Order of Fuse Awards $25,000 Grant to The Cookery Project

Spring Soiree

In May our membership organization, Order of Fuse, celebrated the end of the membership year with a Spring Soirée. At this grand finale event with live music by Roman Street and good food at Bistro St. Emanuel, we also awarded the Sam Schjott Thumbs Up Order of Fuse Grant for $25,000 to The Cookery Project. 

This competitive grant is awarded annually through a nomination and voting process by Order of Fuse members. Additionally, Fuse Project matched the $25,000 grant and will be evenly distributing it to three other grant applicants' projects which will also impact The Avenue community. These projects include City of Mobile Swim Association’s Water Safety Initiative, Round But Square Art Studio, and Flourish. 

The Cookery Project

This year’s recipient, The Cookery Project, is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to instilling healthier eating habits through food literacy and life skills training to economically disadvantaged youth in South Alabama. The mission is to engage and empower children and adolescents through food sourcing, nutrition education, and culinary experiences. The Cookery Project has four key pillars that guide its goals and desired outcomes: the importance of knowing how to source and grow affordable food, understanding the impact of nutrition and healthy eating on our bodies, developing a love for cooking as a lifelong skill, and advancing STEAM education through culinary experiences. The Cookery Project intends to partner with Florence Howard Elementary School and build 10 aeroponic garden towers. Through these towers and potential farmers market and culinary club, The Cookery Project could serve up to 480 people in The Historic Avenue Foundation community.

City of Mobile Swim Association’s Water Safety Initiative

The grant funds enable this program to educate students from Florence Howard Elementary School in water safety and swim lessons. The two-week, 8-class program was held over the summer to accommodate the busy schedules of enrolled families and will continue throughout the school year. Enrolled students are provided with the opportunity to learn how to swim and potentially save a life. CMSA provides each student with a pair of goggles and a t-shirt. Additionally, students will be registered as a USA Swimming Outreach Athlete and become eligible to join the City of Mobile Swim Association as a member once they have sufficient skills.

Round But Square Art Studio

Round But Square's mission is to empower people to live artful lives, develop creative confidence, and experience self-expression through art as a healthy alternative to screen time. The art teachers of the studio intend to partner with Florence Howard Elementary School to provide art education and the resources to invest in the creativity and confidence of the children in The Historic Avenue Foundation community. Resources and teachers will be provided to children so they can leave with art they are proud of.  Kids being kids, able to express themselves.

Flourish

Flourish is a community that empowers teen girls to grow into the women they were created to be. They offer life coaching, mentorship, and skills training for over 20 girls weekly in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Grant funds will be used to connect the Flourish community and the Avenue community together to equip and empower teen girls to excel and flourish in all aspects of life through life coaching, career training, and personal development. These funds will also allow them to expand their health and wellness mentoring into The Historic Avenue Foundation. They plan to execute a monthly gathering for THAF community girls at Fuse Factory to offer Flourish services.