Environmental Connections February 2013

Howard High School Graduates involved with this program

Recipient: Lookout Mountain Conservancy

The UNFoundation funded the Lookout Mountain Conservancy, an organization funded in 1991 with the mission to protect Lookout Mountain’s resources of scenic, historical, and ecological value through Conservancy, Advocacy, Recreation, and Education. The project we funded allows the organization to engage and partner with The Center for Mindful Living to provide an outdoor classroom experience for the students of The Howard School.

The program has two parts. First, Environmental Education, which teaches students about invasive plant and proper treatment, issues surrounding erosion, and restoration of land with native plants. Second, Personal Growth and Leadership Development, which gives students a medium to learn about themselves, their environment, and their classmates. Students are able to feel safe enough to develop skills to work with each other in an outdoor, non-violent environment. Connecting kids to the lands they live on has been a rewarding experience for this organization and the UNFoundation was excited to fund such a successful program.

The Musical Tree Quilt January 2013

Recipient: David & Yang Welch

David is a recent MIT alumni and Yang is an artist and design engineer. Together, David and Yang came to the UNFoundation and pitched an idea: a musical quilt that honors the flora of southeast Tennessee. They’ve combined traditional quilting methods with e-textiles and open-hardware embedded devices, creating a quilt that sings to the touch. They’re using their research to further their endeavors in e-textile crafting, open-source music, and research.

The project uses conductive and piezoresitive fabrics that ultimately comes together to create a unique instrument. The goal is to create a 4×3 feet quilt, composed of 4 panels, with each panel featuring a tree of special significance to the Southern Appalachians. They’ve organized a talk with a class of fifth graders and plan to present to other local schools as well.

Concert Music N.O.T.E.S December 2012

Recipient:  Music Therapy Gateway In Communications, Inc.

MTGIC is a non-profit 501c3 organization in the Chattanooga area with a mission of providing education and hands on assistance in the use of scientifically developed neurologic music techniques to help persons with special needs.

The UNFoundation funded an effort to present three performances of a solo piano recital, including a pre-concert lecture discussing neural effects of music on the brain. The result was a broader group of Chattanoogans are exposed to concerts and typical concert patrons gained an additional insight into music and a broader perspective of the role it can play in therapy.

Pop-Up Film Series November 2012

Recipient: Mise En Scenesters

Mise en Scenesters is a film club and a pop-up movie theater with the goal of providing more opportunities for people to see great films that aren’t likely to ever play a multiplex near them.

We funded these folks to show a series of great films throughout the early part of 2013. Specifically, the UNFoundation paid for film licensing fees and the assorted costs (promotional materials, venue rentals, etc.) that go into putting those events together. These films were a huge success and were well-attended, bringing some great cultural capital to the City of Chattanooga.

Emergency Weather Warning Systems October 2012

Recipient: Chris Berryman | Signal Centers

Chris was awarded $1,475 to install emergency warning systems into the homes of 9 identified deaf and/or handicapped families. These systems will strobe, shake the bed, and alert individuals in numerous ways of serious weather or other dangerous conditions that are on the way.

The units cost $165 a piece, and are unaffordable for the families identified for this project. Signal Centers is generously donating time and equipment required to install these systems!

Nature Center Playground September 2012

Recipient: Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center

The Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center sees thousands of kids a year walk through their doors and into the wonderful world of natural experiences.  It is tough for families, however, to keep their youngest children entertained while the rest of the family enjoys the wonderful sights and sounds.  Our September grant will help pay for the renovation of their playground for the youngest CNC visitors!

Don’t Touch August 2012

Recipient: Amy Johnson

This project will be shedding light into the underground sex industry taking place in our region. We are especially intrigued at the role that Chattanooga plays, as we are a trucking hub that heavily feeds into the demand (Interstates 24 and 75 intersecting in our town). Many individuals around Chattanooga are being exploited by the industry, and local documentation has been almost non-existent.

Amy will be shooting in large format film and will be producing many large scale pieces to be shown in and around the Chattanooga area. You can find Amy's work here.

Hill City Back To School Program July 2012

Recipient: Jessica Martin | Hill City Neighborhood Association 

Our July Grant filled a financing gap for a new “backpack donor” program for kids living in the Hill City Neighborhood of Chattanooga.  The new program sought to match kids with donors who would supply them with much needed backpacks and basic school supplies.  65 kids signed up for the program, but only 20 donors were available.  The UNFoundation stepped in to provide funds for 45 backpacks to fill the entire demand, as well as help fund a portion of their annual “back to school” party.  It’s hard to convey the goodness of a gym filled with kids getting a year’s worth of new school supplies on an awesome summer day!