիմատ ձեւավորելու, անտառային շերտեր կառուցելու , ակվակուլտուրայի մեթոդներ եւ այլն։ Հողը սպառվող ռեսուրս է, իսկ մարդիկ դրա սպառման հիմնական պատճառը։ Մարդկանց կրթությունը հիմք կհանդիսանա բնության հետ համագործակցել, այլ ոչ թե ոչնչացնել։ Կենդանիների կիրառումը այգու մեջ որպես օգնական, կովերը էտի , խոզերը որդերի պապուլյացյաի, հավերը փորելու , հողը պարարտացնելու եւ այլն։ Էրիկ Հախվերդյան Պերմակուլտուրայի կրթական այգի https://www.facebook.com/fromberdavan?mibextid=ZbWKwL Armenia Nature Armenia https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/naturearmenia tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/222161 2023-06-30T00:00:00Z 2023-07-20T14:05:30Z M.A.S.S. (Music and Artistic Sensory experience for the Soul) is a program developed by San Antonio's The AM Project that takes inspiration from spiritual musical traditions, with each experience being uniquely curated as a fusion of music, sound, and media to create an immersive sensory journey that explores the spiritual connection of music and senses. This nondenominational encourages participants to step away from the noise of modern life and into a sonic sanctuary that combines sounds from western church offering, eastern meditations, classical instrumentals, operatic accents, and many other enlightening elements combined through the DJ’s curated set.  For July 2023, the San Antonio River Foundation will collaborate with The AM Project on an elaborate presentation of MASS focusing on our Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islanders community. Ashley Mireles MASS (AM Project + San Antonio River Foundation) https://www.theamproject.org/ United States San Antonio, TX https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/sanantonio tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/222707 2023-06-30T00:00:00Z 2023-07-03T16:08:51Z Meu projeto é começar a empoderar mulheres atingidas pelo rompimento das barragens da Vale S.A em Córrego do Feijão, Brumadinho, em 2019, selecionadas pela AMPARE - Associação pela Inclusão de Mulheres e Pessoas com Deficiância, com sede em Brumadinho e tendo como diretor presidente Maurilio Dias Jardim. Consiste em formalizar mulheres atingidas de Brumadinho, com critérios de inscrição em CADUNICO, desempregada, baixa renda, mães-solo, sem casa própria, enfim, critérios construídos por edital e que definirão mulheres compromissadas a empreender produzindo temperos caseiros. Para começar, três mulheres iniciariam a produção, com matéria-prima e os potes para comercialização, arte gráfica digital para redes sociais, liquidificador industrial, máquina veda pote, rótulos e informações ao consumidor. Nasci em Brumadinho e ainda moro por aqui. Atualmente no bairro Aurora. Sou membro fundadora da AMPARE, e sempre na luta contra a violação de direitos. Sobretudo após ao crime da Vale, num território onde vivi e morei a vida inteira. E isso é uma coisa que abala a gente demais, né? Após 4 anos lutando desde janeiro de 2019 e tendo 2 anos e meio deles trabalhado no setor público municipal, e vivenciado e adoecido por perceber a problemática cruel e impiedosa que vivemos aqui - sai do setor público e há 4 meses desempregada, e convivendo e observando a situação de outras mulheres, das convivências da AMPARE, das rodas de conversas entre amigas de uma vida toda, percebi que precisamos nos unir e usar as estruturas que ai estão e que possibiltam alguns direitos e/ou oportunidades pra gente. E falo isso levando em conta os benefícios de se formalizar através do MEI, da geração de renda que leva uma mensagem de sustentabilidade, de empoderamento, de liberdade, de auto-estima, de esperança, de cura. Valor aprovado para o projeto: R$ 3000 Lilian Jacqueline da Silva Empreender para a liberdade Brazil Brumadinho https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/brumadinho tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/224243 2023-06-30T00:00:00Z 2023-06-30T06:51:21Z We are excited that our June grant has been awarded to One Whale's Tale and their Brooklyn Cumbia Festival which will be taking place next weekend, from July 6-10 around NYC. The festival is a multi-day community-focused music festival that celebrates Cumbia music from its origins in Colombia to its modern forms across Latin America through workshops, live bands, DJs, dancing, food, drinks, arts & crafts. It takes place at the Good Life Garden in Bushwick, House of Yes, Maria Hernandez Park, Barbès, Joe’s Pub, and TV EYE! There is no other event on the East Coast dedicated to celebrating the importance of Cumbia music and this is One Whale's Tale first year throwing this festival. Organizer ​​Camilo Quiroz-Vazquez writes, _"People in the US often speak of the Latino community, but the reality is that we are many different communities with unique cultures, dialects, rituals, food, and politics. One thing many of our countries have in common is a love for Cumbia, and my dream is that through music and art we create a place to start conversations and create a deeper connection with each other. Cumbia was born from African rhythms in Colombia, a fact not all Cumbia lovers are aware of, and the first two days of the festival are dedicated to Afro-Latino artists and acknowledging and celebrating their work and we think that is pretty awesome!"_ * [Visit their site for a full schedule of events](https://www.onewhalestale.com/upcoming) * RSVP and Ticketing information at www.brooklyncumbiafestival.com * Follow [@bkcumbiafest](https://www.instagram.com/bkcumbiafest/) and [@onewhalestale](https://www.instagram.com/onewhalestale/) on Instagram. Camilo Quiroz-Vazquez and One Whale's Tale Brooklyn Cumbia Festival https://www.onewhalestale.com/upcoming United States New York City, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/nyc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/224951 2023-06-30T00:00:00Z 2023-07-07T19:04:03Z Disability Victory is a 501(c)4 organization building the political power of disabled progressives through training, networking, and leadership development. We envision a country where disabled people have the information, support, and skills they need to successfully lead as candidates, elected officials, and campaign staff. We will accomplish this through three core tracks of work. The first is the Disability Victory Academy, which is an accessible campaign training program led by organizers, consultants, and elected officials who can speak to the unique challenges and barriers that disabled leaders face in the campaign environment. Secondly, as accessibility and disability inclusion subject matter experts, we will assist other training and political advocacy organizations in becoming more accessible and inclusive. Our third goal is to connect disabled leaders with each other to find mentorship and support, and connect other organizations with disabled candidates, elected officials, organizers, activists, and advocates to make their programming more inclusive. Through Disability Victory, we work to center the experiences and needs of multiply marginalized disabled people, especially BIPOC disabled people and disabled people of marginalized genders. We ensure that this is reflected in the speakers, trainers, and organizers we hire and compensate to lead our campaign training programming. **What our grantee is saying:** "Disability Victory is honored to be a recipient of the Awesome Disability ’s June award our organization was built on the foundation of connecting the disability community directly to the electoral process and most importantly training a pipeline of disabled candidates ready to serve their communities. With this critical funding from the Awesome Foundation, Disability Victory will be able to continue our vital work across the country." **What our trustees are saying:** "I voted for Disability Victory because I really believe in the work they are doing, building capacity for disabled political candidates." Sarah Blahovec Disability Victory http://www.disabilityvictory.org Worldwide Disability https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/disability tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/225309 2023-06-30T00:00:00Z 2023-07-09T00:33:24Z June’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Edouard Marava to support an epic box war. “We'll get a bunch of cardboard boxes,” explains Edouard, “build huge castles, and have a big war.” “People can bring their own cardboard weapons and armour, and we'd split people into two teams, give them an hour to build up their castle, and then declare WAaaarrrrrrrr!” “We'd then recycle all the cardboard at the end of the day,” Edouard adds. “I have a bunch of kids programs running all year, so I'm sure the kids would be happy to paint or build stuff with the leftovers of the battle.” “The event would be free,” says Edouard. “After the big fight, there'd be some stupid games like ‘who can jump through a large piece of cardboard’ or ‘let's build cardboard planes and try to fly them.’ I expect that people will get very creative if we let them use the materials available.” Edouard is a father of two, and runs a nonprofit organization that delivers youth programs. “I've been working with kids my whole life,” he says, and I believe my child heart is still intact!” Edouard Marava Epic Box War Canada Ottawa https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/ottawa tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/225678 2023-06-30T00:00:00Z 2023-08-22T12:07:18Z We're working on building a holistic and empowering Cultural Welcome Guide to Liverpool for the asylum seeker and refugee community in the city. Part of this involves a programme of trips. We are currently applying for larger pots of funding to support the whole project. In the meantime, we want to keep the momentum we've built up going and involve new participants by running a programme of trips in summer 2023. This project was inspired by a tour we organised for a group of vulnerable migrants to the Tate and Open Eye as part of the SOL English through Art project at Metal in Autumn 2022. One of the participants was overwhelmed to discover they could access the art on show at the Tate for free. Another shared photos of last time they had been to an exhibition - It had possibly been a year since they had accessed culture in the city and was only doing so through the filter of organised trips. Our trips are unique as they are done with a view to empowerment. We do this by supporting participants to take public transport, explaining to them how to enter the space, where to go for free tickets etc. Everything about the trip aims to increase participants confidence in entering cultural spaces. Katy Harris Liverpool Cultural Welcome Project https://www.oneseptemberart.co.uk/liverpool-cultural-welcome-project United Kingdom Liverpool https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/liverpool tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223687 2023-06-29T00:00:00Z 2023-06-30T03:30:24Z The mission of 100 TREES PROJECT is to plant trees in high impact urban heat island locations such as, public housing and public spaces to improve the lives of people, build community, and directly impact the urban quality of life and make an impact on climate change. 100 trees at a time. Working with local partners, 100 TREES PROJECT plans to plant batches of 10 or 20 trees in each location. Six to eight feet in height, the trees are fast growing and are species native to New England. 100 TREES PROJECT provides the trees, necessary fertilizer etc., while the local partner, where the trees are planted, will be expected to commit to help plant and maintain the trees for the first five years. As of today we have planted 90 trees in the 4 years since we started this project. 50 of them are in public housing in Boston and Gloucester. 20 are at Seaside Cemetery in Gloucester. The most recent 20 were planted at Burnham Playground in Gloucester. We are currently scouting locations for next 10-20 trees. Prartaap Patrose 100 Trees Project http://www.100TreesProject.org United States Gloucester, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/gloucester tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/221833 2023-06-28T00:00:00Z 2024-05-13T08:03:31Z In Australia, domestic and family violence is disturbingly common. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data show an increase in family and domestic violence and sexual assault by 13% from 2017 - 2022. Much of this abuse is witnessed by children. Domestic violence has a long-lasting impact on the wellbeing of the women and children who have experienced it, having a profound negative effect on their mental health and self-belief. The Time for Me Project aims to provides a safe, secure space for women who have experienced domestic violence to share, heal and grow, whilst being supported by a social worker and community development worker, art therapist and other women who have been through similar situations. One impact of domestic violence is that women often become very isolated, therefore one of the project's aims is to increase the participants social capital. Women build up connections with each other through attending the sessions, which then act as a support system for one another. This project differs from other domestic violence related programs as it aims to be an ongoing support group, aiming to meet monthly. Many other programs only run for 6-8 weeks and this can result in prolong periods (after the program ends) where there is no local support for women (especially if they have no transport). This project also gives the women the opportunity to participate in a variety of art medium, most not having had much exposure to being creative through art or experiencing this form of therapy. Through empowering the women and building up their confidence it will assist them in becoming more socially active, independent and being able to build up other connections within the community. The connections that domestic violence survivors can create with each other is another vital aspect of art therapy. Expressing past trauma, hardship or painful emotions is sometime less uncomfortable to do when done through an artistic medium. Jo Renshaw Time For Me Australia Fleurieu https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/fleurieu tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/222552 2023-06-28T00:00:00Z 2023-09-20T11:52:04Z Georgetown Moms Group was founded in 2023 as a not-for-profit, member-driven organization focused on providing mothers of young children a place to find support, build friendships, and gain knowledge. Our focus is on mothers in Georgetown and surrounding towns. We endeavor to have one mom’s event and one children’s event a month. As we raise more money, our goal is for the children’s events to be free or low cost for members. Additionally, we are planning 3-4 philanthropic-centered events a year, because giving back to the community is a cornerstone of the group. Elizabeth Wilfong Georgetown Moms Group http://Www.Georgetownmomsgroup.com United States Georgetown, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/georgetown tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223515 2023-06-27T00:00:00Z 2023-07-05T14:33:49Z Eurydice Community Outreach Project plans to host three (3) Summer 2023 monthly (during July 2023, August 2023, and September 2023) dinner and a movie events from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Our target population are residents from Townhall Apartments who are LGBTQ and seniors that are low income and and that does not have the extra money to spend on a night out. Eurydice Moore LGBTQ/Seniors Movie And Dinner Events https://eurydicecommunityoutreachproject.com/ United States Chicago, IL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/chicago tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/225038 2023-06-26T00:00:00Z 2023-06-27T05:17:09Z Every day dozens of young expectant mothers do not have the resources and support needed during their pregnancy and oftentimes are in an unsafe environment or become homeless. These young girls not only must confront the medical concerns associated with bringing a new life into the world, but they also must find shelter, food and overall care. The options are limited where the Home of Serenity is located. We are located in Detroit Michigan where there is a very large population of unserved and underserved homeless and at-risk youth. The Home of Serenity can be the solution. Our residential program welcomes homeless pregnant and parenting mothers ages 15 - 21 who have been abandoned or escaped unstable home environments. Many girls have lost their self-esteem when they seek out the Home of Serenity. They are frightened and emotional. Some arrive with just the clothes on their backs. They don’t know how they’re going to finish school, find a job and provide for their babies. We provide these young mothers with housing, several options to complete their education, life skill classes, parenting courses, day care, counseling, food, clothing, job/career training. financial literacy, and much more. The girls are mentored to become productive and independent members of society. Most leave our 24-month program and move into their own homes or enroll in college. The length of stay greatly depends on the age the mother arrives and starts the program. We give them guidance and supervision. We give them help and hope for the future. The Home of Serenity demonstrates the care and concern these young mothers and their babies truly need and deserve. When they feel that things are hopeless and there’s nowhere to turn, they need to know how much they are loved and that they are not alone. It doesn’t matter what type of situation they find themselves in, they all deserve another chance to get on the right path in life. Diane Pears Lift The Young Ones Up https://www.thehomeofserenity.org/copy-of-about Worldwide Homelessness (Inativo) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/homelessness tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/225575 2023-06-26T00:00:00Z 2023-06-28T00:28:45Z Since 2018 I've been a board member of the Metro Washington Association of Blind Athletes (MWABA), an organization formed in 2015 that organizes outdoor recreational activities for blind youth and adults in the DC area. A popular event MWABA has held for several years is an afternoon spent at Key Bridge Boathouse where we rent several double kayaks for blind athletes to paddle with sighted volunteers, or with a friend or family member. For the first couple of years most of our blind paddlers were adults, but last summer we had some kids from DCPS come out to try kayaking as well, and we’d like to expand the event to include more youth participants. Unfortunately, our limited funds have placed a cap on how many boats we can rent, and in turn how many paddlers we can accommodate. This has resulted in volunteers doubling or sometimes