HiveQueen Takes the Throne in Dreamscape Foundation’s Next Charity Stream

Date Posted: February 14, 2020
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HiveQueen Takes the Throne in Dreamscape Foundation’s Next Charity Stream

For Robin (HiveQueen) streaming isn’t just a hobby or a way to pass the time. It became a way to cope and adjust to a new environment. 3 years ago Robin moved from her home in west Canada to South Korea with her husband in search of new opportunities. After finding herself struggling to make friends in her new home, her husband suggested she try streaming. Robin has always enjoyed playing video games, so it seemed like a great way to meet new people with common interests while also doing something she enjoys.

The Hard Working Bee

Robin has now been streaming in her spare time for the last 3 years. When Robin is not streaming, she is working at her full-time job as a teacher, or enjoying some quality “me” time. When asked what she enjoys most about streaming, Robin says that over the years her favorite part about streaming has always been getting to meet new people and build relationships with them. Twitch is all about coming together with people from all walks of life to share in their common interests, whether that be gaming or whatever you choose to stream about. Another really great thing about streaming Robin says, is the ability to help and give back.

Over the years, my favorite part about streaming has always been getting to meet new people and build relationships with them.

Growing up she loved to get involved with charity events in her community, but as she got older she found it increasingly more difficult to find the time to give back. Once she learned about charity streams as a way to give back, she was more than excited to take this opportunity to help. By using the connections, she has made over the years within the streaming community, she has been able to do multiple charity streams and raise not only money but also awareness for some very important causes. One thing that she wants people to know when they are watching her charity streams is that, even if you can’t afford to contribute financially, Robin makes sure everyone knows that their presence is support enough! Just by spreading the word and showing support in any way you can, you are making a difference.

Dreamscape and HiveQueen_

On Saturday February 29th beginning at 2pm (EST) Robin will be partnering with The Dreamscape Foundation to help raise funds and awareness to help get multiple visually impaired people the assistive technology they need to take back their lives! A quick message that she has for those within the disabled community… “you are not forgotten, there are so many people who will be coming together for this event and for them! If you are feeling alone or just horrible about something you have gone through, remember you are loved and cared for. You are not alone and there are people who have your back!”

With giving back in mind, Robin and the Dreamscape Team put their heads together to come up with amazing prizes and giveaways as a way to say thank you to all those who donate and support the event. Based on a tier donation system, your donations will award you a number of different gifts you are sure to love! Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself:

(please note, all prizes ship US only)

  • Tier 1 – $5:
    • 1 Random Steam Key
    • 1 Raffle entry to win a $50 Amazon gift card
  • Tier 2 – $10:
    • 1 Random Steam Key
    • 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
    • 3 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
  • Tier 3 – $20:
    • 4 Random Steam Keys
    • 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
    • 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
  • Tier 4 – $50:
    • 4 Random Steam Keys
    • 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
    • 1 Fornite 7” Llama Loot Plush
    • 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
    • 2 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
  • Tier 5 – $100:
    • 4 Random Steam Keys
    • 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
    • 1 Fornite 7” Llama Loot Plush
    • 1 Mystery Funko Pop
    • 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
    • 6 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
  • Tier 6 – $250:
    • 4 Random Steam Keys
    • 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
    • 1 Fornite 7” Llama Loot Plush
    • 1 Mystery Funko Pop
    • 1 World of Warcraft Official Cookbook
    • 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
    • 10 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
    • A featured article on our Blog Page

With even more to come live from Robin during the stream, you definitely won’t want to miss this stream! So, remember to tune in on Saturday February 29th at 2pm to check out all they have planned for yourself. We look forward to seeing you all there!!

To find out more about Robin and the HiveQueen Community be sure to check out her Twitch Channel, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the buzz!

Written by Hannah Rich

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Phenom People: Helping 1 Billion People Find the Right Job

Date Posted: January 20, 2020
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Phenom People: Helping 1 Billion People Find the Right Job

Have you ever taken a new job only to realize a few months in it wasn’t for you? Or maybe you felt you could be doing more? Either way, you are most certainly not alone. Today, more and more employees are moving from job to job and always looking for another. But why is that? The simplest reason, there is a big difference between “a job” and “the right job”. That is why the brilliant team at Phenom People are on a mission to help 1 billion people find the job that is right for them! By redefining how employers search for candidates and making accessibility a top priority ensures no candidate is overlooked or left at a disadvantage. So let’s take a deeper look at who they are and their recent collaboration with the Dreamscape Foundation to advocate for accessibility standards.

Phenom People on a Phenom Mission

Phenom People believes everyone should be happy and inspired by their jobs. As the old saying goes, if you love what you do, you won’t work a day in your life. This belief is the driving point behind their goal of helping 1 billion people find the best-fit job for them. In working towards their goal, they have revolutionized the talent search journey with their one of a kind Talent Experience Management Platforms.

The Phenom TXM Platform makes it is easier than ever for employers to find the right candidate the first time around. The platform allows employers to track and manage the entire talent search journey from start to finish. This includes the candidate, employee, recruiter and management pipelines. Candidates will receive best-fit recommendations, be able to track their application status, contact recruiters, and apply for jobs through their own personalized portal. Once hired, keeping employees can be just as or even more important than finding candidates. When considering the time and costs associated with finding, hiring, and training a new employee, it is often smarter to keep it in the family, so to speak. With the Employee Experience platform, employees can be notified of new job openings within a company. Taking it a step further, they can also use this platform to submit applications for the positions, making it easier for ambitious employees to improve their career without leaving their company.

