tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:/ru/projects?page=1 2026-04-15T17:15:38Z tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/463123 2026-04-15T00:00:00Z 2026-04-15T17:15:38Z Sacred Passage Death Doula Services provides compassionate, non-medical support to individuals and families navigating serious illness, death, and grief in Cass and Clay counties. Founded in 2025 and now a nonprofit, our organization exists to ensure that no one has to face dying or loss alone. With this $1,000 grant, we will create a Community Grief Support Fund to offer free and sliding-scale death doula services to individuals and families who are experiencing isolation, caregiving overwhelm, or financial barriers to care. This includes one-on-one emotional support, companionship during serious illness or dying, guidance around end-of-life conversations, and grief support before and after death. Funds will be used for direct service hours, grief and legacy materials, and outreach so that care can reach people who are often overlooked, especially those without family support or access to traditional services. In the Fargo–Moorhead area, where isolation, long winters, and limited grief resources intensify loss, this project brings care back into community at a time when it is deeply needed. Audrey Heilman Sacred Passage Community Grief Support Fund http://www.sacredpassagedoulas.com United States Cass Clay https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/cassclay tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/510317 2026-04-14T00:00:00Z 2026-04-14T22:49:56Z Once a year, the Peekskill community comes alive on the farm for Praise in the Garden, a celebration of food, art, and connection. Neighbors gather for a free farm-to-table meal while enjoying live performances from local artists, as well as talent from NYC, Upper Westchester, and beyond. From dance to open mic, the farm becomes a stage where creativity and community meet, creating unforgettable shared moments on the land. Serving over 100 people, this beloved event has become a cornerstone of both the farm and the Peekskill community. AMANDA ARMENTEROS Peekskill Regeneration Farm "Praise in the Garden" https://www.peekskillregenerationfarm.org/ United States Peekskill, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/peekskill tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/535101 2026-04-14T00:00:00Z 2026-04-15T19:03:19Z For several years, I've had recurring dreams where horses murder me. Not in horse ways. In human ways: poisonings, stabbings, being buried alive. The horses are always deliberate. Methodical. Dressed for the occasion. Then I read Jung. It turns out that recurring dream figures who threaten the dreamer are symbols of transformation. The unconscious sends what you need to become to kill off who you've been. My horses aren't trying to end me. They're trying to change me. For 15 years, they have stuck with me as psychopomps of change and progress, literal symbols of movement and speed. After all the growth, all the fear, the pain, the laughs, the tears, it feels only fitting to honor them by bringing them to life through pigment and canvas. Murder Horses is a series of 22 oil paintings, one per documented dream. Each piece captures a specific horse, a specific method, a specific mood. The first completed painting, "The Gentleman," shows a horse in cityscape at night with a knife. How he wields it is anyone's guess but make no mistake he intends to use it! His eyes hold everything from wildness, madness, and incredulity at his own intentions. The series is absurd, sincere, and deeply personal. I've performed spoken word companion pieces at open mics. I'm pursuing local gallery exhibitions. And yes, the paintings are funny...right up until they aren't. This grant would let me stop splitting my focus between survival work and this series, and just paint the horses. Andrew Dink Murder Horses United States San Francisco, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/sf tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/536193 2026-04-14T00:00:00Z 2026-04-14T13:07:42Z port doesn't build character... it simply exposes your flaws and addressing them to improve takes intention. I'm on a mission to build a better version of myself! I started playing with the womens national Goalball team in 2015 when SG hosted the ASEAN Para Games(APG) for the 1st time and we were the pioneer team. We functioned around 1 key philosophy - Focus on what you can control - to overcome the challenges of learning to play a game competitively with 0 sight. After we got a Silver at the 2022 APG, our team retired. Although we were the 1st Para team to medal at any major games, its challenging to encourage people with visual impairment to play much less compete and we just don't have enough players. To grow the sport, I started coaching both able-bodied and other persons with visual impairment in mainstream and SPED schools and the community program where we promote unified games(persons of all abilities play together). I also use it as a platform to work with youth-at-risk and teach skills like teamwork and resilience. Competitively, I've since moved on to para Judo. After first trying it in 2018, I really enjoyed it but only started training in 2023. The transition was quite exciting since the two sports was so drastically different. Learning to adapt and be assertive have been the biggest takeaways so far. I'm the only para Judoka in SG, everyone I train and fight with is sighted. The 1st para athlete I fought was last year while trying to qualify for the 2025 APG. Since then, I've gotten a few more opportunities in our neighabouring countries. Currently, I'm attempting to qualify for the Asian Para Games after getting SG's 1st Silver for Para Judo at APG. There hasn't been any Para Judo program here, the adventure has been largely self funded from training camps to competitions and equipment. I am truly grateful that more support will be possible. However, there have and will be some costs that are not covered while trying to achieve my goal. Joan Hung Hui Xin Hajime! Singapore Singapore https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/singapore tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/523811 2026-04-12T00:00:00Z 2026-04-13T22:11:18Z Starlight ArteSana is a ceramic painting workshop that brings families, students, and school community members together through a shared creative experience that is welcoming, collaborative, and accessible to all skill levels. By creating a relaxed, hands-on environment, participants have the opportunity to connect across ages and backgrounds—parents working alongside children, classmates supporting one another, and neighbors engaging in meaningful conversation. The act of making art together encourages patience, self-expression, and mutual encouragement, all of which foster kindness and compassion. The workshop also creates space for participants to reflect on themes of care and community. As individuals design and paint their ceramic pieces, they are encouraged to share ideas, offer help, and celebrate each other’s work. This process builds confidence in young people while strengthening relationships between families and the school community. Finished pieces serve as lasting reminders of shared experience and connection. Our intended audience is students and their families at Starlight Elementary, with an estimated reach of approximately 100 participants. The impact extends beyond the workshop itself, as participants bring their experiences home and into their broader networks, strengthening community ties throughout the County. By centering creativity, inclusion, and shared experience, this project contributes to strengthening connection and support for communities that are historically marginalized in Santa Cruz County. Rebeca Burciaga Starlight ArteSana United States Santa Cruz, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/santacruz tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/529624 2026-04-12T00:00:00Z 2026-04-12T21:55:57Z The Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands is developing a yearlong exhibit at the Crawford House focusing on the life and work of Newburgh’s own Hudson River School painter, Thomas B. Pope (1833-1891). Inspired by Pope’s scenic paintings in the Crawford House collection and local private collections, as well as the 135th anniversary of his tragic death, the Historical Society plans to launch a contextual exhibit, “The World of Thomas B. Pope”, to explore the artist’s physical locality and daily life here in Newburgh, his stylistic participation in the Hudson River School of painting, and his engagement both with national events like the Civil War and local events like the Centennial of Peace celebrations in 1883. Our exhibit will offer a breadth of visual interest in displaying artifacts of late nineteenth-century Newburgh such as maps, personal effects, ephemera, analogous artwork and daily objects, in addition to featured paintings by Pope himself. The mid- to late-1800s in Newburgh was an exciting time. This was an era of growth and change in our river city, and our exhibit will document those changes. The Newburgh Historical Society will use the life of Thomas Pope to explore the bustle of Newburgh’s industry, immigration and population growth, and the realization that nature itself was a precious resource that was rapidly being lost. Through ongoing archival research by local historians and volunteers, new dimensions of Pope’s life have been uncovered - from his varied Newburgh businesses to his civic engagement as a journalist, fireman and theater set designer to his unfortunate death in a train accident in Beacon. Although earnest in his artistic output, he neither received wide acclaim as a painter in his lifetime nor has he had a large showing of his works posthumously. His is a story that has not yet been told and can truly only be told in Newburgh, as the man and the city grew up together. Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands The World of Thomas B. Pope Exhibit https://newburghhistoricalsociety.org/ United States Newburgh, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/newburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/533981 2026-04-12T00:00:00Z 2026-04-12T21:55:17Z Amazing trees surround us, yet we often pass them by, oblivious to all they do and focusing on them only after they’re cut down. The Great & Future Trees project is helping Newburghers walk through our city with a new awareness and new commitment to protecting precious and valuable trees. We are documenting, mapping, and advocating for preservation of Newburgh’s ancient trees while promoting a vibrant culture of urban tree planting and stewardship. We respectfully request that Awesome Newburgh support our May 1st Great Trees Festival featuring: - An exhibit of 24” x 8’ Great Trees banners with photos, historical, botanical and cultural notes and engagement with Environmental Justice Fellows who pioneered this work; - Arborlogues (https://www.ofotheater.com/arborlogues.html) where community members are guided to perform and commune with a tree; - Great Trees of Newburgh maps; - Sign up for tree stewardship events and a petition for a comprehensive tree planting plan. We want this inaugural event to become an annual festival that builds lasting impact through a stronger and more diverse network of residents advocating for citywide tree planting and more people actively protecting our trees. We will create lasting materials for community engagement through an art exhibit, walking tours, and an interactive online map. Why trees? They are crucial to public health and climate adaptation as they sequester carbon and absorb air pollutants. Ancient trees store more carbon and sustain more biodiversity than young trees and serve as living monuments to human history and culture. Trees inspire awe, shade and calm our streets, support physical and mental health, and beautify our blocks. Trees are also cost-effective parts of our urban infrastructure. As summer heat and rain storms intensify, trees are essential, living systems that absorb and distribute stormwater, reduce burden on underground pipes and water treatment plants, and reduce both cooling and heating bills. Kathy Lawrence Great & Future Trees of Newburgh https://www.newburghparksconservancy.org/newburgh-trees United States Newburgh, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/newburgh tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/507580 2026-04-08T00:00:00Z 2026-04-09T00:21:33Z The Revolutionary Writers Poetry Festival (May 15–17, Baltimore City) is a three-day, statewide literary convening created and hosted by me in my capacity as Poet Laureate of Maryland. This festival is my official creative project as Laureate and is currently being fully funded through my personal investment, reflecting both my commitment to Maryland’s literary community and the urgent need for sustained support of poets across the state. The festival is designed as an intergenerational, cross-regional platform centering craft, performance, publishing, and economic sustainability for poets. Day One launches at The Voxel with a Bootcamp Poets Meet Up and Orientation, followed by a ticketed one-woman show, Old Bayby by Unique the Word, and The Underground Slam hosted by Black Chakra. This opening evening establishes both professional rigor and community celebration. Days Two and Three take place at Baltimore Unity Hall and expand into a statewide learning laboratory. Workshops include The Elements, The Art of Editing, Mastering Performance, Writing for Social Justice, Writing with Humor, Writing for Healing, Writing for the Stage, Mastering the Page, The Myth of Writer’s Block, and Writing Without Apologies. Panels such as Making Money with Poetry, Perform for Feedback, and A Conversation with Poet Laureates directly address sustainability and professional pathways. Evening programming includes the Queens of Poetry Showcase, Networking Open Mic, Tag Team Slam, Film Screening, and community After Party. The Revolutionary Writers Poetry Festival fills a critical gap in Maryland’s literary ecosystem. While readings are common, comprehensive craft-to-career festivals led by a sitting Poet Laureate are rare. This initiative connects emerging and established writers, provides professional development, and strengthens statewide networks. It prioritizes accessibility, offering multiple open-to-all sessions and community-centered events. "Lady" Brion Gill Revolutionary Writer's Poetry Festival http://revolutionarypoetry.com United States Baltimore, MD https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/baltimore tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/510611 2026-04-06T00:00:00Z 2026-04-07T00:58:00Z We are creating a "Saltwater Cinema" by purchasing a portable waterproof projector and a foldable screen to host outdoor movie nights at the Ardyaloon Trochus Hatchery. Ardyaloon is a remote Bardi Jawi community sitting right on the edge of the Sunday Straits in Northwest Australia, where we experience some of the largest tidal ranges in the world. Lives revolve around the water, but we lack social spaces where families can gather safely after dark to connect and celebrate stories. By setting up a cinema at the Hatchery—the heart of our community’s relationship with the sea—we will transform a working aquaculture site into a magical, moonlit theatre. We plan to screen everything from locally made documentaries about Bardi Jawi sea-country to family favorites. Families will be able to sit on the beach or even watch from their dinghies anchored just offshore during high tide. It’s about bringing "awesome" to a place that is often isolated, using the backdrop of the Kimberley stars and the sound of the ocean to create a one-of-a-kind cultural experience. John Reudavey Saltwater Cinema Worldwide On the Water https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/onthewater tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/512839 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z 2026-04-06T10:01:06Z Our community-based, not-for-profit preschool has been educating and caring for local children since 1963, proudly supporting families in our community for over 60 years. Managed by the community for the community, all fees and funding are reinvested directly back into our services to support children’s learning, wellbeing, and development. We are seeking support through this microgrant to replenish and update toys, play materials, and learning resources used across our preschool environment. High-quality play materials are essential in early childhood education, as children learn best through hands-on experiences, exploration, creativity, and play. Over time, frequently used resources become worn, incomplete, or no longer meet the needs of the children in our care. Updating these materials ensures children continue to have access to safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate resources that support their learning and development. New resources will strengthen our flexible learning environments and support our curriculum focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). Materials such as dramatic play items, construction resources, sensory materials, fine motor activities, and open-ended learning tools help children develop problem-solving skills, creativity, collaboration, and confidence. Our service is committed to providing high-quality early childhood education through qualified teachers and educators, and we continually strive to operate above required staff ratios to best support children’s individual learning and development. We cater for a wide range of ages from birth through to school entry, supporting children during the most important years of their development. Funding will allow us to continue creating rich, engaging learning environments where children feel supported to explore, learn, and thrive. Megan Supporting Learning Through Play https://www.cmcc.nsw.edu.au/ Australia Lower Hunter https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/lowerhunter tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/525962 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z 2026-04-03T22:11:07Z Appin Public School has launched a weekly Guitar Club that has taken off in a way none of us expected. What began as a small lunchtime activity has grown into a vibrant, inclusive space where students from all backgrounds come together to learn, create, and express themselves through music. The club has become so popular that we now have more students wanting to participate than we have instruments available. Right now, students are sharing guitars, waiting for turns, or missing out entirely. With a $1,000 Awesome Foundation grant, we can purchase more guitars to ensure every child who wants to learn can join in. This project gives our students a creative outlet that builds confidence, belonging, and joy. Music is a universal connector — and this club is already transforming lunchtimes into something magical. This project is inclusive, open to students of all abilities, ages, and backgrounds participate. No fees, no barriers, no experience required. It fills a gap - our P&C is volunteer‑run and relies solely on fundraising and donations. There is no school budget for musical instruments. Without external support, we simply cannot meet demand. This project builds community as older students mentor younger ones, friendships form across year groups, and the club has become a safe, positive space for kids who may not connect with traditional sports or activities. Finally, it’s sustainable: Guitars last for years. This one‑off investment will support hundreds of students over time. It sparks creativity: Students are already writing simple riffs, performing for peers, and discovering talents they didn’t know they had. Jodie Hazell Appin Public School Guitar Club https://appin-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/ Australia Sydney https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/sydney tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/514903 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z 2026-04-02T07:48:06Z Our awesome project is called I’ll Scratch Yours, a scratch night of deliciously fresh new writing & performance. We’re serving you piping hot new work, fresh out of Glasgow’s theatrical oven. But, what is a scratch night? In theatre, a “scratch” performance is where brand new work is presented unfinished, unpolished and with little or no budget, and is meeting an audience for the first time. Our event consists of 6 scratch performances, ranging from theatre to music, from performance art to poetry, ending with our signature touch… a mystery special guest! Previous special guest have included a magician and stand up comic, always ending the night on a high! But we are more than just a great night at the theatre. I’ll Scratch Yours was created to give a platform to underrepresented voices and to those who face barriers in getting their work seen. We prioritise underrepresented voices, backgrounds and genders, creating opportunity and access. For both artists and audiences, theatre and culture is becoming increasingly inaccessible. We are on mission to change that. Since 2024, we have successfully produced 3 sold-out events in Glasgow & the response has been incredible. There is a huge appetite for this kind of night, from artists eager to test bold new ideas and from audiences who want to experience a slice of something new and unpolished. Scratch nights are exciting, surprising & full of possibility. I’ll Scratch Yours is a night where you can be entertained, challenged and included. A place where new ideas take their very first breath in front of a live audience. But above all, they are a fun, vibrant and vital part of the Glasgow community. Got the itch to see some fresh, exciting new work? Let us scratch it. FRANCESCA CLARE HESS I'll Scratch Yours https://www.instagram.com/illscratchyours_/ United Kingdom Glasgow https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/glasgow tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/515923 2026-03-31T00:00:00Z 2026-04-15T13:17:39Z The latest Awesome Ottawa award goes to Liam Callaghan to support a survival backpack rental service for the city. “[Aid and Assist] (https://aidandassist.ca/)’s Borrow a First Aid Kit service provides first aid kit rentals to anyone in Ottawa,” says Liam. “For $25, we deliver a fully