Upcoming
Feast Mass #14 will be on May 6, 2017 @ 6:00pm.

Design Studio for Social Intervention (DS4SI)
1946 Washington Street, 2nd floor
Roxbury, MA 02118

Enter through the Side Door on Thorndike St.


Feast #14 Recap and Thank You

Friday, May 19, 2017 | Posted by Nerissaruth
Helloooooo feasters! Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming out to Feast #14 and helping to make it a delight and a success!

As feast attendees and presenters entered through a shiny silver curtain and made their way through an enchanting land of antiques and upstairs to DS4SI, the room lit up with conversation as guests mingled, checked out the wall of proposals, and enjoyed freshly made cucumber water and iced tea.

Once everyone settled in, food was served! A very special thanks to multi-talented chef extraordinaires Teagan Lehrmann and Kendall Bryant for creating the menu and leading the cooking! The menu included:
-Spring rice noodle salad with sun butter pesto
-Purple cabbage carrot Slaw
-Roasted sweet potato salad
And for dessert...
-Cookie Dough ice cream donated by JP Licks
-GF Raspberry Crumble ice cream donated by FoMu


While we ate, we also got an update from our awesome Feast #13 winner, Gustavo Barceloni and his project "Café da Manha, Café da Tarde," a gathering of Brazilian families in Everett to make ceramic mugs, eat Brazilian food, and to have a conversation about cultural identity.


Then came the time to hear five magical, inspiring, thoughtful Feast #14 presentations:

The Bait/Switch Project: A city-wide experiment in casual art making. Submitted by: Lucy Valena

Somerville Neighborways: Improving children’s outdoor play opportunities by helping communities transform residential streets into safe, inviting Neighborways. Submitted by: Erica Quigley, Sara Brunelle - Heyday Collaborative, Mark Chase - Somerville Neighborways

TIT-tee’s: A philanthropic social commentary piece on non-symmetrical body types. Submitted by: Anna Stabler

Doula Training: Empowering Women in the Immigrant Community: Doulas change the world one birth at a time - sponsoring women from the recent immigrant community to become Doulas will in turn support recent immigrant women giving birth and empower the community!” Submitted by: Julia Dickinson

Prison Gardens in Bloom: Bulbs for a fundraiser, in which supporters will buy bulbs and our students will plant them in their prison gardens. Submitted by: Sarah Cadorette, Erika Rumbley, and Renée Portanova of The New Garden Society

All of the presentations opened our minds and our hearts. The votes were counted, and Doula Training: Empowering Women in the Immigrant Community was declared the winner! Thank you, Julia and Emilia!

We can't wait to see this uplifting idea become a reality!

Thanks again to all who donated time, space, resources, and of course to our presenters and attendees who all make Feast possible. What a beautiful community. Hope to see you SOON at the next Feast dinner party!

Proposals: Feast 14

Monday, May 8, 2017 | Posted by Nerissaruth
Check out the fantastic proposals that were presented at Feast #14 on May 6, 2017!

The Bait/Switch Project
“A city-wide experiment in casual art making”
By: Lucy Valena
Description
Bait/Switch is a new project inspired by the art party game known variously as ‘Exquisite Corpse‘, ‘Fax Machine‘, or ‘Eat Poop, You Cat‘.  The premise is simple: a picture is drawn on one end of a piece of paper and passed to the next player; that person writes a description of what they see in the picture and then folds the paper over to obscure the first drawing. The next player than makes a new drawing based on what the previous person wrote, and the cycle continues, producing an unwieldy chain of (often silly) artistic expression.

Usually this game is played among friends, but what happens when it is deployed throughout the Boston community and played among strangers? I propose to construct and distribute a series of mechanisms (‘BaitBoxes’), which will facilitate this activity. These wooden boxes will have a roll of paper inside, and a hand crank on the outside will allow participants to advance the paper like a typewriter ribbon. The boxes will be distributed to local businesses around the city, and the drawings will be collected periodically. Excerpts from the BaitBoxes will be featured in a small zine, which will be released quarterly.

How will you use the grant to make your project happen?
The grant will be used to purchase materials, build the boxes, and to print the zine, which will be distributed for free at participating locations.

