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There’s a Tidal Wave Incoming for Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
There’s a Tidal Wave Incoming for Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
Get ready to be swept out to sea when team Tidal Esports takes over Dreamscape Foundation’s next charity stream. Coming in strong to end our Season of Giving events, this Saturday beginning at 1pm (EST), team Tidal will be kicking off their 12+ hour charity stream. Itching to get things started, the 3 members will be working to raise funds to support Dreamscape’s adopted families. With a variety of games, prizes and different streamers taking over, this is one event you don’t want to miss…Especially with the surprise grand prize they have in store for 3 lucky winners! But before we get into that, let’s meet the team.Abide the Tide
Not just your typical gamers Tyger, Gidjete, Basic Tyez and the rest of their team take things to a whole new level. Brought together by shared passions for gaming and competition the Tidal Esports organization competes in a variety of games and tournaments. Ranging from Overwatch and Call of Duty, to games like Apex, Smash and Gears they do it all! With Saturday’s event in their sights, the team is excited to be able to use Twitch and gaming to help give back to people in need. Adding to the hype, they know their community will have a blast with the lineup of games and activities they have planned. Letting viewers vote on themes and in game players, they will be having a little fun with Minecraft speed runs and creative build offs, various matches and mini games from Call of Duty: MW, Overwatch and some classic mini games like Monopoly and Uno! Whether you plan on donating or just enjoying the stream, all are welcome to tune in and check it out.The Need to Know
Not 8…Not 10… but 12 full hours of nonstop streaming will be going down this Saturday December 21st from 1pm-1am (EST). Aside from the games above, team Tidal has a lot more in store. All donors will be rewarded with an assortment of prizes and gear, with the addition of a lucky few walking away with Tidal’s surprise GRAND PRIZE. Teaming up with their sponsor’s Tzar Apparel, the group created limited edition Tidal Esports – Dreamscape charity stream gaming jerseys which they will be raffling off to 3 lucky viewers! Also up for grabs are 2 Amazon gift cards valued at $50 and $100. But for the complete prize chart, please see the donation tier breakdown below: (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 Pair of Creeper Gamer Glasses
- 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 Pair of Creeper Gamer Glasses
- 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 Pair of Creeper Gamer Glasses
- 1 Mystery Funko Pop
- 1 Genji Styled Hooded Sweatshirt
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 10 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- A featured article on the Dreamscape Foundation Blog Page
It’s Party Time with BalenaProductions’ 5th Annual Charity Stream
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
Allstar Dance Studio Supporting Naples Nonprofits
Allstar Dance Studio Supporting Naples Nonprofits
There is a new dance studio in town and they are making a name for themselves with the local nonprofits. As a way to introduce themselves and give back to the community they now call home, the talented instructors and staff at the Allstar Dance Studio Naples are connecting with local charities to orchestrate fundraisers and community outreach events. In fact, this Sunday December 1st at 6pm, the Dreamscape Foundation will be teaming up with them to put on a Holiday Dance Party event! So let’s meet our co-hosts…Dance, Dance, and more Dance
The Allstar Dance Studio in Naples views the art of dancing not just as a hobby, but as a way of life. Their friendly and knowledgeable instructors are experts in over a dozen styles of dancing. Offering both group and private lessons they have classes that fit every occasion. I had the chance to speak with one instructor, Jesse Gomez, who has been dancing nearly his entire life. Jesse explained how he came from a family of dancers. They were constantly dancing and playing music at parties and while they weren’t all professionals, it didn’t matter. Dancing was something they all loved and could share with one another. So for Jesse dancing is a true passion not just a career. So much so in fact, to this day he cannot decide on which style is his favorite. His reasoning, “I love something different about each form”. This simple statement is a perfect explanation of how each form may differ but they all have their own unique beauty and elegance. So you may be asking, what forms of dance do they teach? However, it might be easier to ask what forms they don’t teach! In total, the Studio offers lessons in 14 different styles of dance! Please see below for the complete list and description of each style:- Bachata
- Known for being the most sensual dance in the world. The movements will force you to fall in love with your partner!