Recruiters have the most important job in the talent search process. From sorting through and determining which candidates are the best fit, to keeping those candidates interested and motivated to work for your company. Sending out updates, checking in with candidates, marketing events, and so on can become tedious and time consuming. But it doesn’t have to be! Phenom’s Recruiter Experience platform allows recruiters to narrow their candidate search, organize and store candidate information, set up automated messaging and more. With the increased efficiency, recruiters can focus more of their time searching for top talent. But efficiency doesn’t come from personal output alone. In order to improve methods you need to track and determine what is and isn’t working in a business. The Management Experience platform helps you do just that. Using real-time date for reporting and analytics, you will always be up to date with the current status of your company.

What makes these platforms even more appealing is their ability to be customized and integrated into your current systems and business process. Compatible with 60+ Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), 50+ Human Capital Management systems (HCM), and 100+ Job Boards, your business won’t miss a thing.

Phenom Access & the Importance of Accessibility Standards

Last October, Phenom People attended the 2019 HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas to announce Phenom Access. Phenom Access is a set of features designed to help HR, HRIS and compliance teams more easily support assistive technologies and meet WCAG 2.0 Compliance Standards on all corporate sites. WCAG 2.0 Standards are guidelines set to make websites more compatible for people with disabilities who rely on assistive technology to navigate the site. WCAG is comprised of 4 key principles representing how digital elements are: Perceived, Operated, Understood, and Robustness (POUR).

To help spread awareness they reached out and partnered with the Dreamscape Foundation; an organization committed to accessibility and the disabled community. The Phenom team then set up an accessibility themed booth to advocate for the importance of accessibility standards. Taking it even further, they pledged $1 to the Dreamscape Foundation in the name of each attendee who visited the booth and spoke to the team about accessible design and WCAG compliance. In total, Phenom People raised an incredible $1,000 to support the Dreamscape Foundation and those they serve!

All of us at the Dreamscape Foundation were honored by their commitment and support! When Phenom Access was first introduced, we knew it was something we could proudly support and that had the potential of impacting millions. To show you just how necessary it is to improve accessible design, Phenom People conducted a study of WCAG compliance in the Fortune 100 companies. In the study they found only 11 met all 6 common accessibility standards. Out of the 89 that failed to meet all 6, 46 of them didn’t even meet half! These numbers are astounding and when considering the size of these companies it is hard to imagine how smaller companies with less resources could manage.

Phenom People Take Philly

Lined up to be the largest year to date, the I Am Phenom Conference is coming back to Philadelphia! Whether you are an employer or dedicated employee, the I Am Phenom Conference is a must. Complete with technology training, informative and motivational speakers, meditation seminars, and more there is something for everyone to learn.  Located at the Philadelphia 201 Hotel from Tuesday March 3rd to Thursday March 5th, registration is now open! Be sure to use code DREAMSCAPEFOUNDATION or our direct link for 25% off!

With a goal of making this the largest conference around, Phenom People are pulling out all the stops. Offering a complete training day with a full schedule of training sessions and countless special guest speakers. So if you or the company you work for is looking for a way to bring your staff together as a team while strengthening their skills, I AM PHENOM is perfect opportunity!

We cannot thank Phenom People enough for all they have done for the Dreamscape Foundation and all they continue to do for the workforce and disabled community overall! They have an incredibly passionate and experienced staff who we look forward to working with again in the future!

 

Written By: Nicholas Sibilia

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It’s Party Time with BalenaProductions’ 5th Annual Charity Stream

Date Posted: December 14, 2019
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It’s Party Time with BalenaProductions’ 5th Annual Charity Stream

BalenaProductions is back and ready for their 5th annual Dreamscape Foundation charity stream event! After crushing last year’s goal, Steve (Balena), Ron (Rigg3l), and Ted (ApocHedgie) are ready to make an even bigger impact this time around. Starting at 8pm (EST) on Sunday December 15th the team will be raising money for Toys for Tots and Friends of Foster Children Forever. With a whole lot planned, plus prizes and giveaways, it’s sure to be an all-out party….Mario Party that is!

Let’s Meet the Team

All long time gamers and friends, Steve, Ron, and Ted all got started on Twitch streaming their playthroughs of games. But what keeps them there today is all the possibilities a stream holds. Steve (Balena) being a natural foodie at heart, loves chatting with his viewers and having deep, heart felt conversation about food. While Ron (Rigg3l) on the other hand tends to go a little past just chatting in his streams. When asked about his favorite stream activities he had this to say, “Either playing competitive games or just playing rage inducing games and yelling about them”.  Definitely on the competitive side, Ron keeps his things interesting but it’s always in good fun.

Ted (ApocHedgie) is a multiplayer kind of guy. Whether it’s hosting a server for a bunch of friends or just playing in a big group, Ted loves the social aspect of gaming. Aside from playing big group games, Ted also lets his viewers who donate choose his next game. Which isn’t always a good thing for him! “I love when people donate to make me play whatever game they want, most of the time they make me play horrible things that shouldn’t even exist, but sometimes you get a nice guy who just wants you to play something good for once”, said Ted. Lucky for Ted, during the stream the guys will be playing Mario Party on Gamecube. Playing as DK (Steve), Wario (Ron), and Waluigi (Ted) to battle it out for that first place win, things are bound to get heated!