tripling up and spending less time with each blind paddler, making the experience more rushed and less fun for all involved. With this grant we would be able to double the number of boats we rent and offer both a longer option for our most adventurous paddlers and a shorter, relaxed option for the majority of paddlers without the need to rush back to accommodate a second shift of paddlers in the same boat. WE believe this will also leave more time for group socializing before and after paddling, which is one of the most valuable aspects of this activity because of the opportunity it affords for developing friendships and for blind youth to spend time with and get to know adult blind role models. We would use the grant to reserve twelve double kayaks, twice the number we have reserved in the past. Because we want to offer a longer paddling option for those who are interested, we would like to reserve three of the kayaks for four hours ($360) and the other nine for two hours apiece ($540). We would spend the additional $100 on snacks and bottled water. Qudsiya Naqui Blind DC Residents and Friends Paddle the Potomac http://www.gomwaba.org United States Washington, DC https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/dc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/220158 2023-06-22T00:00:00Z 2023-10-19T15:20:37Z We are building a program that connects K-12 students to National Park Rangers via personalized video messages. Our mission is to leverage technology to improve access to some of our world’s most treasured places, coolest people, and biggest ideas. Post Pigeon EDU gives students the opportunity to learn from National Park Rangers and provides a window of access to the outdoors. The program supplies classrooms with a foundational curriculum on the park of their choosing and the opportunity to develop their inquiry skills by formulating questions for a Ranger. Classrooms then receive a personalized video “postcard” from a Ranger answering their questions. We are a platform and service that handles the technical backend and communication between classrooms and National Park sites. Our program links the research-backed benefits of multimedia learning and developing inquiry, collaboration, and communication skills to improve engagement, STEM outcomes, and access to the outdoors. We hope to serve as an entryway for students to get curious about the outdoors and believe a natural extension of exposing students to NPS sites and having them engage with sites virtually is to encourage them to visit the sites in person. We want students to get the joyous itch to explore and learn about the natural world so that they can reap the benefits of outdoor exposure and become stewards of the place they call home. Finally, we hope that the flexible, asynchronous program allows Florida’s National Parks to reach more students, in more communities both in Florida and beyond. Florida’s National Parks represent some of our most precious and incredible ecosystems, and we want all students to be able to learn from them and experience them in some capacity. The first National Park Sites I reached out to were Biscayne and Everglades — both Parks have been instrumental in starting to bring the program to life. Valerie Quirk Post Pigeon EDU http://www.postpigeonedu.com United States Miami, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/miami tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/224886 2023-06-22T00:00:00Z 2023-06-19T14:01:37Z MusicCan is a non-profit started by myself and my bass player Manny DeGrandis with the goal of providing free instruments and three months free lessons at The Arts Music Store. We do community outreach to find candidates for the guitar/lesson program and distribute donated instruments as well. We recently purchased 30 Djembe Drums for Maple Leaf P.S. and donated 8 guitars to the school. We also run the drum program at the school on a weekly basis. Glenn Marais MusicCan https://www.facebook.com/MusicCanNewmarket Canada Newmarket https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/newmarket-ontario tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/221997 2023-06-21T00:00:00Z 2023-07-06T01:14:49Z Stitch Buffalo (501c3) and Massachusetts Avenue Project (501c3) are partnering to present a two-day art event to promote sustainability, work by artists of marginalized genders, and the power of community building through cross-cultural exchange. All events are centered on a visit from internationally renowned LGBTQ+ activist, curator, and artist Shannon Downey. The event will feature a public exhibit of 180 storytelling art pieces from around the world, sharing the lived experience of the person who created them. This will be held at the MAP building on Buffalo's West Side. During the event, guests will be able to view the art and meet Shannon Downey (who will give a short presentation). They will also be able to tour the farm with teen guides, learn about sustainable food and arts practices, and get free supplies to create their own textile art "Herstory." The second component of this event is a public art-making session at Stitch Buffalo. Members of the community will be invited to stitch along with Shannon Downey and artists from the Refugee Women's Workshop at Stitch Buffalo. We will be working on a large banner that reads "The World Is Here," reflecting our experience of Buffalo as a vibrant melting pot of world cultures. The banner will also feature floral motifs and textiles from around the world. While visiting Stitch Buffalo, guests will also be able to tour our "farm"—a dye garden full of native plants that can be used to color fabric, paper, and other natural fibers. Guests will see garment samples and be able to experiment with making their own eco-dyed bookmark. All events will be open to the public with no admission fee (free-will donations will be accepted to support both organizations). This event will take place on Garden Walk weekend (July 28 and 29), so we hope to reach both local and traveling participants—and share with them Buffalo's commitment to diversity and sustainability. Michelle Perkins Badass HERstory Exhibit and Community Art Project United States Buffalo, NY (Inativo) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/buffalo tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/225754 2023-06-20T00:00:00Z 2023-06-21T02:02:45Z Out Youth’s services promote the physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being of LGBTQIA+ youth ages 9 to 25 in Austin, TX, all of whom are fighting to thrive in the midst of fear, misunderstanding, and hostility. Out Youth’s programming is enhanced by the library in our community center, which is the largest private LGBTQIA+ library in Texas. A $1000 grant from the Austin Awesome Foundation will fund an investment in new nonfiction books by and about LGBTQIA+ people for Austin’s queer youth. Access to books with affirming representations of LGBTQIA+ experiences is vital for Austin’s LGBTQIA+ youth now more than ever, given the latest book bans in schools and the recent legislative session regarding the rights of Texas’s transgender children and their caregivers. For many young people, feeling a connection to their community begins in the pages of books. Books by and about LGBTQIA+ advocates can inspire youth to act as advocates within their own communities, or at the very least, they can instill a sense of hope in our youth, who live in a time and place where anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation restricts their rights. Christopher Dowling-Magill Expansion of LGBTQIA+ Library for Austin's Youth https://www.outyouth.org/library United States Austin, TX https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/austin tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/221623 2023-06-19T00:00:00Z 2023-06-20T03:26:45Z Since 2015, our art group "Yav" has been actively creating works that oppose the Russian government, expressing our core values based on European and Western ideals. Democracy, human rights and freedoms, feminism, and anti-war sentiments are important to us, as well as active participation in public life. We engage in activism and media activism, striving to draw attention to important social issues. The "Yav" art group was founded and is led by a woman named Anastasia, and our collective consists of only two people. Together, we work on video art, performances, street art, and media art to creatively express our ideas and opinions on important issues affecting contemporary society. We also aim to increase the representation of women in street art and inspire them to engage in activism through street art. In Russia, street art is highly patriarchal, with women making up only about 10% of the community. We are confident that our creativity and active stance contribute to changing this situation, opening new horizons and opportunities for talented women in the world of art and activism. We strive to awaken social responsibility, mutual assistance, and solidarity through our projects, demonstrating that art can be a powerful tool for public impact and drawing attention to pressing problems. Anastasiia Vladychkina art-group Yav https://www.instagram.com/yav_zone/ Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/222573 2023-06-19T00:00:00Z 2023-08-31T20:01:05Z Good Enough Comedy is a “mostly” monthly comedy show that operates out of the Bryant Street Barbershop in Highland Park. Yes, a barbershop! Good