stocked kit, retrieve it up to 30 days later, and don’t charge for the first $5 of used supplies. The service is designed for people going on day trips or longer adventures, and for community groups holding larger events once or twice a year that may not have the resources, capacity, or desire to maintain their own comprehensive first aid kits.” “We currently offer three kit types,” continues Liam, “the Daypack, Destination, and Event kits. The Survival Backpack will expand on our service to add a comprehensive backpack kit designed to provide both emergency medical supplies and wilderness survival gear. It will increase emergency preparedness during long-distance excursions by providing the resources for a small group to persevere through a wilderness emergency for a minimum of 72 hours.” “The backpack,” says Liam, “will include an emergency radio and flashlight, emergency rations, expandable water containers, water purification tablets, emergency blankets and sleeping bags, waterproof and windproof matches, a compass, parachute cord, a tourniquet, a splint, glowsticks, and more. It will also only cost $25 to borrow.” By day, Liam is a policy analyst with the RCMP. He and his team used to volunteer and work at the Carleton University Student’s Association, where they pioneered the Borrow a First Aid Kit service for Carleton University students. “Bringing that success to the greater Ottawa area was a clear first step to achieving our mission,” he says. Liam Callaghan Survival Backpack https://aidandassist.ca/ Canada Ottawa https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/ottawa tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/527829 2026-03-31T00:00:00Z 2026-04-12T15:31:03Z Microplastic pollution is one of Toronto’s most urgent yet invisible environmental threats, accumulating across waterways, soils, and even drinking systems. To confront this, our student team is developing a breakthrough biotechnology platform that discovers and engineers enzymes capable of breaking down PET (polyethylene terephthalate) microplastics in real‑world environments and not just idealized lab conditions. Working with the RNAlab at the University of Toronto, we created PETAdex, now the world’s largest open‑source database of plastic‑degrading enzymes. Before our work, only ~2,000 such enzymes were known globally. Using planetary‑scale genome assembly (LOGAN), we uncovered 215.7 million candidate enzymes - a 100,000‑fold expansion of the known landscape. PETAdex gives researchers unprecedented visibility into global enzymatic diversity and dramatically accelerates machine‑learning‑driven enzyme discovery. From this resource, we identified two enzymes that degrade PET microplastics faster than FAST‑PETase, the current industry benchmark. Our engineered enzymes generate 4× more terephthalic acid (TPA), indicating faster and more complete PET depolymerization. Our goal is to build a scalable platform capable of discovering and optimizing enzymes for any environment, wastewater plants, rivers, lakes, and eventually for all major microplastics (PE, PP, PS). This project positions Toronto as a leader in sustainable biotechnology and lays the foundation for a viable solution to complete plastics disposal, eliminating environmental toxicity and advancing a circular bioeconomy. This grant will help us prototype pioreactors and purchase wet‑lab reagents to test enzyme performance under real‑world conditions. With community support, we can transform Toronto into an advanced bioengineering hub for next‑generation environmental solutions. Anthony Dinglasan PETAScale https://petadex.net/ Canada Toronto https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/toronto tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/507583 2026-03-31T00:00:00Z 2026-04-09T14:32:20Z Our March grant was awarded to Public Woodcarving in Prospect Park, a free, pop-up woodcarving and hand-tool woodworking demo series in Prospect Park from artist Arden Carlson. The project invites passersby to sit down, pick up a gouge, and try carving for themselves. _In a city that moves fast and runs digital, I want to create a small, analog interruption. Using simple carving blocks and basic tools, I’ll demonstrate safe hand-carving techniques and guide participants through making small sculptural forms — spoons, abstract shapes, or pocket-sized objects._ _This project uses the AwesomeNYC grant to purchase hand tools and materials for free, community-based woodcarving events. The goal is to share foundational hand-tool skills in an accessible, low-pressure environment, offering folks a direct, tactile relationship to making._ _At its core, the project is about craft, curiosity, and the importance of shared, communal practice. Working with hand tools creates space for slowness and attention — qualities that are often missing from daily life. By hosting these events, I hope to lower barriers to woodworking and create a space for exploration._ _Craft has historically been a way knowledge is passed between people. This project continues that lineage, centering skill-sharing, connection, and the quiet value of making something together._ * [Follow Arden on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ardn_cloud/) * Check out [ardencarlson.com](https://ardencarlson.com) Arden Carlson Public Woodcarving in Prospect Park https://ardencarlson.com United States New York City, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/nyc tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/512433 2026-03-31T00:00:00Z 2026-03-31T17:37:19Z Deaftronics is pioneering solar‑powered hearing aids to transform healthcare inclusion for Deaf communities across Africa. In many regions, access to affordable, reliable hearing technology is limited, and batteries are costly or unavailable. This creates barriers to education, employment, and social participation. Our innovation harnesses renewable energy to break those barriers.We design and manufacture solar‑powered hearing aids that are durable, affordable, and tailored to local needs. Each device comes with a solar‑charging unit, eliminating dependence on expensive disposable batteries. By combining engineering with community empowerment, we ensure that Deaf individuals are not only recipients of technology but leaders in shaping solutions. Our impact extends beyond hearing aids. We train Deaf technicians to assemble and maintain devices, creating sustainable jobs and building local expertise. This model empowers communities, reduces reliance on imports, and fosters pride in self‑sufficiency. To date, Deaftronics has reached thousands of people, proving that innovation can be both inclusive and sustainable. With support from Awesome Disability, we will expand outreach workshops, distribute solar‑powered hearing aids to underserved areas, and strengthen training programs for Deaf youth. A $1000 grant will help us purchase materials for assembly kits, cover logistics for community demonstrations, and amplify awareness campaigns. This seed funding will catalyze broader partnerships and scale our mission. Our project embodies the spirit of “awesome”: simple yet transformative, rooted in lived experience, and designed to spread joy, independence, and opportunity. By lighting up ears with solar energy, we are lighting up futures. **What our grantee is saying:** “Receiving this award is both an honor and a catalyst. It affirms the importance of inclusive innovation and gives Deaftronics the momentum to expand access to solar-powered hearing aids and hospital accessibility tools. With this support, we can continue empowering Deaf communities and ensuring dignity through technology.” Sarah Molema Solar Solutions for Deaf Empowerment https://deaftronics.wordpress.com/ Worldwide Disability https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/disability tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/524401 2026-03-31T00:00:00Z 2026-03-31T13:55:32Z Madagascar stands at the front lines of both biodiversity loss and climate change impacts, harboring some of the world's most endangered species in its last remaining 5% of standing rainforest. With an average annual household income of less than $100, the people of southern Madagascar are equally endangered, enduring the first drought and famine officially attributed to climate change in 2021-2023. In a land wracked by wildfires every year, there is a desperate need to restore Madagascar's forests, as quickly and efficiently as possible, before time runs out for millions of people and countless species, including every lemur species on Earth. It is here that The Phoenix Conservancy has developed a successful, innovative approach to restoring rainforest: Foxhole Forests. Within a circular firebreak, dense plantings of fast-growing tree seeds are sheltered from fires, creating new islands of forest without creating a fuel ladder for fire to climb from grass into standing forest canopies. Better still, this approach is inherently modular and scalable, allowing us to directly provide economic benefits to community members in multiple ways throughout the restoration process by: -Directly purchasing seeds collected locally from individuals for use in restoration -Creating thousands of temporary jobs planting rainforest and building firebreaks -Generating multiple social enterprise commodities through strategic species use, including marula oil and voatsiperifery peppercorns -Increasing crop yields in areas surrounding the forest, as regenerating forest retains increased water on the landscape To date, the project has directly helped more than 6,000 individuals, who have directly informed our organization that they were able to survive recent famines only because of income earned planting their own rainforests. The iconic Ring-tailed Lemurs of Madagascar are found in Ivohiboro, and are benefitting from this regenerating forest alongside its people. Chris Duke Restoring Rainforest and Communities in Madagascar https://www.phoenixconservancy.org/madagascar Worldwide Conservation and Climate https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/conservationandclimate tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/519438 2026-03-29T00:00:00Z 2026-04-08T21:42:29Z In 2011, four Centre County women agreed we love to tell and listen to stories. True stories from lived experiences. We believed lots of other locals would also enjoy gathering to share stories and delight in hearing those of friends and neighbors. So we founded State of the Story (SOTS). Our instincts were right on. In the years since, more than 600 stories, honed in our estimated 250 workshops have been told live by almost 300 story tellers to over 3,000 audience members attending some 90 shows – all here in Centre County. Driven by requests, we now also offer workshops to local entities like churches, OLLI, children's and arts groups. Now we have the happy problem of how to accommodate Centre County’s growing appetite for stories as well as training requests from local organizations and from people in other communities seeking our help in launching their own SOTS-like enterprises. There are thousands more stories and tellers waiting here in our community. While we’ve taught for the Girl Scouts, St. Andrews Church, the Central PA Theatre and Dance