Why and to whom is your project important or relevant?
In a time ruled by autopilot and carefully crafted status updates, The Bait/Switch Project will provide a fun injection of spontaneous creative energy to people throughout the community. Because it is so open ended, the boxes can be placed in all sorts of different locations, such as bars, coffee shops, and retail stores, and can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. Won’t it be interesting to see how (or if!) content varies depending on where the boxes are placed?  

Somerville Neighborways
“Improving children’s outdoor play opportunities by helping communities transform residential streets into safe, inviting Neighborways.”
By: Erica Quigley, Sara Brunelle - Heyday Collaborative, Mark Chase - Somerville Neighborways

Description
Although outdoor play is critically important to children’s development, kids aren’t playing as much as they used to. A major reason is the speed and volume of cars on residential streets. What if these streets, and the crossings between them, became comfortable places to walk, bike, and play? Neighborways are residential streets that are designed to give priority to people while allowing slower-moving vehicles to pass through. Each Neighborway becomes an inviting place to play; together, they form a network between homes, schools, parks, and shops.

Mark Chase with Somerville Neighborways has worked with residents of several Somerville streets to paint pavement murals and other visual cues. The longer-term goal is to help community members make permanent improvements such as curb “bump-outs” with benches, vegetation, and public art that cue vehicle drivers to slow down.

Erica Quigley and Sara Brunelle from Heyday Collaborative are play space designers helping residents think about next steps. For this project, we’ll work with people on one street to improve play opportunities. We’ll ask people to share play memories; many adults have forgotten how much fun they had on their doorsteps with simple things like chalk, stones, leaves, and puddles. After helping children and adults set goals for their street, we’ll facilitate activities that further those goals, such as play events or design charrettes for bump-outs. Finally, we’ll write a summary report to publicize successes.

How will you use the grant to make your project happen?
Pilot projects have built support for Neighborways among residents and city agencies, who each contribute labor and funding. The City of Somerville is investing $120,000 of State Complete Streets money, and five new Neighborways will paint street murals in 2017. Feast funding will leverage this support by taking one Neighborway to the next level as a prototype. Success on one street will help stakeholders envision what is possible for other streets.

Our budget includes a stipend for Heyday Collaborative’s designers, who plan to put in at least 60 hours of work. Funds will also be used for printing event flyers and a final report summarizing outcomes. This project will take place in summer of 2017.

Why and to whom is your project important or relevant?
Historically, urban children have been free to play in spaces and pathways near home and school. Neighborways restore this freedom, making physical and psychological space for play in everyday places. When children can move comfortably between frequent destinations, it’s easier to meet up with friends and play along the way.

A low-stress transportation network benefits residents of all ages by making it easier to choose walking or biking for short trips. As more and more people use Neighborways, a “safety in numbers” effect will reduce the likelihood of crashes between vehicles and pedestrians. Neighborways provide street environments that meet safety concerns, encouraging active transportation as well as children’s play.

Neighborways combine design and community organizing to slow down traffic and encourage walking, biking, and playing. A participatory approach empowers communities to work together to make real change, right where they live.

TIT-tee’s
“A philanthropic social commentary piece on body standards.”
By: Anna Stabler

Description
TIT-tee’s is inspired by creative activism. As our country was electing a new president, my community began to feel the negative effects of the new administration pushing them into deeper states of stress and frustration. I felt the need to find something to bring joy to my community through representing issues underrepresented by the President and his cabinet.
Shortly after the inauguration, I found myself doodling at a bar. Soon, my scallop-like boob doodle evolved into screen printed t-shirts and custom fabric. I decided these shirts would be called TIT-tee’s. Without excluding men, I made a textile of various sized penis’s in a medallion style formation too for shorts called BALL-Bottoms.
Through these garments we are celebrating the creative process, women and mens body images, and the power of creative activism. Fifty percent of any sale of a TIT-tee or Ball-bottom will go directly to Planned Parenthood or Testicular Cancer Research.
The TIT-tee’s launch party will be directed primarily at the local art community to encourage the importance of creative activism. It will be held at a local venue. There will be local snacks, sips, and products for sale all around a mini fashion show of TIT-tee’s and Ball-Bottoms.
This project will be an ongoing online experience until all products are sold. I chose to bring awareness to body standards, specifically two of the most vulnerable body parts. My hope is that my process will inspire others to think how they can use their creative super-powers to move their community and stand up for others fighting the good fight.