How the Gang Got Together

Steve and Ron first met way back in the 4th grade and have been friends ever since. Together they started their own Youtube channel (BalenaProductions) and began making videos. Using animations and voiceovers of their favorite characters, primarily Sonic the Hedgehog, they created dozens of short clips for fun. As their channel grew and grew, they knew they needed to step up their content. Steve set out trying to find some new animations and mods, and in 2012 met Ted. As Ted put it, “he had some high quality standards for videos”, but once Steve saw what he could do, they began working together on some videos. While working on the videos, they started becoming friends more than colleagues.

Eventually, Steve introduced Ted to Ron and the rest of their friends. At that time, Steve and Ron had switched from making episodes of their popular Youtube show Pixel Brains and began streaming them live on Twitch. According to Ted, “when they started doing PixelBrains streams instead of episodes, I was occasionally invited (more and more) to co-host with them”. They had a blast streaming together, and “since then Ted has been a very regular guest on Pixel Brains” said Ron. Fast forward 7 plus years later and the group is still going strong!

Every Little Bit Helps

We all know there are people out there who are not as fortunate as some of us. The right thing to do is help out when you can to give them hope and a chance at changing things for the better.  This is just another thought these friends have in common. Over the years, Steve has partnered with the Dreamscape Foundation and other nonprofits time and time again. This year, in the 5th annual Dreamscape stream he is looking forward to lending a helping hand while having a ton of fun. As a charity stream veteran, he had a message for other streamers thinking of giving it a shot, saying “Every little bit helps”! This simple sentence has some powerful meaning. Too many times streamers are afraid their stream won’t raise enough to matter. But it isn’t all about the amount raised! Spreading the word and educating people on the cause you’re supporting is enough in itself.

Alongside Steve in past Dreamscape charity streams, Ron is a big supporter of volunteering as well. While most of his work has been in support of the Dreamscape Foundation, he has also gone outside the realm of e-based volunteering. When he was still in school, Ron had the opportunity to take part in helping out his local community. He and a group worked to help clean up trash and litter in parks around their area. Now ready for the next charity stream Ron had some final words to share, “Never stop believing in yourself. Each day brings new challenges, try your best to overcome them and never be afraid to ask for help along the way”! Despite what life throws at you, there is always hope and a way to overcome the obstacles.

Similarly to his partners, Ted has been a constant supporter and volunteer for the Dreamscape Foundation charity streams. But before they began streaming, he still did his fair share to give back. He knows how important local organizations and their programs are to the communities they serve. Their only purpose is to help those who need it, but without outside support they won’t get much accomplished. That’s why Ted has volunteered multiple times to help local charities with anything he could. From shipping and receiving, to freshness tracking of food items, he was up for anything they needed him to do. Going into this year’s charity stream, he is looking forward to not only helping those in need, but being a role model to other streamers looking to do the same. It’s not hard to do, “just get out there and do it! Find a charity you like, advertise as best you can and try to raise some money and awareness for your favorite charity! Every bit counts, so don’t get discouraged if you can’t raise a million bucks”!

The 5th Annual Dreamscape Charity Stream

Keeping the tradition alive for the 5th consecutive year, Balena Productions is back at it again! Coming together to support the Salvation Army’s Toys for Tots and Friends of Foster Children Forever, they are looking to demolish last year’s results. Prizes, giveaways, and great games are on deck for this event with an epic Mario Party battle being the forefront. The smack talking has already begun with Ted feeling real confident in his Waluigi skills and getting Ron as flustered as possible after each win! Will Ron make Ted eat those words? Or will Steve, keeping quiet, come out and surprise them both. To find out and see all the other fun ideas they have planned, make sure you tune in this Sunday December 15th beginning at 8pm! (Click here to visit our Tiltify.com page)

But having fun and playing games isn’t all! All those who donate will receive a thank you gift and raffle entries for a chance to win 1 of 2 Grand Prizes. Please see below for the giveaway breakdown:

(please note, all prizes ship US only)

  • Tier 1 – $5:
    • 1 Random Steam Key
    • 1 Raffle entry to win a $50 Amazon gift card
  • Tier 2 – $10:
    • 1 Random Steam Key
    • 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
    • 3 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
  • Tier 3 – $20:
    • 4 Random Steam Keys
    • 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
    • 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
  • Tier 4 – $50:
    • 4 Random Steam Keys
    • 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
    • 1 $10 Nintendo eShop Gift Card
    • 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
    • 5 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
  • Tier 5 – $100:
    • 4 Random Steam Keys
    • 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
    • 1 $10 Nintendo eShop Gift Card
    • 1 Mystery Funko Pop
    • 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
    • 10 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
  • Tier 6 – $250:
    • 4 Random Steam Keys
    • 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
    • 1 $10 Nintendo eShop Gift Card
    • 1 Mystery Funko Pop
    • 1 Nintendo Switch Joy-Con 4 in 1 Charging Station
    • 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
    • 20 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
    • A featured article on our Blog Page

As always, donations are never required and we ask you only give what you are able! We hope to see you all there and we can’t wait to get this party started! To keep up with the guys as they get ready for Sunday please feel free to follow them on their socials! Balena Productions Twitch, Balena Productions Youtube, Ron (Rigg3l) Twitch, Steve (Balena) Twitter, Ted (ApocHedgie) Twitch and Twitter!