Festival and Penn State’s OLLI, we’ve had to turn down other opportunities due to the capacity of the four member leadership team and our informal network of SOTS alums who can also teach our methods. Until now, no business model was necessary. Modest expenses were shouldered by the four member leadership team. That’s changing. In terms of revenue from ticket sales, 100% of proceeds are returned to the venue (currently 3Dots, formerly Webster’s and The State Theatre). As for expenses, we now have more significant expenses around publicity, upskilling, workshop and training materials and a self-published manual. With growth, we will need further support for operations. Anne Hoag State of the Story Media & Communications https://www.facebook.com/groups/1638207093125754 United States State College, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/statecollege tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/526054 2026-03-29T00:00:00Z 2026-03-26T12:29:50Z *DOG SHELTER VOLUNTEER* 📆 29 MARCH (SUNDAY) ⏰ 10AM - 1PM 📍HULU LANGAT Use Waze to drive to Hulu Langat: https://waze.com/ul/hw283v2j4e ACTIVITIES : 1. Feed & Bath doggos 2. Gotong-Royong abit 3. Simple Build Fence Work Snow wong Dog shelter volunteer Malaysia Kuala Lumpur https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/kualalumpur tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/515907 2026-03-27T00:00:00Z 2026-03-23T22:35:53Z CreativeMornings/Orlando is a FREE monthly breakfast lecture series based on the two core principles that everyone is creative and everyone is welcome. Each event includes a 30-minute lecture with Q&A and lots of coffee! Orlando is one of over 250 chapters around the world meeting each month. I was at the last Creative Morning, where Pat Greene was the speaker. The audience is generally made up of between 30 and 60 local creative people in all industries and levels of expertise, from recent college grads to seasoned veterans. The organizer is Victor Davila, assisted by a team of volunteers. Each presentation is filmed and posted online. Victor thanked the sponsor of the breakfast (donuts and coffee) at the beginning and the end of the presentation. It occurred to me that the Awesome Foundation could give a grant to sponsor breakfast. I asked Victor about it and he said breakfast costs between $100 and $200 per event (depending on expected attendance), which means a $1000 grant could sponsor between 5 and 10 monthly breakfast meetings. Victor said that a representative from the AF could get up and say a few words about the org, which I feel would be a great way to get some new and more qualified applications. It's a really great organization, and much like the AF, the Creative Mornings org is a worldwide collection of loosely-affiliated chapters who have a common goal and theme. Jim Hobart Sponsoring Creative Mornings to promote Awesome https://creativemornings.com/cities/orl/about United States Orlando, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/orlando tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/507314 2026-03-26T00:00:00Z 2026-04-02T06:27:24Z Մայրն անսահման ազդեցիկ է․ դժվար է թերագնահատել նրա դերը յուրաքանչյուր անհատի կայացման հարցում։ Ժամանակն է գիտակցել այդ պատասխանատվություննը ու վերգտնել միասնականության ուժը։ Ներկայացնում ենք ամենաազդեցիկ կանանց առաջին մասնագիտական համաժողովը՝ ՄամաԺողովը։ Կստեղծվի յուրահատուկ բովանդակությամբ և հագեցվածությամբ յուրահատուկ օր՝ թեմատիկ զրույցներ, աշխատարաններ, նոր կապեր և փորձի փոխանակում համախոհների հետ։ ՄամաՖորումի թիմը ջանք և եռանդ չի խնայելու, որպեսզի ամենազբաղված, ամենաանգնահատելի մասնագետները՝ մայրերը, անցկացնեն հետաքրքիր, օգտակար և թևեր տվող անմոռանալի օր։ Մեր մասին ՄամաՖորումը գիտակից մայրերի փոխգործակցության և ինքնազարգացման կենտրոն է՝ միտված ներդաշնակ մայրության մշակույթի ձևավորմանը, կանանց արարչական ներուժի յուրացմանը և մայրական որակների տարածմանը։ Մենք հավատացած ենք, որ գիտելիքով, փորձով և համախոհներով «լիցքավորված» մայրերը առողջ և ամուր հասարակության հիմնասյունն են։ MamaForum Beta MamaForum 2026 Armenia Yerevan https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/yerevan tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/502757 2026-03-26T00:00:00Z 2026-03-27T02:39:56Z This event honors dedicated family members who provide daily care for their loved ones, allowing them to remain in our community. Many of these caretakers come after getting their families off to school but before they themselves are off to work. We also want to recognize our four aides who assist residents with essential tasks like laundry, shopping, and cleaning. We also want to recognize our four aides who assist residents with essential tasks like laundry, shopping, and cleaning. This event honors dedicated family members who provide daily care for their loved ones, allowing them to remain in our community. Regina Oriley McPherson Park Joy Club's Be Our Guest United States Gloucester, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/gloucester tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/484311 2026-03-25T00:00:00Z 2026-03-27T19:48:41Z The Book Cottage is an independent book shop on wheels. As a traveling book merchant I serve my customers out of a Japanese Kei truck. I sell new and used books. Along with logo merch, blind date with a book packages, crystals, and crochet bookmarks. I also have hand sewn star and mushroom plushies. Handmade bear trinkets. The Book Cottage travels to local events to encourage readers to pick up more books. As well as encouraging non-readers to start reading and fall in love with stories. I picked a Japanese kei truck to catch people's eyes and influence them to stop and look at books. I aspire to encourage young children, teens, and adults to change their lives with reading, ivy valentiny The Book Cottage United States South Bend, IN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/southbend tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/476718 2026-03-25T00:00:00Z 2026-03-27T19:50:43Z My awesome project is my passion: Sharing and celebrating the history of South Bend and Mishawaka. I do this through my podcast, Round the Bend Now and Then, and a variety of social media channels. On the podcast, I talk with local leaders, historians, and community members to tell our area’s story. On social media, I share short stories that pair historic images with present-day photos to bring local history to life. My awesome goal for 2026 is to have a podcast released consistently every two weeks. Round the Bend Now and Then will still be a long-form, interview-based podcast, with conversations featuring people connected to South Bend and Mishawaka. Alongside those episodes, my awesome goal is to also share Round the Bend: A Short Story - Shorter, narrated episodes where I tell a local story myself, focused on a single moment, place, or person from our past. Same focus, just another way of telling it. The goal is to keep the episodes around 10 minutes. A South Bend Awesome Fund grant will directly support community history content and outreach that makes our city even more awesome, strengthening civic connection, elevating local voices, and preserving our shared cultural memory. Matt Emery Round the Bend Now and Then https://round-the-bend-now-and-then.captivate.fm/episodes United States South Bend, IN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/southbend tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/519431 2026-03-25T00:00:00Z 2026-03-27T19:45:36Z During the FIFA World Cup, we will transform the outdoor patio at Manny’s into a community-focused “World Cup Fan Zone” for South Bend. The Manny’s World Cup Patio will be a welcoming space where people from all backgrounds can gather to experience the world’s most popular sporting event together. We will show matches outdoors on a large screen and create an immersive, festival-like atmosphere inspired by the fan zones seen in cities around the world. The patio will be visually transformed with international flags hung from the building and overhead café lights, creating a canopy that celebrates the many cultures represented in our community. We also plan to host a bracket-style contest that allows guests to engage with the tournament and follow along throughout its duration, along with select themed match days highlighting different countries and soccer traditions. South Bend is home to a growing and diverse international population, including many students and families who follow the World Cup passionately. This project creates a space where those communities, and the broader public, can come together, connect, and celebrate global culture through sport. The fan zone will be open to the public with no cover charge, making it an accessible and inviting environment for anyone who wants to participate. While food and beverage will be available for purchase, no ticket is required to attend. Karen McGuire Manny’s World Cup Patio: South Bend Fan Zone United States South Bend, IN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/southbend tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/345746 2026-03-25T00:00:00Z 2026-03-26T10:40:58Z UMass Boston does "road shows" to create digital archives for communities in Massachusetts. They haven't been to Georgetown yet! I'm on the Historical Commission, and I think it would be great to do this road show for Georgetown. Here's the description from the UMass Boston web site: The Mass. Memories Road Show is a statewide, event-based participatory archiving program that documents people, places, and events in Massachusetts history through family photographs and stories. Archivists and public historians in University Archives and Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston collaborate with local planning teams and volunteers to organize free public events where individuals bring photographs to be copied and included in a digital archive. Contributors are invited to describe the photographs in their own words. In addition, they may choose to share “the story behind the photos” on video, have their own “keepsake photo” taken, receive advice on caring for their family photos, and learn from one another about the history of their community. Since its launch in 2004, the Mass. Memories Road Show has digitized more than 13,000 photographs and stories from across the state, creating an educational resource of primary sources for future generations. See the Mass Memories web page: https://blogs.umb.edu/massmemories/ Here is the digital archive for the Amesbury MM road show: https://openarchives.umb.edu/digital/collection/p15774coll6/search/searchterm/Amesbury%20Mass.