Awesome Foundation - Projects

Pittsburgh, PA – Hope Night-- AKA: Inauguration Night

2016-12-19T00:00:00Z

Mr. Rogers once said in an interview: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers—so many caring people in this world.” I am currently organizing an interfaith, bipartisan paper lantern lift off to take place at any church, non-profit, business or organization of any kind that believes in celebrating diversity and actively trying to keep ALL people in our beautiful country safe, uplifted and whole. If a group of people can agree that they believe in love, then I am encouraging them to set off paper lanterns together on inauguration night. Hope Night will LIGHT UP our city with little beacons of hope- little demonstrations from all the helpers. In addition to lighting up the sky on inauguration night, I also want to infuse social media with posts about the lantern lift off to help break up the mud slinging, fear mongering and hate speech that will no doubt be rampant in people's social media feeds this Inauguration. So, I'll be encouraging all participants to post on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram with the following: #HopeNight, #BeTheChange and #SafeZone I'll also be keeping a registry of participants so at the end of this, we can have a list of love-filled churches, businesses, etc, for everyone needing to "look for helpers" post-inauguration. In my perfect world, Hope Night would be a recurring event every anniversary of Inauguration night for the next 4-8 years. I don't have a website yet, but that is coming soon!

San Jose, CA – San Jose Rocks

2016-12-19T00:00:00Z

San Jose Rocks is a tactical community street art project. This is a “catch and release” program for manufactured river rocks. I will purchase 100 river rocks and prepare them to be painted. *THEN* I'm going to find an all-ages location and set up a "San Jose Rocks" Party and invite the community to paint a rock with whatever they want. Bikes, silly faces, tacos, literally whatever the people want. For those less artistically inclined, we'll be purchasing tiny stencils for immediate satisfaction. Before the end of the event, the rocks will be redistributed and participants will be instructed to leave them in public spaces around the city. Painted on the back of every rock will include the instagram handle @SanJoseRocks. This way, people can take pictures and locate some of these fun "Easter Eggs". This community project in tactical urbanism allows everyone to feel like a street artist with harmless cheeky mischief and city pride.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Teen FemiList

2016-12-19T00:00:00Z

Teen FemiList is a listserv for rad feminist teenage girls and gender non-conforming teenagers to mentor each other, create projects, and figure out how to survive high school while simultaneously smashing the patriarchy. Prospective members will apply via a page on my blog, and when accepted (I will read and approve/deny the applications), they will donate $10 to an organization with which I have partnered (if they are unable to pay, they will apply separately for a scholarship). People on the list will be able to post whatever they want and any member will be able to respond via an email chain. There is also a board comprised of successful adult women. The board will meet monthly via Skype to discuss the recent topics discussed on the list. They will also offer mentorship and give advice to members of the listserv when prompted but won’t directly post (the listserv is supposed to be for peer-to-peer mentorship by teenagers). Once a month, there will be a one-hour Q&A session with one member of the board.

Newmarket – Stay In School

2016-12-19T00:00:00Z

The Canadian Federation of University Women Aurora/Newmarket Club is working with the York Region Children's Aid Society to encourage young wards to stay in highschool: attend regularly, try hard, achieve academic success. The club is a not-for-profit women's organization devoted to furthering and empowering education for women and girls. On average in Ontario, only 46% of wards complete highschool. This is NOT good enough! Part of our organization's missions is to encourage education - higher education. We have worked out a joint program whereby wards in grades 9 and 10 who attend classes regularly, put forth good effort and / or attain academic success are recognized, treated and rewarded with a gift card, diploma, flowers, a party, speeches ..We want these young ladies to feel good about themselves and learn to value and appreciate how education is the key to their success as independednt adults. We'd lile to expand our program to involve perhaps another service club so that young male wards could be recognized as well. As well, our local club provides a yearly award of $1000 to a YRl ward who is transitioning out of "care" to assit with her higher educatiob expenses. These young people won't go on to higher education if they don't persevere and STAY IN SCHOOL!

