The following 4 excellent projects were selected to present at the July 24th SOUP dinner.

  1. Cultivate Wholeness
    Burwell Gardens/Molly Conaway
    Out of our love for our neighborhood and a desire to see everyone in our community experience a deeper sense of wholeness in their lives, a collective of neighbors have been dreaming, casting vision, and now taking our first steps towards the development of a vibrant community & market garden here in Oakwood-Lincoln Park. We hope this garden will be a place where people are empowered to grow their own food, neighborly relationships are created and strengthened, and our souls are refreshed by the presence of beauty so readily visible in the garden.
  2. Next Step to Hope & Treatment
    Next Step Initiative/Rebecca Parr
    Today there are very few who whose lives have not been touched by the current drug epidemic. From a neighbor, family member, or a dear friend, to maybe even yourself, we are all affected. Next Step Initiative has 2 volunteer programs that serve communities in poverty and addiction. Hope, Hearts, and the Arts utililizes meditation and hands on art experiences to get people to tell their stories. We are in need of art supplies such as clay, canvases, glue, paints etc. Trenches to Treatment is a program created to help people in active addiction get into treatment and connection to other resources. Many of our clients are homeless and in need of basic toiletries, ID's, rides, and food. The items we are most in need of are hygiene kits with soap, shampoo, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, wipes, etc.
  3. Enhance Science Standards Through Outdoor Implementation
    New Hopewell Elementary/Kaley Clark
    New Hopewell Elementary is a small, rural, K-5 school located in South Knoxville. We serve predominantly economically disadvantaged families and opportunities for fundraising are limited. In the past year, the local community has banded together to rehab a gardening greenhouse, create a walking trail that runs behind the school, and build an outdoor classroom. Many hours and manpower have been put into this labor of Love. The NHE staff are excited to use this space but need further training on how to best connect the space to education and learning standards for each grade level. We are requesting funding for teachers to attend a teacher education course at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. This will be a two-day workshop where activities are designed to enhance learner outcomes, share best practices, and gain experiences in core routines of experiential learning. The workshop cost is $75 per person, including board and meals. Teachers have already committed to giving their personal time to attend the workshop.
  4. Outdoor Bike Repair Station: Outdoor Bicycle Pump
    South Woodlawn Neighborhood Association/Hilary Gallegos
    South Woodlawn Neighborhood Association (SWNA) has received a micro-grant to increase community wellness by requesting funds to purchase an Outdoor Bicycle Repair Station (OBRS) for public use at Sam Duff Memorial Park. SWNA would like to provide a commercial grade bicycle pump, which can sustain the outdoor placement without shelter. SWNA has started the process of becoming a Certified Healthy Neighborhood in collaboration with the Governor's Foundation for Healthier Tennesseans. This program seeks to increase healthier lifestyles in Tennessee within communities. This OBRS and Outdoor Bicycle Pump would be in-line with this common goal.