%20Memories%20Road%20Show/mode/exact Amy Smith Georgetown Mass Memories Road Show https://openarchives.umb.edu/digital/collection/p15774coll6 United States Georgetown, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/georgetown tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/477797 2026-03-25T00:00:00Z 2026-03-26T01:19:52Z Kinship Farm’s Grow Food for Good (GFG) program empowers families, children, and community neighbors in Hamilton-Wenham to grow food and eggs that are donated through the Acord Food Pantry to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. What began as a small act of generosity has grown into a community-driven effort rooted in education, environmental stewardship, and service. GFG invites people of all ages to participate in growing something meaningful—through gardening, raising chicks, caring for laying hens, and helping with harvest and distribution. Participants learn where food comes from, how to care for the land, and how small, collective actions can make a real difference close to home. We are expanding GFG through a new partnership with the Cuvilly Arts & Earth Center and Acord to repurpose food waste from Acord to feed animals at the School. Cuvilly has also joined GFG as an egg donor, increasing the supply of fresh, nutritious food shared with the community. In addition, Kinship Farm will support Cuvilly’s community garden efforts, helping them to grow produce on site that will be shared locally. Together, these partnerships expand access to locally grown food and strengthen food distribution through Acord. As interest grows, so does impact. Currently, eight households participate as egg donors. In the past year alone, GFG donated more than 4,262 eggs, installed 10 raised garden beds at group homes, feed the group homes directly from their gardens, and generated over 300 pounds of extra fresh produce for local neighbors in need through Acord. Kinship Farm and GFG is about more than food, we are about cultivating good through generosity, resilience, and belonging. We believe food grown with intention and shared with love makes Hamilton-Wenham stronger, kinder, and more Awesome-r. Thank you for considering to help us in expanding our project and for championing grassroots ideas that help our community thrive. Wendy Roberts Repurpose Food Wastes initiative https://kinshipfarm.org/pages/grow-food-for-good United States Hamilton-Wenham, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/hamilton-wenham tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/509297 2026-03-25T00:00:00Z 2026-04-05T14:41:49Z AFRI is proud to support Audio Geography, a vinyl record and cassette tape production service that helps independent musicians and artists create physical media by producing affordable, small run orders and customization. Traditional record pressing requires high minimum orders and longer wait times, while Audio Geography has no minimum order. Newer artists, hobbyists, and gift givers alike benefit from having a local, craft-based vinyl producer right here in Rhode Island. Tyler Bisson Audio Geography http://www.audiogeography.com United States Rhode Island https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/rhodeisland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/485398 2026-03-24T00:00:00Z 2026-03-25T18:03:32Z Nourishing the North Shore (NNS) will host (11) weekly VEGOUT Farmers Markets at the Newburyport Senior Center this summer every Thursday from July 16 through September 23. These FREE farmers markets ensure that low-income residents, primarily seniors, have reliable access to fresh, local food. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables are provided to guests at no cost. We typically have 55 guests attend the market each week. Our guests and farm partners also think our VEGOUT Markets are awesome, here is what two of them had to say: “The produce is fresh, delicious and nutritious. Nutrition is very important to me now, since I recently had a heart attack. I’ve had to rethink my diet by making sure I add more vegetables.” Keith, regular attendee of the 2025 VEGOUT Market at the NBPT Senior Center. “NNS programs are important to our business because it creates a direct channel for our produce to get to low income, healthy-food insecure communities while also providing needed income.” Stacey Apple, Iron Ox Farm (Hamilton) Rosemary Turgeon VEGOUT Farmers Market -- Fresh Food for All! http://nourishingthenorthshore.org United States Newburyport, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/newburyport tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/507179 2026-03-24T00:00:00Z 2026-03-25T16:11:44Z Bad Draft Reading Series is a free, public monthly staged reading series produced by New Wave Theatre Company that gives emerging Chicago playwrights a space to share unfinished work -- drafts that are raw, risky, and still becoming. In Chicago’s storefront theatre ecosystem, early-career writers often struggle to get developmental opportunities unless a piece is already “production-ready.” Bad Draft flips that model. We invite artists to bring work that isn’t polished yet and place it in front of a live audience for feedback, conversation, and growth. Each reading features: • A new or developing play by a Chicago artist • Volunteer actors from our established performer network • A facilitated audience dialogue after the reading • Open, low-barrier access for community members We have already hosted successful readings that brought together artists and audiences in intimate, joyful, collaborative spaces. The energy is electric. Audiences get to witness process, and writers leave with tangible feedback and new collaborators. The $1,000 from the Chicago Awesome Foundation will fund the continuation of Bad Draft Reading Series for the remainder of 2026. Because each reading costs approximately $100 to produce (space, printing, basic supplies, and hospitality), this grant would directly fund 10 additional public readings. This support fills 10 real rooms filled with Chicago artists and neighbors taking creative risks together. Bad Draft is ambitious in spirit but incredibly feasible in execution. We already have the network, the format, and the community demand. Awesome’s support ensures that financial barriers never prevent this series from continuing. Zoe Replinger Bad Draft Reading Series 2026 https://www.newwavetheatreco.org/upcoming-projects/ United States Chicago, IL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/chicago tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/506782 2026-03-24T00:00:00Z 2026-03-25T15:54:36Z Hi-Five Nights is a sensory-friendly comedy and music night for families with differently abled kids on Chicago's South Side. Most special needs families don't get a night out. Sitters who can handle feeding tubes and seizure protocols are expensive if you can find them at all. Restaurants get weird when your kid is loud or moves differently. So families stay home or they get a break, but it means leaving their kid behind. It shouldn't have to be one or the other. And here's the thing nobody talks about: even when events exist, the ticket price is a gamble. Sometimes your kid has a rough day — a seizure, a meltdown, sensory overload, or a big kid sized blowout, and you have to leave an event early . I've skipped events I wanted to attend because I couldn't afford the risk of paying $50+ per person ($100+ fees for 2) for a night that might last half an hour. That fear has kept me home many times. Hi-Five Nights changes that. The first event is a 2-hour evening with a stand-up comedian who's a former special ed teacher and mom of two kids on the spectrum, interactive games like a kids' drum-off, and a quiet zone for anyone who gets overstimulated. No one has to explain their kid. No one has to apologize. And if you need to leave early, you didn't just blow your budget for the month. Every family deserves a night out — not despite their kid, but because of them. Ariane Roberson Hi-Five Nights United States Chicago, IL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/chicago tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/351355 2026-03-24T00:00:00Z 2026-03-25T02:01:17Z CAPE ANN ARTS ALIVE is A CHORAL/ARTS PROGRAM for CHILDREN and TEEN MENTORS. OUR MISSION is to foster children’s appreciation for the unique geography, history, and culture of Cape Ann, as well as their own sense of belonging to her ongoing story. Through the creative disciplines of music, visual arts, theater, dance, and interaction with the people and places of the area, we strive to cultivate curiosity, encourage artistic expression, and build confidence and desire to engage generously with peers and community. Each year we choose a feature of Cape Ann to learn AND sing about! Past themes have included the Boats, the Legends, the Sculptures, the Ocean waters and skies, the 10, 000 yr. History of Cape Ann, the Granite Industry, etc.. The theme for 2025: “BEAST, BIRD, and FISH! ~ the Creatures of Cape Ann!" learning about legendary, domesticated, and wild creatures amongst us. Our activities will be based at St. John's Episcopal Church in Gloucester (our generous hosts since 2016), with excursions to Cape Ann Museum, Maritime Museum, and a harbor sail on the Schooner Adventure. . All we experience during the week will be reflected in a public presentation of art work, dramatic vignettes, and lots of singing on the final day. Beyond the summer program, CAAA singers have performed at the annual Schooner Festival, the holiday Middle Street Walk, and with Jazz pianist David Benoit at the Shalin Liu Performance Center. In summer 2024 we toured the quarry sites of Pigeon Cove, helped Anthony split a granite slab at Johnson's Quarry, and sang out over the quarry waters at Halibut Point. This is our aim - to guide kids in musical/artistic endeavors that help them to appreciate their home, and its place in the context of the broader world. We hope to ground them in their own value to this community, even at an early age, as they witness how their refreshing spirit, energy, and voices remind listeners of the joy still to be found in these complicated times. Kristina W. Martin Cape Ann Arts Alive ~ a Choral/Arts program http://www.capeannartsalive.org United States Rockport, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/rockport tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/473253 2026-03-23T00:00:00Z 2026-03-23T14:39:14Z Greater is a short experimental documentary that captures endangered Black family archives in Detroit before they disappear. Centered on the Apex Bar, a Black-owned business in Paradise Valley, the project gathers oral histories, family photographs, street sounds, and material memory to preserve stories that were never meant for institutional archives but sustained entire communities. What makes this project awesome is its urgency and inventiveness. Rather than waiting for perfect conditions or institutional permission, the film intervenes now, recording elders while they are still here and activating memory through beauty, texture, and sound. Interviews unfold alongside poetic visual sequences using textiles, light, and abstraction, allowing history to be felt, not just explained. The $1,000 grant would be used immediately to support travel to interview elders, digitize family photographs, and capture sound and video at meaningful locations tied to the Apex Bar. Jaylen Baity is a local videographer that will shoot this project. All of these funds will be allocated to him. This small but catalytic support would help secure fragile stories at a critical moment, transforming personal memory into a shared cultural artifact. This project believes that preserving Black memory is not only necessary, but radical. It fills the gap between what was lived and what was recorded, ensuring that these stories are not lost to time, redevelopment, or silence. That act of care, urgency, and imagination is what makes this project