How will you use the grant to make your project happen?
The grant will allow me to purchase the remaining materials to produce the products and cover part of the cost of the launch party. Without the grant the price of the products will be higher and less accessible to those who would like to purchase a product to support the causes and represent the project. I have already purchased the TIT-tee’s silkscreen and the fabric for both textiles.
Rough Timeline:
APRIL
Test pattern for tee’s.
Finalize pattern for tee’s and fabricating first prototype.
Test pattern for shorts.
Draft brand and packaging.
MAY
Finalize pattern for shorts and fabricating first prototype.
Produce replica’s of both shirt and shorts.
Finalize brand and packaging.
Order bulk products.
Print bulk products.
JUNE
Secure a venue and menu for launch party.
Map out timeline and team for launch.
Finalize online store.
Launch Party!

Why and to whom is your project important or relevant?
With the current events needing our attention in every direction it becomes easy to forget about fun. Without trying to tackle every issue all at once the TIT-tee’s project offers an opportunity to expand the community I know even further to get others involved in making a difference not just through philanthropy but through visual communication. The TIT-tee’s project is provocative, light hearted, and meaningful. Supporters of TIT-tee’s and Ball-bottom’s are individuals that believe in outside-of-the-box thinking, community builders, change-makers and genuinely kind humans.
The TIT-tee’s project is intended to encourage pro-active use of creative skills and is specially inspired by these frustrating political times where creativity is needed to illustrate injustice. The project is also important to women and men who want to break down body-image standards, what the media projects as ‘perfect’.

Doula Training: Empowering Women in the Immigrant Community
“Doulas change the world one birth at a time - sponsoring women from the recent immigrant community to become Doulas will in turn support recent immigrant women giving birth and empower the community!”
By: Julia Dickinson

Description
DONA (Doulas of North America) describe doulas as “a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and shortly after childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.”
Doulas are labor coaches who bring a strong understanding of the community and the culture of the women they serve, and fulfill an important function for their community as mentor and healthcare system intermediary.   For recent immigrants with limited supports, Doulas are cultural brokers-helping the laboring woman understand the medical culture and helping the medical team understand the women’s cultural beliefs.
The direct benefit of doulas are two fold – first to help provide an optimal labor experience for a recent immigrant and second to increase the capacity of the hospital staff to provide culturally competent care.
Additionally supporting a Doula training program opens the door to a new health care career path for immigrant women, including women who may have been midwives or nurses in their country of origin.

How will you use the grant to make your project happen?
This funding would allow the Midwives at Mount Auburn to sponsor 3 doulas for training through Birth Arts International at $300 a person, $900 total. Birth Arts provides their students with culturally sensitive doula training as well as marketing skills. For those women who we have sponsored to go through the doula program, the midwives would also support them in attending the five births that they need to become certified.  In the process of gaining the experience they need to become certified, the doulas would serve our vulnerable families at no cost to the patient. The average cost of a birth doula in MA is $1000, which is cost prohibitive for many low income women and families. This training will provide a valuable professional opportunity for recent immigrant women in our community and we hope that they will continue to provide volunteer services to our low-income patients in the future. At a minimum, 15 patients from the recent immigrant community will receive free doula services.

Why and to whom is your project important or relevant?
This project is in conjunction with the Midwives at Mount Auburn Hospital and Charles River Community Health Service (CRHC).  Mount Auburn Hospital provides onsite midwifery services at CRCHC where we serve a large number of vulnerable community members: 78% identify as Hispanic, 58% require interpreter services,  84% are under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level and 42% are uninsured.  Most importantly, 60% of the CRCHC women who delivered last year at Mount Auburn Hospital immigrated during their pregnancy.  A Doula is critical for these women who have only been in the US for weeks or months.   
The goal will be to match patients with doulas who share their cultural and linguistic background. We will recruit our doulas from students enrolled in local English Speakers of Other Language programs and other immigrant serving organizations.


Prison Gardens in Bloom!
“We will be using this grant to buy bulbs for a fundraiser, in which supporters will buy bulbs and our students will plant them in their prison gardens.”
By: Sarah Cadorette, Erika Rumbley, and Renée Portanova of The New Garden Society

Description
This fundraiser will allow ephemerals to simultaneously bloom in our prison gardens and in our supporters' backyards. This is how it works: a supporter will purchase bulbs from us, and the money will fund the bulbs that we will use to introduce a new variety of plants to our students, and that they will then plant in the gardens in their prison yards.