Enough Comedy aims to bring national touring headliners to town alongside local stand ups. Shannon Norman, a Pittsburgh based standup comedian and also a barber at the Bryant Street Barbershop, has been writing and performing comedy since 2005. “I started doing these shows in the shop after the pandemic. The loss of Hambones was a critical blow to the local comedy scene and I wanted to provide an alternative space to the comedy clubs and theaters, just like Jeff Holt did with Hambones.” Funny comedians and funny people are all welcome. Shannon Norman Good Enough Comedy http://Instagram.com/good_enough_comedy United States Pittsburgh, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/pittsburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/225057 2023-06-19T00:00:00Z 2023-06-20T18:47:59Z When I moved to Orlando in 2010 to join the music production faculty at Full Sail University, it didn’t take long to identify an issue with my new home. As a seasoned freelance composer, I saw depressingly few opportunities to have my music performed here and virtually no concert activity dedicated to new music. However, because of the amazing universities here and the theme parks, Central Florida has a surprisingly high concentration of talented composers for a city that, in 2023, is only the 63rd largest city in the US. In 2011 I founded the Central Florida Composers Forum, and since its inception, we’ve given dozens of performances of contemporary chamber music and also partnered with organizations like the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra, Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra, Orlando Story Club, Burrow Press, and Emotions Dance. The one thing we have avoided trying — until now — is to mount a concert of new choral music entirely written by local, living composers. This has never been done in Orlando’s history. The costs associated with a project of this scope are daunting. Paying sixteen singers to learn all contemporary repertoire (even repertoire that is accessible and expressive), along with the accompanying pianist, additional instrumentalists, venue rental costs, and marketing all quickly drive up the very real need to procure more funds than ticket sales will provide alone or run the very real risk of a painful financial loss to our group. Yet, a concert like this is necessary. And it would be awesome. This groundbreaking event would illuminate our community's creative talent, stimulate growth in our music scene, and make contemporary classical music accessible and more visible to all. The title for this concert is Thresholds: Choral Doorways into Loss, Hope, and Spirit, and would include world or regional premieres by Alex Burtzos, Stan Cording, Alan Gerber, Troy Gifford, Charlie Griffin, ChanJi Kim, Bradon Martin, and Chaz Underriner. Charlie Griffin An awesome never-been-done-here choral concert http://cfcomposers.org United States Orlando, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/orlando tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223451 2023-06-15T00:00:00Z 2023-09-04T04:11:12Z A collaboration between artists and game developers, both senior and emerging, to create games, fantasy consoles and associated artwork, such as game box art and marketing posters. A series of hybrid workshops and game jams will be held at Sabbatical Gallery in Richmond and online, with the final presentation of works at a week-long exhibition held during Games Week (30 September - 8 October, 2023) and located at the Dollhouse Gallery in Brunswick East, Victoria. The exhibition will be in the guise of an imagined Games Shop from an alternate universe, giving a sense of false nostalgia to the audience. An online version of the show with photogrammetry of the consoles, and creating a virtual space to play the games will be created to make the show accessible beyond the physical space of the show. All these events will be free to attend and participate in and run by volunteers. Kay-Lynn Cavanagh Sabbatical Gallery This is Not a Toy Store https://sabbatical.gallery/ Australia Melbourne (Inativo) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/melbourne tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223495 2023-06-15T00:00:00Z 2023-06-27T23:17:07Z We are starting a regalia making group at the Indigenous Association in June. This is part of our mission to connect, unite, and strengthen the Indigenous community in the Fargo/Moorhead area. We want this space to be open to youth, adults, and elders. We have heard from both Fargo Public Schools and Moorhead Area Public Schools Indian Education departments that they need more regalia for the drum and dance programs that they do in their respective schools. We would like to open up the opportunity for youth and families throughout the regain to make their own regalia for this purpose and for community drum and dance events. We are offering the group with a suggested $25 material fee, but we do not want anyone to be left out if they are not able to afford the costs. This will also serve as an event that the Indigenous community can gather and socialize as well. We heard from many people in the community that are interested in this group, and believe it will be well attended. We currently have some material, access to 17 sewing machines, and 4000 sq feet of space at our location to hold this group. We are looking for funding to help cover the costs of initial supplies so we can get started right away and be sure there are materials for folks that are not able to afford the fee. We are hoping that both experienced and first time regalia makers will attend the group and this is a skill that can be passed down to the next generation. We have an experienced regalia maker that has agreed to help us with this project. Brandon Baity Community Regalia Making http://indgns.org United States Cass Clay https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/cassclay tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223934 2023-06-15T00:00:00Z 2023-06-18T15:15:53Z At Madeleine-de-Roybon Elementary School there are students who are members of The Humanitarian Club. The members like to help other people who live in sickness or poverty. They make 'Pocket Buddies' to bring smiles to other children and to fund-raise for local or international charities that provide essential needs. They make these ‘Pocket Buddies’ during their lunch hour or after school. They are made of yarn and are dressed using recycled fabric to look like different children from around the world. We create these dolls to represent all identities without discrimination. Since our beginning in 2014, the different members have helped support 30 countries. Soon, the club will reach 30 000$ in donations. The club also donates dolls to children in need locally and in different countries. This club has given the school the opportunity to reflect on global challenges such as peace, climate action, human rights, and cultural diversity. The Humanitarian Club was also a contributing factor to becoming a Unesco school. More importantly, the Humanitarian Club forms your future citizen within Kingston as they are bringing humanitarian aid. Your motto is: It is as simple as local people helping to get local ideas off the ground to keep Kingston Awesome! Our youth has the same motto as you and their intention is to help not only Kingstonians but people in need all over the world. Jacynthe Aubut Club humanitaire - Les Ami.e.s de Poche https://jacyntheaubut3.wixsite.com/amisdepoches-pb/du-nouveau-updates Canada Kingston https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/kingston-on tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/214280 2023-06-14T00:00:00Z 2023-10-13T08:24:16Z Different cities have queer feminist bookstores. We started the first in Rotterdam: Queer Feminist Books! The concept is very simple: a combination of a library and store that exclusively offers books that are queer and/or feminist. We strongly believe that as a society, we have a long way to go when it comes to feminism. That's why we feel it's important to spread the existing knowledge and ideas of queers and feminists. We believe that books should be more accessible, which is why everyone can borrow books as well as buy them. We currently offer books in the following categories: queer, feminism, (anti-) racism, climate (change), art and poetry. But we are very eager to expand: we’d like to offer more books in more categories. We want to invest in books from femxle*, BIPOC and queer writers. We also want to offer a collection for children and teenagers. (*the feminist spelling of female, with which we also want to include trans, non-binary, intersex and other identities) Aside from the library we organise events. Last December we organised a Queer Christmas get-together; for people without a supportive family (or for who just wants to queer up this heteronormative celebration). This evening was heart warming and we received a lot of positive feedback from the attendees. In the coming months we will host more events such as our Pussy Poetry Club (a queer collective that will share poetry on a monthly basis (in collaboration with the iconic Poortgebouw). When we went online, we reached 630 followers on Instagram in a very short amount of time. When we go to events ourselves or when we visit other local bookstores, people say: ‘aren’t you Sam/Mattias from QFB?’