awesome. Taylor Childs Apex Documentary http://www.taylorchildsstudios.com United States Detroit, MI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/detroit tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/521324 2026-03-23T00:00:00Z 2026-03-23T22:37:09Z An exotic grand opening for the exhibition of two dozen of Terry Olson's photographs of Morocco featuring, Olson dressed as the "American Sheikh," talking about the exhibit and giving tours of his artwork. Also there will be Moroccan treats, mint tea as well as wine, free henna applications, music, a life-size cardboard camel sculpture created by Moses Forrest, door prizes including a Moroccan Hammam spa experience, tanjine dinner for two, live camel experience, Moroccan handicraft and more. Swag bags containing Moroccan tea and information will be available to all as they leave. Boris Garbe Free Exotic Arts Opening:Terry Olson photography https://millsgalleryorlando.com/upcoming-events United States Orlando, FL https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/orlando tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/513707 2026-03-19T00:00:00Z 2026-03-29T14:18:26Z We’re a mom and pop thrift collective, that operates in the evening hours. We host 15 different vendors ranging from poetry, to vintage, to artisans, to mocktail makers- to help keep money local and in community, keeping our money away from online. We take in donations to keep things local, and anything we don’t use we upcycle with in house crafters (who also do repairs for low fees!). We are a community hub that hosts (sober) events, our monthly calendar is usually filled with community craft nights, tiny thrift store concerts, curated poetry nights. We hope to use this bodega’s success in the future as a medium to elevate, local artisans and Thrifters, to create a more sustainable locally funded shopping experience. Gia Arcos A.M. Knick Knacks & Thrift Bodega http://Instagram.com/pmthriftbodega Canada Kingston https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/kingston-on tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/478601 2026-03-18T00:00:00Z 2026-03-18T22:31:43Z Shelley Street Community Garden is a much-loved, community-led space that brings people together through growing food, sharing knowledge and caring for nature in the heart of Toronto, Lake Macquarie. Supported by The Groundswell Collective, the garden is a living example of how small, local actions can regenerate biodiversity, build social connection and strengthen climate resilience. This proposal seeks support to install a native stingless beehive at Shelley Street Community Garden, paired with hands-on workshops focused on pollination, urban ecology and caring for Country. Native bees are gentle, fascinating and perfectly suited to community spaces. They play a vital role in pollinating food crops and native plants, yet are often overlooked in urban environments. The hive will directly support the productivity and health of the garden, improving pollination of fruiting plants while also acting as a powerful education tool. Through a series of accessible workshops, community members of all ages will learn about native bees, their role in local ecosystems, and simple actions they can take to support pollinators at home, on verges and in shared spaces. Workshops will be delivered by experienced facilitators from The Groundswell Collective and local bee experts, blending science, storytelling and practical learning. Participants will gain confidence, curiosity and a deeper connection to place — values that sit at the heart of both Shelley Street Community Garden and the Awesome Foundation’s mission to spark joy, creativity and positive change. This project leaves a lasting legacy: a thriving native bee colony, stronger pollination outcomes, and a community better equipped to care for biodiversity where they live. A small investment will create ongoing environmental and social impact — proving once again that awesome things happen when communities are empowered to care for nature together. Anna Scobie Bringing the Buzz to Shelley Street https://thegroundswell.org.au/about-us/community-garden/ Australia Lake Mac https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/lakemac tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/515021 2026-03-18T00:00:00Z 2026-03-26T15:25:38Z Hi! My name is Riley Brennan. I am in the 8th grade at Ipswich Middle School. Something about me is I love to play softball. Softball has taught me teamwork, confidence, and how to keep trying even when things get difficult. I want to help kids in Ipswich be able to have the same fun and life changing experiences I have had. Right now, the Ipswich youth softball program (Ipswich Travel Softball) is lacking younger players, especially in the 8U and 10U age groups. Enrollment in our spring league is down 33% from 2024. If we want the program to stay strong in the future, we need to build interest and excitement for the sport early. One challenge the program is facing is families not wanting to commit to the price of softball and the time aspect of it. This is unfair to kids because kids should be able to try out the sport and see if they are interested in it. My sister Taylor, our friend Abby, and myself have an idea that we think will make Ipswich awesome. Our idea is to host two Ipswich Youth Softball Fundamentals Clinics along with our coaches and teammates where younger players can learn the basics of softball in a fun and supportive environment. Players would rotate through stations learning skills like throwing, catching, hitting, fielding, and base running. Older players and volunteers would help run the stations and encourage the younger athletes. These clinics would give the kids a feel for the sport and see if they want to pursue this sport in the future. Riley Brennan Future Sluggers of Ipswich United States Ipswich, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/ipswich tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/514510 2026-03-18T00:00:00Z 2026-03-26T15:24:52Z The Ipswich High School softball and baseball teams are collaborating to raise money to get an indoor batting cage system for the high school gym! With our spring seasons beginning in March, our outdoor fields aren't in very good shape. They're muddy and wet from melting snow and frequent rain, which makes it hard to practice on. Instead, we often practice indoors at the high school gym. However, it's difficult to live hit or even pitch indoors, with the risk of damaging the gymnasium. The indoor batting cage is a large net system, which would be easy to set up inside the gym for practices. We'd be able to live hit off of a pitching machine or warm up our pitchers without risking damage to the gym or other players. It would help improve the quality of our practices on rainy days, where in the past we would not have as productive of practices indoors. Ipswich Softball/Baseball Captains IHS Softball/Baseball Indoor Batting Cage United States Ipswich, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/ipswich tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/515931 2026-03-18T00:00:00Z 2026-03-19T18:15:25Z Our project is centered around bringing people together through music in a screen free way. Our community listening station allows anyone to discover new music, interests, and passions through a musical form that connects across generations. We plan to fuse modern and vintage vinyls with a classic listening device. The plan is to create an experience that feels nostalgic and exciting for people of all ages. The area will include two record players and a wide variety of vinyls, we will also include a donation crate for anyone who would care to donate any vinyls of their own to the project. We plan to set our project up in a popular spot in Ipswich where we can reach the most people possible in our community. We could set up our little record station in the corner of a local business in Ipswich and increase the space's mood and atmosphere, bringing people together to bond over music and enjoy the experiences derived from listening to records. Evan Kelly, Jonah Allen, Sawyer Hancock The Ipswich listening station United States Ipswich, MA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/ipswich tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/513332 2026-03-17T00:00:00Z 2026-03-18T03:16:07Z The Bigfoot Poetry Festival is an annual, three-day series of literary events taking place in downtown Portland, OR. Bigfoot offers a wide array of poetry open mics, writing and performance workshops, showcases, a poetry market, and themed poetry slams throughout the weekend, all of which are free and open to the public. Some notable events are the Nerd Slam (themed around various fandoms), the Youth Slam (exclusive to younger poets), and the BIPOC open mic series (centering poets of color). This will be our fifth year organizing and facilitating this festival. Additionally, the festival is headlined by a national poetry slam tournament, in which sixteen teams of poets and spoken word artists from across the country compete in bouts scored by judges over the course of the festival. Teams will compete in two preliminary bouts on the first two nights and the top four highest-scoring teams move onto our Finals Stage event on the last night. While only registered teams can compete in the tournament, the preliminary bouts are also free and open to the public to attend. Finals Stage is the only ticketed event of the entire festival. Our goal is for the festival to be as accessible to everyone as possible. We work with ADA compliant venues, are COVID conscious, keep our venues within walking distances from one another, and do outreach with high schools to provide opportunities for local youth poets. We strive to showcase the best of contemporary performance poetry, the best of the city of Portland, and the best our community has to offer. We believe everyone’s voice deserves to be heard and that poetry has the power to change lives. The Bigfoot Poetry Festival is awesome because it brings together some of the best poets and performers from across the country, promotes local and national literary community, and provides opportunities for writers from all walks of life, especially historically marginalized communities, to have their voices and poems heard. Julia Gaskill The Bigfoot Poetry Festival https://www.bigfootpoetryfestival.com/ United States Portland, OR https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/portland tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/514770 2026-03-17T00:00:00Z 2026-03-17T22:17:46Z Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club is a volunteer-run community stable in North Philadelphia dedicated to preserving the legacy of Black urban horsemanship while creating a safe space for young people to grow, learn, and heal. The club was formally established in 2004 by Ellis “EL-Dog” Ferrell, but his work with horses and neighborhood youth began more than six decades ago. Today, at 87 years old, EL-Dog still comes to the stables every single day. He sits among the horses and the young riders, watching over them, sharing stories, and teaching lessons about horsemanship, responsibility, patience, and life. Our stables are open seven