Awesome Foundation - Projects

Disability – Disability & Intersectionality Summit 2018

2018-01-31T00:00:00Z

Co-organized by 13 volunteer disabled activists from across the country, this biennial one day forum centers marginalized disabled people, and disabled people of color. The Disability & Intersectionality Summit (DIS) is a biennial one-day conference that centers the experiences and knowledge of multiply marginalized disabled people such as, queer disabled people of color, undocumented transgender disabled people, or formerly incarcerated disabled people among others. This conference serves as a platform to highlight the multiple oppressions that shape the lived experiences of disabled individuals, as told by disabled people, in a setting organized by disabled activists. DIS aims to create dialogue on how our society must address systemic oppressions using an intersectional approach. Our first summit was held in 2016, and a groundbreaking success! We were able to feature an all-disabled presenters program where a majority were disabled people of color, including those who are disabled and trans, formerly incarcerated, disabled and undocumented, among others. We had upwards of 100+ attendees as our in-person audience, and 15-20 others who tuned in via our livestream option. The topics ranged from mental health in Asian American community, to resources for disabled and undocumented folx, and kink & disability. The majority of the presentation were also filmed, and then uploaded to YouTube (with captions) to further amplify the content and provide greater access. In 2018 the summit will be held on October 13th at MIT. We expect greater attendance, and our format will be to have concurrent sessions to allow a greater number of presenters. We seek cross-disability representation in our work and are partnering with Autism Women's Network as our fiscal intermediary - along with other national disability organizations. We project that our presenters will be of similar demographic as those in 2016 with majority being disabled people of color, and members of LGBTQ community. What our grantee is saying: "Being a recipient of the Awesome Disability Award gets to the spirit of the Disability & Intersectionality Summit, an event organized by disabled activists for marginalized disabled people, and disabled people of color. Knowing that this award was decided upon by fellow members in the disability community makes me so proud, and further validates the necessity of supporting intersectional events centering lived-experiences of disability." Image description: The image is the DIS logo which has the letters DIS in large block letters. The D is a light red, the I is a light orange, and the S is a light yellow. The D and S overlap a little with the I. And the phrase "disability intersectionality summit" underneath it in lowercase black.

Tallahassee, FL (Inactive) – Lincoln High School Electric Orchestra

2018-01-30T00:00:00Z

I am preparing to start an Electric Orchestra Class at Lincoln HS for the 2018-2019 school year. Today's students are surrounded by technology and I feel that it is important for us, as educators, to meet our students "in the middle." I want to incorporate technology in many aspects of my music program and I believe it will have a significant impact on my students' growth, as it has with many of my colleagues in other areas of the US. Technology and music are very similar in that they are "mysterious" and intrigues kids. Paired together, they create an excitement about music and learning that internally motivates students to succeed. Through the use of technology and electric instruments, we can expose our students to a greater variety of music genres. "Classical" and pedagogical music that is composed for young musicians is an absolute necessity for any growing musician. However, there is an abundance of music out there today that most orchestra students are not exposed to. America has produced many music genres that are critical to our societal make-up such as Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Country, R&B, Rock, Hip Hop, and other niche styles. Our kids are listening to these styles and if we want to create an even deeper appreciation and love for making music, I feel the students need to have opportunities to explore this variety of music. I have found that incorporating popular music into the curriculum in a variety of ways, I have had higher retention rates, better recruitment and a much higher level of success on our "Classical" music. The students are excited about music and now practice more! With the emergence of performing artists such as Lindsey Stirling, Piano Guys, 2Cellos, Simply Three, etc...the market for string musicians in contemporary music is booming. I believe our Electric Orchestra will bring a new aspect of "string orchestra" to the Tallahassee area for the community to enjoy.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – CRIT, AN INCLUSIVE BUS STOP

2018-01-29T00:00:00Z

Urbanería is a collective from La Paz, Baja California Sur México. We channel the power of people to solve urban problems in the public space through simple, low cost and quick construction interventions. These interventions are carried out with people from the community, experts and volunteers to build and promote the users’ appropriation of the space and as a consequence their participation in its care and maintenance. Our goal is to empower and inspire people to intervene their space, making it more attractive for pedestrians, cyclists, neighbors, people with disabilities, public transport users, and businesses. Contributing to the improvement of the urban quality of life of the citizens of La Paz. CRIT Bus stop CRIT is a physical rehabilitation center for children and young people with disabilities. In 2016, Urbanería had the chance to teach a do it yourself bench workshop with reusable wood at CRIT’s installations. While we were doing this intervention we noticed the lack of urban infrastructure just outside the facilities in the public road and the idea to build a bus stop was born. This bus stop will facilitate mobility and access to public transportation for people with disabilities and their families. CRITs receive more than one-thousand patients that attend everyday with at least one companion, they get there in most of the cases via public transportation or walking. Along the route from where throute from where the bus stops to the main gate, there are many obstacles, the sidewalks are in bad condition and there is the need for pedestrian crossings, access ramps on the sidewalks and a proper bus stop. We conclude there is a need to improve the environment surrounding CRIT through the collective construction of a bus stop. Our goal is to transform an underutilized space using simple, economical and community driven infrastructure where the children and their companions can comfortably wait fo the bus sheltered from the sun.

Raleigh, NC (Inactive) – The Raleigh Goat Cart Project

2018-01-28T00:00:00Z

The goat cart was a common device for traveling photographers to use to solicit business in the late 19th century. Children sat on the carts, a picture was taken, and the photo was sold to the delighted family. The Raleigh Goat Cart Project brings the fun surrounding the goat cart pictures from the turn of the century to present day Raleigh. Little children will be thrilled to pet a goat, feed it a carrot and then "drive" an adorable cart "pulled" by a goat while their family or friends take a picture of them. Family and friends will love sharing pictures of their little goat drivers on social media, which will help spread the wonder of Raleigh to others.

Yerevan – Ձայնող պատեր

2018-01-26T00:00:00Z

Արցախի շրջաններում բոլոր դպրոցները միատեսակ ու միագույն են․․․ հին ու կիսավեր պատեր՝ լի անցյալի ստվերներով, որ 21-րդ դարի պատանու համար ամբողջ տարին դարձնում են դպրոցը մութ ու խավար մի վայրի։ Ձայնող պատերով մենք նոր ձև կբերենք դպրոց։ Դպրոց, որտեղ գոնե հանդիպումների դահլիճում պատերին հսկա ու գունավոր պատկերներ են․ Թումանյան, Շանթ, Չարենց, Թեքեյան․․․ Գույների և սթրիթ արտի միախառնումը, որոնք հասանելի ու ընկալելի են այսօրվա երեխայի համար, սովորական դահլիճի մութ պատերը կվերածեն ձայնող պատերի։ Գործելու ենք մինչ օրս համաձայնություն տված միակ՝ Բերձորի թիվ 1 Թեքեյանի անվան դպրոցի հետ՝ հավատալով, որ վարակիչ կդառնանք մյուսների համար ևս:

Gloucester, MA – Wellspring Closet

2018-01-26T00:00:00Z

In addition to homelessness prevention, Wellspring House, Gloucester, provides career and educational planning, adult education and job training, and also English for newly arriving Americans at the Sawyer Free Library. These programs all support families on the road to finding living wage jobs. All program participants are given the opportunity to receive free business attire from Wellspring but, in my opinion, the current system lacks dignity. There are gently used clothes in bins, organized by size and participants may dig through them and take what they need. My project is to claim an underutilized awkward space at Wellspring and create a "shoppe" that provides a respectful shopping experience. This space would be fitted with racks organized by size. Program participants would make an appointment and shop for free. Volunteers may help them choose outfits.