. People talk about it, people want a space like this, Rotterdam needs Queer Feminist Books! Sam & Mattie Queer Feminist Books Netherlands Rotterdam https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/rotterdam tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/217434 2023-06-14T00:00:00Z 2023-07-10T15:35:52Z Studio E is a space in the heart of downtown Westminster that is pretty much in heard of. With a state of the art recording studio performance space and rehersal space it’s a hidden gem lots of our of town bands have relied on to create dynamic music, My idea is to provide a space now for the local musician to explore there artistry and creativity right here in the community ! With my experience as a career touring Musicain it’s my dream to help Westminster become a haven for music and art. Drew Wagner The Studio E music collective http://Drewwagner.com United States Westminster, MD https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/westminster tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223573 2023-06-14T00:00:00Z 2023-06-15T11:48:01Z The Glasgow Sunflowers are a baseball team for women, non-binary and all trans people, founded in November 2022. We play baseball in Queen’s Park Recreational Ground on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings. We aim to promote the equality and inclusion of women, non-binary and all trans people in sport and in the community in Glasgow. We aim to improve the quality of our players lives through community sport, improving both their physical and mental health. We want to build a community reputation of being more than a baseball club and engaging with local community initiatives, volunteering opportunities and sponsorship collaborations. We strive to create a culture of transparency where every member is involved in the decision-making process of the team and to create a safe and welcoming space for all our members to feel respected, supported and seen in. When we started out in November 2022, we had around 40 players and only 7 months later, now have over 90 players, and we anticipate continued growth for our team. One of our main principles is financial inclusion, so we refuse to charge our players to use equipment, attend training sessions or take part in games. This is to ensure that everyone can access the space, regardless of their income. As our team grows, we are in need of financial support in purchasing equipment for our players, to make sure that no one cannot access the space that we have worked so hard to create, the space that we are incredibly proud of. Georgie Price The Glasgow Sunflowers United Kingdom Glasgow https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/glasgow tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223631 2023-06-14T00:00:00Z 2023-06-15T14:20:14Z It is no secret that our planet is in need of some love and attention. The importance of the Honey bee and other pollinating creatures is undeniable. This festival brings together a place for families and individuals to learn more while having a whole lot of fun. Our goal is to keep the festival FREE for all, encourage diversity and support our local Depot Town commerce of vintage, shops and restaurants . We invite artists, young entrepreneurs, farmers, flower growers, beekeepers and more all out to sell their goods. We will have multiple arts tables for kids projects and activities to keep kids entertained while skilled volunteers help to educate and inspire. Live painting and interactive series of a second honeycomb tower community mural. Games, prizes and more!!! Through performance, interactive art, dance and creativity we bring people out from many surrounding cities and communities to enjoy the day. The main entertainment attraction is a family friendly wrestling match. The storyline is that Big Bruce Buzzbee is the largest bumble bee on planet Earth and subsequently the smallest wrestler in the ring. His winning reign last year was loved and supported by all, BUT will he win again this year???? Bruce is set to fight against the nasty pesky pesticides that threaten his and all of his bee-ples and polli-homies existence. The Pesky Pesticides; Guy Phosate and Nic Anoid are some lean mean characters that want to keep Bruce down. but we can't let that happen can we??? Find out who will come help Bruce win the fight against pesticides and terrible companies who produce them. It will be a battle to the end. His buddy from the Dark Caves, Nectarno Tucker T. Bat the III will be a new character this year. He comes with a colony of other bats and drone dark music hopefully played by a theremin. This new character will come out in the second round. The third will be both Bruce and Tucker united against those nasty good for nothing, planet killing, poison chemicals. Claire Broderick Festival of the Pollinator/Rumble of the Bumble http://rumbleofthebumble.org United States Ann Arbor, MI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/ann-arbor tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/218291 2023-06-12T00:00:00Z 2023-06-12T21:58:16Z 'An ecological discourse' is envisioned to be a trilogy of short films based on three seasons (grazing, non-grazing and monsoon), which emerges from the perspective of grazing and human-nonhuman entanglements in the landscape in times of climate crisis. So far I have completed one video chapter (titled Scream) out of two chapters. Scream emerges from that season in the year when grazing of goats ceases as grazing commons transform to mono crop farmland and foraging for domesticated non humans takes complex forms, considering many more herders of cows and goats in my village gets constricted with lesser access to grass/plants for their animals. The remaining two video chapters will be in collaboration with my goat/cow grazing colleagues, traditional sculptors in the village who makes animal figurines during the harvest festival (elements of which will be incorporated into the making of the videos) and ritual based musical performers (elements of which will be incorporated into the making of the videos). I envision these three video chapters to evoke a rethinking of anthropocentric narratives on landscape with the hope that this stimulates and radicalizes new ways of actions in the near future in times of climate emergency. While the project forays into the contested ecosphere, it will also delve into the nuances of the socio political and gender realities within human societies with specific focus on my wider village, which forms as micro lens. The landscape here is the reference to understand enmeshed human hegemonies and its implications in the ecosphere. After the completion of the short films, I intend to show them in local schools and colleges in my village and other institutes for a wider engagement, whereby a discourse can kickstart to rethink grazing and its entrapped gender and class biases within my village and in wider India. The intent is to open a dialogue around landscape and our complex relationship with it and why such a discourse is crucial today. Namrata Neog An Ecological Discourse - 3 short films on seasons Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/218688 2023-06-12T00:00:00Z 2023-06-12T23:44:08Z Our Peace Garden at Eastern Heights Elementary is equal parts science lab, social-emotional gathering spot, reading nook and writing inspiration location! Unfortunately, our Peace Garden has come into disrepair in the last 5 years, particularly our vegetable and flower beds. Our 4th and 5th grade EL (English Language) learners are responsible for managing and maintaining our garden beds, but this has become difficult recently, as a result of rotted wood and termite damage. This makes it difficult for planting, weeding and sowing, and also preventing potting soil run off. Our project involves replacing the worn-out wooden beds with self-watering elevated beds with steel legs and treated lumber, to increase the longevity of the beds. Why raised beds? First of all, raised beds will allow our Kindergarten students and wheelchair-bound special education students to better access the planting process. If the bed is raised anywhere between 10-24 inches from the ground, basic gardening tasks become more accessible to our entire student body. In addition, damage to young seedlings and established plants from critters and rodents is significantly reduced with the use of raised beds. Grades Pre-K through 5 use the Peace Garden as a science laboratory, studying units on weather and climate, life cycles, seasons, and bird migration and habitat, to name a few. These raised beds would enhance our science curriculum, and improve on this space for years to come. At Eastern Heights we have a "peace pledge" displayed in our Peace Garden, which states: "I am a peacemaker. I treat myself and others with respect. I listen. I share. I care for the earth, air, water, plants and animals. I am important to this very big world. Peace begins with me." This pledge is a reminder that our Peace Garden serves many purposes at our school, and this grant will allow us to continue to use it for years to come. Patricia Boyt Raised Beds Guarantee Gardening For All Students United States St. Paul, MN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/stpaul tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223080 2023-06-11T00:00:00Z 2023-06-12T13:59:18Z Golden Hour Books will be a brick-and-mortar bookstore located at 181 Broadway in the City of Newburgh, looking to open in Summer 2023. We will be Newburgh’s first independent