- West Coast Swing
- A smooth style that is danced in a slot. The dance allows room for syncopated footwork and improvisation. It can be danced to a wide range of music including Rhythm and Blues, Country Western, Funk, Disco, Rock and Pop.
- Viennese Waltz
- Characterized by its speed (faster than Waltz), as well as its rise, fall and sway (less than Waltz). With its elegance and turns, Viennese Waltz has an air of magic about it.
- Samba
- The national dance of Brazil, which is meant to be danced solo in celebration or pride. However, in the US it has evolved into a couple’s dance performed in most ballroom settings.
- Merengue
- Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic. Musically, it has links with Cuba but the dance belongs to the island of Hispaniola.
- Mambo
- Known for being a fast and spicy dance characterized by strong Cuban motion, staccato movement and expression of rhythm through the body.
- Cha Cha
- Originated in Cuba and evolved from a slow version of Mambo called “Triple Mambo”.
- East Coast Swing
- An energetic, fast dance, usually done with triple steps and rock steps to Big Band or contemporary music that ‘swings’.
- Hustle
- This rapid, high energy swing dance can be coupled with any upbeat, fast-paced music from any genre or era.
- Tango
- Born in the slums of Buenos Aires in the late 19th century from a mixture of different cultural rhythms and steps, it is known for being a highly passionate dance.
- Rumba
- Best characterized as a sensual dance that is to be accompanied by romantic music.
- Foxtrot
- This smooth and elegant dance has become a very popular Ballroom dance with beginners and advanced dancers alike.
- Salsa
- Known best for being a truly great club dance, one that is fun, accessible, sexy, and constantly evolving with each new generation.
- Waltz
- This is the granddaddy of all ballroom dances, and set the standard for various forms to follow.
Making a grand entrance
Being the new kid in town is never easy. Making introductions and trying to show people who you are can be even more difficult. That is why the Allstar Dance Studio decided to take a different approach when opening up in Naples, FL. They put the community first and contacted the Dreamscape Foundation, as well as a number of other local nonprofits looking to help. They offered to host an event for each to help raise funds or provide a fun night of entertainment to the people they serve. The Allstar Dance Studio team believes highly in helping those in need and being active members of the community and we are proud to welcome them!Holiday Dance Party Details
Open to all and sure to be a night you won’t want to miss, the Dreamscape Foundation and Allstar Dance Studio will be hosting a Holiday Dance and Pizza Party event! This Sunday December 1st, the festivities begin at 6pm opening up with a group dance lesson. Following the lesson, a wild and crazy all out dance party will take place! The only reason you’ll want to get off the dance floor is to grab a slice or a cold drink before you get back to it. The party will be held at the Allstar Dance Studio located at 4910 Tamiami Trail North Suite 118, Naples, Florida 34103. The entry fee is $5/person or for groups of 3+, just bring one unwrapped children’s toy or gift to support kids in need this Holiday Season. For any questions or additional details, please email Nick Sibilia at nsibilia@dreamscapefoundation.org or visit our Facebook Event page. To find out more about the Allstar Dance Studio, please visit their website or Facebook Page for class details and schedules. We hope to see you all there to enjoy in the fun and help us in Sharing the Dream! « PreviousNext »24-Hours of Splucy: Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
24-Hours of Splucy: Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
Dreamscape Foundation is proud to announce its next upcoming Charity Stream event! Partnering up with us this time around is Twitch Streamer Splucy (AKA Lucy), who will be putting on an incredible 24-hour stream! Complete with prizes and fun incentives, Lucy is ready to not only support those in need, but to do something extra for her community and put on a stream they’ll love. Now before we dive into the event details, let’s take a minute to find out where the Splucy channel began.How Lucy became Splucy
Lucy began her streaming career on Youtube not knowing much, if anything, about what she was doing. After a while, she saw a longtime friend post about Twitch and decided to check it out. After asking her friend about it, he encouraged her to try it and helped answer all her questions. So, she jumped right into it, not know what to expect and the Splucy Twitch Channel was born. Fast forward 8 short months later, Lucy’s channel is booming! So much so, it led her to making the decision of her life. Lucy recently decided to leave her day job to follow her heart and passion and on November 1st became a fulltime Twitch Streamer! Now as a fulltime Streamer, Lucy is looking to kick things up a notch and take her production to the next level. With an active and constantly growing community, she is always changing things up, doing new and exciting streams. For example, being from beautiful Australia, Lucy recently put on a mobile beach day stream with her pup Balto. Whether she is gaming or Just Chatting, Lucy loves interacting with her community and making it a place people feel at home. To her, the social aspect that you can mix with gaming is what makes streaming worth it.Another chance to give back to those in need