Chicago, IL – All-Latino re-imagining of WAITING FOR GODOT

2016-12-18T00:00:00Z

In February 2017, Tympanic Theatre Company will present WAITING FOR GODOT by Samuel Beckett. Our production, directed by Aaron Mays, will feature an all-Latino cast - exploring the similarities between the titular, oft-mentioned but never-seen “Godot” and the Latinx immigrant experience in the pursuit of the “American Dream”. WAITING FOR GODOT, which first premiered in 1953, marked Beckett’s association with the Theatre of the Absurd movement. More than sixty years later, the play’s central existential crises are still incredibly resonant. As a company that bills itself as “the best kind of weird”, this play could not be a more perfect or timely fit for us. The story is notably open to a variety of philosophical, political and ethical interpretations, and the themes that emerge throughout all of these interpretations are that of choice, consciousness and suffering. The humanity and universality of these ideas led us to our decision to focus the play through the lens of the Latinx immigrant experience - to remove the barriers of “traditional” casting and amplify the voices of a marginalized community through this classic piece of dramatic literature. We aim to activate a deeper conversation about the oppression and the racial and socioeconomic inequities faced this particular diaspora. By thrusting the characters and the setting of the play into our current political moment - just south of the US-Mexico border in the very year that our President-elect is threatening to “build a wall” - we strive to honor both the playwright’s original intent and our own commitment to diversifying the stories on Chicago’s stage. The events of the past year, and particularly in the past few weeks, have unleashed a new torrent of racist, misogynist, homophobic and xenophobic atrocities across the country. We recognize our responsibility as artists to act against this injustice - using our art to create safe spaces and engage in actionable, community-based solutions.

Cass Clay – MPX Kids Club: GRANTED

2016-12-15T00:00:00Z

Our goal is to empower kids through mixed martial arts, motivation and to provide tools to enhance their overall well-being. The MPX kids club will help children cope with their emotions, reduce stress, increase physical activity and provide a positive and safe environment. The MPX kids club will run throughout the year, providing kickboxing classes, motivational speaking events, along with a newsletter geared towards children's health. Our youth currently face a variety obstacles which affect not only their physical health, but mental health. Through the MPX kids club, children will learn mixed martial arts, the importance of self-discipline, self-worth and empowerment. Funds will be used to help provide funds/scholarships for children whose families lack the financial means to enroll their children into physical activities, along with t-shirts for the program.

Minas Gerais (Inactive) – Garagens Periféricas

2016-12-14T00:00:00Z

Em 2015, Cícero Silva, viabilizou apresentação de espetáculos de Artes Cênicas em garagens residenciais fora do centro de Belo Horizonte. Trabalhando há dez anos com apresentações, na formação de novos artistas que se interessam pela palhaçaria e com vários projetos com características que apontam para uma economia criativa, mais solidária e que visa a uma distribuição e renda mais igualitária, dedicou-se em 2015, ao projeto chamado de ‘Garagens Periféricas’. Após sua estreia em 25 de julho, têm recebido ligações de várias regiões da cidade oferecendo suas garagens para novas apresentações, o que muito os alegra, ao confirmar a adesão da população local e a vontade de tantos em se tornar promotores da arte e da cultura no entorno de suas residências. Foram 04 apresentações com acesso gratuito em diferentes locais. 03 apresentações na Regional Oeste (Salgado Filho, Nova Cintra e Jardim América) e 01 apresentação na Regional Nordeste (São Cristóvão). A cada apresentação precedeu um cortejo de divulgação por ruas do bairro com artistas convidados e dos grupos participantes. Momento de um contato mais próxima com os moradores pouco habituados com personagens perambulando seu território. Estiveram com eles a Cia Faminta de Teatro, Associação Pano de Roda (Terceira Margem), Circo Aloma, Cia Borandá de Palhaços. Alcançamos um público em torno de 5.000 participantes, direta e indiretamente. Participaram mais de 20 artistas. Contaram, ainda, com a adesão de novos apoiadores no decorrer da execução do projeto: Grupo Trampulim, Casa do Beco, Serralheria Horizontes, Vereador Vilmo Gomes, Centro Cultural Salgado Filho, Centro Cultural e Esportivo Betânia. Agradecem sinceramente a todos que, de alguma maneira, acreditaram nessa proposta e têm a certeza de que seguirão levando arte e alegria para pessoas que se encontram em lugares onde não há casas de espetáculos. Certos de seu sucesso, buscam parceiros para levar essa proposta para outras cidades e estados.

Ottawa – #AwesomeTenners

2016-12-14T00:00:00Z

December’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Michelle Thompson, who plans to give the $1,000 away to 100 lucky strangers, encouraging each to do something awesome with the money. Michelle plans to hand out the $10 bills around the city over the next ten days, along with a short letter encouraging the recipient to “make this awesome tenner count.” The letter will offer up some ideas, including:

Hide it in your favourite book at the library
Give it to someone you see doing a good deed
Pick up stamps and send some joy-filled handwritten letters
Buy a bouquet of flowers and randomly give them away
Do whatever you think would be awesome!