bookseller in quite some time and plan to offer a hybrid of used and new books to customers, and curate a selection of titles that will appeal to the wide-ranging demographics of this beautiful city, as opposed to retreading the broad territory that our nearby Barnes & Noble covers. The scope of our offerings will include literary fiction and nonfiction, memoir, cookbooks and culinary literature, children’s books and YA literature, with an emphasis on writers of color, to ensure that the Latino and BIPOC populations of the city feel represented. Literature not only expands our knowledge and teaches us things, but helps to shape identity and our relationship to the world. We think it’s important for every member of our community to feel seen in the shelves of our shop. We also hope to become a space that members of the community feel comfortable visiting and spending time in, whether by coming with their infants and toddlers for our weekly story time; as young readers in the community seeking a quiet, welcoming environment to browse and read; or as a local book club or writing group looking for a place to congregate. Furthermore, bookstores can be destinations, and we hope to create a beautiful destination within the City of Newburgh – offering a uniquely curated selection of titles with a strong point of view that residents from elsewhere in the Hudson Valley, as well as daytrippers and other tourists to the area, seek out. We will conduct local media outreach and cultivate a strong and attractive social media presence to announce ourselves as one of the many destinations attracting visitors to Newburgh. We’re excited to contribute and be a part of Newburgh’s ongoing economic growth, and to the resurgence of Broadway in particular. Angie Venezia Golden Hour Books United States Newburgh, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/newburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/228466 2023-06-09T00:00:00Z 2024-03-28T05:53:28Z I am a queer disabled writer living on Kaurna Country. I am currently writing a narrative nonfiction book exploring the connections between farming, labour and the healing of land and people. I came to this project through personal hardship, when chronic illness forced me to leave the farming job I loved. I began to question how alternative farming could be truly regenerative – not just for the soil, but for people too – while existing within systems of capitalism and colonialism. How can we make agriculture a project of healing? This book is my boldest and most challenging creative undertaking, and I can’t wait to share it with readers. I believe this work will impact all of us, as we are all connected to the land and its workers through the food we eat. To complete my book and include key voices, I need to take a research trip. I hope to attend the Australian Food Sovereignty Convergence in NSW in October, where I will join this country’s food sovereignty movement in debate, sharing, strategy and collaboration. This will be an opportunity to connect with farmers and activists from across the country, and will provide important insights and relationships to enrich my work. On the way to Convergence I will visit and interview farmers, landholders and traditional custodians who are developing models of land use and food production that show a better way forward. These include Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, Farm Raiser, Tumpinyeri Growers, Jonai Farms, Yambulla and Black Duck Foods. These experiences will help point the way to a collaborative, healing and sustainable farming future that I will share in my book. The more I learn, the more I am convinced that there can be no food sovereignty without land sovereignty, and no food justice without labour justice. I don’t have all the answers to the food system’s challenges, but in order to find them – and frame the right questions – connection with other farmers, food activists and First Nations practitioners is vital. Phoebe Paterson de Heer An Observer of Shifting Light https://phoebepatersondeheer.wordpress.com/writing/ Australia Adelaide https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/adelaide tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/222873 2023-06-08T00:00:00Z 2023-06-10T13:08:35Z In 2014 a small group of undergraduates at MSUM wrote a small grant proposal to the Dille Fund for Excellence to build a small tide pool system. It was fun, educational, and had a powerful effect no one foresaw, Students were drawn to it to help run it, feed it, and ultimately expand it. We added new displays. A student club was created and the "Marine Ecology Lab" came into being. Several students working in the Oceanarium started to translate their experience at the Oceanarium into careers in marine biology in Florida. MSUM students were not the only ones to find the facility engaging. The YMCA, K12 and Home School groups heard about it by word of mouth and began requesting tours. Without any advertising whatsoever, we had 2400 students tour the facility in the year before covid. We started charging for tours as a means of recovering some of our costs. Students came from FM and surrounding areas up to an hour away. Interest in a live marine facility is without peer in the Red River Valley. Covid was a major reset. We were reduced to a skeleton crew to maintain the animal life, and we lost all revenues generated by tours. However, by then we were aware of the enormous potential of the facility to serve the community and educate the public about marine ecosystem diversity and conservation. We rebranded as the "Oceanarium", applied for and received a one-time grant from the MN University system for $25,000 and position ourselves to launch publicly. There is a ribbon-cutting ceremony schedule for World Ocean Day, June 8, 2023. We are partnering with the Red River Zoo for that event. We are poised to become a major outreach resource in the Moorhead area. For people living in the Red River Valley far from any ocean, the opportunity to learn about ocean life is very important. Ocean literacy is a component of environmental literacy (https://www.marine-ed.org/ocean-literacy/overview) and a national movement that we can champion at the MSUM Oceanarium. Brian Wisenden Oceanarium https://www.mnstate.edu/oceanarium/ United States Cass Clay https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/cassclay tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223404 2023-06-08T00:00:00Z 2023-06-12T23:40:45Z We would like to take over 100 2nd graders to the world famous Ordway Theater! The Ordway will provide busing to St. Paul students, but their ticket prices require a significant monetary outlay. So many of the young people we teach have never seen a live art performance. They have great familiarity with performances on screens or in their homes, but to be a part of a community music and dance performance has the potential to be transformative in the lives of young St, Paulites. We would need tickets totalling $440 to take four 2nd grade classes plus chaperones downtown to the Ordway in the fall of 2023. Ruth Krider World Music Ensemble 7/4 at the Ordway Theater https://ensamble74.com/ United States St. Paul, MN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/stpaul tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/205809 2023-06-07T00:00:00Z 2023-06-09T02:10:43Z Sandy Peaches is a relaxed social hang out for LGBTIQA+ people at Newcastle Beach. We meet up monthly to have a cuppa, go for a swim and connect. Sandy Peaches was born out of a desire to provide an alternative way for people to make new queer friends, aside from pubs, clubs, parties and apps. So much of our social connections come about through apps and online worlds. Sandy Peaches is all about providing a space where queers can hang out with other queers, in a safe, relaxed environment. Our project is awesome because it's really fun to make new friends, be together in the sun and hang out with no strings attached. It's awesome because I love bringing people together, especially queer people! Chris Brown Sandy Peaches - LGBTIQA+ hangs at the beach Australia Newcastle https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/newcastle tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223031 2023-06-07T00:00:00Z 2023-06-09T19:28:57Z Our project takes on the awesome work of expanding our already awesome event. First, let me tell you about the event – then I’ll explain the project. The Trans Power Soup Social started from a fairly simple place: when I was early in my transition, I went looking for community. I knew scarce few people like me, and longed for a place where I felt like I could truly belong. While there are some vibrant, thriving queer events in our city, the weekly trans community groups I found were lacking. They felt institutional and bureaucratic. The main group I found was segregated by age and partially run by cis people. While those running the program – including the cis staff! – were warm, kind, and generous, it felt the opposite of grassroots. It seemed like a good place to connect with a few friends, but not a space in which we might build lasting, generative community. I wanted to try to build something by and for trans people, and welcoming of all generations. Real community requires the presence of both our elders and our children. Real community is not just a social club, but a place to be safe and become strong. I had the idea that if I were to make