While fulltime streaming may be new to Lucy, fundraising and volunteering are anything but. In the past, she has worked with a few organizations to help any way she could. From preparing meals for and playing games/socializing with the elderly to event planning, social media management and photography for a local parish, she has done it all. When asked why she does it, her response was simple, “it’s just a good feeling”. To elaborate, knowing that her actions can help and make a difference to someone in need is reward enough. But her volunteer efforts don’t end there! Last June, she brought her fundraising to Twitch for the first time to raise money for the Children’s Hospital Foundation. Now, Lucy is ready to do it again! This time for the Dreamscape Foundation’s Holiday Giving Campaigns, supporting families and children in need throughout the holiday season. Beginning on Saturday November 30th at 7am EST (8pm AWST), Splucy will be kicking off the 24-hour Charity Stream event! Regardless of what you typically watch on stream, she has a variety of things planned that you’re sure to love. Bouncing back and forth between gaming and Just Chatting, Splucy will be playing an assortment of games ranging from chill and easy going to ones that will have you (and/or her) jumping out of your seat in terror and excitement. Additionally, she won’t be going through it all alone. Throughout the 24 hours Splucy will be joined by other streamers she knows for some group chats and discussions. With a whole lot more planned, it should be an event everyone can enjoy. But what would a Dreamscape Charity Stream be without some amazing gifts and prizes for you to win! All donations will be rewarded with thank you gifts including Dreamscape T-shirts, Steam Keys, Overwatch Sticker sets and Overwatch Heroes Fleece Blankets. But wait… There’s more! Each donation tier also includes entries into our 2 raffle drawings. With the smaller prize being a $50 Amazon gift card and the grand prize of a $100 Amazon gift card! The Holiday/Giving Season has officially begun and we hope you all will tune in this Saturday November 30th to get things started right! We encourage everyone to join and Lucy is especially excited to share this event with her community and all new comers! Regardless of your ability to donate, anyone is welcome and there will be something for everyone to enjoy! To keep up with Lucy and the event, you can follow Splucy’s Twitch Channel, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube. To donate, please click and follow our Tiltify Page. We hope to see you all there to join us in Sharing the Dream! « PreviousNext »ThePhatBandit’s Month-Long Charity Stream Marathon
ThePhatBandit’s Month-Long Charity Stream Marathon
Erick, also known as ThePhatBandit to his Twitch community, is teaming up with the Dreamscape Foundation for a Charity Stream event like never before. Erick first got into streaming on Twitch through his longtime hobby of gaming. As a regular gamer, he found out about Twitch and started watching other streamers and personalities. After a while, he realized he had the resources to create a channel of his own, so why not? To him, it was more of a way to play games with his friends and connect with a broader community. His only goal was to have fun, make people laugh, and make even more friends.An Open Community that Became Family
ThePhatBandit Twitch Channel is open to everyone looking to have a good time and interact with new people. Whether you are a longtime viewer or just checking it out for the first time, he is quick to invite you to join in and play along with him online. Erick strives just to be himself and network with people around the world he would never have met otherwise. Aside from just playing games, he is very vocal with his community. They talk a lot and consider it like therapy, talking about good days, bad days, whatever, and just hashing things out. When I asked him what he enjoyed most about streaming, he replied, “The comradely and the relationships we built just through our community and other streamers’ communities.” He went on to explain people had tuned in to watch the stream, never knowing them before, and eventually became friends he talks to daily. To Erick, Twitch is a place for people to have fun, play the games they love, and make new friends that’ll last a lifetime.Familiar Territory
Cut from the same cloth, he has been a longtime believer in charity work and helping those in need. So much so, his full-time job is with a nonprofit organization we are proud to call a neighbor here in Naples, FL. The Friends of Foster Children Forever is an organization dedicated to fulfilling the needs of every child who enters or is at-risk of entering the foster care system throughout Collier County. Their primary focus for the children is to help them reach their full potential in life through education and enrichment opportunities, as well as simply enjoying being a kid. One of Erick’s favorite outreach events was when they took a large group of 40+ to a theme park. He remembers the look of pure happiness on each of their faces. Not because it was just another enjoyable day to a group of kids, but he knew for some it was their first time at a theme park and for others, their first time leaving their home town. Erick loves what he does and is excited to be able to combine his passion with his channel as a way to give back and help even more people.The When, What & Why?