The letter will also encourage recipients to tweet about their experience of spreading awesome using the hashtags #AwesomeTenners and #10DaysOfAwesome. "Two years ago,” explains Michelle, “Awesome Ottawa pulled off its first Awesome Tenners campaign, and I immediately fell in love with the idea. By encouraging the recipients to do something awesome with their tenner, I hope we can create a ripple effect of kindness and creativity throughout our communities. If nothing else, I hope to bring a smile to at least 100 faces around town.” Michelle is an elementary school supply teacher, a Girl Guide leader, and an Awesome Ottawa trustee.

Twin Cities, MN (Inactive) – Light Up Lake Street Lantern Making Workshops

2016-12-13T00:00:00Z

In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater (HOBT) seeks funding for a new community outreach project, Light Up Lake Street (LULS). LULS is a new program that was developed as an effort by HOBT to address crime and safety concerns and to use the power of art to effect lasting change in our community. Early efforts with this work have been well received by our community. Over the past year the section of East Lake Street in Minneapolis where HOBT is located has witnessed a surge in crime. An increase in violence and commercial sex and drug trafficking negatively affects our staff, volunteers, patrons, and community members. Light Up Lake Street was developed as a response. HOBT has partnered with the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department to fix broken streetlights, clean up problem properties and add temporary cameras to the area. HOBT partnered with Southside Community Health Clinic to offer free health and STD screenings and Mobile Loaves and Fishes Minneapolis and Sisters of Camelot to provide free meals. The most recent LULS event was hosted on September 14 and served 120 people. Southside Health Clinic signed eight people up for MNSure and administered eight STD/HIV screenings and sixteen blood pressure tests. Mobile Loaves and Fishes and the Sisters of Camelot served all 80 meals they had prepared, gave away all forty pairs of socks and every toothbrush and tube of toothpaste they had. HOBT has a history of addressing community concerns. HOBT, in collaboration with the community, produces the Annual May Day Parade and Festival in Powderhorn Park, a free event that is attended by over 50,000 people. May Day is conceived and created through a series of community meetings where the community gathers to discuss the issues they are facing and use the conversation to create a unified theme for May Day. The puppets and floats created are then built at free community workshops by HOBT staff, artists, and volunteers.

Twin Cities, MN (Inactive) – The Snowblower Ballet

2016-12-13T00:00:00Z

The Snowblower Ballet is a project that would involve dancers, wielding snowblowers and shovels, clearing a snow-covered surface in a dance set to music. In addition to performing a dance, they’ll create a pattern, an image in the snow, captured by a drone flying above, transforming the familiar but dreary toil of snow removal into unexpected joyful art. We want to stage a large scale Busby Berkeley version of the project on Harriet Island in St. Paul in January 2018, as well as a smaller scale pas de deux between two snowblowers on White Bear Lake in February 2017 as part of the Art Shanty Project. The Harriet Island version will be funded with a Knight Foundation grant, but only if we get matching funds. Art Shanty will pay us $200 for the White Bear Lake performance, but that's not enough to hire dancers and a choreographer. That's where we hope an Awesome grant will come in. We hope that a grant from Awesome will make the Art Shanty dance possible, which we can then turn into a video to generate excitement to raise money to make the expanded Harriet Island version a reality. Won't you help us turn snow shoveling into art and bring joy to Minnesotans in the depth of winter.

Twin Cities, MN (Inactive) – We love Worms!

2016-12-13T00:00:00Z

Our urban students are just beginning to learn the benefits of organic composting and farming in the left over spaces in our city block school. Even the smallest plot of land can be renewed and brought back to soil health by conditioning the soil with clean compost and organic recycling. We would like to start a vermiculture bin in our classroom. This bin will start out with only about 200 little red wigglers who will eat half their weight in leftovers from our school lunches. We are excited to create healthy, nutrient rich compost to add tour small plots of land, such as our Peace Garden and our butterfly garden. A worm bin is a wonderful way to learn how to care for our world.

