Analysis + Purpose = Hot Cup Funding

10/28/2015

Hello Folks--

This isn't really a blog. This is a space to hold class while I am out of town. We are embarking on the grant-writing assignment. This is a pretty fast assignment. You can read the details on this website.

This space is for discussion and collaboration. Remember: you may work on this as an individual or in pairs.

PART I (AUDIENCE)
HERE IS THE QUESTION: Remember the work we did on Audience Analysis earlier in the semester? Use the same worksheet in the book to do an Audience Analysis of the granting institution (the couples who own the Hot Cup). Write your version of that analysis as a "comment" on this blog. Please post a paragraph about this topic to this blog space. Additionally, read what your classmates have to say and respond to specific comments or to the comments generally by either commenting a second time or replying to a specific comment. Each of you must post once and respond once.

By a paragraph, I mean if you laid your hand flat across the paragraph as if the paragraph were your eyes and you were covering them, you can just see a line or two sticking out of either side of your hand (how about that for a set of directions).

To post a comment: Click on the top "comment" button on this page.
To read a comment: Click on the bottom "comment" button on this page.
To reply to a comment: Click on the "reply" button on that comment page.

PARTII (PURPOSE)
HERE IS THE QUESTION: Post a second paragraph about what you intend to write your grant on. Identify what you see as the biggest selling points of your particular idea. Identify what makes it difficult to write about/convince someone else to fund. Share any research you found that might help you and your classmates write successfully (success in grant-writing is funding). This is not a competition in the real sense so there is no need to feel like you are hurting yourself by helping others.

As with part one, post a hand's worth of a paragraph to the blog and respond to all or one specific post.

ALL POSTING MUST BE DONE BY CLASSTIME ON WEDNESDAY, 4 NOVEMBER 2015.

37 Comments

Deanna

10/28/2015 01:19:43 pm

1. The readers of the grant proposal are Gary and Carrie Mocha, and Kevin and Melissa Latte, owners of locally owned coffee shop in Bridgewater, The Hot Cup. All of them have Bachelor's degrees, Gary's is in business, Carrie's is in accounting, Kevin's is in business, and Melissa's is in marketing. They are all primary readers. Prior to opening The Hot Cup, Melissa worked as a waitress in a cafe while her husband Kevin was manager of Whole Foods. The longtime friends came together in 2005 with an idea to open a coffee shop together. The four owners have their own responsibilties. For example, Carrie, because of her degree in accounting, handles the numbers, whereas Melissa is in charge of the coffee shop's promotions. The readers have a positive attitude toward the writer and the institution, having maintained a relationship with BSU. They expect to see a clear argument made for more rigorous recycling on campus, with details about benefits, budget and more. They are reading the document to offer suggestions and ultimately approve or deny the grant. They will probably study the document, since they are making a financial decision based off it. Their reading skills are average to good.

2. I chose to write my grant as a proposal for a program for more rigorous recycling on the BSU campus. I chose this one because I thought it would appeal to the readers, who has been selling fair trade products and supporting local farmers and businesses. I think the proposition for The Hot Cup to support a green initiative will attract the owners. I think what will be hard about writing this grant will be the financial research aspect of it. How much will it cost to implement the program?It is probable that the less money you suggest your program will cost, the more likely they are to approve it. At the same time, we don't want to underestimate the costs either. Some costs incurred would include the cost of barrels and recycling bins to place around campus, advertising for the new program and perhaps staff to help with the clean up of the recyclable items.

10/28/2015 04:53:08 pm

I don't think that the job is to spend as little money as possible; I think the job is to spend the money as thoughtfully as possible. The money is what the money is.

10/29/2015 11:14:21 am

That's what I meant, thanks though :) I just think it would be wise to figure out how much the whole program will cost in case it costs more than the $1,000 grant we're asking for. Want to be sure everything is accurate.

erica clavin

10/28/2015 05:03:09 pm

Deanna, I tip my hat to you. Very well thought out details regarding audience. I misunderstood what we were supposed to be doing for that section until I read what you posted. I find it interesting how you interpreted the information. I would definitly go to that coffee shop and want to reach out to the two couples based on the description you posted. Good job setting yourself up.