Now, as I mentioned, this is a charity stream event like never before for Dreamscape! You may be wondering what is so different this time around? Well, ThePhatBandit has decided to step things up a bit! Rather than streaming for a day or 2, he will be turning this charity stream into a month-long Marathon Event!! Beginning on November 15th and ending on December 15th, Erick will be raising funds to help with our holiday efforts. All proceeds will be used to support various children and families in need throughout the Holiday Season. From adopting families to donating to shelters and foster homes alike. As always, we will be giving thanks to our generous supporters with thank you gifts and entries into our raffle drawings. The awards will be on a tier-based system, ranging from t-shirts and steam keys to Funko Pops and your favorite Call of Duty collectible character figures. Not stopping there, we will send a couple of lucky winners away with our raffle prizes of various Amazon gift cards, with the grand prize being $100! See our prize chart here:
All donations are welcome and beyond appreciated, but are never required! Erick encourages everyone to join in, no matter his or her ability to support. His community is a place for everyone to have fun and join in on the games and conversations. He will be playing various video games, including the new Call of Duty Modern Warfare! Additionally, he will be opening up several discussions around the charity, which we are supporting, and give you his honest thoughts on the matter. As Erick mentioned during his interview, “there is always a way to help out, even if it’s just educating and informing people on a need.” To keep up with Erick and join in his community, we encourage everyone to follow his Twitch Channel, Twitter, Instagram, and to check out his organization, The Friends of Foster Children Forever! « PreviousNext »Illuminating Invisible Disabilities
Illuminating Invisible Disabilities
Many know a disability when they see one; Quadriplegics in a wheelchair or Blind people with a walking cane are some afflictions that come to mind. If I asked you, “What is the most common disability?” what would you say? Actually, the most common ones are typically non-physical related. Many people will not know immediately that someone is living with these Hidden Disabilities. This is where we want to step in to help spread the word.Living with a Mental Disorder
Psychiatric disabilities, an umbrella term that covers a wide variety of mental health issues, are as common as 1 in 2 people. This is something people deal with every single day. These people do not require use of a cane or any accessibility device, as they have no actual physical disability. Keep in mind, people suffering from Psychiatric Disabilities can have years of experience, but still suffer from their condition. One mustn’t confuse experience with curing of a disability. Think of it as a scale, day to day, ranging from mild to severe. For example with the right amount of experience, people living with Bipolar Disorder will be able to notice signs of a disturbance and might even be able to contain their emotions, to a degree. Other days, the person may not even notice their mental disorder.Knowing the Signs
Although some invisible disabilities can be kept low-key, some will actually need to be presented to everyone around them. Due to the possible life-or-death situation, conditions such as Epilepsy, Diabetes, and Learning Disabilities should be shared as soon as you get to know someone. There is no shame in telling someone about your condition. especially if you spend a lot of time with them. The triggering of your disability can spark a wide variety of health issues and symptoms that can have you thrown for a loop, and can even lead to death. Keeping loved ones in mind, there should be no judgement. It may be a hard conversation to have, but one that needs to happen.Being the Support they Need
Living around someone with an Invisible Disability may sound like a rigorous task, but actually it’s pretty simple. With the right experience, someone will be able to “get into the mind” of their mentally disabled friend. These skills can be learned through personal experience, knowledge of previous events, and works best when you’re very close to the person. Catching someone slipping can save hours if not days of grueling mental laps that the invisible disability affects on the person afflicted. A simple, “Let’s step outside and get a breather” or “Hey, drink some water” can go a long way! Tackling Invisible Disabilities can be as easy as changing the pace of the day. Get some fresh air, take your mind of what it bringing you down. Staying positive is one of the best ways to deal with Invisible Disabilities. Without the right attitude, the afflicted will never get better. With the help of loved ones and the advice of professionals, Invisible Disabilities can be identified and dealt with accordingly. « PreviousNext »Improving Lives With Heightened Hearts Foundation
Improving Lives With Heightened Hearts Foundation
Millions around the world are suffering from poverty, hunger, and social injustice. After being struck with hard times, many struggle to get back on their feet. With only limited resources and help available to these families and individuals, the Heightened Hearts Foundation is going above and beyond to help them get back on their feet.Who is the Heightened Hearts Foundation?