Tilburg (Inactive) – De straatdrukkerij

2018-01-25T00:00:00Z

Als trotse bewoonster van Tilburg wil ik op innovatieve wijze mijn stad tonen aan de wereld, als het ware een stukje van de stad bij me dragen of in huis tonen. Voor mijzelf en andere trotse inwoners en toeristen wil ik authentieke en one of a kind merchandise maken. Ik doe dit door items te drukken vanaf iconische plekken, te vinden op straat. Denk hierbij aan putdeksels, 'eerste stenen gelegd door', boomroosters, etc. Er zijn zeker verrassende plekken te vinden in Tilburg. Wellicht plekken waar nu nog overheen gekeken wordt. Hoe werkt het? Ik verf de straatobjecten om er vervolgens producten tegen aan te drukken, zodat deze met een afdruk achterblijven. Mensen kunnen dit ter plekke zelf doen om zo naast een persoonlijk item ook de ervaring mee te krijgen. Ze maken een herinnering tastbaar, of dit nou een herinnering aan de ervaring is, of aan de plek in de stad. Zo krijgen ze een item met een verhaal, het verhaal van de stad waar ze zo trots op zijn. Ik kan ontzettend veel kanten op met dit concept: verschillende doelgroepen interesseren zich in verschillende producten en afdruklocaties. Denk aan tijdelijke, historische of fan-based plekken, zoals Willem II. En denk aan shirts, tasjes, petten en interieuritems als ingelijste prints. Mijn concept zit nog in de startfase (vandaar ook nog geen naam) maar ik wil het serieus uit gaan voeren en een lijn aan producten produceren en deze online en in allerlei zaakjes verkopen. Hiervoor moet ik eerst investeren, wat ik ga doen, maar waar the awesome foundation ontzettend bij zou helpen. Op lange termijn hoop ik er wel wat winst uit te halen, op korte termijn vind ik het uitvoeren het belangrijkste. En dat het liefst in mijn eigen stad, waar ik het perfect vind passen (rebels, rauw, textiel, experimenteel mijn trots, etc) Er zullen ongetwijfeld nog veel vragen zijn van jullie kant en ik heb ook nog veel te vertellen. Ik kom graag bij jullie langs, of we kunnen skypen/bellen/mailen/watdanook!

Poughkeepsie, NY – Poughkeepsie High School Teen Closet

2018-01-24T00:00:00Z

Teen Closet provides students with needed resources that they can obtain free of charge to help them succeed in school. It also creates a sense of community and caring at PHS. Students who use the Teen Closet appreciate that adults in the community care about them, and they often express a desire to volunteer or give back in some way. Approximately 10-15 students visit the Teen Closet during our Friday, after school drop-ins. We've had roughly 200 students visit the closet since the first day of school.

Alaska (Inactive) – Reaching Addicts & the families that love them

2018-01-24T00:00:00Z

We would like to create a brochure/pamphlet to canvas our community to inform local residents about resources that exist to help active opioid users and their families respond to drug abuse. In addition to medical and therapeutic resources we want to educate our community members on the weekly support groups available for both the addict and those that love them. However, many families experiencing this grief and hardship are unaware these resources exist. Wouldn’t it be AWESOME to get the word out? We envision a calendar that would depict the dates and times of all of these weekly resources; this brochure/rack card would be distributed door-to-door, one-on-one throughout the southern Kenai Peninsula. The mechanism for distribution is mostly in place as KBFPC’s Community Health Outreach have volunteered to incorporate it into their packet. The following information would be contained within the pamphlet: I. Resources for Families: We have several weekly support meetings created especially for those that love someone addicted to drugs. These groups include traditional twelve step family groups (such as al anon), grief support groups and family counseling; II. Resources for Addicts: Members of our task force have created a clean needle exchange program that provides clean needles to those in need. People in need of clean needles can safely dispose of their old needles and obtain clean needles. Information concerning recovery resources and medical needs are available in a safe, confidential and kind environment. Moreover, the community has several weekly recovery meetings. These groups include traditional twelve step recovery meetings such as AA and NA. Members of our task force are also active with the local food bank and we would provide information about the location and times for access to the food bank; and III. Factual Information about the Opioid Crisis. We envision a calendar that would depict the dates and times of all of these weekly resources.

Annapolis, NS (Inactive) – Earth Day Shuttle

2018-01-24T00:00:00Z

On Earth Day 2018, get ready for a MindShift! Young Company Productions and Clean Annapolis River Project are teaming up for a spring production… MindShift is all about SHIFTING our culture toward environmental sustainability by inspiring action. What better way to inspire action than through theatre? This production is open to youth from Annapolis and Digby County and will be presented at schools and in the community during the week of April 22nd. A few years ago, a group of seven students working together with the Halifax Regional Municipality Adventure Earth Centre came together to create MindShift, a sustainability education program presented to high school science students. MindShift involves a humorous and hard-hitting theatrical piece that we would like to introduce to students here in the Annapolis area. Student astronauts transform their classroom into the deck of Spaceship Earth. The ship experiences increasing challenges to its life-support systems as it travels through time. Despite dire warnings, the ship strays on its course and reaches maximum distress in the year 2030...just before it crashes... Here’s what the original Mindshift Team had to say about the program: “MindShift isn’t about changing the world with a single presentation. It’s about sparking an interest in those students, the beginning of a change. It’s about shifting the culture that we live in and changing it for the better.”

Utrecht – Utrecht bloeit

2018-01-23T00:00:00Z

Rein Hazelzet gaat onze mooie stad decennialang trakteren op bloemen. Volle bossen veldbloemen langs de paden, in de bermen, aan de singel en in de borders van de parken. Vrolijk kleurende en lekker geurende klaprozen, klokjes, zonnebloemen, vergeet-me-nietjes en andere prachtige Nederlandse inheemsen die maand na maand opduiken. Om vrolijk van te worden. En nog nuttig ook: Rijkswaterstaat en de Radboud Universiteit hebben ontdekt dat een bloemrijke berm sterker wordt geassocieerd met natuur dan een berm met alleen gras. En dat een natuurlijke omgeving minder wordt vervuild. Twee vliegen in de klaproos dus. Vanaf maart verspreid Rein zijn zaad: aan de hand van een geliefd familierecept fabriceert hij van 6 kilo zaad en vele snufjes chilipoeder een slordige 3000 bermbommen die hij over een afstand van maar liefst 11,3 km rondstrooit. Met als resultaat een explosie aan kleuren deze zomer. En omdat bloemen zich steeds weer blijven uitzaaien volgend jaar weer. En het jaar daarop. En daarop. En daarop. Zodat iedereen in Utrecht komende decennia kan genieten van een kleurrijk veldboeket en schone bermen.