days a week and run entirely by volunteers. Through horseback riding, stable work, and mentorship, young people learn how to care for horses while building confidence, discipline, and community. Many of the youth who come to Fletcher Street have experienced childhood adversity and trauma. For them, the barn becomes a place of belonging and stability. Horses have a unique way of connecting with young people. The care, patience, and trust required in horsemanship often mirror the emotional growth our riders experience. The horses depend on the youth, and in many ways, the youth depend on the horses. Located in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood of Philadelphia, Fletcher Street continues a long tradition of Black cowboys and horsemen in the city while providing a positive alternative for young people who might otherwise face the challenges of the streets. Our goal is simple: keep the barn doors open, preserve this historic tradition, and ensure that the next generation has a place where they can learn, grow, and feel valued. Nasreen Naidoo Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club http://www.fsurc.com United States Philadelphia, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/philadelphia tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/503085 2026-03-17T00:00:00Z 2026-03-20T00:06:01Z I am seeking $1,000 in funding to reproduce 500 copies of Please Plant This Book by Richard Brautigan. Originally self-published in 1968 in an edition of 6,000 free copies, the work consists of a glued folder containing eight seed packets, each printed with a poem. Seeds include California Native Flowers, Calendula, Carrots, Lettuce, Sweet Alyssum Royal Carpet, Squash, Shasta Daisy, and Parsley. The booklet declares, “THIS BOOK IS FREE. Permission is granted to reprint this book by anyone as long as it is not sold,” reflecting Brautigan’s alignment with 1960s San Francisco countercultural and Digger principles, rejecting conventional copyright and commodity-based publishing. This project focuses on reprinting the outer booklet folder while producing 500 complete copies. Professional printing will cost $250, thick paper $500, and bulk envelopes $50. Seeds have been donated, and I will handle binding and assembly myself, with interior envelopes printed in-house. This ensures most funding goes directly to the professional printing of the booklet, enabling quick production. Distribution will be free and community-oriented. I volunteer with the Ortega Branch Seed Library and will host an event there, distribute at the Potrero del Sol Garden meeting, offer copies at the SF Art Book Fair at Minnesota Street Project, and provide remaining books to SFUSD schools with gardening programs, including Lincoln High School. This project revives a historically significant work, connecting poetry with ecological action, small-press publishing, and community engagement. Funding will enable 500 copies to be produced and circulated efficiently, honoring Brautigan’s vision and ensuring the work remains accessible, participatory, and materially engaging. Katherine Ward Please Plant This Book Richard Brautigan [REPRINT] United States San Francisco, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/sf tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/495732 2026-03-17T00:00:00Z 2026-03-24T15:22:57Z Bird populations in the United States and around the world are declining at alarming rates. While policy change is essential, it often takes time to make an impact. In the meantime, individuals and communities can play a powerful role in protecting birds through awareness and everyday actions. To inspire that sense of care and responsibility, people first need to feel connected to birds and understand how their choices can make a difference. In Centre Co., we are fortunate to have excellent schools and a strong academic culture. Yet, high costs and limited availability of summer programs often prevent low-income families from accessing enriching educational opportunities. This gap not only limits children’s experiences but also deepens educational inequities within our community. Our project seeks to bridge this divide by launching a pilot low-cost summer camp that prioritizes access for middle school students from low-income families. Through hands-on activities, games, and local field experiences, children will learn about bird biology, the challenges birds face, and simple ways to make their neighborhoods safer and more welcoming for wildlife. Actions taken to build a bird-friendly area go beyond the benefit of birds, since these modifications positively affect the environment at large and the people who depend on it. Our long-term vision is to establish an annual program that evolves through participant feedback and community partnerships. By strengthening relationships with the local school district, environmental organizations, and the State College community, we aim to make the camp a lasting part of local conservation education. Our continued impact will come from empowering middle school students to become catalysts for conservation within their neighborhoods, cultivating a lifelong appreciation for nature, and empowering young people to become advocates for conservation in their own communities. Constanza Ehrenhaus and Ana Saborio Bird Biology and Conservation Summer Camp Pilot https://trilliumpa.org United States State College, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/statecollege tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/469985 2026-03-17T00:00:00Z 2026-03-24T15:24:12Z The Pause Party began through lived experience, listening, and noticing a gap in community support for women navigating midlife and menopause. As I moved through my own journey, I kept hearing the same questions from women in Centre County and the region: Is this normal? Why didn’t anyone tell us this? Where do we go for real answers? These conversations revealed a shared need for trusted information, honest dialogue, and spaces where women could feel less alone. Over time, I began gathering local experts—doctors, practitioners, and guides—through relationships and community connections. Eventually, the need felt too big to ignore. I hosted the first Pause Party Panel in Sue Paterno’s living room, creating an intimate, welcoming space for conversation and connection. Women shared stories, asked questions, laughed, cried, and left feeling supported and hopeful. The second Pause Party expanded to PSU's campus, where 168 women attended—standing room only—for an expanded panel of local experts. Women came from Centre County and neighboring areas, filling the room with energy, curiosity, and relief at having open conversations about topics often overlooked or dismissed. The feedback was clear: they wanted more opportunities to talk, listen, and connect. The Pause Party Remix, happening April 27 at 6:00 PM, intentionally responds to that feedback. The Remix includes a panel of local experts, paired with small-group conversations, guided storytelling, and deep listening. This blended approach offers credible information alongside meaningful community connection, fostering belonging, reducing isolation, & strengthening support networks among local women. Beyond the event, the Remix launches a four-part deep dive series focused on hormones, heart and bone health, brain and mental wellbeing, and gut, nutrition, and skin—extending learning and connection beyond one evening. The Pause Party Initiative is being developed to remain accessible & sustainable as it grows. Beth Shaha Pause Party - Remix! https://www.thegroundedcanary.com/ United States State College, PA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/statecollege tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/478936 2026-03-17T00:00:00Z 2026-03-17T16:17:40Z Grieving children and youth (ages 6-14) in York Region are a key client group for Doane House Hospice. This vulnerable population faces unique challenges, often struggling to articulate and understand their grief. Our art therapy and recreation-based programs provide tailored support to help young individuals process loss, build resilience, and foster hope; empowering families during a profound time of need. In 2025, with the help of a small local grant, we created the Mariposa Art Club for Grieving Children. The events took place on York Region’s elementary PA Days, and the Club’s (5 to 9) members also chose to participate in two additional events: A pop-up art gallery held on December 10, during the Hospice’s holiday open house, and an exhibit of their artwork at the Town of Newmarket’s executive gallery at 395 Mulock Drive from February 3 to 27, 2026. Both events gave us additional visibility within the community. The program helped the children reduce their sense of emotional isolation, build coping skills, and foster peer connections, mitigating long-term mental health risks (e.g., anxiety, depression) prevalent among grieving youth. Parents and family members of our Club members were also supported with resources and awareness of our resources - this helped to enhance the broader effect our programs can have on community resilience. Outcomes (based on client surveys) from our first year are: - We provided a place where children said they felt they belonged - The children enjoyed the artmaking and being with other kids who ‘understand’. After the October event, one client wrote in her feedback survey that what she liked best about that session was, “meeting other people like me”. - The children felt validated in their emotions, saying “It’s okay to be sad.” - Several of the clients were heavily invested in their art as a form of meaning-making. Their art became a powerful outlet for emotional expression, coping, and feeling connected to the person who died Cynthia Gardner Mariposa Art Club for Grieving Children https://www.doanehospice.org/Mariposa-Art-Club Canada Newmarket https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/newmarket-ontario tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/511830 2026-03-16T00:00:00Z 2026-03-19T20:59:46Z My friends and I, including several who live in the City of Poughkeepsie, started a community fridge in Poughkeepsie to provide free food for residents. Poughkeepsie is a big food desert, and although there are many community fridges throughout the Hudson Valley, we noticed that there wasn’t one in Poughkeepsie. We decided to change this. We worked with many groups and organizations to raise money, find a fridge, and find a location for it. Community Matters 2 generously offered to host our fridge, which we fill weekly with food such as milk, eggs, rice, pasta, and sauce. We were recently featured in the Hudson Valley Press for what we are currently working on: https://hudsonvalleypress.com/2025/11/26/oakwood-students-help-tackle-food-insecurity/ Sam Nye Poughkeepsie Community Fridge https://www.gofundme.com/f/poughkeepsie-community-fridge United States Poughkeepsie, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/poughkeepsie tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/506682 2026-03-15T00:00:00Z 2026-04-05T16:56:09Z The Kurdish American Development Organization (KADO) is expanding Newroz in Moorhead — a vibrant, public celebration of renewal, resilience, and