How will you use the grant to make your project happen?
This grant will allow us to purchase 3,000 bulbs to make this fundraiser a reality.


Why and to whom is your project important or relevant?
This project would not only allow our students to have a more vibrant garden and learning experience, it would also give our supporters a tangible connection to the work we do inside of prisons, which is by its nature invisible.

Proposals: Feast 13

Tuesday, March 14, 2017 | Posted by Meredith Davies
Check out the fantastic proposals that were presented at Feast 13, get inspired, and apply for Feast 14!

Randi Shandroski: Under/Over Control, a runway show and fashion event.
Describe your project. Is it an event, an experiment, a movie, a meal, an installation? Is it one-time or recurring?
LACTIC Incorporated is a Boston-based avant-garde clothing brand that takes the detritus of corporate life and reinterprets it into one-of-a-kind structural garments that challenge the polarization of gender and critiques existing power structures.
Under/Over Control will be a runway presentation of Lactic’s latest collection. This collection will explore how the clothing we wear participates in and is influenced by the systems in place in our society. More specifically, it will deal with the effects that our current fast-paced, job-driven culture has on the clothing we wear and how collective standards of beauty and gender expression, systems of belief and societal norms become internalized and affect identity formation. Clothing functions as a mediator between our internal and external worlds. On the one hand it can be a cover-up, a blending in, or a form of protection. On the other, clothing is an outward extension of the self that participates with the world in a physical and visual way.
The show will first appear in New York in December 2016 as part of the ongoing installation of re:art show (http://www.reart.show/). The show will then move to Boston for a gallery presentation in early 2017.
How will you use the grant to make your idea happen? Will you buy materials, hire workers, rent a space? Be specific.
This collaborative endeavor will be a large event with many moving parts. We have confirmed spaces in both New York and Boston for these events at no cost to us, and the collection will be produced out of pocket. However, we require funding to pay the creative team involved in engineering this production. This includes models, hair stylists, makeup artists, performers, musicians and artists.
Why and to whom is your project important or relevant?
Fashion can alter people’s perception of the world around them and has a societal role as an instigator of ideas. By creating this traveling runway show, Lactic seeks to bridge the gap between the fashion worlds of New York and Boston and introduce avant-garde ideas into the Boston fashion scene. This production will create opportunities for local creatives to be involved and be paid for their work.
Hannah Tosi: Stop for the Soul
Describe your project. Is it an event, an experiment, a movie, a meal, an installation? Is it one-time or recurring?
Stop for the Soul is a sanctuary of calm in the chaotic city that serves commuters of all backgrounds. This reimagined bus stop uses colorful street-furniture upgrades, peaceful music, herbal tea, and human interaction to create an immersive and inspiring space. Stop for the Soul has been successfully implemented in Hyde Park, and I propose to bring it to a bus stop in Dorchester with the support of the Feast Mass Microgrant.

Stop for the Soul includes programming for commuters while they wait for the bus, such as “Meditate While You Wait”, simple yoga stretches that people can easily incorporate into their daily routines, and conversation about healthy living. Free tea is served throughout the day as a way to invite people into the space and make sure they’re walking away with a touch of stress-reduction. In conjunction with Stop for the Soul, Yoga Teacher Hannah Tosi will offer 3 free beginner yoga classes at local non-profits.
How will you use the grant to make your idea happen? Will you buy materials, hire workers, rent a space? Be specific.
I will use the grant to:
  • winterize materials
  • purchase tea
  • hire an assistant for set-up, break-down, and engaging community members
  • print fliers for the free yoga classes
  • support artist and teacher Hannah Tosi
Why and to whom is your project important or relevant?
Many city-dwellers live stressful lives with little time for self-care, as we see in Boston’s high rates of cardiovascular disease, mental health illness, and addiction. As we lose ourselves in our electronic devices and put headphones in, our communities have become disconnected. People are apathetic about the environment around them, as can be seen in the litter in public parks and city infrastructures. Stop for the Soul is a social intervention confronting all of these issues of disconnection, working towards creating a holistically healthy community where individuals can connect to themselves, others, and their environments in a positive and creative way.
Sara Brunelle, Michelle Moon, Claudia Paraschiv, Erica Quigley: Play Like Back in the Day