Alphonso Walker link

11/6/2015 02:14:14 am

Deanna,

Your concept is actually a great proposal. I think your problem will be in convincing The Hot Cup to support the green initiative. The idea is a good one but will it produce enough cash flows. And I believe your primary investment into this business will be key so money is very important.

11/6/2015 07:40:29 am

Actually, this isn't really a problem. The Hot Cup is donating this money. It's charitable. This isn't a business proposal.

Erica Clavin

10/28/2015 04:35:49 pm

A community garden or simplified recycling system are ideas that would benefit my personal experience at Bridgewater more than a bike share program, however I am choosing to pitch the idea of a bike share program. I do not even ride a bike, but I feel like a bike share program would benefit the students a BSU as well as the owners of The Hot Cup. The location of the coffee shop may be close to campus, but if students are in the residence halls across campus they may be less inclined to head over to the coffee shop. With strategically placed bike stations students could grab a bike and reduce their travel time which could potentially bring in more business as many students complain about the food on campus. Because The Hot Cup is a values-based business, they would also appreciate that a bike share program can also reduce our carbon footprint as well as reduce traffic within the congested areas of campus. The major challenge of this project is the fact that more money may need to be raised to make this a reality. This can seem as a major expense upfront, but can be implemented within the budget as a startup project. Because this may generate more income for the business, this could work to sustain the relationship between the school and the shop and lead to more funding for the other project ideas.

Brenna

10/28/2015 05:36:51 pm

Erica, I think the reasoning behind your bike share choice is fantastic. You clearly explain how this can benefit the business as well as the student body,

10/29/2015 05:48:53 am

Money is always the issue with these grants--as is the case with many grants. It's not enough money to do something in its entirety. So, let's go back to PURPOSE. What is the purpose of these grants? To contribute to the life of students and faculty at the university. So play the long game. If a bike share program will benefit folks long-term, then this money could be seed money. Will these readers be willing to fund something like that? In our imaginary world? I don't know for sure, but I certainly think a case can be made for that. There are lots of grants out there for folks to apply for that really are just money to figure out what they need money for.

The other thing I want to say is that if there was one thing that students seem to do with this assignment, and, sure, I do this to you on purpose, is that they think that the primary thing here is to do something that contributes to the business of The Hot Cup. But that's not the case. Being able to say they fund this grant is all the publicity they are looking for. They live in this community. They want to make the community a better place. They subscribe to a business model that says the happier the people are in their community, the more willing they are to get out and enjoy themselves and spend money at area businesses.

One other thing specific to bike share: let's imagine that the hot cup is in the town square here in Bridgewater, maybe right where the Better Bean is now. There was a fatal accident this past year between a pedestrian and a car. Also, parking stuff--the better bean closes on Sunday's because people park in the square making it impossible to park to get to the store. How might these factors help you write for a bike share program?

A larger question, for everyone, is where can you find data and information that will help you with you proposal? Information does your work for you, not words.

Elizabeth West

11/3/2015 02:41:42 am

Bike share programs are a great addition to any campus. My daughter attended a college in Florida and they had a huge program on campus. My daughter was very interested in it her Freshman year and was disappointed quickly with how the students left the bikes everywhere but at the racks and at how often the bikes were unavailable due to maintenance. In Florida the weather is a better fit year round, where as in Bridgewater, MA the bikes would need to be stored inside during harsher weather conditions. I support the need for bikes on campus. It is a healthy alternative for transportation and I think can be a wonderful program and positive addition to the BSU community.

Kathleen Doris

11/4/2015 06:51:04 am

Elizabeth, I agree that in Florida a bike share program is a wonderful idea and my concern with it is the weather, especially during the school year. As a company, I would not be likely to invest money into a project that is so circumstantial.

Steph

11/4/2015 07:23:26 am

When I studied abroad in Ireland, everybody had bikes and their bike share program was heavily advertised. Since the campus was so large, bike riding was an efficient way to get around campus. I personally feel like with a quicker form of transportation, students will be more inclined to go to those off campus places leading those businesses near by to sky rocket. Great proposal!

David Manning

11/4/2015 10:06:49 am

Erica, I agree with Brenna how explained how this benefits both BSU students and the business. I liked how you also mentioned how it reduces traffic and congestion in the area.

Yuexin

11/11/2015 01:09:52 pm

Eric, as you said, the program could potentially bring in more business to the coffee shop. I suggest the Hot Cup offer a discount to those who participate in the bike share program (like people who offer their bikes for free). This is a good way of solving the limited funding.