cultural unity observed across Kurdish, Persian, Assyrian, and Afghan communities. Held on the spring equinox, Newroz marks new beginnings and the triumph of light over darkness. In a region where many immigrant and refugee families have resettled after displacement and conflict, this celebration is more than a festival — it is healing, visibility, and belonging in action. Each year, over 500 community members gather for traditional music, folk dance, poetry, storytelling, cultural dress, art displays, and the ceremonial lighting of the Newroz fire. The event is free and open to the public, welcoming the broader Fargo-Moorhead and West Central Minnesota community to experience Middle Eastern culture in an accessible, joyful, and educational environment. For many Kurdish families — predominantly rooted in Moorhead — this is the only large-scale public celebration of their heritage in the region. Awesome Foundation funding will help us elevate Newroz by supporting local and regional dancers, musicians, and cultural artists; providing traditional instruments and artifacts for educational display; expanding youth performances; and increasing community outreach to ensure broader participation. We aim to grow attendance to over 800 participants this year while deepening cross-cultural engagement. Newroz is awesome because it transforms public space into a stage for cultural pride and connection. It builds bridges across identities, generations, and backgrounds. It turns visibility into empowerment. And it invites the entire community to celebrate renewal — together. Newroz is Spring Equinox and open to the public. KADO has been supporting Newroz for years and is free to the public. Kurdish people are the largest minority in Fargo Moorhead and a lot of the labor. Kawar Farok Newroz Celebration in Fargo Moorhead http://kadomn.org/ United States Cass Clay https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/cassclay tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/476627 2026-03-15T00:00:00Z 2026-03-15T21:05:18Z This month our chapter is providing funding for a portion of the Ripple Effect Arts Festival, a Santa Cruz County-wide program that brings people together through shared creative experiences that bridge geographic, cultural, and generational divides. Ripple events will take place over 11 days and will include powerful performances, art, theater, poetry, fashion, dance, music, and cultural celebrations in various venues throughout Santa Cruz County. By presenting a wide range of artistic events throughout the region and partnering with organizations that reflect the full spectrum of our community, the festival fosters connection, celebration, and mutual appreciation through the arts. The festival emphasizes inclusion, kindness, and compassion by uplifting both emerging and established creative voices and by designing events that encourage dialogue, curiosity, and understanding. Participants are invited to encounter new perspectives, connect with neighbors, and experience the arts as a unifying force. The Watsonville Film Festival will be one portion of the Ripple Effect Arts Festival, and our grant will sponsor a free and open-to-the-public dance party with a local DJ after the film festival concludes. Melissa Kreisa and Rose Sellery Ripple Effect Arts Festival https://www.rippleartsfestsantacruz.org/ United States Santa Cruz, CA https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/santacruz tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/479259 2026-03-12T00:00:00Z 2026-03-23T13:23:56Z We are very pleased to award our March 2026 grant to students at Humboldt High School. The grant will support their afterschool Dungeons and Dragons Club. Their teacher/advisor says, “If you have not seen students stretch their imaginations and apply their understanding of Math and English through live-action role-playing, it is truly an awesome sight to behold. “Students have recently started up an after-school Dungeons & Dragons club at Humboldt High School. It is a student-led club that takes place in my classroom every Thursday afternoon. Years ago, there was a D&D club. We had a staff member that had a bunch of supplies, we had a bunch of students who participated in it. The staff member left (and took his personal supplies with him). The older students graduated, and COVID interfered with the transition of new students into the fold. This new group is a delightful ragtag bunch of students, and for most of them, this is their only interaction with the school outside of the school day. It is a nice diverse mix of students from all grades in high school. Some of the most energetic and enthusiastic students are the younger ones, so this has the potential to run for many years. Other official clubs and sports have nice equipment. They have funds for supplies and resources. This club has a lot of moxie and imagination, but not a lot outside of that. I am applying for a grant to fund the Humboldt D&D club in order to pay for basic supplies to show appreciation for those students who put forth the effort to restart this club, and to hopefully make this an on-going club to offer for years to come to give a home at school for those students who don't fit into the other clubs.” Andrew Walerius D&D After School Club Supplies United States St. Paul, MN https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/stpaul tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/474375 2026-03-11T00:00:00Z 2026-03-14T14:50:05Z Project Grow is a 53 year old community gardening program that leases garden plots at various garden sites throughout the Ann Arbor area to community members. We are one of the smallest garden sites within the Project Grow organization and are located on the grounds of Wines Elementary School in northwest Ann Arbor. We erected a perimeter fence in 2021 to limit the damages done by deer, groundhogs, and rabbits. This fence held up well until the last few years, but has developed multiple holes due to the lawn maintenance crew using heavy blades on their weed trimmers. Unfortunately, these holes have allowed rabbits and other small critters to enter the garden area and eat most of the crops planted in the spring. This has been very frustrating and discouraging to both children and adults that garden at this site and we need to find a better solution. We would like to replace the chicken wire at the button of the fencing with a sturdier wire fencing called "hardware cloth" of "welded wire." This will serve as a dual purpose of keeping out critters and holding up to the lawn maintenance crews and their weed whips. This type of fencing has a 20-30 year life, se we feel this will solve our problems. The gardeners at this site already pay an additional fee to pay for the initial cost of erecting the fence, and many would struggle to pay another fee. Keith Soucy Project Grow Garden Fencing http://projectgrowgardens.org United States Ann Arbor, MI https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/ann-arbor tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/488538 2026-03-10T00:00:00Z 2026-03-10T23:50:08Z **In a time when history is being erased, this project was chosen for it's commitment to education and celebrating Peekskill's historic role in the Underground Railroad.** For Juneteenth 2026, Sisters in Support, Inc. will host an immersive "Living History" journey that transforms Peekskill’s streets into an open-air classroom. This project scales our long-standing tour into a high-impact, four-site bus and walking experience connecting NYC, Peekskill and the Hudson Valley. The Four-Site Journey: McGregors Brook: A vital stop where we discuss how freedom seekers used the water to mislead trackers and dogs. The Hawley Green House (1112 Main St.): Participants visit the preserved home of Black abolitionists Hawley and Harriet Green, a documented safe house used to hide runaway slaves in the 1830s. AME Zion Church: This 1852 sanctuary, built on land donated by Quakers, features a historic hideaway cupboard under the steps once used to conceal freedom seekers. The Henry Ward Beecher Estate: The tour concludes at the home of the legendary abolitionist preacher, highlighting the interracial network that established Peekskill as a major gateway for liberty. The "Awesome" Factor: Stitched in Secret Art Presentation The heart of this project is a specialized Art & Quilt Presentation. We will showcase handcrafted quilts that serve as more than art; they are visual records of the clandestine "quilt codes" used to signal safe routes, landmarks, and weather conditions to those on the journey to freedom. Direct Impact: This grant specifically funds the logistics to make this history accessible. By providing bus transportation, we ensure that seniors with limited mobility and local youth can participate in the full four-site circuit. Our goal is to inspire attendees to imagine the struggles, hardships, and immense courage of freedom seekers while celebrating the successful legacy of our ancestors. Lafern Joseph Underground Railroad Tour and Quilt Presentation https://www.sistersinsupportinc.org/ United States Peekskill, NY https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/peekskill tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/476853 2026-03-10T00:00:00Z 2026-03-15T14:01:44Z I want to help people feel happy and free through dance. Dance is one of the oldest forms of human communication, yet it is taught to children as a series of steps to be followed correctly or wrongly. So many people say "I can't dance", "I'm a terrible dancer" which makes me so sad - when we know to feel the rhythm of music running through our bodies, and have the freedom to respond and move instinctively, that's dance. And when people do it, it brings them joy, energy, positivity. There is science behind the many benefits of dance (neurological, muscular, hormonal, etc). My dance series will be totally fun & include some basic starter "instructions" for total newbies, to ease them in. I see rooms full of people dancing together, in the moment and filled with joy and smiles. I myself love to dance spontaneously and know personally how much joy it creates. Initial Target Groups (re a series that runs for 6-12 months or longer!) 1. Seniors 2. Challenged women (with trust issues from lived experiences) 3. People with and without disabilities together 4. Young working adults Poss programme: 1. Why dance exists (brief history of dance around the world, as one of the oldest and most fundamental ways humans have communicated meaning and emotion to each other; tied to rhythm of the heartbeat) 2. What does it mean to dance? (challenging our stereotypical notions of dance as a choreographed/step-based activity that must be learned) 3. 3-5min music video screening of the oldest dance forms in the world/world music/etc (catchy and rhythmic to get their feet tapping and heads moving) 4. Ice-breakers/warm-up (interactive activity that serves dual purpose of warming up muscles, relaxing the participants and inviting them to feel the rhythm and beats in their bodies and move instinctively) 5. Dancing & feeling the joy and energy of dancing together and alone Audrey Perera Born to Dance Singapore Singapore https://www.awesomefoundation.org/ru/chapters/singapore