 

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Wearable Technology Gives Hope for Disabled

Date Posted: October 10, 2019
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Wearable Technology Gives Hope for Disabled

With all of today’s advances in emerging technologies, have you ever wondered: How else could we use this for a greater purpose? Luckily, a few folks from Electronics of the Future and Florida International University (FIU) had that exact thought. They decided it was time to make a difference and began working on new advances in both wearable and assistive technology. Together, they have developed a skin sensing vision system for the visually impaired and have completely changed the way we look at medical sensing technology.

The Who and the What

Before we dive into this new evolutionary technology, lets introduce the creators. Dr. Michael Shur with Electronics of the Future has teamed up with Shubhendu Bhardwaj, John Volakis and team with the Florida International University (FIU), to push the technology industry forward and change the lives of many. They are working on two new products, currently in their final stages before launch to the open market.

The technology consists of both wearable and assistive technology. Wearable Technology is currently one of the fastest growing areas of the technology industry. Many of us can recognize these types of tech from popular products including Apple Watches, Fit Bits, and more. Whereas, Assistive Technology might not be as well-known to most. It can be defined as any device or software that helps people work around the challenges faced from a disability. These types of technology range from screen readers to hearing aids and help users regain the independence they may have once had.

Skin Sensing Vision System

Whether someone is completely blind or visually impaired, completing everyday tasks can be a challenge. Even just walking down the street can be a treacherous feat. That is where Dr. Michael Shur got his inspiration for his new Skin Sensing Vision System technology. One day when picking his son up from school, he noticed a child with a walking cane. The boy was hitting the edge of the curb with the cane and Shur thought to himself, “there’s got to be a better way”. So, he got to work on a mission to find it.

The tech consists of a flexible electronic device that has direct input to the human skin. Through the use of a camera and image processing data base, the device can accurately detect an object and compute its distance from it. Through two skin patches, signals will be transmitted from the device to the user, acting as an artificial eye. All new users will first need to complete a training course to familiarize themselves with the system. But after training, users will be able to distinguish what object is in front of them and how far away it is. Whether it be a tree or a bench, the device will signal the object and its distance/direction from them to the user. The best part is the system is built right into everyday clothing, such as a t-shirt. Being unlike anything else available today, this technology has the potential to change the lives of the visually impaired community forever!

Wearable Medical Sensing Technology

For many, mobility can be a real issue. For the elderly, disabled, amputee, or infant, it is hard to constantly keep track of various bodily functions. Even through the advancements we have had in medical technology, when movement is a problem having to constantly go back and forth to your devices can be a pain. Fortunately, Bhardwaj, Volakis and team have developed and improved wearable medical sensing and imaging devices. From heartbeat to blood pressure, all a user has to do is link their tech with their phone and they have constant access to their current readings. Taking this one step further, the readings can also be linked to their doctor’s office. Allowing the doctor to keep track and alert the patient should something be out of line. Now you might be thinking, “how big of a device do I need to strap across my body to do this?” Not to worry though, similar to the vision system, this device is also built right into your every day clothing. But it gets better still! The team has also developed wireless charging pads that can go right over furniture. This means, you could be wirelessly charging your t-shirt device while sitting at your kitchen table for lunch. Now it may sound great but whats the catch? How much is this going to run me? Luckily, this type of technology is very inexpensive and would be as much as other wearable tech devices we already have. Items like wristband heartbeat sensors or standard hearing aids. Not to mention what the insurance company will be able to cover.

 

So, with cheap costs and nothing but strong benefits why not keep a look out for the release of these new devices and ask your medical professional if something like this could one day be right for you. In conclusion, these new advances spell hope for the future of the disabled community overall and can help millions live a more accessible and easy life.

 

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Dreamscape Foundation: A Charity for the Disabled & Our Community

Date Posted: September 16, 2019
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Dreamscape Foundation: A Charity for the Disabled & Our Community

Founded in 2013, The Dreamscape foundation was created when the founder, Joseph Sehwani was diagnosed with a rare disease at the age of sixteen that took away his vision. Since then, Joseph has created a vision of his own for people suffering from rare diseases. Providing individuals with scholarships, job aids, education accommodations, health aids and all amenities to help them succeed in life. This foundation focuses on supporting their future to provide equality.

Accessibility First

We know that living with a disability can negatively impact one’s chances of success in education and employment, but at Dreamscape Foundation, we believe that we have the power to do something to address this. While nothing can prepare us for an unanticipated disability, Dreamscape Foundation offers hope. Our non-profit provides accommodations for individuals with disabilities in their pursuit of education and life-fulfilling work.

Our mission is to aid the small population of people affected by sensory impairments to help them achieve success and to fund a cure. We encourage the community to embrace the use of accessible technology to ensure independence. In the past, Dreamscape Foundation had partnered with IT consulting company Intone Networks and accessibility software company User1st to build out our accessibility platform. The program is unique in that we are not aware of any other non-profit organizations who are committed to holding accessibility to such a high standard and provide similar services.