Describe your project. Is it an event, an experiment, a movie, a meal, an installation? Is it one-time or recurring?
How did you play outdoors as a child?
Our project is a series of pop-up play and oral history events that will build support for open-ended outdoor play along the Fairmount Greenway.
Most people over age 30 can recall building forts or making up games with simple materials like sticks, fabric, and clothespins. We are testing a participatory process that builds on nostalgia for child-directed outdoor play.
We’ll ask community members to share play memories; recordings will be embedded in a sculpture called a “Sharing Tree.” When a child presses her ear against the tree, she’ll hear the memory and be inspired to mirror the activity described. Caregivers will remember their own play experiences and suggest a favorite game or song. We’ll create a portal to the past that sparks conversations about the benefits of play.
We’ll provide games and materials described in previously-shared memories, creating a culturally responsive place for play.
How will you use the grant to make your idea happen? Will you buy materials, hire workers, rent a space? Be specific.
The funds will be used for an artist stipend and audio equipment. Prototype sculpture components and play props will be sourced from carefully selected reclaimed materials. Event space will be provided by partner organizations.
Why and to whom is your project important or relevant?
We frequently hear laments that children don’t play outdoors the way they used to. Child-directed outdoor play is vitally important for physical, cognitive, and social/emotional development, but many children don’t get the opportunity. Our project will use everyday spaces and low-cost materials to build support for giving kids the freedom to play. We will collaborate with organizations that have participated in the community-driven Fairmount Greenway planning process. In addition to providing space and time for outdoor play, our free events will offer a creative framework for people to share their stories and perspectives.
Dylan Hurwitz: trans/draw
Describe your project. Is it an event, an experiment, a movie, a meal, an installation? Is it one-time or recurring?
trans/draw is a group exhibition featuring 12 artists taking place at Gallery 263 in Cambridge, organized by the Boston LGBTQIA Artist Alliance (BLAA). BLAA is a volunteer artist-run organization that seeks to elevate the visibility of and provide resources to Boston area LGBTQIA identifying artists. This is a one-time exhibition taking place from Thursday, November 17 – Saturday, December 10, 2016, with an opening reception on Saturday, November 19, 7 – 9 PM. The exhibition surveys trans artists who represent the power of drawing as a mechanism to express and reflect on the trans experience. Their practices span a variety of media, from traditional pencil on paper, to sculpture and video.
How will you use the grant to make your idea happen? Will you buy materials, hire workers, rent a space? Be specific.
BLAA is volunteer run and has no budget, so any funds we receive are invaluable for a range of purposes. However, in this context, BLAA will use the funds to cover event costs associated with trans/draw, which includes a reception and artist talk: this includes hiring ASL interpreters in order to ensure the event is accessible (we will need two interpreters, and they work a minimum of two hours each, at $75/hour, total of $600); food and drink for the reception and artist talk ($300); vinyl signage for the exhibition ($75); and marketing collateral for the event (postcards/posters at $75). This comes to a total of $1050. Any leftover funds will be used towards upcoming programming. BLAA organizes three exhibitions a year, with other events between shows.
Why and to whom is your project important or relevant?
BLAA's mission is to elevate the visibility of and provide resources to Boston area LGBTQIA artists. This show is an opportunity to center trans voices, a community that is often unfairly treated as an after-thought when it comes to LGBTQIA organizing/causes. So this show is important to trans artists in providing an opportunity to center their voices, as well as to the larger community.

Feast #14

Monday, March 6, 2017 | Posted by Nerissaruth

A little bird says the best dinner party in Boston soon awaits you! You are warmly invited to Feast Mass #14 BLOOM! on Saturday, May 6th, 2017 at 6:00 PM at TBD. Join us for a fresh spring meal while you help support and celebrate creative projects in our community! During the evening, you’ll hear pitches for inspiring projects that need our funding. Vote for your favorite, and watch as the winner receives a grant funded entirely from the night's ticket sales. Grassroots crowdfunding at its finest!