10/28/2015 05:30:08 pm

Audience Profile for BSU Grant from "The Hot Cup"

Marge and Harry Smith and Clara and Kyle Jones, Owners of the Hot Cup cafe in Bridgewater Center, just a short walk from campus. Marge and Harry graduated from Bridgewater State 15 years ago, they studied business together and have been married for 14 years. In addition to the responsibilities at the cafe, Harry is a professor at Massasoit Community College. Clara is Marge's sister, they grew up together in Bridgewater but Marge went to Boston University and studied economics. She met Kyle who is from Iowa at BU; he studied mathematics and now teaches at Wheaton College in Norton. Both couples live locally and enjoy sharing the responsibilities that come with running the cafe but the ladies are the primary operators. The sisters share child care responsibilities as well as the day to day operations of the cafe. Both couples are involved in the community and enjoy watching their donations put to good use. Passion is a huge factor for the sisters when they consider the proposals they review. They look for individuals that have a clear plan and evidence of successful delivery. Clara worked as a grant writer in prior to marrying Kyle so knows from both sides how to critique a proposal. The Hot Cup team expects to see a report that outlines the essential plan and also includes the details specific to success. More than anything, the benefits have to be detailed and the delivery of proposal has to be clearly outlined to include the spending and return on investment information. Based on previous grant funding, it is clear that the owners of the Hot Cup have a passion for their community and the environment. It is important for the Hot Cup to be associated with honesty and hard work. They will review every document in detail and consider only those proposals that represent a solid plan.

11/3/2015 02:28:20 am

I will be proposing a recycling program to benefit student run programs. The funds will be used to purchase an initial 20 bins which will be manned by 20 volunteer students. Clubs on campus will be approached to own a recycle bin (much like companies do with owning the beautification on the side of the road). The bins will be to collect the bottle deposit funds which will then be used to help student run organizations support their individual efforts throughout campus. It will be the responsibility of the clubs to maintain the recycle bin. Club leaders will assign the responsibility to individuals in the group with consequence of losing the bin resources should the maintenance (emptying in a timely manner) be inadequately monitored. The grant will fund the purchasing of the bins as well as the campaign to kick off the community involvement event. The clubs on campus will be invited to design their own recycling bin with the BSU community theme in mind. Should their be more than 20 clubs on campus committed to the program initially, votes will be cast for the 20 most spectacular bin designs as well as the idea of location of the bin. Future bins will be secured with a donation from the successful clubs until all clubs on campus interested in maintaining a bin are involved. Bottle deposit collection programs have been successful at many schools across the US. Clubs on campus will be inspired to raise money with the benefit of recycling. This program is a win win for the campus and community.

11/3/2015 04:02:46 am

This:

"Clubs on campus will be approached to own a recycle bin (much like companies do with owning the beautification on the side of the road). The bins will be to collect the bottle deposit funds which will then be used to help student run organizations support their individual efforts throughout campus. It will be the responsibility of the clubs to maintain the recycle bin. "

I think that the focus on student groups makes so much sense. In the past, this project has been complicated by not knowing how or where to put bins. But this "adopt-ab-bin" idea solves that problem. There could be competitive weeks where folks put their recycling in specific bins to support specific student groups. I wonder if the money has to go back to the student group or if it can go to a fund to support other kinds of recycling activities on campus. That's just a suggestion--SGA gives student groups budgets, some pretty large.

This is a nice, specific idea. Doable

11/11/2015 01:46:53 pm

Elizabeth, I like your idea of "accountability". But I'm a little confused about how to deal with the recycled stuff such as bottles.

Kasey Pilling

11/3/2015 12:29:18 pm

Elizabeth,
I like how you propose to involve student organizations, I did the same for my community garden proposal! I know as the treasurer of PRSSA that student organizations are always looking for ways to be involved on campus and give back to the community. These would be perfect ways to do that, and your recycling proposal is something easy and not time-consuming at all. Great idea!