a vat of soup in High Park every week, play a little music, and spread the word, people would come. They have. In August 2022, on our first Sunday – the day we make soup – there were five of us. Last Sunday, there were 30. Some attendees were local; others travelled from Scarborough, Brampton, and Hamilton. There were children; there were elders. We are building a space in which we can be safe and become strong. The project of Growing the Trans Power Soup Social aims to reinforce our group’s position and help us spread the word throughout the broader trans and non-binary community. While our operating budget is funded through community donations, the Awesome Foundation grant will enable us to invest in a few larger expenditures that will help us as we continue to grow. Alice Elizabeth Graham Growing the Trans Power Soup Social Canada Toronto https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/toronto tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/223541 2023-06-07T00:00:00Z 2023-06-12T12:11:08Z This awesome project is running a six week all inclusive pre kindy program - that looks at supporting children (3-6yrs of age) and their families transition from home life to school. It will be an opportunity to experiment, explore and discover the world in a safe and nurturing environment whilst developing life long skills needed in social and educational settings. Each week the program will deliver information (using a variety of methods) to the children and their families. The aim of the project is to have children in their early years be socially, emotionally and academically ready in order to adapt and transition to school easily. The program will focus on sensory, motor, intellectual and emotional skills. Each week there will be structured play based activities with a specific task/skill as the focus. The program requires school, community and teachers to work collaboratively with experts in order to design and implement the program. The money will be used to purchase play equipment and resources needed to implement the program and make it more inclusive. We will have kids who are resilient and ready for school and parents who aren't stressed out! We will be able to offer not only the community of Bass Hill but Sydney on the whole - an excellent pre kindy program. mecca laalaa The Bass Hill Pre Kindy Program Australia Sydney https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/sydney tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/224740 2023-06-07T00:00:00Z 2023-06-12T12:12:59Z Deaf Festival Sydney is happening at Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday 26th August, 10am – 4pm. The Deaf Festival Sydney is an annual inclusive, family-friendly event celebrating the diversity of Deaf and hard of hearing people and the community’s culture, language and history. The primary audience are Deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing people and their families. The secondary audience includes hearing people who engage with the Deaf community, e.g., Allies, Auslan students and anyone who would like to learn and understand more about the Deaf community, its language and culture. The Festival has the goals of: 1. Create a safe for celebration, learning and inspiring deaf people, especially young deaf people, with a sense of pride in the Deaf Community, culture, and history, leading to greater optimism and sense of connection to a community. 2. Inspire the wider community to engage with the Deaf Community, get an understanding of Deaf Culture and Auslan to encourage greater inclusion for deaf people. 3. Increase awareness of community initiatives available for the Deaf community and the Deaf Ecosystem. The Deaf Ecosystem is a collection of information and resources presented in Auslan with the intention of providing the Deaf community with access to facts and information of interest. We are looking for grants to support our KidZone area, having enough funds to provide activities and workshops provided for Deaf/all children are fun, inclusive, safe and creative to keep the children, and young families throughout the 6-hour event occupied. Such as art materials, face-painting, hair-styling, balloons and supporting Deaf artists. We aim to have a few workshops in the KidZone run by Deaf artists to support their businesses and inspire the young generation to be creative. Madeleine Uaine Deaf Festival Sydney https://deaffestivalsyd.org.au/ Australia Sydney https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/sydney tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/219445 2023-06-06T00:00:00Z 2023-06-07T01:13:25Z Our project supports and celebrates the LGBTQ+ youth of Ohio with a permanent, large scale art installation. The idea for an art installation came following vandalism of Colors+ 2 weeks after we moved into a central location in Fairview Park. Windows were broken to remove a Pride and Black Lives Matter flags, pray painted slurs across the building. Youth wanted to make a statement as a positive response to this event. City restrictions helped us think outside the box to design an art piece that meets city codes and celebrates our community. LGBTQ+ youth, staff, and artists from Sugar Harris (Roni Callahan and Kim Lavery) will collaborate to make a window front art display that encapsulates the artistic skills and energy of our youth and offers a lasting interactive art piece for Colors+Youth Center. Based on discussions between youth and artists, Callahan and Lavery designed an interactive art piece to create in collaboration with youth. Art making days will be held at Colors+ and led by Sugar Harris to . A minimum of 50 youth are expected to participate. Youth will work with artists to construct and paint the art. The art will fill the full window front of Colors+ Youth Center, being enjoyed by those who participate in Colors+ programs and those walking by. The art will reflect Pride colors celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. There will be interactive art pieces: pedestals to display youth art on a rotating basis and a Plus sign that reflects our logo that will provide a seating area for youth. The art piece is multilayered to reflect the intersectional identities of our youth. The largest piece will be translucent to allow light in, create prisms throughout the center, and still provide a sense of privacy for youth. The art has been designed with our youth who are autistic to consider specific sensory needs. Shannon Scott-Miller Show Your Colors http://www.colorsplus.org United States Cleveland, OH https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/cleveland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/220737 2023-06-06T00:00:00Z 2023-06-09T19:00:21Z Lifting Fog is a novel set in current day San Francisco. I am 82 years old and this is my first novel. There are two primary characters both female in their 20s who have ended up homeless by completely different paths and meet in the Tenderloin District. They help each other find their way (lifting the mental fog that can entrap us). It's not really a gritty tale although it addresses real issues (COVID, homelessness, suicide, addiction, grief, friendship, love, determination and inner strength) and explores the beautiful and damaged city of San Francisco. I hope to give readers an approachable insight into how people can find themselves in a situation that might seem hopeless but with help from generous and caring people can be a path of growth and strength. Lani Fehr Lifting Fog http://N/A United States San Francisco, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/sf tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/221840 2023-06-06T00:00:00Z 2023-06-07T01:13:44Z The A.I.m project is helping 30 youth this spring summer and fall development emotional learning skills which help them a their household distress. Being certified in meditation from f.I.u and Harvard medical school we ensure the most quality results to our youth in this topic. After becoming certified to coach track we have been training youth for upcoming meets and helping participants reach fitness goals! One Saturday each month we hold art contests for young artists for cash prizes and other awards. This project is holistically combining arts and physical activities to spring forth the best in each child. A part of the arts and paining portion will be creating banners designs with great words/quotes we came up with. Putting these banners on corner stores and gas stations in the community will make sure teens and young adults at risk see these good thought provoking banners and it takes a good affect on their minds daily as they see the words in their communities. Sirwilliam Cofield A.I.M (Art. In. Mindfulness) Project http://Hattieshelpers.org United States Cleveland, OH https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/cleveland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/222570 2023-06-06T00:00:00Z 2023-08-23T11:34:40Z Wij willen een speel/sport dag organiseren voor kinderen met en zonder beperking. Omdat deze groep kinderen onzichtbaar is en geen vriendjes heeft willen wij ze een onvergetelijke dag bezorgen. Samen met een student van de HU hebben wij dit project opgezet. De studenten/ toekomstige zorg professionals leren hier ontzettend veel van. Samen spelen, sporten en samen doen is ontzettend waardevol voor alle kinderen! Geen kind zonder vriendjes. De contact wat ontstaat tussen de kinderen en hun ouders op zulke