8 Acquisition International - Issue 6 2022 a typed document, or a handwritten note in crayon, Puffin Foundation West takes each application seriously. As Java Kitrick states, ‘we are NOT the National Endowment for the ARTS.’ Everyone’s goals, dreams, and ambitions are taken seriously – ‘We have railroaded over the cliff as a people, as people forgot that we all once had a DREAM.’ As a result, Puffin Foundation West’s portfolio is highly diverse, and filled with important organisations. One leading example is that of Photo Voice, a non-profit organisation that originates in the United Kingdom, which gives cameras to particular groups to record their stories. Puffin Foundation West provided the organisation with a grant that enabled the provision of cameras to a number of trafficked young women, which resulted in the women documenting their lives over the course of a few weeks, many of these photos-with permission-were exhibited in a gallery. A young girl, aged only 14, was sat on the steps to her house when she witnessed a fatal drive-by shooting. Her school came together and decided to clean up the area, removing litter, and making the street habitable for its residents. In the grand scheme of things, this was a small action; however, it had a notable, positive impact on the street’s residents. Puffin Foundation West was contacted by the local neighbourhood centre who asked for a grant to hire a sculptor. The artist created a wire-mesh, life-sized sculpture of a native, wild buffalo, within which, the garbage collected was placed. This sculpture is one of three in the city that Puffin Foundation West has funded. In addition, Puffin Foundation West has had a great amount of experience contributing to prison-oriented projects. It is undisputed that the United States’ legal system is flawed – according to the Prison Policy Initiative, the US has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world. This is further supported by Statista’s research that shows that as of May 2021, the United States had the highest prisoner rate, with 639 prisoners per 100,000 of the national population. In 2020, 2.12 million people were held in American prisons – in comparison, China’s prison population reached an estimated 1.71 million people that year. A significant project that Puffin Foundation West funded was centred around former inmates that faced homelessness. The ex-inmates were brought together via a theatre organisation that allowed each man to tell their stories within the framework of a play – not only is this cathartic, but it also provides them with support that they may not have elsewhere. They build skills creating set pieces, lighting, sound, and costumes, and are provided with the opportunity to take part in a performance for a paying audience. Furthermore, Puffin Foundation West has funded a similar organisation that goes into prisons and establishes choirs. This project was exceptionally beneficial, as music is known to have a great effect on the psyche and is often used as a from of therapy. Cleveland Clinic confirms that music therapy displays a positive impact psychologically, emotionally, physically, spiritually, cognitively, and socially. It has been shown to improve memory, lower blood pressure, enhance self-regulation, and much more. Additionally, Puffin Foundation West has worked on a project that focuses on dance – the inmates are encouraged to express their emotions through movement, but they are not allowed to touch. Puffin Foundation West’s most recent venture comes in the form of the 5050USA.com project, which has been designed to start a virtual movement across the United States. Inspired by the AIDS Memorial Quilt, a project that began in 1985 and has culminated in a 54-ton tapestry that includes nearly 50,000 panels dedicated to more than 110,000 individuals. The 5050USA.com project hopes to have a similar impact. ‘We want to show the world that the American flag is not just a symbol. Instead, we are a UNITED people who are loving, stalwart, caring, compassionate, empathetic, have integrity, are loving and we are kind. We have forgiveness, respect, we are thoughtful and considerate, responsible, devoted, friendly, warm, and sympathetic, concerned, reverent, faithful, and so on. We are sure you can come up your own words that demonstrate our wonderful qualities as egalitarian people through 50 million stories, be they long or short, drawn or photographed,’ writes Java Kitrick in the projects mission statement. The 5050USA.com project hopes to cultivate a virtual highway that displays positivity, radiating the positive aspects of life across the United States. Additions must be written respectfully; however, they do not need to include names. Simply, all the writers must include is where they are from, be it north, south, east, or west, and share positive news or stories. Java finishes the mission statement by exclaiming that there is ‘strength in numbers.’
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