Our Blog
The stories behind the grants
Spotlight on GAAP coordinator: Mohini Sharma
At The Pollination Project (TPP), there is a remarkable group of individuals who embody the spirit of service and are committed to making a positive difference in the world. These dedicated changemakers are made up of grantees, volunteers, advisors, and others who...
Gee’s Home: Quality of Life for Stray Dogs
Around 6.3 million companion animals end up in shelters every year in the US, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “The love that animals have to offer is one of the most beautiful and heartwarming things I have ever experienced,” Megan...
Documentary Inspires Action on Climate Crisis
Climate change has caused the sea ice in the Arctic to shrink 40% since 1979, NOAA. “My greatest hope is that this documentary will inspire meaningful community action towards climate change so this can make local changes that will have a global impact”, Tehya...
The Boy Who Carries a Fire: Libraries for Literacy in South Africa
In 2021, 10.5% of people 20 years and older were illiterate in South Africa, Department of Higher Education and Training of the Republic of South Africa. “I believe libraries can change the world. Learning to read without access to books is like learning to play...
Rebuilding Horizons in Peru: Human Settlement’s Community Hub
1 out of every 4 people lived in poverty in Peru in 2022, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Information Technologies of Peru. “I am very moved by the idea of shared dreams. In the beginning someone else's dream may not come across as yours but,...
The Healing Outlet: Working Against Gun Violence in DC
Homicides have continuously increased in DC from 2017 to 2021, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform. “Storytelling is a mode of healing. It is to express what you have been through, make meaning of it and then reframe it so that you can contribute to...
The Healing Power of Nature
“Nature creates a balance and helps all different ecosystems thrive.” Falon Tabares, Founder of The Healthy EarthFalon Tabares is the mother of two amazing children and the Founder of The Healthy Earth Organization, a charitable nonprofit organization created to...
Spotlight On Grantee: Isabelle Tancioni
Isabelle is a vegan vet on a mission to educate the next generation of veterinarians on biases in veterinary medicine and the need for vets to protect, care, and advocate for all animals. Through her work, Isabelle aims to create a more compassionate and ethical...
Valhalla Organics: Resilience & Regrowth After Disaster
Ruby Reid was an environmentalist from an early age, but she never expected to become a double climate refugee. “I’ve been concerned about climate change since I was a tiny kid. I had the book 50 Things Kids Can Do to Save the World and I did all of them.” As an...
A Smile From Above: The Little Library That Will Fight Book Banning in the USA
874 book titles were banned from schools in the United States in the first half of the 2022-2023 school year, PEN America. “Keep fighting forward but do it with integrity, in a way that your children will be proud of you,” Nicole Smith.Human life is finite and, after...
Setting Souls Free: DeafCan Mentorship for Deaf-Autistic Adults
It is estimated that around 2,500 million people will have a certain degree of hearing loss by 2050, World Health Organization. “We do have a future as long as we still have people committed to being a friend to those in need”, Zaineb Al-Abdulla, founder of Deaf...
A Way to The Heart: The Community Plant Based Lunch Program
1 in 200 Australians don’t have a safe or affordable place to sleep, Australian Human Rights Commission. “My hope for the future is for people to care more about connecting to each other, as well as our planet and all the species that inhabit it. When profit is not...
A Small Part in the Extraordinary
Where We BeginIf I’ve learned anything from being an advocate for a better world, it’s that the story is rarely about you. It’s about them. Those who are impacted by and benefit from the actions of others. There are people doing incredible work. Everyone has their...
Knitting a Better Future for Girls in Uganda
“Starting something is an achievement. Taking the first step is already being on the way to something better,” Ruth Abwalo. In Uganda, 1 in 4 women aged 15 to 49 experienced violence by a former intimate partner in 2018, UN Women.Knitting is a silent promise for the...
Building Bridges of Hope: Bello’s Robotic Club
“Bridges can be built to help people have a better quality of life,” Carolina Hernández, Bello's Robotic Club.Between 1820 and 2002, technological growth and change has caused global inequity to increase from 28% to 85%, UNCTAD Technology and Innovation Report 2021....
Spotlight On Grantee: Lourdes Jimenez Mora
This year Lourdes celebrates 33 years working to protect animals! Lourdes has been a grantee since 2018 when she received a seed grant to support the International Congress of Animal Rights in Veracruz, Mexico. Lourdes holds this yearly conference to bring together...
LightEd: Bringing Light Where It’s Most Needed
775 million people don't have access to energy worldwide. “The little things we do for people go a long way,” Stanley Anigbogu, CEO LightEd.Life is a collection of moments, both common and extraordinary, that shape the course of our personal story. But it's in the...
Rebuilding Lives
Sarah Yener, the English Department Chair at a high school in Antalya, Turkey, created a project that is having a profound effect on the lives of those who lost everything when earthquakes struck the Turkey/Syria region in February 2023. Prior to applying to The...
Merging Arts Education and Activism to Create Social Change
Dakota McMahand-Owens, founder of Budding Artists, started her organization in response to the lack of access to high-quality arts education for young children in her community. As a classically trained pianist, who took her first piano lesson at Watts Towers Art...
The Path of Dreams: Community Permaculture Garden
The province of Manitoba has the second highest inflation rate in Canada making it difficult for many families to make ends meet. “You can rebuild what was lost. You can create something out of nothing even when other people don't believe it”, Torrence Ledwich,...
Spotlight on Grantee: Greta McClain, fighting for the health and safety of all
In late November, Greta McClain, Executive Director of Silent No Longer TN, was approached by a fellow community organizer about a coalition she and some others were trying to start called, “The People's Party Coalition.” This collection of individuals and...
A World of Change: Animal Home Care
Every year 29 million cows die in the dairy and meat industry world wide. “Always keep in mind why you started, remind yourself why you wanted to change the world,” Nina Andersson, Animal Home Care.“If you want to change the world, start with yourself,” stated the...
Yuki Jackson: After the Storm
After experiencing three shootings in Sulphur Springs, Tampa, Florida, Yuki Jackson knew it was time to act. “Do what you can with what you have to make a difference. Even if it takes a while to see the impact you are making”, Yuki Jackson, Founder of The...
Using Art to Piece Together a Compassionate World
“I think art is about self-growth and I totally believe that things evolve on their own - they have a life of their own - and if you pay attention to what’s going on, it will lead the way.” - Janny TaylorJanny Taylor, an award-winning artist, best-selling author and...
Center for Gender Justice: A Place to Belong
Only 2 out of 10 women own property in Albania. They are deprived of their right to inherit and ownership. “My biggest hope is to have a world where women and men can be equal, not only in the eyes of the law, but truly in real life”. Adena Vangjeli, Executive...
Liquid Spine: Movement to Inspire Social Inquiry and Action
“Just like your spine connects your body together, the water connects us to each other. We need to appreciate the Earth, the water, the animals and come together in a way that sparks action and unity.” Katie Pustizzi, creator of Liquid SpineBorn on the Marshall...