momenten zijn bijzonder. Jong geleerd is oud gedaan. Kinderen met en zonder beperking komen elkaar helaas niet vaak tegen in de wijk, omdat ze gescheiden leven, niet dezelfde school of sport vereniging bezoeken. Hoe meer dit gestimuleerd wordt, hoe normaler het wordt. De missie van InContact Bijzonder is een inclusievere samenleving, meer empathie voor elkaar en elkaars situatie. Een community bouwen waar iedereen zich welkom voelt. Door Awsome Utrecht hebben wij een goede start om dit AWSOME project te realiseren! Locatie: Sportpark De paperclip InContact Bijzonder - Saida Al Ayachi & Shirin van Rooijen No Boundaries http://incontact.bijzonder@gmail.com Netherlands Utrecht https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/utrecht tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/224087 2023-06-06T00:00:00Z 2023-06-07T00:56:23Z The goals of the Sophiscleveland Stepper and Drumrow DC is to increase participation in school, self-improvement, self-esteem, physical health, leadership, and a moral sense for development and growth. We would like to decrease negative and risky behaviors such as (disrespect, withdrawal, bullying, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual activity, and police involvement. The students will have the benefit of learning different styles of marching band fundamentals, arranging and orchestration that can be implemented in the learning environment. Through this program the students will have the opportunity to develop an appreciative attitude towards the HBCU (historical black college university )marching band art form and create a sense of cultural sensitivity. (Youth will also have the opportunity to participate in mandatory characters development workshops such as empowerment,social skills,,and career development workshops Hudson Lee Sophisticleveland Steppers and Drumrow Drumline United States Cleveland, OH https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/cleveland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/218430 2023-06-05T00:00:00Z 2023-06-05T19:42:50Z The Holy City Birding Conservation program will promote bird conservation through education and experience at local schools. The program will teach youth about local bird species and their habitat. An interactive presentation will show students how to find, identify and experience local birds. The program will supply tools for students to experience and learn about birds on school grounds, at home and at local parks. 1) Provide a bird feeding station and bird seed on school grounds. 2) Teach students about local birds with an interactive presentation including pictures, videos, and sounds. 3) Provide students with a take home bird feeder attachment that they can attach to any plastic bottle. This will allow students to experience birds at home and recycle plastic bottles. 4) Provide a take home bird finding game that includes pictures and brief clues about local birds to encourage students to find birds in their backyard or local park. Charles Donnelly Holy City Birding Conservation Youth Program Worldwide Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/awesomewithoutborders tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/221811 2023-06-04T00:00:00Z 2023-06-05T18:17:51Z Stephanie Suarez founded a collective back in 2018 that sends art and mail to LGBTQI+ Prisoners. The project has grown to include bi-monthly arts & crafts days specifically for LGBTQI+ individuals. The events include a wide variety of activities including Open Mic (music & poetry), Plus size gender non conforming clothing swap, friendship bracelets, potpourri making, prayer candle decoration, painting on canvas, clay arts, coloring, and many other various mediums of arts. Her project includes coloring & signing postcards that will be mailed off to LGBTQI+ Prisoners across the United States. The idea is to create inclusion for the individuals who can't be present at events and remind inmates that they are not alone. (The postcards are designed by local artists.) Right now her attention is focused on disabled queer artists and the lack of accessibility and supplies in the arts. Several local businesses have been generous enough to share their spaces and host the events, and she has received amazing feedback from the community and the local businesses! Funding will be used for art supplies, specifically for those who have limited use of their hands and upper body, such as high folding tables, larger easy to grip pencils, paintbrushes, etc. Funds will also be used to purchase the PA Rental for open mic events. Stephanie Suarez Bipoc Arts healing circles United States Santa Cruz, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/santacruz tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/222293 2023-06-04T00:00:00Z 2023-06-04T18:55:34Z Newburgh has been hosting the Illuminated Festival as cultural event for several years. It was suspended during COVID and resurrected last year. In 2023, the organizers and the municipality were unable to find common ground and the festival will not occur this year, much to the chagin of local residents and small businesses who depend on this event. The local business community has come together to host a miniature version of the festival in an attempt to provide continuity and an event around which to rally. We plan to invite local businesses to participate as vendors, schedule youth programing, and provide a small stage for entertainment. This will also coincide with the grand opening of a new business on Liberty Street which we hope will serve as a spring board for them. We hope to have a traditional block party feel at the center of our great city for residents and visitors to enjoy a pedestrian only Liberty Street. Philippe Pierre 2023 Liberty Street Throwback Block Party https://www.newburghilluminatedfestival.com/ United States Newburgh, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/newburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/222591 2023-06-01T00:00:00Z 2023-07-31T13:58:50Z Ես Արամն եմ "Ակտիվ" ակումբի համահիմնադիրը, մեր ակումբն զբաղվում է ռաֆթինգ, քայլարշավ և վրանային գիշերակաց տուրերով Լոռու մարզի Թումանյանի տարածաշրջանում։ Մենք արդեն 6 տարի իրականացնում ենք ռաֆթինգ, որից վերջին 2 տարին որպես առանձին կազմակերպություն (մինչ այդ գործարքային հիմունքներով աշխատել ենք այլ կազմակերությունում)։ Գործունեության առաջին տարիները մեզ համար բարդ են ու դժվարությամբ են տրվում, սակայն մենք հաստատակամ ենք ու պիտի փորձենք անել ամեն ինչ հետաքրքրված բոլոր կողմերին ներգրավվելու համար։ Դեբետի առաջնային մաքրումն այն ամենափոքր պարտքն է, որ պիտի վերադարձնենք, սակայն միայն սեփական ուժերին ապավինելը կպահանջի բավական երկար ժամանակ, որը մենք չունենք։ Ավազանի առաջնային մաքրումն իրենից ներկայացնում է կենցաղային աղբի հեռացում գետից, որոշակի տեղերում աղբամանների տեղադրում և իրազեկման անսահման ակցիաներ։ Այսօր գլխավոր խնդիրը ոչ թե աղբի մաքրումն է, այլ նոր աղտոտումից խուսափելը։ Մենք չենք կարող մեզ թույլ տալ մասնագիտական խոր հետազոտություն և վերլուծություն ջրային ռեսուրսների համար, սակայն ուշադրություն գրավելով և աստիճանաբար մաքրելով կարող ենք հասնել արդյունքի։ Արամ Փարսադանյան Դեբետի ավազանի առաջնային մաքրում https://www.facebook.com/activerafting Armenia Nature Armenia https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/naturearmenia tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/224025 2023-06-01T00:00:00Z 2023-07-31T13:53:10Z Հաշվի առնելով Անի և Արթիկ խոշորացված համայնքների բնակավայրերի դիրքը, բնակլիմայական պայմաններն ու ոռոգման համակարգի առանձնահատկությունները՝ առաջարկվում է բարձրարժեք մշակաբույսերի տեսակներ տնամերձ տարածքներում փորձարկելու համար։ Ներքոնշյալ մշակաբույսերը մշակվում են ջրովի պայմաններում, ցրտադիմացկուն են և օժտված բարձր սննդային արժեքով: Անձրևաջրերի հավաքման համակարգը անձրևաջուրը տանիքներից, մակերեսներից կամ այլ տարածքներից, որտեղ անձրևաջրերը բնականորեն թափվում են, հավաքելու և պահելու մեթոդ է։ Անձրևաջրերի օգտագործումը ոռոգման նպատակով կարելի է դիտարկել որպես ոռոգման արդյունավետ և կայուն մեթոդ: Անձրևաջրերի հավաքման համակարգերը կարող են օգտագործվել ոռոգման նպատակով անձրևաջրերը հավաքելու և պահելու համար՝ նվազեցնելով կախվածությունը ստորերկրյա և մակերևութային ջրերի աղբյուրներից: Անձրևաջրերի օգտագործումը գյուղատնտեսության համար ունի մի քանի առավելություն, ինչպիսիք են՝ ոռոգման ծախսերի կրճատում, հողի էրոզիայի նվազեցում, նվազեցված բնապահպանական ազդեցություն: Այն կարող է օգնել նվազեցնել համայնքային ջրամատակարարման պահանջարկը, նվազեցնել ջրի վարձերը և պահպանել ջրային ռեսուրսները: Անձրևաջրերի հավաքման համակարգերի բաղադրիչներն են՝ ● Հավաքման մակերեսը. Մակերեսը պետք է լինի մաքուր և զերծ բեկորներից, որպեսզի ապահովվի հավաքված ջրի մաքրությունը։ ● Հեղեղատարներ. Հեղեղատարները  պետք է լինեն ճիշտ նախագծված և պատշաճ կերպով տեղադրված, որպեսզի ապահովվի հավաքման առավելագույն արդյունավետություն: Պահպանման բաք. Պահեստային բաքը այն վայրն է, որտեղ պահվում են հավաքված անձրևաջրերը: Բաքը կարող է պատրաստվել տարբեր նյութերից` բետոնից, պլաստմասսայից կամ մետաղից: Բաքի չափը կախված է անձրևաջրի քանակից և ջրի նպատակային օգտագործումից: ● Զտիչ. Ֆիլտրը օգտագործվում է հավաքված անձրևաջրից ցանկացած բեկորներ կամ աղտոտիչներ հեռացնելու համար նախքան դրանք պահեստավորման բաք մտնելը: ● Պոմպ և բաշխման համակարգ. Պոմպը և բաշխման համակարգըօգտագործման համար բաշխելու համար: Ջրախնայող տեխնոլոգիաների ներդրման հայեցակարգից են բխում կաթիլային, ենթահողային և անձրևացմամբ ոռոգման համակարգերի տարածումն և ընդլայնումը: Նելլի Վարդանյան Անձրևաջրերի հավաքման կայանի տիպային օրինակ Armenia Nature Armenia https://www.awesomefoundation.org/pt/chapters/naturearmenia