Project Make-A-Difference
Project Make-A-Difference
Project Make-a-Difference

Project Make-A-Difference is a grants initiative of Foundation for Roanoke Valley that will involve the community in “crowd-powered philanthropy”.  The initiative will proactively educate the community about local nonprofit organizations and community needs and will encourage citizens to take an active role in making a difference in the community – one vote at a time!

How does it work?
Foundation for Roanoke Valley will select two local nonprofit organizations in the Roanoke Valley to participate in each quarterly grants contest.  The two selected organizations will be featured and profiled on the Foundation’s website whereby the community will cast votes in support of their favorite organization.  The voting period will last one month.  At the end of the voting period, the organization with the most recorded votes will receive that quarter’s grant of $1,000.  Foundation for Roanoke Valley will have sole responsibility for final verification of totals and determination of the winning grant.

Congratulations to our November winner!
Blue Ridge Autism and Achievement Center will receive $1,000 to purchase
four Nook Colors to be used by its Preschool, Autism and STARS
(students with learning disabilities) program staff, students and families!

Blue Ridge Autism and Achievement Center

The Nook Project for BRAAC is a unique opportunity that utilizes the Nook Color to serve the language, communication, academic and reading needs of our students using multi-sensory approaches that are more affordable for application both in school and in home, by our parents and staff. The Nook Color allows students to experience full color, interactive audio books and learning applications, as well as communication aids through innovative applications, such as “Tap to Talk.” This project would be used in small group learning situations, such as group reading, where all of our students would benefit.

Why is this project important?
Imagine a child communicating for the first time! Imagine a group of preschoolers navigating their way through technology while reading together! The Nooks will be used by all of the students in our school, regardless of their learning challenges. The Nooks will also provide a multi-sensory approach to learning by this engaging tool for language and reading instruction, have internet (wireless) connectivity and thus near limitless possibilities for online learning, and allow our nonverbal students a way to communicate. Our students need access to technology!