Newmarket – AWAKE

2018-01-23T00:00:00Z

Given the prevalence of youth using substances to cope with stress today, YouthSpeak is excited to, once again, provide its 8th annual AWAKE, youth drug awareness conference at Valleyview Alliance Church, Newmarket for grade 9 and 10 students in York Region. As a local event, Newmarket schools attend such as Newmarket High, Huron Heights, and Sir William Mulock. AWAKE brings in various community resources such as the York Region Police, 360 Kids and Public Health to give students an opportunity to learn about various services in the area and a familiar face they can turn to if they are struggling. Youth Speakers kick off the day sharing their stories of drug abuse and healthy coping tools. Addictions Services of York Region puts on an educational presentation which provides information on what they do as an agency and education surrounding drug use. The second half of the day is filled with various workshops for students to participate in. These workshops range from knitting and drawing, to martial arts and break dancing. The purpose of these workshops is to engage students in positive activities which teach them positive coping tools and alternatives to unsafe activities. The activities of the day give youth the opportunity to develop leadership skills and build rapport with adult role models such as police, teachers and youth counsellors. Students who can benefit most from this day are selected by their teachers and given the opportunity to participate in a fun, educational day away from the stresses of school. Statistics show that “early identification leads to better health outcomes, improved school attendance, contributions to society, cost-savings to health-care, justice and social service systems.” Open Minds, Healthy Minds (Ontario’s Mental Health Strategy). Research shows that youth-to-youth, interactive and engaging approach is the most effective way to reach them.

Portland, OR – Brain Storm

2018-01-23T00:00:00Z

Brain Storm is all about letting people see and experience what is happening inside their brain. The project is an interactive installation that creates a real time audio visual storm based on what is happening in someones brain. The project aims to instill curiosity, contemplation, and connection. The interactive exhibit will be a small phone booth-esque enclosure just large enough for 2-3 people to stand or sit in. Before entering the participant will put on a headband that can measure brain waves, body temperature, and heart rate. Based on these metrics an audio and visual storm will be projected inside the booth and the nature of the storm will change in real time with the participant’s biometrics. I have already made a prototype of this project and taken it into the wild but I would like to use this awesome grant to improve the project and share it with more people. I want to have the project popup in various locations all over Portland and would also like to collaborate with different art groups, science groups, and nonprofits to share with work with different people in various contexts. PS. I have images but this page is not letting me upload them no matter how small I make them.

Philadelphia, PA – Backpacks & Blankets

2018-01-22T00:00:00Z

We are requesting funds for our plight to help the homeless, with our “Backpack and Blankets” Project. Winter will be upon us soon. The weather is already cold and will only get colder. TOMORROW’S GIRLS & WOMEN mission is to put together homeless care backpacks with essential items to help people living on the streets this winter. In addition we will offer fleece blankets and emergency (space) blankets. These NASA designed, foil-type blankets are designed to be wrapped as close to the body as possible and will hold in 90% of body heat. This can mean the difference of life or death on a freezing night. We have seen measurable success with past community outreach efforts, and are confident that this program will blossom as well due to the immediate and ongoing need. There are numerous other organizations and projects which take on the task of dressing and feeding people and giving shelter. Yet very few for the homeless individual, who does not or cannot find inside shelter. “Backpacks and Blankets,” is designed for people who don’t have a permanent home which means they are not able to prepare food regularly, don’t sleep in the same place for very long, don’t have any safe place to store things and are possibly living and sleeping outside. Taking into account that they may have to carry all or most of their belongings on their back and may not have ways to get back to anything they have stored once they move on.

Kingston – Kingston Social Circus

2018-01-22T00:00:00Z

This application is for two partnered social circus projects—Soar Circus for Girls and the Invisible Youth Circus Project. Both projects are part of a growing social circus movement that combines training in circus techniques with social goals. Like most social circus initiatives, the programming is offered for free to participants to ensure accessibility and inclusion of a diverse population. Emphasis is on having fun, building confidence and community, and safe and appropriate risk-taking. Soar Circus introduces girls involved with partner organizations to circus skills in a safe and supportive environment. Through instruction in aerial silks, partner acrobatics and physical theatre, participants gain self-confidence and trust in themselves and others. Because circus encourages the development of strength and values what diverse bodies can do rather than what they look like, circus can be particularly beneficial to helping girls develop self-esteem and a positive body image. This project is based on a successful pilot project carried out with girls from Big Brothers Big Sisters Kingston in 2015. This year, Soar will offer programming to girls involved with Big Brother Big Sisters, Girls Inc., and Roots & Wings. The Invisible Youth Circus Project focuses on offering social circus programming to youth who live in the transition homes under the umbrella of the Kingston Youth Shelter. The goal of the program is to provide a safe space for youth experiencing mental health or addiction issues, or who experience homelessness, while allowing them to develop trust, explore their creativity, and learn new skills. Youth meet on a weekly basis to learn circus skills. The hope is to give these often marginalized youth a voice in the Kingston community through the circus arts. We are pooling our resources for these projects to make social circus a reality for the Kingston community.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – I Support the Girls

2018-01-22T00:00:00Z

Homelessness affects every community and girls and women are the fastest rising segment of the homeless population. Women and girls who find themselves homeless shouldn’t have to worry about finding bras, much less proper menstrual products. Yet they wear the same bra for years (causing health problems) and each month have to make a choice between paying for meals or buying a box of tampons. Every woman should have the ability to maintain her dignity! This is our mission- to restore dignity and self-respect to thousands of women. Through more than 50 national and international affiliates, we collect and distribute gently used and new bras, and menstrual hygiene products to over 350 vetted homeless shelters and organizations that distribute to women and girls in need. We also provide a rapid relief response to natural disasters, distribute mastectomy related bras and items to low-income women dealing with breast cancer, and provide transition items to people in the gender transition process, when available. In the last two years, we have impacted over 180,000 women and girls across the country. In 2018, our goal is to distribute 1,000,000 total products, expand the efforts of our existing 51 affiliates and open 10 new affiliates in different cities across the U.S.

San Antonio, TX – Music for Tesla coils

2018-01-19T00:00:00Z

My project idea is to make music for Tesla coils! The SA museum of Science and Technology will have 6 coils by the end of December and they have agreed to let me have access to the coils and in return I can help them generate a program for children to learn about the technology behind creating music for a coil. I'm excited to make original music for coils whereas most of the time you'll see engineer majors from say M.I.T have the coils play midi programmed music such as the Mario Bros. theme, Zelda, etc. I'll be creating music that will be performed live and through this process of learning how to create the music, the SAMSAT will use this information to process a learning program for children/young adults. My vision is to have the performance in surround sound with 6 Tesla coils, a grand piano, strings and a small choir.