Brenna R

10/28/2015 06:23:34 pm

Sally and Sam Sampson and Robin and Robert Robertson have been successfully running popular Bridgewater based coffee shop, The Hot Cup, for the past nine years. Sally and Sam, high school sweethearts and Bridgewater natives attended and graduated from Bridgewater State twelve years ago. Sally graduated with a degree in secondary education and now works as an English teacher at Bridgewater Raynham high school. Sam graduated with a degree in management with the desire to own a small business. He came up with the idea of the Hot Cup along with Sally’s brother Robert who chose not to go to college as he was happy and successful as a young manager of a popular chain restaurant. Robert left his job and now runs the Hot Cup with Sam full time. Robert met Robin who also graduated in secondary education from BSU through Sally. Robin also works at Bridgewater Raynham High School but as a mathematics teacher. Together the four had all the experience they needed to open this business. Seeing as all four owners have deep roots in the town of Bridgewater and continue to grow their families in the town, they are all very involved in the community and working on a brighter future for their own children and others. Regarding grant proposals, Sally is looking for a well written and communicated plan, Robin is looking for a realistic and well thought out budget, Sam is looking to see how the donation will benefit the business, and Robert is looking to see how the donation will benefit the community. The Hot Cup owners are looking for a realistic and beneficial plan to improve the Bridgewater Community.

I am choosing to propose a community garden to the owners of the Hot Cup. Seeing as the business supports local farmers it seems like an idea they would certainly be interested in. This type of garden can be beneficial to many local businesses, schools, BSU students, and Bridgewater families. My idea may be a bit farfetched at the moment but it is to have all these groups come together to plant flowers, vegetables, and fruits and then to later harvest them and host a community dinner with the products that will be grown. Hosting Bridgewater’s community dinner would be a great way to celebrate the Hot Cup’s tenth year in business and would bring the community together through local food, which of course is the best way to bring people together.

10/29/2015 05:56:42 am

Let's imagine this community garden: are there other campus partners that would be interested in this? Would Sodexo/Cafeteria folks? Would the Center for Sustainability? Would the Center for Social Justice? What about the Catholic Center? Thinking about what partners on campus might be interested in supporting a program like this could be useful in pitching and idea to the Hot Cup folks. As you and others have identified them, they are alums of the university. If there is anything I know about BSU alums it is that they are loyal.

10/29/2015 06:27:15 am

I definitely think identifying these groups and others will help my case so thank you for the suggestions. I am a big concerned about the idea of my "community harvest" because I really like the idea but it would be tough to convince another place to hold the event. I feel that the university would not be able to because of the tight food rules with Sodexo.

10/29/2015 11:19:19 am

I like how well thought out this is so far. I was initially attracted to the community garden, but then thought that going a little bit more green is something that this campus needs, and that small business owners who care about sustainability might care about too. Still, I think they would love the idea of a community garden as well. Plus, it will make campus look prettier. I think your next step is to figure out what will cost money to create this garden so everything is detailed in your proposal.

10/29/2015 09:24:59 am

I wouldn't worry about that. The grant can't fund everything. It will be able to fund, literally, the seed money for the garden. The only thing you'd use the community harvest thing to do is to demonstrate that you've got a plan for what to do with the garden--having a plan for what will happen with your project is appealing to funders, even if they aren't funding it.

And, in this alternate reality, let's imagine that Sodexo doesn't have a problem with it.

Kyle T

11/2/2015 10:20:25 am

Samantha and Jeremy Rowlandson and Allie and John Flynn are the four owners of the local Bridgewater coffee shop, the Hot Cup. Both Samantha and Jeremy graduated from BSU together and both had gotten degrees in marketing while Allie and John went to Suffolk for writing and Emerson for art respectively. Both of these couples currently live in Bridgewater and have an understanding of how the general community operates, so they have a large amount of pride when it comes to their town. Even though both Allie and John did not personally attend BSU there first born daughter is currently taking classes there and consistently fills them in on all of her college adventures. The four owners have always dreamt about starting this business together and are also very fond of giving back to the town itself by providing food and drink to school and public events like car washes and community fairs.
When it comes to receiving a grant proposal the four owners are very serious, they would not like to offer their own personal finances to something that would not turn out well or end up being useless or pointless. Because of this the grant will need to be well written and clear leaving nothing to the imagination. Fortunately for them, a well-proposed community garden may be something that the four of them are interested in.