Dreamscape Foundation’s Mission

The commitment of Dreamscape comes from Joe Sehwani’s struggles and difficulties after he lost his vision in high school at sixteen. It is a privilege to work with a charity that works hard to ensure others struggling with similar disabilities are well taken care of and know that they are not alone.The prevalence of visual disabilities also stands to show the need for support for those who are blind or living with low vision. Across the world, 285 million people live with some type of visual impairment, with 39 million living with blindness and 246 million with low vision. In the United States, those with a visual disability account for about 2.2% of the total population.

Without accessibility, we do a disservice not just to the quality of life for those living with a disability – we also prevent them living to their fullest potential. Our charity can better justify program expenses that involve accessibility. This is illustrated clearly when we look at the number of working-age persons with disabilities in the United States who are employed. Right now, that number is only 35% – Dreamscape believes that with accessibility, that number can be much higher.

Helping our Community

Dreamscape partners with many other charities on both a local and national scale with many different missions. We support local charities by partnering with them on fundraisers, campaigns and events as well as support them with various product donations. At Dreamscape, we’re committed to addressing these issues and advocating for the changes needed to help those living with disabilities. Although living with a disability can be a struggle, we are here to assist and support.

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Good360: The Charity That Never Stops Giving

Date Posted: August 27, 2019
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Good360: The Charity That Never Stops Giving

Running a nonprofit and struggling? Maybe Good360 is exactly what you need! Take a deeper look to get the full effect of what this nonprofit is doing for the community around you.

The Mission

Good360 is a product philanthropy, partner based nonprofit organization. This means they work with large and responsible companies to donate their excess merchandise to charities or other nonprofits. They then partner with the charities and nonprofits to help them receive goods for their specific needs. Their mission is to help people, whether it be individuals, families, or a community, who are impacted by disasters or other challenging life circumstances. By providing nonprofits with the goods they need, they can free up their resources to spend on more important aspects of their organization including programs and events.

Good360 views the products as more than just stuff, to them it could be providing a bed to a child for a much-needed good night’s rest. Or even something as little as a pair of soccer cleats to help someone pursue their passion confidently. They have a 35-year track record and have distributed more than $9 billion worth of products. Currently their organization has 400+ corporate donors and 800,000+ nonprofit members. By doing this they are able to give old products new life and reducing waste by keeping it all out of landfills.

The hard workers of Good360 take pride in not only the product donations, but in their help with disaster recovery. In the first few days of a disaster they will be there for people who have been displaced from their homes. They could supply them with products including toiletries, socks, diapers for babies, toys, games, and snacks for kids. When it comes to clean up, Good360 will partner with other organizations to help provide various cleaning supplies to help with things such as the debris and mold. After the cleaning is complete, they will then work on getting donations of the reconstruction materials needed. These materials could be something as small as paint or as large as kitchen appliances. This is extremely important to them because it’s helping people get their homes and lives back. The best part about their disaster recovery is that even years after the impact, they will still be there to help people with things like mattresses, furniture and other home goods.

But wait, there’s more!

This organization even has a blog to discuss all of the wonderful nonprofits and donors they work with. A lot of their blogs will include information on how the programs have given back to the community.  Their articles talk about a variety of different things. Some of them will have information on current or previous disaster relief and even articles about how they have helped women dress for success! You might even get a little emotional when reading their impact stories and true testimonies from the numerous lives they have helped and transformed. Not only do they have a great amount of pride and value in themselves but also in their partnerships. They are constantly talking highly of all the people they work with and this shows even when only reading one of their articles.

Dreamscape has recently had the pleasure of starting a partnership with Good360. We started in mid-July of this year, and we have been more than impressed. They have made it easy on us start to finish. The employees listened to what we needed and walked us through to make sure everything smooth and accordingly. We have had the pleasure of starting with two donors and they have yet to disappoint. This program has been a tremendous asset to our organization. We are supplied the goods and products that we need and give back to the community what we don’t. This program has also been extremely beneficial for us to partner with other nonprofits in our community. Anything that we don’t need or can’t use, we reach out to other local charities to see if we can donate to them. This is such a great asset for everyone because it helps us with creating relationships with other local nonprofits and it helps them get a donation of things, they need but don’t typically get. Aside from the products that Good360 has helped provide us, this has helped us with saving resources to use on other important things within our charity. For example, being able to receive the donated products this has made us be able to save and use our finances towards other things such as the prizes we give away during a fundraiser event.

Now, I know you’re probably thinking that this is a scam because there can’t possibly be a nonprofit organization out there that does all of this. But, I’m here to tell you that this is not a scam and it is true. When we first heard about Good360 and all of the great things they do we were a little skeptical at first, but we cast our worries aside and gave them a try and now we are more than pleased with the outstanding partnerships we have developed.

The best part is whether you’re looking to receive products as a nonprofit, a person who is struggling, or a business who wants to donate their surplus of goods, Good360 has a valuable place for you.

 

 

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Learning Without Limits – National Center on Accessible Education Materials at CAST

Date Posted: August 23, 2019
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Learning Without Limits – National Center on Accessible Education Materials at CAST

Looking back, many of us cannot remember difficulties we faced as young students, when learning the tasks we now see as simple. Things like reading, writing, using a computer or smart phone, and more. We have known how to do tasks like these for so long, we don’t even have to think, we just do it. In school, we might have had difficulty understanding material but not the basic functions we use to study and learn. Taking notes, reading chapters, watching educational videos, and studying flashcards are all key study tactics. But what if one day in middle school or high school, you suddenly lose your sight or hearing? Now, these simple everyday tasks have become some of your biggest challenges as a student. What do you do now? How can you imagine keeping up with your studies, when you have to relearn the basics from scratch? With the help of the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) at the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), these challenges can be conquered.