YOU CAN DINE AND SUPPORT
We have limited tickets available for this blooming dinner of fresh food and fun. Reserve your spot by filling out this simple form so we can add you to the guest list. Please be prepared to pay cash at the event. The money collected at the door provides the funds for the grant. We suggest a minimum donation of $15 to cover the cost of your meal’s ingredients and the grant (any extra will benefit the grant).

YOU CAN PROPOSE A PROJECT
Do you have a creative idea that could delight, enrich, or motivate your community? Turn your idea into a proposal! A Feast grant is typically around $700-$1,000. The best projects are small-scale, short-timeline, and targeted to a specific community, idea, or issue. The deadline for submissions is at midnight on Sunday, April 9th. Don’t be shy… to apply or learn more, click here.

YOU CAN VOLUNTEER
Feast Mass is basically a voluntary group of passionate party planners, so if you have interest in joining our team and contributing your time in any way, let us know and simply reply! feastmass@gmail.com

Hope to see you on May 6th!

Feast #13 Recap

Wednesday, December 14, 2016 | Posted by Meredith Davies
Helloooooo feasters! Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming out to Feast #13 and helping to make it a delight and a success!

The fantastic space at DS4SI lit up with conversation as feast attendees and presenters mingled, checked out the wall of proposals, and enjoyed the graciously donated Dr. Nandu from Aeronaut Brewing.


Once everyone settled in, food was served! A very special thanks to multi-talented chef extraordinaire Teagan Lehrmann for creating the menu and leading the cooking! The menu included:
Mediterranean chickpea stew
Massaged kale and cabbage salad (it was a very refreshed and relaxed salad)
Kimchi
And for dessert...
Coffee Cookies and Cream ice cream donated by JP Licks
Caramel Pumpkin ice cream donated by FoMu



While we ate, we also got an update from our awesome Feast #12 winner, Team Tidraphone, who installed a playful, interactive project in the Fort Point channel.

Then came the time to hear five magical, inspiring, thoughtful Feast #13 presentations:

Under/Over Control: A runway show and fashion event touching on issues of gender and identity, has a secured space in NY and Boston. Funds will go towards models, hair stylists, makeup artists, performers, musicians, and artists. Submitted by Randi Shandroski.

Play like back in the day: A series of events in a pop-up play space along the Fairmount Greenway that will gather play memories and offer opportunities for children to play outdoors, the way kids used to. Funds will be used for an artist stipend and audio equipment. Submitted by Sara Brunelle, Michelle Moon, Claudia Paraschiv, and Erica Quigleya.

trans/draw: Group exhibition at Gallery 263 by Boston LGBTQIA Artist Alliance needing funding for food, ASL interpreters, signage and marketing materials. Submitted by Dylan Hurwitz.

Café da Manha, Café da Tarde: Event for 25 Brazilian families to participate in making two mugs (one for them, one for him to exhibit later), to eat food, and to have a conversation about conflictions in shared cultural identity. Funds will be used for materials, photographer, food, invites, books, and materials. Submitted by Gustavo Barceloni.

Stop for the Soul: A re-imagined bus stop as social intervention with decor and tea to interact with strangers, teach meditation and yoga, and create a sanctuary of calm. Funds will be used to winterize materials, purchase tea, assistant to help, and flyers. Submitted by Hannah Tosi.

All of the presentations opened our minds and our hearts. The votes were counted, and Café de Manha, Café de Tarde was declared the winner! Thank you, Gustavo!


We can't wait to see this uplifting idea become a reality!

Thanks again to all who donated time, space, resources, and of course to our presenters and attendees who all make Feast possible. What a beautiful community. Hope to see you SOON at the next Feast dinner party!

Feast Lucky Number 13!

Sunday, October 16, 2016 | Posted by Meredith Davies



Just like the Backstreet Boys in 1997, Feast Mass is back (alright!)! We've missed you, and we hope you'll come to
Feast #13 on Saturday, November 5th, 6:00 PM at the Design Studio for Social Intervention in Roxbury for an evening of collaboration and connection that helps support and celebrate your community.

Bring a friend! Let's do this.

RSVP! We have 75 spots available for this fall frenzy of food and fun. Reserve yours by emailing feastmass@gmail.com, including the number of guests you’ll be bringing as well as any food allergies, and we will add you to the guest list! Please be prepared to pay cash at the event -- we suggest a minimum donation of $15 -- as the winner will take home all of the event’s proceeds that night.