Boston, MA – UMass Boston at South Bay Jail

2018-01-19T00:00:00Z

I'm an English Professor at UMass Boston who volunteered to teach Introductory Comp at the Suffolk County House of Corrections at South Bay. We’re trying to make this a permanent program, but in the meantime I said "Let's just start and see what happens; I get paid to teach other classes on campus, and I'll do this for free.” Now we are in week 8 of Introductory Composition, and when incarcerated students get out, if they want to come to UMB, I'll be their advisor. Some people were worried there would be no interest in the program, but 19 women and 18 men signed up, which made me very proud. Every week now I am taking in handouts and they are reading, annotating, summarizing, analyzing, and imitating poems and stories and articles I bring in. They are already crushing it, even in-text citation, which drives every freshman comp student crazy. And they are doing it without computers, in exam books--those little blue books—with pencils they have to turn back in at the end of the class.

Singapore – Veggie Rescue @ Little India

2018-01-17T00:00:00Z

Our project rescues discarded fresh produce from shopkeepers in Little India, and delivers them to a soup kitchen for cooking and serving to low-income families. I started my food waste journey by asking my neighbours to give me their leftover cooked food, and expired food products for my personal consumption. As a result, I spent only $8 on food this year. Then I read that Singapore produced 791,000 tonnes of food waste last year. I got curious about the waste generated in the food distribution channels, and started to move up the supply chain. I dumpster dived the bins of restaurants and found loads of free food. I also explored the bins at Little India and found so many edible vegetables that I could not carry it home. I brought friends there, but whether I brought 5 friends or 20 friends, we always ended up carrying all that we could carry, and have to discard about half of what we collected because we couldn’t carry anymore. Clearly, there was a lot of food waste taking place. One night, we got to know an ex-vegetable shopkeeper. He told us that we should approach the shopkeepers and ask them for their unsold produce even before it got to the bins. However, the language barrier posed a problem. Our newfound friend helped us to overcome the barrier, and we started to get so much more vegetables. I shared our finds on various Facebook groups and a soup kitchen got in touch with us, saying that they could use these vegetables to feed the food insecure. Did you know that there are about 387,000 people in Singapore who are food insecure? This means that they don’t have access to sufficient nutritious food. Yet we are simply throwing away good food! I want to do something about that. Hence this project.

San Jose, CA – JMS Podcast Art Event

2018-01-17T00:00:00Z

The JMS Podcast profiles local creative individuals in the Arts, Music, Comedy, and Poetry outlets. Since 2015 I have been conducting interviews with over 130 creative guests and discussed their creative journey and their craft. Although the podcast serves the San Jose community, the interviews are broadcasted worldwide via the web. To celebrate and further engage the community I produce shows to showcase some of my guests works and provide both a entertaining and informative event. I would like a grant to produce an Art event with a local Art venue where a panel discussion will be held and the featured Artists works can be displayed.

Paris (Inactive) – Continent Enfance

2018-01-16T00:00:00Z

La compagnie de théâtre Sapiens Brushing intervient auprès d’une quinzaine de réfugiés à Aubervilliers (93) pour développer leurs capacités d'expression et leur autonomie dans leur utilisation de la langue française. La compagnie propose un atelier de création théâtrale sur 14 séances de janvier à mai 2018. Un spectacle sur les thèmes de l'enfance et de la filiation sera créé collectivement et représenté en fin de parcours. Un travail aura lieu autour d’improvisations sur la récolte de souvenirs d’enfance, de berceuses, d’objets amenés par les participants depuis leur pays natal. The theatre company Sapiens Brushing develops a project in Aubervilliers (Paris region) to help 15 refugees improve their knowledge of the French language and their autonomy. The company offers a series of 14 theatrical creation workshop, from January to May 2018. A collective show tackling the themes of childhood and filiation will be created and given at the end of the training. The workshops will be build around improvisation on childhood memories, lullabies, objects brought from their homelands by the participants.

Pittsburgh, PA – Sh*t Show, Flush it.

2018-01-15T00:00:00Z

This project will capture the current psychological state of it's viewers via an open interactive platform for the public to freely express their feelings thru words and/or illustration. It will also serve as a social experiment from a few parallel perspectives. The desire is to construct (3) mobile bathroom stalls. Each will have 3 stall walls surrounding a toilet in the center. The front of each will be open, the door missing, as a symbol of exposure to social constructs. Each stall will feature one toilet- one pink, one yellow and one blue- with a purpose to lightly touch on representation of male (blue), female (pink) and non-specific (yellow) genders. On each stall will hang several Sharpie markers to allow for open expression. This open ended interactive sculpture will include a placard that asks the question: "What would you like to flush from your life in preparation for a positive 2018?" It will also give a brief explanation of the project and ask any participant to "tag" or leave their age as a replacement for their signature. The purpose is to prompt viewers into expressing their raw feelings/desires of what to rid from their life in 2018. This "social experiment" would allow the community to have a feel for what others are facing (in few words) as well as allow myself to collect information for my next series of work.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – unPrison Project

2018-01-15T00:00:00Z

If we want change for women in prison, then we must work directly with those who live inside. I work to help build their life skills and literacy levels with delivery of books, reading glasses, and a one-day curriculum about life skills. Earlier this year I was in a prison speaking to a gym full of 300 women and a woman passed a pair of broken reading glasses to the woman next to her. The glasses were duct-taped together. One side of the glasses was snapped off. This one pair of shattered glasses passed from one woman to the next so they could see. How can we expect women who are marginalized and isolated to increase their level of education, and level of self-esteem, if they can't see the page in a book? When I left the prison that day, I met with a private donor who took action and had 10,000 pairs of reading glasses manufactured specifically without wire for the unPrison Project to bring into prisons. These glasses sit in our warehouse storage because we couldn’t cover the freight costs to ship them around the country into prisons to coincide with the timing of my speaking engagement in prisons . We can deliver these glasses into more prisons if we secure more funding. We’ll be able to give new vision for incarcerated women. They’ll also be able to read with their children on visiting day, impacting the future of their children with mother-child bonding and building literacy. Literacy is a passage to freedom outside prison: securing employment, stable housing, expanding curiosity and purpose, and helps with setting goals. We are also building an outcome survey tool for the women in prison who we serve. The demand for our work is nationwide: 28 prisons in 20 states have requested our one-day life skills curriculum. We coincide the glasses and books delivery with the curriculum day. This particular project of delivering reading glasses and children's books is a delivery of hope and future possibility for incarcerated women.