Expanding Learning Opportunities for All

The National AEM Center at CAST is a federally funded technical assistance center based out of the nonprofit organization CAST. The mission of CAST is to remove learning barriers by creating inclusive and flexible learning environments. With a goal of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), they know accessibility is a primary factor that needs to be available. We spoke with Luis Perez, a Technical Assistant Specialist at CAST, and he describes accessibility as, “the welcome mat of UDL. It is the first steps to creating a full UDL environment.” He further explained to us, “You need to be able to interact with the environment, receive the information, respond and if we don’t take care of those accessibility requirements upfront, it makes it that much more difficult for students to have access to higher learning skills.” Gaining access to learning tools like this is a life changer!

Programs and Resources

AEM at CAST provides a multitude of resources to help individuals of all ages and abilities learn and develop necessary skills needed for furthering education, as well as workforce development. For people unfamiliar with AEM’s, regardless of age or need, they provide a collection of frequently asked questions and need to know information on their Quick Starts website. They also provide a free online course, open to everyone. The course consists of 5 sections, listed below:

  1. Introduction to Accessible Educational Materials and Technologies
  2. How to Make your Documents Accessible
  3. How to Locate Captioned Videos and Make your Own
  4. How to Find Specialized Formats of Print Materials
  5. How to Select Accessible Digital Materials

Additionally, the National AEM Center performs webinars on a monthly basis through Zoom meetings. Each webinar is on a new topic related to the accessibility of education materials. These webinars are perfect to help individuals learn about the different tools available, while also explaining how they are used. But they do not stop there! They also do a number of conference presentations out in the field. This allows them to disseminate information on new policies, new technologies, and new approaches to accessibility. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to collect data to accurately determine the current needs of the field. Using this data, they can further research and development of tools and materials to fully meet the needs of all individuals. The main contribution from CAST, however, has been the creation of the UDL Guidelines. They are based on a combination of research on the learning brain and best practices educators have contributed over the years. To date, these guidelines are being used worldwide by people interested in creating more inclusive learning environments.

In conclusion, apart from learning about accessibility, remember it is more than just creating accessible learning environments, but creating ones where learners are engaged and have options for how to show their understanding. That is where Universal Design for Learning comes in.

For more information on the National AEM Center at CAST, we urge you to visit their website and follow them on Facebook and Twitter. If interested in getting involved, sign up for their AEM Connector newsletter and follow their event postings on social media.

 

 

 

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TheDramaticPause goes all in for Dreamscape’s next Charity Stream

Date Posted: July 8, 2019
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TheDramaticPause goes all in for Dreamscape’s next Charity Stream

Danny Burns, also known as TheDramaticPause grew up both a longtime multi-sport athlete and video game enthusiast. Standing at 6’4, playing competitive sports always came naturally to him. Playing everything under the sun including basketball and volleyball, but his love for video games was always a good way to relax. “Video games was something I always did. At the end of the day, playing Call of Duty Black Ops 2 Zombies or Halo Reach, or Halo 3 with the buddies online, this is what has always been there for me.” Now a full time twitch streamer, Danny goes above and beyond what his physical body can do! When it comes down to it, Burns has always believed in giving back and helping those in need. Volunteering for multiple organizations in the past, TheDramaticPause is looking to add Dreamscape Foundation to that list!

Working together, we will be raising funds to help Sean McDowell, a blind and deaf author, publish his first book. Sean is a man who has experienced a lot in his life, between battling addiction and readjusting to life after sight and hearing loss. Now, sober for over 30 years and having regained his independence, he is ready to help others do the same, using his own life as an example.

TLDR: Saturday July 13th, Danny (TheDramaticPause) will be hosting a 12 hour charity stream starting at 9:00 AM EST, with incentives: Prizes and Giveaways galore!

TheDramaticPause- The Man, the Myth, the Legend

Danny first learned about Twitch from a friend of his back in 2012 or 2013. They had started a quick scoping clan on Black Ops 2 and began watching some videos for fun. He admits though “I never watched too many videos though, until Overwatch came out.” When Overwatch came out, he turned to Twitch to help improve his skills and to learn more about the game.

After deciding against his original idea of going to college for movies, he started working for his family business. But it just wasn’t what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He knew he had to make a change and turned to Twitch streaming. Danny made a smart decision and knew if it was something he was going to do, he had to be all in. So, he spent a year or two researching and learning the ins and outs of streaming.

Using the knowledge he gained learning about Twitch, he was ready to kick things off. But he needed to choose his name. It had to be something that people would remember and that meant something to him. He decided to honor his friends from college. They had planned to team up for the Heroes of the Dorm video game tournament but unfortunately never did. Their team name was going to be TheDramaticPause, so after getting permission from the guys, he took over the title and TheDramaticPause Twitch channel was born.

What to expect on Stream

Danny is in the process of completing his 12 hour stream challenge. What is that you might ask? Well for the month of July, he will be putting on a 12 hour long stream every single day! He will be playing Fortnite for the majority of his stream but there will be twists. Danny has decided to add a few fun incentives for different donation amounts. Some of the incentives include playing with his mouse inverted, dancing, letting viewers choose his mouse sensitivity, playing with a controller and allowing viewers to play along with him! But the biggest of them all, if someone donates the entire $1,000 goal, he will shave his head clean off, live on stream!!!