Submit a proposal! Do you have a creative idea that could delight, enrich, or motivate your community? Turn your idea into a proposal! A typical Feast grant winner will walk away with a grant of about $1,000, so those great ideas can be turned into action right away. The best projects are small-scale, short-timeline, and targeted to a specific community, idea, or issue. The deadline for proposals is midnight on Sunday, October 23.

Hope to see you on November 5th! Yum!

Submission Deadline Extended!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014 | Posted by Liam VV
Hi Feast Friends!

The proposal submission deadline for Feast #11 has been moved to: 
Saturday, June 7th at midnight.

More time for awesome projects! Spread the word.

Thinking of applying for a Feast grant? Don't think so (c)hard, go for it!

Tuesday, May 20, 2014 | Posted by Liam VV

We want to fund your idea! The call for Feast #11 proposals is still open and will close on Friday, May 30th  at midnight. For the eleventh Feast, we will be accepting a handful of proposals, and we are taking them on a rolling basis. We expect the grant to be in the neighborhood of $700–1000, depending on attendance and the amount of cash we collect at the door.

It's really easy to SUBMIT.

For inspiration, have a look at the past proposals.

Please help us spread the word far and wide.

Support NCAA Net Works: Buy A Book!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013 | Posted by Alex


Support another Feast Mass family member! Learn to craft hand-made basketball nets for empty hoops in your neighborhood.

Two years ago, the NCAA circulated a world-wide call for submissions designed by Golden Arrows. Artists/designers/everyone were asked to create original basketball net designs and to record their corresponding patterns and/or instructions so that participants might recreate these nets. As interest gained and submissions rolled in, a team of Boston contributors developed into a devoted collective including Taylor McVay, Andrea Sherrill Evans, Samantha Fields, Cara Kuball, Mallory Biggins, and Lizzie Curran. Together, they developed the vision and purpose of a book project and the elements it would need to expand the reach and accessibility of Net Works while also responding to many prior requests for help building new nets.

http://kck.st/1dd0cV6

Fresh Food Generation Needs Your Support

| Posted by Alex
Fresh Food Generation won a Feast grant in fall 2012, pitching inside the Food Project greenhouse, to a lovely audience of farmers, eaters, youth, adults, Upham's Corner neighbors and Feast-goers from all over the city. If you were there at the Public Kitchen edition of Feast, you remember what a solid selection of projects were in the mix that night. They all deserved to win, but Cassandria & Jackson were the ones who the audience chose to take home $1500 to start their healthy, farm-to-plate food truck. With the microgrant, they set up their website freshfoodgeneration.org, and made a Kickstarter video to take Fresh Food Generation to the next chapter: buying a truck.

This is where they need your support again. Check out the information on Kickstarter, and consider helping them make this important project happen. In their own words:

We want to improve access to healthy, affordable, cooked foods in low-income neighborhoods. This year we are launching a food truck that will serve on-the-go meals made with ingredients sourced from local farms. The truck will target neighborhoods in the Greater Boston Area with limited access to high quality foods and with high rates of diabetes and obesity.

We are committed to hiring young adults in the communities we serve to help operate the truck and lead food education marketing campaigns.

Accessing healthy, affordable foods in low-income neighborhoods can be difficult. Years of economic disinvestment, followed by the unwillingness of supermarkets to locate in these areas, have made the availability of quality foods limited. Corner stores, fast food chains and pizza joints have become the most widely available food options. It’s therefore no surprise that obesity and diabetes disproportionately affect residents of low-income urban neighborhoods.

Our menu is inspired by Boston's ethnically and racially diverse neighborhoods. We offer a global menu made with ingredients sourced from local farms and businesses. Our food can be found on the streets of cities around the world. They include Mediterranean Kofta, Jamaican Jerk Barbecue Pork, Dal Curry Vegetables, Mexican Black Bean Salad, and Kale Caesar Salad. We will make all of our garnishes, sauces and dressings in house, using the freshest ingredients. We will also offer seasonal chopped salads made daily with fresh vegetables. We strive to source our meats locally when practical and feasible.



The other night, we got a preview of their menu, designed by the talented Nadine Nelson. Trust us, you're going to want this food, especially the kale caesar salad.


http://kck.st/1dUt2Y3