Cass Clay – Twin Buttes Community Garden

2018-01-15T00:00:00Z

Because of poverty and geographic isloation, many Indigenous American peoples do not have access to quality stores for fresh fruits and vegetables. As a result, food scarcity, obesity, and diabetes have become epidemics in 'Indian Country". The Orchard will strive to be a component that battles the epidemics at South Segment on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota. The Community Orchard will provide fresh fruit to approximately 350 enrolled members. This number grows over the summer as South Segment is situated on the south shore of Lake Sakakawea. There is an annual Pow-Wow in June (attendance 2,000+) and ongoing summer activites at the lake. The goal is to grow food-producing trees that the community has access to and feels safe to eat. The Orchard will bring members back to a personal relationship with 'Mother Earth' while providing therapy and healing by having access to whole foods that are plant based. It will engage all age levels from the early elementary to community members at-large for planting and classroom studies, to food preservation/demonstrations, and annual harvest festivals. A Honey Bee farm is planned for appurtenance to our Orchard. The Orchard will help supplement the food supply in rural North Dakota with fresh home-grown fuit that can be sold at our C-store, given to our Elders, and also those facing economic hardships. Classroom studies can take place at the Orchard on fruit and honey bees. Although South Segment is part of the Three Affiliated Tribes which has oil and gas development, not all members reap the benefits, but most reap the culmination of the development. South Segment is steadily working to reverse the hard effects ( oil and gas development) on the reservation land-locked community so that all members can take part in a healthy and sustainable component to living and walking on the good 'Red Road.'

Ottawa – Girls on the Spectrum Ottawa Drop-in

2018-01-14T00:00:00Z

January’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Suzanne Allen, to support the establishment of a weekly drop-in program for girls on the autism spectrum. “My daughter Miriam was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in May 2017,” explains Suzanne. “Since then, I have been trying to access resources to help her. While there are many great programs for kids on the spectrum here in Ottawa, there are very few programs geared specifically towards girls.” “Boys tend to be diagnosed more often with autism than girls – a ratio of four to one,” Suzanne continues, “and girls who are diagnosed are often not reached until their tween and teen years – boys are usually diagnosed around the age of five. Because of this, programs offered for kids tend to be planned more around things that boys are interested in.” “I did find one program for tween girls,” Suzanne explains, “but there was limited space and my daughter wound up on a waiting list. I realized that there must be other parents who have also come up against this and I thought that instead of complaining about the problem I would try to do something about it.” This past fall, Suzanne started Girls on the Spectrum Ottawa – a weekly drop-in for girls of all ages and their parents, grandparents, or caregivers. It provides a safe place for girls to make friends and participate in activities such as arts and crafts, baking, playing games, and building with Lego. It also offers an opportunity for their parents and grandparents to provide each other support, as well as on occasion listen to a guest speaker. The drop-in has so far been featured on Rogers TV and CBC’s Ottawa Morning. The award from Awesome Ottawa will support the purchase of supplies and snacks. Suzanne is a mother of three, and works with the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors program.

Sydney – FLEX

2018-01-12T00:00:00Z

‘FLEX’ is a group exhibition which will be presented at AirSpace Projects, Marrickville in January 2018. With new work by emerging artists Belle Blau, Paula McCambridge and Cameron Stead, and with curatorial assistance contributed by Upasana Papadopoulos (M. Curating, USyd), FLEX aims to explore, challenge and disrupt the underlying power structures of our personal, professional and political lives, through use of various mediums, including painting, installation and digital media. ‘FLEX’ was devised as the result of a number of round table discussions between the artists and curator, to produce a cohesive exhibition with a mutually agreed upon direction and areas of focus. As recent graduates of The National Art School in Darlinghurst, the artists of ‘FLEX’ examine and respond to the conventions of their institutional training – their work both acknowledges tradition and steps outside set parameters to investigate new modes of thinking, seeing and doing. Blau’s body of work, which includes painting, drawing, writing and music, approaches the traditionally male-dominated genres of abstraction and reductionism from a female perspective, while McCambridge and Stead make installations and artworks from unconventional materials such as underfelt, latex and found plastics to encourage new perspectives of self-representation, objects we encounter and places we inhabit. FLEX therefore aims to create a platform for conversations and questions about learned behaviour and ways of thinking about the self and others. AirSpace Projects are opening their gallery doors to a summer audience to present four concurrent exhibitions from 17th to 27th January. Utilising AirSpace’s formidable social media networks, as well as those of the artists, it is anticipated that the gallery will attract more than 500 visitors on opening, with numbers growing throughout the duration of the exhibition.

Milano (Inactive) – RECUP

2018-01-11T00:00:00Z

Recup is a project against food waste and social exclusion, going on in Milano's local markets. The action is easy but efficient: at the end of the market, a group of people, both students, people in need, volunteers, recover food surplus directly from merchants, creating a parallel stand into the market space. Everybody can take what he/she needs from the stand, respecting other people and the environment. It is important to collaborate, clean, don't take more than is needed. Recup means sharing, meeting, socialize. The food that has lost its economic value gains a social value. The goal would be to create a Recup spot in each area of Milan, with a “glocal” approach: people would participate in the area where they live and the project would cover the entire city. Then, we would bring Recup outside of Milano, in other Italian cities. At the moment, the project is going on in eleven markets in the urban area. Once we would have a headquarters, we would start more activities: -Education at school -Awareness to food waste problem -Events with social kitchen, music, theatre -"No waste cuisine" lessons -Show cooking -Workshops on Conservation of food -Social garden And many other ideas that we have. Little by little, we would like to pay people who work in the project, to create new job positions and transform the association into a social enterprise.

Orlando, FL – The Dinner Party Project - Let's Talk It Out

2018-01-11T00:00:00Z

As many of you may be familiar w The Dinner Party Project, we are looking to do an specific series next year called, "Let's Talk It Out." (Working Title) It will be a Series of 6 Dinner Parties in 2018 w 12 Guests at each Dinner. There will be a Content Expert as the Guest Host for the Evening. These Dinners will provide a safe place to discuss deeper issues. We set the table w care and provide 4 delightful Courses and drinks, all while having meaningful conversation around the Dinner table! The purpose is to hear from people from all different backgrounds and creeds. It's pretty awesome to set aside assumptions and learn something new about someone you didn't think you would connect with!

Chicago, IL – Where is Washington Heights?

2018-01-10T00:00:00Z

Where is Washington Heights? photo-documentary series is part of a larger exhibition that documents the community area and people of the little known far southwest side, predominately African- American community area in Chicago called Washington Heights (WH).The project asks questions about WH as it relates to geography, people, health and the overall economic development of this community area from past, present, and future. I will utilize my artist studio (H.L. Anderson Arts & Culture Studio) to invite at least 20 residents in my studio monthly for me to photograph them and use my studio for them to paint or write their stories that relate to their connection to WH. Additionally, I will partner with StoryCorps to invite community members who live, work, or play in WH to share their audio stories:https://storycorps.org/ After eight months, I will curate an exhibition at H.L. Anderson Arts & Culture Studio and other venues, and invite people from other communities in conversation about WH.

London, ON (Inactive) – Chain of Smiles

2018-01-09T00:00:00Z

I make little gifts for shut-ins, nursing home residents, sick folk and their caregivers, anyone who needs a little TLC. I've been doing this since 2011 and to date Chain of Smiles has given away 6344 cards and gifts.