Additionally, for all those who donate, we have a special thank you prepared. Based off of the amount donated, donors will be placed into tiers and be awarded the following prizes:

Tier 1: $5

  • 2016 SDCC Exclusive Halo Mega Bloks Figure

Tier 2: $10

  • 2016 SDCC Exclusive Halo Mega Bloks Figure
  • Dreamscape T-Shirt
  • 1 Entry into the $150 Amazon Gift Card raffle
  • 1 Entry into the $30 Gamestop Gift Card raffle
  • Choice of 1: Danny Dancing, Playing with Inverted Mouse, or Mouse Sensitivity

Tier 3: $20

  • 2016 SDCC Exclusive Halo Mega Bloks Figure
  • Dreamscape T-Shirt
  • 1 Random Steam Key
  • 3 Entries into the $150 Amazon Gift Card raffle
  • 3 Entries into the $30 Gamestop Gift Card raffle
  • Choice of 1: Play with Danny, Make Danny Play with a Controller

Tier 4: $50

  • 2016 SDCC Exclusive Halo Mega Bloks Figure
  • Dreamscape T-Shirt
  • 3 Random Steam Key
  • Fortnite FunkoPop
  • 5 Entries into the $150 Amazon Gift Card raffle
  • 5 Entries into the $50 Gamestop Gift Card raffle
  • Choice of 1: Play with Danny, Make Danny Play with a Controller

Tier 5: $100

  • 2016 SDCC Exclusive Halo Mega Bloks Figure
  • Dreamscape T-Shirt
  • 5 Random Steam Key
  • 2 Fortnite FunkoPops
  • Choice of Fortnite Plush
  • 10 Entries into the $150 Amazon Gift Card raffle
  • 10 Entries into the $50 Gamestop Gift Card raffle
  • Choice of 1: Play with Danny, Make Danny Play with a Controller

Tier 6: $250+

  • 2016 SDCC Exclusive Halo Mega Bloks Figure
  • Dreamscape T-Shirt
  • 10 Random Steam Key
  • 2 Fortnite FunkoPops
  • Choice of Fortnite Plush
  • $40 Gamestop Gift Card
  • 20 Entries into the $150 Amazon Gift Card raffle
  • 20 Entries into the $50 Gamestop Gift Card raffle
  • Personal Blog Article featured on Dreamscape’s Blog
  • Choice of 1: Play with Danny, Make Danny Play with a Controller
  • If donation is $1,000 or more, Danny will shave his head bald (LIVE)

*Please note, all shipments are U.S. only*

Danny is excited to kick things off and is ready to see how his viewers react to his incentives. Additionally, he just wants everyone to have a good time and hopes whether you donate or not, you still tune in for the fun! So come join us on Saturday July 13th for an amazing time and to help out a great cause!

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Live Accessible Changes Lives for the Blind

Date Posted: May 10, 2019
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Live Accessible Changes Lives for the Blind

Whether you were born with a visual impairment or developed one throughout your life, it can be extremely difficult to find the resources and tools you need. Over the years, accessibility concerns have been growing and a lot is being done to help the blind and visually impaired community. But while new accessible internet designs and assistive technology are being developed and implemented, we are still forgetting one thing… Knowledge. Where individuals or families impacted by a visual impairment may now be able to use assistive tech or access the internet, how do they know what tools and options are best for them? Or how they can research and learn about these new developments? That is where Live Accessible hopes to fill in the gaps.

Who is Live Accessible?

Live Accessible is a platform created to provide visually impaired people with resources and information they need to learn about the many programs, communities, technologies and more that are available to them. Additionally, they have a very active Youtube Channel, loaded with helpful tips and advice for the blind community. It was founded by Carrie Morales, a young woman who has lived her entire life with a visual impairment. Carrie was born with Aniridia, an eye disorder where the iris (colored part of the eye) is either partially or completely missing. This condition causes a loss of visual acuity and sensitivity to light. In addition, as Carrie got older, she developed Cataracts (age 6) as well as Glaucoma (age 15). Inside every eye, there is a natural lens that captures light to help us see. Cataracts cause this lens to become clouded and diminishes the ability of the eye to pick up light. Glaucoma is caused from a build up of pressure in the eye most commonly from excess fluid. The increased pressure in the eye damages the optic nerve, diminishing the connection between your eye and brain.

Carrie knows that life with a visual impairment/s can be difficult but it’s not just the disability that makes things hard. Growing up, one of the toughest difficulties she faced was the reaction from society. One of the effects of her visual impairments causes her eyes to move constantly. She does not always have a way to control it because her eyes are simply trying to focus on something they cannot. For her it was the reactions she would get from people in her every day life and the stereotypes that came with them. But she did not let this discourage her! With the help of her Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) and different organizations providing her and her parents with resources, she was able to figure out what was out there to help her. Without these, she never would have known about the assistive technology or programs that could help her and her family. Additionally, through these resources she found the visually impaired community. Just being with and talking to people who understood what she was going through helped her to finally not feel alone.