Seeing that BSU already host Springfest and provides the students with a harvest-like festival a community garden is not too far from reach. As BSU grows more and more green space is being added but provides nothing more than just a grassy field to the campus when that space could be used for gardening. Like the more recent addition of the green space, providing the benches and the pond, other garden style landscaping could be done with minimal cost. Adding new bushes and plants and watching them grow over the years is something that everybody subtly enjoys. It would also never impede the feeling or flow that the campus already has. Seeing that families and others walk the campus for it’s beauty and paths, why not slowly beautify those walkways and make it generally more appealing. The idea may be a bit long term, but the progress made would be completely up to however much the Hot Cup owners were willing to provide; this would give them enough comfortable control to possibly sway their opinion. Brining this full circle, these plants, fruits, and vegetables could be further showcased at subsequent Springfest celebrations.

11/2/2015 01:24:51 pm

This:

"Like the more recent addition of the green space, providing the benches and the pond, other garden style landscaping could be done with minimal cost. Adding new bushes and plants and watching them grow over the years is something that everybody subtly enjoys. It would also never impede the feeling or flow that the campus already has. Seeing that families and others walk the campus for it’s beauty and paths, why not slowly beautify those walkways and make it generally more appealing. The idea may be a bit long term, but the progress made would be completely up to however much the Hot Cup owners were willing to provide; this would give them enough comfortable control to possibly sway their opinion. Brining this full circle, these plants, fruits, and vegetables could be further showcased at subsequent Springfest celebrations."

I think that the idea of connecting it to initiatives on campus already in full-swing makes a lot of sense. And you COULD put together a community garden pretty cheaply in, say, that lot that used to be a parking lot. You could do it for 1K. It's just open green space now.

11/3/2015 12:20:33 pm

Kyle,
I like the creative idea of incorporating the community garden into Springfest and the Autumnfest on campus. I agree that the community garden would be visually appealing and make better use of the green space that was once a parking lot.

11/2/2015 01:26:20 pm

What I think is interesting about the posts so far is how similarly folks have conceived of our grantors. There is certainly variation, but the picture we are developing is clear: local folks who care about local people and local issues. They are fairly well-educated and pretty altruistically minded. I think thinking about them this way is very helpful as we move forward with our writing.

11/3/2015 12:13:20 pm

Joe and Kara Welch and Jane and Nathan Souza, owners of The Hot Cup in downtown Bridgewater, are four local residents who are proud of where they come from. They have chosen to raise their children here as well, and want to make the future of the town as bright as possible. Joe, Kara, and Nathan are all BSU alum, and Jane, who was raised on a farm in Bridgewater, graduated from UMASS Dartmouth with a double major in economics and accounting. Jane was an accountant at a big financial firm in Boston, but wanted to do something less stressful and closer to home after she had her first child. This is when she and Kara, who grew up together, convinced their husbands to be business partners in this new venture so they could manage their schedules to cater to their young children and busy family lives. Joe and Nathan both graduated with management degrees; Joe had a concentration in business management while Nathan concentrated in marketing. Joe and Nathan share the managerial responsibilities. Kara has a bachelor's degree in communications, which had a concentration on public relations. As an intern, Kara was exposed to the many roles of a public relations professional, but was drawn to community outreach and the philanthropic aspect of businesses. It was her initial idea to award these grants, although all four do read the top grant applications (as decided by Kara) and have a say in who is awarded the grants. All four owners pride themselves in serving food that is locally grown and Fair Trade certified. They all understand and value the importance of fresh, local produce.
I am proposing the idea of a BSU community garden to The Hot Cup owners. With more awareness of the anonymous student food bank (Food 4 U) on campus, it would help students who may otherwise not have food with healthier options than the generally processed foods that are found in food banks. The community garden would give students access to healthy, fresh produce, which is something that can be expensive for anyone, especially college students. Student organizations on campus, such as PRSSA, fraternities, and SGA, are often looking for more ways to be involved on campus. The community garden would be the perfect way to get these groups involved and giving back. Plots in the community garden could be sold for a certain amount, say $50 for a 5x5 plot, and student organizations could purchase and be responsible for a plot (or more, depending on how big the organization is). Students involved in these groups, or interested in having their own plot, would volunteer time to help maintain their section of the garden and harvest the crops as they grow. The vegetables, fruits and herbs harvested would be donated to the food bank. Not only would a community garden be visually appealing on campus, it would provide nourishment to students who may not be able to afford food. Unfortunately, homelessness is something that is found even on BSU’s campus, so this would be a great service to our campus community. The start-up costs would include the creating of the space for the garden, seeds/plants, an irrigation system or water source, and security/gates to ensure the crops are not stolen or eaten by wildlife. The money from student organizations could help with these costs along with the grant. It is great to have community service projects off campus, but why not give students the option of helping other BSU students and donating time right on campus?