Recently, the Dreamscape Foundation had the pleasure of speaking with Lyubov Smirnova, the Founder and CEO of the Heightened Hearts Foundation. While speaking with her, it was clear she is a driven and dedicated woman on a mission. It is no surprise that since founded in 2015 they have been able to implement over 32 successful programs in the US, Ukraine and Mexico. Outside of these set programs, Heightened Hearts is open to doing all they can to provide for those in need. But what sets them apart from many organizations is their ideology that providing needed goods alone is not enough. In line with their mission of creating lasting solutions for poverty, hunger, and social injustice; they focus not on just providing for temporary relief but work with people to help them become self-sufficient once again. To put into prospective, as the old saying goes, you can give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, or you can teach a man to fish and he’ll never go hungry again.Programs Leading to Lasting Solutions
Heightened Hearts has 6 main programs established to help families, individuals, children, students, and the elderly. These consist of: Food Box program, Adopt-a-Grandparent, Back to School Children’s Baskets, Spiritual Programs, Teen Pregnancy Education, and Global Relief Centers. The Food Box program offers meals and vital nourishment to people in the worst conditions. The recipients of this program are constantly struggling to battle hunger, malnourishment and even starvation. However, it goes beyond just providing them with food for survival, but to educating those better off, of the devasting conditions being faced around the world. The programs purpose is to save countless lives, while educating and inspire others to join the fight. The programs run twice a year every November and June. Adopt-a-Grandparent is a sponsorship program to aid the aging and elderly. Unlike most developed countries who have assistance and elderly care programs, many seniors in other regions of the world are not as lucky. All volunteer sponsors will aid in offering services to the senior they are connected with. These services include obtaining proper medical care, proper nutrition, and companionship to let them know they are not alone. To ensure children have all the necessary supplies they need to learn and further their education, Heightened Hearts has created their Back to School Baskets program. Many families struggle financially and are faced with enough hardships as it is. Heightened Hearts believes their children’s education and chance for success should never be one of them. What this program offers are baskets full of all the necessary supplies a young student needs. Including backpacks, notebooks/paper, pens/pencils, highlighters, rulers, calculators, dictionaries, folders/binders, and a whole lot more! The Heightened Hearts Spiritual programs focus on specific themes from the Bible to provide insight and an opportunity for reflection on life. Help comes in all different forms and for many, reconnecting with God and strengthening themselves from within is all the help they require. Additionally, these programs allow individuals to address broken relationships with God, friends/family, and even themselves. The Teen Pregnancy Educational program is just as it sounds. A program established to properly educate teens on the aspects of safe sex practices. Additionally, many unplanned pregnancies around the world come from abuse. That is why Heightened Hearts includes therapy and clinic-based programs to ensure no child/teen is left to suffer alone. Lastly, the Global Relief Centers program is an initiative to give communities around the world a place to meet and discuss social and economic issues. Heightened Hearts will work with these communities who lack social gathering or relief centers, to build new Community Centers. Providing a safe, spacious area to discuss solutions to the problems they face.Holiday Events on the Horizon
Every year, leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas, Heightened Hearts goes to work. Packing large sized laundry baskets with pantry staples, foods, snacks, desserts, detergent, toilet trees and more, to ensure families will have much needed supplies to make the best of their holiday season. Delivered one week before the holiday, the baskets include enough supplies to last through the holiday and for weeks to come. At Heightened Hearts, they feel families should be helped in the long term and not just for a day or two.Love the Mission and want to get involved?