LA South Bay, CA (Inactive) – Bras Ouverts - Open Arms

2016-12-12T00:00:00Z

At Bras Ouverts – Open Arms (BOOA), our goal is to establish a sustainably financed school that provides free education in Ouidah, Benin. BOOA serves a community of Nigerian refugees who fled environmental destruction in Ogoniland, as well as impoverished Beninese children. These groups cannot enroll in local schools due to linguistic and economic barriers; the Nigerians speak English rather than the local French, and some Beninese families cannot afford school fees and supplies. Therefore, BOOA provides critical access to education for 40 students, and we plan to expand to accommodate more. BOOA is currently organizing Los Angeles area support for the school, and with the LA South Bay’s assistance, we will build a library – computer lab on school grounds. This will grant students and the wider community regular access to reading materials and computer lessons. Presently, BOOA operates out of a small schoolhouse that contains wall-to-wall desks and benches. By adding another building, we will be able to store books, school supplies and computers, which will greatly enhance the quality of education that the students receive. Furthermore, we will open the library – computer lab in the evenings so that parents and other locals can also take advantage of the school’s resources. As a part of our sustainability plan, we envision teaching adult computer lessons to generate income for BOOA teachers’ salaries and other fixed costs. Regarding implementation, our volunteers have prior experience supervising construction through involvement in other local nonprofit activities. Indeed, our partnership with a Beninese non-governmental organization called IMPACT provides us with ready guidance and advice on expansion. In conjunction with our Awesome application, we are also seeking donated computers and books from our volunteers’ networks. Thus, an Awesome grant will significantly impact the educational opportunities for BOOA students, and the local community.

Ann Arbor, MI – Ypsi High Superhero Program

2016-12-12T00:00:00Z

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

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

2016-12-12T00:00:00Z

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

Yerevan – Սառցամագլցման բուրգեր

2016-12-09T00:00:00Z

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

Orlando, FL – Artborne Magazine

2016-12-08T00:00:00Z

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

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

2016-12-08T00:00:00Z

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

Gloucester, MA – Positivity Messages O'Maley

2016-12-08T00:00:00Z

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

Gloucester, MA – Soccer O'Maley Style

2016-12-08T00:00:00Z

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

2016-12-07T00:00:00Z

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

Paris (Inactive) – 48h en scène!

2016-12-07T00:00:00Z

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

Rotterdam – RotterdamBooth

2016-12-07T00:00:00Z

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

Baltimore, MD – Mural/Landscaping artistic collaboration in Bmore

2016-12-06T00:00:00Z

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

Asheville, NC (Inactive) – The Fish Tank

2016-12-06T00:00:00Z

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

Washington, DC – Children of Promise

2016-12-06T00:00:00Z

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

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

2016-12-05T00:00:00Z

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

Singapore – Empower Seniors by Reviving Nostalgic Foods

2016-12-05T00:00:00Z

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

Stockholm (Inactive) – The Good Talents Botkyrka

2016-12-04T00:00:00Z

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

Boston, MA – Invisible Fractures

2016-12-03T00:00:00Z

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

Boston, MA – Outdoor Classroom Initiative Game Area

2016-12-02T00:00:00Z

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

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

2016-12-02T00:00:00Z

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

Sydney – TechFugees Australia #Hack4Refugees

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

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

Miami, FL – Science Cafecito #HappinessIsAwesome

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

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

Oahu, HI – HOLOMUA NA OHANA - Weinberg Village Waimanalo

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

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

Miami, FL – CodeArt Hour of Code #HappinessIsAwesome

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

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

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Skateboarding Liberia

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

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

Annapolis, NS (Inactive) – Art Heals

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

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

Orlando, FL – Creative City Project 2016

2016-11-30T00:00:00Z

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

Austin, TX – Successful Smiles of Texas

2016-11-30T00:00:00Z

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

Minas Gerais (Inactive) – Empoderação Kids

2016-11-30T00:00:00Z

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

Washington, DC – Beat & Beans

2016-11-30T00:00:00Z

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

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

2016-11-30T00:00:00Z

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

Piqua, OH (Inactive) – A Heart Filled Holiday

2016-11-29T00:00:00Z

Will be considered at a later date

Piqua, OH (Inactive) – PCIS Family Math Night

2016-11-29T00:00:00Z

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

Portland, OR – Puzzled Pint 2017

2016-11-29T00:00:00Z

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

Melbourne (Inactive) – Greening Kensington’s Industrial Streets

2016-11-29T00:00:00Z

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

Jumbos (Inactive) – ATTILA

2016-11-28T00:00:00Z

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

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

2016-11-27T00:00:00Z

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

Newcastle – Welcome Ride

2016-11-24T00:00:00Z

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

Ottawa – OCAPDD GLEEKs

2016-11-24T00:00:00Z

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

Newmarket – NHS Healthy Schools Council's Breakfast Project

2016-11-24T00:00:00Z

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

Gloucester, MA – Gloucester Boxing Club

2016-11-22T00:00:00Z

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