Ann Arbor, MI – The #Eating Project

2018-01-08T00:00:00Z

Hello friends, My name is Joseph Alnarshi and I am nominating a friend's project for the $1000 grant opportunity! The project is the known mostly as the "Flint #Eating Garden" and it was started by a group of wonderful individuals. The organization's name is Team Gardens and the founders include three University of Michigan graduates including two former football stars. Vincent Smith, Martavious Odoms, and Sonya Sutherland created this concept during their college days. As Martavious and Vincent were originally from Florida, They decided to start the first Community Garden in their hometown of Pahokee. From there, Sonya and Vincent quickly shifted their focus to find a location in Michigan to begin a Community Garden in an effort to help the underserved population. With the help of other former football players, Vincent and his team made the decision to make their newest location in Flint, Michigan.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Free childcare for filmmakers - Park City

2018-01-08T00:00:00Z

Film festivals are where careers are launched. At top-tier festivals, filmmakers have an opportunity to gain significant exposure, network, build relationships, find collaborators, and distribution. However, traveling to other cities can become challenging with children: finding babysitters, appropriate venues for children to play, etc... And traveling with a nanny quickly becomes prohibitive in terms of cost. As a result, parent-filmmakers miss out on crucial opportunities. Moms-in-Film is attempting to change that, and make sure that filmmaker-parents can participate fully in the festival experience. We will provide quality care by expert professionals in a venue that is intended for that purpose, with plenty of play-based activities, toys, books, changing tables, and quiet areas for napping. Anyone who has a credit in a film or project at the festival can use our FREE services, whether above or below the line. Actors, Directors, Cinematographers, Makeup Artist, Art Directors, Gaffers, and more. At SXSW last year, we piloted the Wee Wagon project: a MOBILE childcare unit that was stationed outside the Zach Movie Theater in Austin, TX. The idea is that this mobile unit can also be used on film sets! However, Park City in January has unpredictable weather, so we could not replicate the program. Instead of our mobile WEE WAGON PROJECT, we are therefore proposing a brick-and-mortar BASECAMP model.

Vegan (Inactive) – Peas & Love Community Garden (Veganic)

2018-01-08T00:00:00Z

We are planting the seeds of peace, love, and justice at the Peas & Love Community Garden. In a city where obesity is rampant, fast food restaurants abound, and little space is devoted to natural habitats, our garden will be an oasis for those who wish to restore themselves and reconnect with nature. Crops will be grown to feed volunteer members as well as neighbors in need through the Manchester Area Conferences of Churches food pantry. We use veganic (vegan organic) farming methods such as cover crops and composted vegetation to enhance the soil, mulch with natural materials to suppress weeds, and companion planting to minimize disease and insect infestation. The garden will also serve as an educational resource for children to discover where their food comes from, how it grows, and how to prepare nutritious and delicious meals made with fresh fruits and vegetables that they've grown. Anyone who wants to eat healthfully can learn how to, regardless of age, race, gender, income, or ability.

Oakland, CA (Inactive) – Contagious Spirit

2018-01-04T00:00:00Z

Contagious Spirit is an event that celebrates Black women and girls' courageous and contagious spirit of resilience. Our proposal requests $1,000 for Contagious Spirit, an interdisciplinary arts project that reframes widely held stereotypes about Black women and girls’ perceived lack of innocence. Contagious Spirit was initially inspired by a recent Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality study titled, “Girlhood interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girl’s Childhood.” The study found that Black girls are viewed as “less innocent” by society as a whole and when compared to their White peers. These findings are concerning since Black women and girls face disproportionately higher rates of sexual assault. Although the #Metoo movement, initially sparked by activist Tarana Burke, has drawn widespread attention to the pervasiveness of sexual assault against all women, it is vital that we continue to center the perspectives of Black women survivors. Contagious Spirit uses photography, music and dance to invite the Oakland community to imagine world in which Black women and girl survivors receive the emotional support they deserve. Contagious Spirit includes photography, video and music that empowers Black women and girls. Thus, the event will occur during Women's History Month. The project culminates in a live performance at Betti Ono Art Gallery on March 31st of 2018.

Miami, FL – Before It's Too Late

2018-01-04T00:00:00Z

Before It's Too Late (BITL) is a non-profit climate action prototyping lab founded out of MIT to leverage arts and technology to awaken and unite society to take action on climate change. BITL is partnered with The CLEO Institute and City of Miami to launch pilot programs that shed light on sea level rise impacts and solutions. Our programs include virtual reality, team workshops and activist art. We are also collaborating with research centers across MIT, FIU and UM to develop and share our social theory of change, which incorporates the latest research on climate communication, behavioral science and design. VR Lab Pilot: We are engaging a team of 9th and 10th graders at Cushman High School in Miami, FL to produce and market virtual reality pieces to raise awareness and motivate action on local climate change issues. We will widely distribute the VR experiences to K-12 schools, public libraries and target audiences across South Florida. The VR Lab is conducted in partnership with Genius Plaza and CLEO Institute. The VR lab projects include: “Miami Rising: The People Fighting Climate Change” - 360 short films and photos will build climate change narratives for real people in Miami among three target audiences in Greater Miami - businesses, vulnerable/ low-income communities and faith/spiritual base. These films share these communities’ attitudes about climate change, solutions already underway and hopes for the future. “Miami Year 2050” - VR prototypes will feature the students’ visions for a green Miami city of the future through immersive VR.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Healing Justice Podcast

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Healing Justice Podcast is an audio project to democratize access to inspiring stories, leaders, and practices to support activists from the inside-out and outside-in. It's a story-mapping of the experiments of courageous and soulful change efforts already thriving all over the world, sowing connection between us to build more of the deeply committed community we long for. These are times of extreme amplification -- of climate violence, white supremacy, patriarchy, political corruption, late-stage capitalism, xenophobia, anti-LGBTQ hate, and more. Our lives depend on our ability to make significant, urgent, dramatic change in our society. But working to change the world while neglecting ourselves and our immediate communities depletes us and replicates patterns of trauma, trigger, harm, and extraction. And "being the change we wish to see in the world" doesn't sufficiently dismantle the structures that are systematically dehumanizing us all either. My experience training organizers and building connection between healing justice practitioners nationwide for the past 3 years has shown me that many of us are hungering for community to support the integration of self care, collective care, commitment to challenging injustice, and powerful action. We need a place to share our stories and struggles to build trust and gain insight together, to strengthen the capacity for resilience in ourselves and in our collective movements for change. Stories of resilience in the struggle and simple sustaining practice ideas are part of the medicine we long for, and this project aims to be a campfire around which we gather to share our victories, pain, innovations, and generative debates. We're starting with a podcast sharing a new story and practice each week and building toward convenings, training, and support networks for leaders wanting to incorporate healing into their activism. See some of the leaders & topics we'll feature at www.healingjustice.org/conversations

Austin, TX – Civics 101: Your Guide To A Functional Democracy

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Amy Stansbury is a firm believer in the importance of local government. "It impacts everything from affordability, to traffic, to the preservation of Austin's art and music culture," she says. "If we want Austin to continue being the awesome city that it is, it will require participation and effort from each and every one of us." Working with local artists, Stansbury and her team at the Austin EcoNetwork created "A Beginner's Guide to Local Government," an adult coloring book designed to help teach Austinites how to get involved in the local community. The Guide includes information about who the mayor of Austin is, what he does, and how to figure out who your City Council member is. Stansbury says the idea is to take someone from total City Hall "newbie status" to a knowledgable, active, and engaged citizen of Austin. A $1000 grant from the Austin Awesome Foundation will fund the printing of 1,000 copies of the Beginner's Guide to Local Government, which will be distributed free in multiple locations around Austin. "With this guide," says Stansbury, "we'll basically be teaching 1,000 more Austinites how to make Austin awesome!"