Using Personal Experiences to Help Others

Despite these conditions and difficulties, Carrie has remained positive and now wants to use her own personal experiences to help others struggling with conditions/difficulties of their own. But she is not alone here! Her husband Pablo, who in his mid-twenties went completely blind, also brings his own unique experiences and perspective to Live Accessible. Pablo went from having perfect vision to being completely blind within a matter of hours due to a medical mistake. Additionally, they have a son, Pablo Joseph, who also has a visual disability. Together, they want to help those facing their own difficulties find the resources they need to fully equip themselves with the knowledge necessary to live a fully accessible life. Whether it be tech related, parenting advice for a child with visual impairments or parents with visual impairments, and much more! With a combination of constant resources and information provided on their site, along with the walk throughs, tips and tricks for the blind on their Youtube Channel; Live Accessible, wants to give people the knowledge they need to live a life without limits.

At Live Accessible, they are clean and clear with their goals and purpose. “We don’t claim to know everything but, we have a lot of experiences and want you to take advantage of them.” Dedicated only to helping people educate themselves and not feel as if they are alone!

To learn more about Live Accessible and see all they have to provide, you can check out their site or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube!

 

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Audrey’s Determination Sparks a Movement in the Community

Date Posted: April 15, 2019
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Audrey’s Determination Sparks a Movement in the Community

The Hannibal YMCA is home to many locals looking to get in shape and increase their overall wellness. But some of these members are there for more than just losing weight and toning up. These members are pushing themselves to the limit everyday to fight back against the disabilities trying to keep them down. To them, going to workout with a personal trainer is about achieving goals they once thought to be impossible. However, it is hard for them all to get the most out of each session because of the limited equipment they can utilize.

The Hannibal YMCA has a complete training center but very little accessible equipment. The 10+ members with limited motion or who are wheelchair bound can only use the free weights and cables that are open underneath and accessible to them. Anyone who has gone to a modern day gym knows that very minimal machines allow for free and full range of motion. That is why the Hannibal YMCA Team and one of their most dedicated members, Audrey Pickett, have teamed up with the Dreamscape Foundation; to raise money for the accessible equipment they need to support all of their members and their community as a whole!

Personal Training and a need for Accessible Equipment

One of the Y’s main programs in their facility is personal and group training sessions. The sessions and classes are instructed by their elite team of Certified Personal Trainers. But what they are in need of most, is new accessible gym equipment. Accessible gym equipment is all your typical machines but with a slight variation and guideline standards. The accessible gym equipment is specially designed to be usable to people with disabilities. For example, most machines are surrounded by other machines or walls, creating limited space to approach it. This makes it extremely difficult for someone in a wheelchair to access (if they can at all).

Similarly, certain machines have set seats or back supports that can also inhibit access to those unable to stabilize themselves in the proper position. The only issue in acquiring new equipment is costs. Gym equipment is costly enough as is, but when you add the addition of accessible accommodations, these costs skyrocket. Currently, the Y has no equipment that is accessible by design. Only equipment that is naturally accessible, such as cable pullies, triceps and lat pulldown machines, and smith machines. They have done extensive research into all different kinds of accessible equipment and decided on two pieces that would benefit their facility as a whole. First is a Signature Series cable column, a Life Fitness product that has a two handle pully system that is open underneath and adjusts for all different movements. Second is a wheelchair accessible Scifit Bike, complete with two handheld rotating handles on the sides. This bike was designed with accessible features including a removable seat, true step through design, swivel seat that rotates 360° and much more. In order to raise the funds needed to help all members get the most out of their training, Dreamscape Foundation has teamed up with the folks at the Hannibal YMCA to conduct a series of fundraisers.

Audrey’s Progress and Determination

I had the opportunity to speak with Audrey Pickett, a local and dedicated member of the Hannibal YMCA, who has lived her entire life in a wheelchair. She started attending training sessions last October, going three times a week. She had a goal in mind to strengthen her body to help her in all aspects of her every day life. For example, in the six months shes been training she reported, “it’s gotten me a lot stronger. I’ve noticed when I get to stand, I can stand for a longer period of time and I am not as tired!” To emphasize her progress even more, she now attends sessions six times a week! Twice as much as she was able to when she first started. Another major accomplishment she achieved in one of her classes, “I have gone from 5lb weights to 11lb weights in each hand.” To more than double your starting weight in a matter of months is a huge accomplishment for any new weight lifter!

To Audrey, the YMCA has become an extended family of hers. In addition to training there she has grown so close to the staff and members, she even volunteers at the front desk to help give back. The rest of the Hannibal YMCA team describes her as, “a ray of sunshine”, always happy and spreading joy to everyone she comes into contact with. Despite her disability, Audrey is always positive, motivated and definitely has a sense of humor. In the brief conversation we had, much of that time was spent laughing and cracking jokes. She did have a few words of motivation to share with anyone who is trying to get started but might be scared or worried. “Just take a leap of faith. Don’t be afraid with it, its easier said then done, but once you start you won’t regret it and if you have that dedication or drive don’t just let it sit. A lot of people have told me no in my daily life, here no is not an option. If I find a no, I find a way to make it a yes”, Audrey said.

On a final note, Audrey is driven and dedicated to better not only herself but everyone struggling with their own lives and disabilities. She knows that people are defined by their abilities and what they can achieve not what they can’t and that’s what we need to focus on!

If you would like to help out, we urge everyone to contribute what they can to our Hannibal YMCA campaigns, dedicated to funding accessible equipment for their facilities and to help Audrey continue her training programs.

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