Heightened Hearts relies entirely on Volunteers. With almost no paid employees, they are always look for new donors or volunteers to support their programs. If interested in donating, you can go online and give funds right through their website. But if you are more interested in helping prepare for the upcoming holiday events, they are still in great need of the following items:- Children’s toys, clothes, school supplies
- Nonperishable food items
- Home goods: detergent, toilet trees
- Kitchen items
- Computers
- Beds or bedding
- Cooking items
- Adult Clothing: Male and Female
Dreamscape Foundation: A Charity for the Disabled & Our Community
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. « PreviousNext »Morningday Community Solutions: What’s behind a CRP?
Morningday Community Solutions: What’s behind a CRP?
We had the pleasure of interviewing Greg Bales, the Founder and President of Morningday Community Solutions. We got to learn all about his day to day running a CRP. Are you now wondering what a CRP is? Well, we are here to tell you all about it!What’s a CRP?
What a great question! CRP stands for Community Redistribution Partner, and Greg founded his in Fort Lauderdale, over 8 years ago. He originally found out about the program when he joined Good360 and their network. When he joined, not only did their business model resonate with him, but he felt a deep connection with their mission statement. He saw the work they were doing with nonprofits and felt it was similar to the work he was already doing in his community, just on a greater scale. He saw great potential in this and it is what inspired him to want to become a founder of his own nonprofit. Greg explained to us the basis of what a CRP does. His organization will bring in products from a distributor and then redistribute them out to nonprofit organizations in need. Since founded in 2010, they have grown to help over 250 nonprofits in South Florida!All about the mission
Morningday’s mission is completely straightforward, to save other nonprofits money so that they can use their resources to help more in the community. This is great because Greg has and continues to fulfill this mission each and everyday! Their organization doesn’t do direct service to the public, but instead they go directly to the nonprofits. The products they receive are kept in what they call their “Framing Hope Warehouse”. This 10,000 square foot warehouse is the first of it’s kind here in Florida. The warehouse started by them collaborating with Good360 and the Home Depot Foundation. The organization receives a wide variety of supplies and products from Home Depot and other local retailers in their area. There are a number of people that can benefit from MCS and their program, including churches, schools, and all nonprofits or charities. Unfortunately, it is not open to the public, so even Police Officers and Fire Fighters aren’t able to receive products from their organization. The best part is there are no credit card or cash funds taken directly from the nonprofits. This is a huge win for everyone because these nonprofits are able to get the products they desperately need while saving themselves money for other important events or items. This is also a win for Greg because he is able to reach his mission day by day!This sounds great!
What Greg and his team are doing is simply wonderful and here at Dreamscape, we love seeing other organizations trying so hard to give back and make a difference in the community. But, MCS is constantly looking for volunteers and a helping hand. Morningday receive’s a wide variety of products, from small things such as socks and clothes to large things, like couches and home goods. This organization views their volunteers as a huge asset because, well, they keep their organization moving of course. They also love helping any organization that needs it. So, if you’re interested in helping out, simply follow the link to their volunteer page on the website. If you’re a nonprofit and love the mission and are in need of supplies, don’t worry, we can help you too. Follow the link to their membership page and fill out the information to partner with this wonderful nonprofit. Remember, if you’re someone who can’t donate money but want to help you can always donate your time. « PreviousNext »An Interview with United Way of Brevard County
An Interview with United Way of Brevard County
Terry Taylor, the Senior Director of Grants in Gifts at United Way of Brevard County gave Dreamscape some insight on the behind the scenes of this successful Community Redistribution Partnership.