Disability – Unshame Pain Project

2017-12-31T00:00:00Z

The Unshame Pain Project aims to change stigmas about people in pain through four 3-6 minute documentary style videos: • Pain as a social justice issue
• How to acknowledge and respond to a person in pain
• Why persistent pain debilitates: multidimensionality of pain
• How to be a pain-friendly support person and ally
The objectives are: •Expand perspectives and supply actionable tools people can use to sensitively respond to people in pain
•Make visible the stories of people in pain, especially the underrepresented
Compelling viewers to think in new ways about the many dimensions of pain will increase compassion and change harmful attitudes about pain. The Unshame Pain videos will put real faces to pain conditions to promote understanding, spark dialogs and popularize non-shaming pain support. The videos will encompass how pain is experienced anatomically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually by featuring people with chronic pain, fibromyalgia, intersex conditions, depression and mood conditions, PTSD, neurodivergentl/atypical processing, and other chronic illnesses and/or disabilities. The free videos will be publicized via social media, blogs, chronic illness websites, in community forums and in presentations to medical/health professionals. A 26-minute version of the video will be created to submit to film festivals. The video project is part of a broader Unshame Pain Project, including a forthcoming website (visit www.maayansimon.wordpress.com for information about the project until the official website is ready) with additional resources. Interviewees of different racial, ethnic, economic, age, and dis/ability backgrounds, including people who are queer and people of multiple gender expressions/identities, as well as fat people/people of size are already committed. The videos are drafted and experienced advisors are at the ready. This grassroots project is created by and will be crewed by people with disabilities. Will you help bring this vision to life? I hope your answer is a resounding "yes!" What our grantee is saying: Your recognition of the Unshame Pain Project goes far beyond money by making a powerful statement about the importance of increasing compassion and understanding for people with chronic pain conditions. With the support of the Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter the Unshame Pain Project videos are on track to become a reality! Most importantly, having the funds to make these videos means that we can promote resources to Unshame Pain far and wide. Enormous thanks for your belief!

Dubai (Inactive) – Boda Boda Transport App

2017-12-31T00:00:00Z

Boda boda is like a motorbike transport. In many parts of Africa 6 or more can ride on one! If one has access and in the part of Kenya we aim to support, most families don't The idea is to make an app that can improve transportation in my hometown in Garissa Kenya that is basically 'uber'' type of technology. If we do this we can improve economic opportunities for younger people who live in villages and can't find work now because they can't get to jobs, we can get more kids to school for education and also improve ability to buy and sell produce which is a very big problem in South/East Kenya.

New York City, NY – Brooklyn Artisanal Gasoline

2017-12-29T00:00:00Z

We are excited to fund Brooklyn-based artist Hackett in his plan to extract and refine oil from the spills in the Superfund site known as North Brooklyn. As founder and director of the Madagascar Institute, if there's anyone who knows how to pull this off, this is our guy. In his own words: Tens of millions of gallons of oil are just sitting there under North Brooklyn, going to waste. In an unparalleled act of generosity ExxonMobil, BP and other petrochemical giants are distancing themselves from the ownership of this vast seep of black gold, insisting that it belongs to the people. Instead of eagerly seizing this amazing windfall the people seem to be distracted by a lack of what makes America great (also: Asthma, leukemia) ; the result is that ownership of the oil remains in doubt. Brooklyn was once a world leader in manufacturing, and while we might have lost our lead in making machine tools and other useful things, we have had a resurgence in other areas. Shenzen might rule the world of electronics, but China can only look on in awe at our cloudy beer, kale chips and questionable hair styles. Silicon Valley might be good at code, but two million bucks for a badly built condo with no outdoor space does not compute. When it comes to overpriced and poorly made Brooklyn rules the world. We have been extracting oil and refining it into gasoline for over a century. As befits the small-batch style the project will scorn efficiency and automation for the tried and true. Old oil pumps can be built by hand. The refining process is well-documented fractional distilling, a technology I have some experience in. Instead of computerized, networked pumps the gasoline will be packaged in vintage bottles.

Poughkeepsie, NY – Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.

2017-12-27T00:00:00Z

The project brings holiday cheers to communities in need. Lead Our Legacy presents the 2nd annual Santa Claus is coming to town toy drive. Last year's program was a huge success; we raised over $600 and received dozens of new toy donations. These gifts were delivered to various neighborhoods including Martin Luther King Jr. Apartments, Harriett Tubman Terrace, Rip Van Winkle House (RIP), Smith Street Projects, Charles Street, Delafield, Winnikee Avenue and more! We made sure no child was left out! We responded to specific requests for children with disabilities, bringing joy right to their doorstep. In addition to toys, children were able to take free pictures with Santa. Overall, the project ensures that all children in Poughkeepsie have the opportunity to have one new gift and the opportunity to interact with Santa Claus. I garnered support from the public and partnered with Poughkeepsie Fire Department to deliver the gifts via firetruck.

Poughkeepsie, NY – Saturday Night Street Outreach

2017-12-27T00:00:00Z

Our awesome project is an on-going weekly opportunity to reach out to the homeless, addicted women of the street of the City of Poughkeepsie. Every single Saturday Night throughout the year we arrive at the corner of Main St and So Clinton St to serve the immediate needs of these women by offering a kind heart, an open mind and listening ears: we also provide bottled water, high-protein, high-calorie foods and snacks to eat on site and/or take along, personal hygiene items and weather-appropriate clothing and footwear, and a hot meal. We offer referral services to local shelters, food banks, hospitals and detox centers. We will provide rides to these places and wait with them until successfully admitted for services or treatment, Each woman we meet receives a phone number they can call any time, any day to speak with a recovery coach, ask for additional supplies or have a meal.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – UNLADYLIKE

2017-12-25T00:00:00Z

Austin, TX – Making It at the Downs-Jones Library

2017-12-23T00:00:00Z

The Downs-Jones Library at Huston-Tillotson University, Austin's only Historically Black College/University, is finally getting new and up-to-date books for college students to read and enjoy and learn from. Says librarian Katrina Ashton: "We know that learning isn't just about textbooks, that some skills aren't learned in the classroom, and that one of the best purposes of a library is to enable other people to be awesome." A $1000 grant from the Austin Awesome Foundation will fund the purchase of 50-75 books in order to establish a strong and varied crafting and DIY collection. Students will be able to check out the books and take them home to create, relax, and learn even in their non-study hours. In the future, librarian Katrina Ashton hopes to host an in-library Maker Fair with opportunities for students to try origami, build a Lego castle, repair that annoying hole in the pocket of their favorite jacket, begin knitting a beanie, learn a new way to braid their hair, or practice coding a mini-app.

