Budget
$5,000.00
Description
Characters of Character seeks Sponsorships for us to host character building classes at local YMCA'S and Libraries to share character messages. Classes include an Activity Book, a character in costume and painting the character on canvas to bring the character to life and take with as a visual reminder to be of good character. Our Characters are Behavior Bear, Do'er Duck (perseverance), Friendship Frog, Healthy Hippo, Manners Monkey, Respectful Rabbit, Responsible Rabbit, Self=Esteem Elephant and Warm-Hearted Walrus. Joni discusses the character trait with the audience and provides a step by step instruction on how to paint the character on a canvas as a visual reminder. The traits are reinforced at home with printed materials that the child takes home for the family. Your Sponsorship will be displayed on a banner, on our printed materials and YOU will make a difference in the life of a child and help build a better community.
Program Successes
Parents have thanked us for what we do. Children have had moms create their own Halloween costume to dress as Do'er Duck and Manners Monkey. The Characters of Character earned a National Promising Practice Award in 2005 which is where they began their journey. Today, there are over 30 published books, characters are live in costume and the organization has grown by donating Superhero Activity Boxes to Children's Hospitals in Tennessee, Texas and Illinois with so much appreciation. The characters are making a difference one child at a time.
Beneficiaries
Children
Families
Long-term Success
The introduction of a character allows a child to internalize and understand the meaning of the trait. Children embrace the character, engage in activities and are empowered by these important messages becoming role models, becoming inquisitive of what each one means as they build their character for a lifetime of learning, growing and becoming of good character themselves.
Short-term Success
The introduction of the characters brings excitement to a child and they want to learn more as they engage in these messages.
Program Success Monitored By
The success is seen in the child at home, at school and in the community building better citizenship and character.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee

Budget
$50,000.00
Description
Characters of Character would like to open facility/space in the Nashville area. With a space to call 'home' is best for others to find our classes which will provide drama, litereacy, communication and art with character building lessons and activities. We would like to be able to rent a space in the area to make sure these classes will be utilized and draw the community in. Painting classes for Mommy and Me and Daddy and Me, school visits, other youth organizations to visit, families, etc. of all whom will engage in character building activities, learn about the character trait and become empowered by the message to pass along in the community, their home and their circle of peers. There are nine characters, all have social stories, activity book, in costume, provide resources to teach the trait through social discussions, through literacy and through art. All very engaging. Scouts have enjoyed classes and activities, schools, libraries and homes. We just a space to provide classes
Program Successes
Earned a National Promising Practice through Washington D.C. Character Education Partnership, earned the One of the Best Charitable Companies of in our Illinois community, testimonies galore, thank you's galore, students from years gone by finding us on social media and remembering the characters, grants to provide costumes, Published over 30 books, earned Great Nonprofit in 2020, earned Best Small Business in 2018 and recently learned that the Nashville Predators Foundation is funding us so we can provide 250 of our Superhero Activity Boxes to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital and the East Tennessee Children's Hospitals. What we are looking forward to is a space to call home and to plant our roots, grow with the communities and empower, engage and excite Tennessee with our Characters of Character.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities  - Arts, Culture & Humanities, General/Other 
Beneficiaries
Children
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
Today, we work from home, Covid has limited our classes. With a space to provide the community to come in and engage in the various character building activities will benefit the children, the schools, the families, libraries, organizations, etc. and empower them with these vital core values to become role models, to internalize the trait, to walk the walk and to understand what it means to be of good character. Our characters are in costume, have visited children's hospitals, libraries, schools, homes and community events. To have a space to call 'HOME' or "Character Corner" will bring a better awareness to the services that we provide. We want to partner with schools to have students write about the various traits, situations that arise and then perform them with the character at local theaters while inviting the community in. I had a mail box display at the school I taught, students wrote letters, drew pictures to the character and I brought any issues to the forefront. Amazing!
Short-term Success
The short term of the space will be that we will at least be able to get messages out to the community to empower the youth in these civic values. Our mission is to provide a firm foundation for children to establish strong civic values and there is no better place to plant our roots than Tennessee. We will provide volunteer opportunities with the high school students, other organizations, host painting classes, etc. Hoping to offer classes sponsored by local business to partner with, hold food drives, etc. to engage the community. Short term, at least there will be a foundation to grow with teaching social skills, communication skills, fine motor skills, literacy, art and so much more. We always say, "making a difference one child at a time" and it's just that. WE now donate to children's hospitals with our Superhero Activity Boxes we created and designed, and our current project is our Confidence Building Activity Boxes. Soon, we will have activity boxes for each of the characters.
Program Success Monitored By
The success will be monitored by the visually engaging projects and activities children and the community will become involved in. A school Principal said it best, "your characters have improved the climate and culture of our school. i hear conversations about the characters all day long. This would not have been if it were not for your Characters of Character" I had another parent look for us at an Expo which we attended the year before because she said she has seen nothing like us, of all the vendors at the Expo, ours added the most value to her children. We are not replacing parenting, we are reinforcing these traits, providing resources and activities for parents and schools to use to help teach their children, to empower their students and to build better communities. We all know society needs a lift when it comes to values, good behavior, perseverance, respect, being kind, having healthy habits, good manners, being responsible, being a fried and having confidence, hence, US.
Program Areas Served
Nationwide-planting roots in Tennessee to call home sweet home