Yerevan – Ամանօրյա անակնկալ՝ դաշնամուր առանց ստեղնաշարի

2017-12-20T00:00:00Z

Ռադիոխմբակում երեխաների կողմից նախագծվել է առանց ստեղների նվագող դաշնամուրի մոդել, որը ցանկանում ենք Ձեր օժանդակությամբ կյանքի կոչել։ Լաբորատոր փորձարկումներն անցել է և արդյունքը հիանալի է ստացվել։ Առանց ստեղների դաշնամուրը իրենից ներկայացնում է գեղեցիկ դիզայնով արկղ, որը ունի դատարկ տարածություն, որտեղ ձեռքերի շարժումից արձակվում են նոտաներ, կախված ձեռքի դիրքից և տեղակայումից։ Աշխատում է նույն դաշնամուրի սկզբունքով ինֆրակարմիր ճառագայթների օգնությամբ։ Դաշնամուրը նախօրոք տեղադրվելու է Վեդի քաղաքի ամանօրյա կենտրոնական տոնածառի կոխքին, իսկ այնուհետև տեղափոխվելու է որևէ մանկապարտեզ պայմանով որ մնացած երկու մանկապարտեզներում նույնպես պետք է տեղադրվի անակնկալ դաշնամուր․․․

Newmarket – Food 4 Thought

2017-12-19T00:00:00Z

Food for Thought makes lunches for underprivileged elementary school students in Newmarket. Our group of Newmarket High School student volunteers meets on Wednesday afternoons to assemble lunches that are delivered on Thursday mornings by Access Newmarket. Cobs Newmarket donates bread weekly. Each lunch has a sandwich and a snack unit. A snack unit consists of a juice box, an apple, carrots, celery, and cookies. Last year we made 1692 sandwiches and 2183 snacks. This year we make 40 lunches and 6 snacks each week, though we are planning to expand our program to allow for more participating schools. It is important to the participants because it relieves financial stress for low-income families. We allow underprivileged people who are food insecure to get access to healthy food, which is a large concern for low-income families. This program also allows for leadership opportunities in our high school volunteers. The students take on new responsibilities and gain invaluable leadership experience through assembling the lunches, buy the food, and coordinate with sponsors like you guys! They also learn how to cooperate with other students to make the lunches and snacks. Food for Thought could not run without the contributions of our generous donors.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Resilience Emulsion for Birds

2017-12-19T00:00:00Z

I have a lifelong love of birds and have worked with them since I was a small child. Veterinary care for birds is difficult to come by as so few animal doctors are familiar with avian physiology or endocrinology. It's also prohibitively expensive to visit a veterinarian, especially if you are managing a flock of chickens or looking after a wild nestling that's fallen out of its nest. I've created a special, all natural emulsion paste that effectively boosts the immune systems of several very different species of birds, both captive and wild. This product, " Resilience for Birds" works as an alternative to antibiotics and anti-parasitic remedies, which are often misused, or ineffective and may prove toxic to birds with compromised immunity. My primary objective is to wean poultry enthusiasts and pet bird aficionados off of antibiotics and anti-parastics and provide bird lovers with a go to remedy that rapidly and efficaciously boosts the immune systems of birds both as preventative and curative. . hat y.

Asheville, NC (Inactive) – Awesome AshevilleFM on Wheels!

2017-12-19T00:00:00Z

Cass Clay – Indoor Soccer Program

2017-12-19T00:00:00Z

Pittsburgh, PA – Never Fear Being Different

2017-12-18T00:00:00Z

NFBD is a nonprofit media company based out of Pittsburgh (Ascender Incubator). I started off as a school speaker but shifted into a video creator with Facebook being our main platform. NFBD has 140k followers and over the last 3 months have 16 million video videos with 260k shares for 10 videos. Our content is centered around solution-based messaging while focusing on socially-relevant topics. The goal is to curate content that provides positive messaging, but is also entertaining so that it doesn't alienate anyone. The issue with the shift in modern media is media companies searching for clicks by selling controversy and misinformation. NFBD has been able to engage an audience while empowering millions of people. As of now, we are not funded. Videographers are expensive but I have found one who will do 2 videos for $1,000.

Chicago, IL – Scream Class

2017-12-16T00:00:00Z

My awesome project is to teach awesome Chicago women how to scream safely. I am a vocalist in a metal band, and people are often surprised to hear me speak after a show. They expect my voice to be raspy, cracked or injured--not realizing the amount of technique that goes into a single performance. I would like to share my technique with women (singers or not) in the Chicago area who are interested in learning how to strengthen their voice. I was inspired to do this idea because of a vocal workshop I led for GirlsRock! Chicago. The girls, age 12-15, were a mix of vocalists and instrumentalists of all skill levels. We went through a series of exercises that I perform in my own practice and after, shared our experiences. I remember the girls using words like "liberated," "strong," and "badass" and immediately knew that I wanted to provide a similar workshop to adult women. My plan is to offer three, 90-minute workshops on scream technique in three different areas of Chicago during Women's History Month (March). I've approached a local organization, Black & Brown Babes, that fully supports this idea and can help in terms of booking space and marketing the event. I think this project will be relevant to two types of women: singers who are interested in expanding their rock vocals and non-singers who use their speaking voice on a regular basis (teachers, telemarketers, managers, etc).

San Jose, CA – Arousing Biophilia

2017-12-14T00:00:00Z

Arousing Biophilia is an art exhibit that seeks to evoke deeper exploration of our natural world, acts of altruism and environmental stewardship by bringing the wonder of nature and the environment back into focus. The exhibit is scheduled for March & April 2018 at Art Ark Gallery in San Jose and features local, national and international artists. The artwork explores a variety of topics including life cycles, entomology, ecosystems, botany, organisms, mycology, biodiversity, the relationship between humans and the environment and more. The exhibit features installation, sculpture, glassworks, encaustic, photography, printmaking, and a variety of other mediums. The exhibit will also include other important programing that will be free and open to the public such as artist talks, expert speakers, environmental resource information and will conclude with an earth day event that will feature free workshops for children and adults. Examples of the workshops and speakers include: Creating mini "save the ocean" mobiles using plastic collected on Bay Area beaches to show how plastic is choking the ocean and ways we can reduce our plastic consumption. As well as The Art Inspector, a third party certification agent who examines the environmental impact of art process and practice and provides information and resources on how creatives can lower their carbon footprint.