Dennis DaSilva

11/4/2015 07:11:21 am

I like your idea, getting student involved with the community, not only getting them to develop the garden but also giving back to the community. Also the option for a healthier lifestyle is something needed everywhere.

11/4/2015 07:01:07 am

I will be proposing a bike share program on campus. I truly believe that everyone, BSU, students and even faculty would only benefit from a bike share program. Riding a bike is a good idea for your health. Beside helping your health, riding a bike is also a viable option for the environment, it improves your cardiorespiratory system, relieves mental stress, burns calories and strengthens muscles and joints. We are living in a time that everyone is extremely busy and can't really take good care of themselves. A bike share program can promote a healthier lifestyle that your health will thank you later. The challenge for this program would be winter since it is practically impossible to ride in cold weather. But I like the idea of seeing more people riding bikes on campus and even outside campus.

Steph Starbard

11/4/2015 07:19:09 am

Long time Bridgewater residents, Robin and Charley Johnson opened up their café, the Hot Cup, in the center of town right near BSU’s campus. As BSU alumni and active members of the community, they strive to see Bridgewater students the most successful students they can be. Their purpose of opening up the Hot Cup was to provide community members, specifically students, a place to relax and unwind off campus. Here, they can start or end their day with friends over a nice cup of joe. Many students will actually come here to do their homework as an alternative to the Maxwell Library at BSU. They will also hold open mic nights and trivia games. The Hot Cup is always the place to be during the first few weeks of the fall semester. Once the weather gets cooler, they see their crowd decreasing week by week.
For this reason, I chose to propose a bike share program at BSU. Since the BSU campus is so large and parking is limited, it is hard for students to get around campus once the weather gets cooler. With a bike sharing program, students are given the opportunity to get around a much faster, efficient, and healthier way. I think that the Hot Cup would be a great place to sponsor this program since it could increase their business. Riding bikes to the center of town would get students there faster without having to drive in their cars. Since the center of town and BSU’s campus is constantly congested with traffic, a bike share program could alieve some of it.
A grant would help buy bikes, bike racks, and a small shed for the winter months. It is a tough proposal, but with enough effort can make a positive impact on the BSU community.

11/4/2015 10:46:08 am

This is my comment, not my reply. I messed that up by accident.

Gary and Nicole Looney are the co-owners of a local coffee shop in Bridgewater named the Hot Cup.They both have been married for over 35 years and are both Bridgewater State Alumni. Gary has a masters degree in Accounting and Nicole graduated with a bachelors degree in secondary education. Nicole currently teaches at Bridgewater-Raynham regional high school and only works at the Hot Cup during the summer. The business is primarily run by Gary and he hires part time BSU students to help him run the business. Both Gary and Nicole miss attending BSU and would love to give back to the community. They are both kind and caring people but do not have any children.
I am proposing a new community garden at BSU because it is beneficial to all BSU students and not easily criticized. A bike share program is not beneficial because it is freezing in the winter and not many people like to ride bikes in the cold. Since a majority of the student population is only around for less than half the year and most of that is cold, I do not believe that is the best idea. The Bridgewater State campus is relatively medium sized and everything is in walking distance. A new recycle program is a good thing to have, but with BSU students getting 10/100s all the time it could be easier to have them clean the campus for the ten hours of community service. I believe a community garden is the best option of all because we could have students plant flowers in memory of lost loved ones. Since Gary and Nicole have been married for over 35 years, I'm sure they will agree.

Tori Gervais

11/4/2015 11:31:29 am

Valerie and Ben are a married business team, and the proud owners of the Hot Cup Café. Valerie received her degree in psychology, and has spent much of her young life (she’s 35) working within the Bridgewater school system’s as a counselor for students struggling with anxiety and depression. Ben received his degree in business, and also has a minor is sustainability. Ben spent much of his young life traveling and researching sustainable farming methods that could be successfully implemented in his home town of Bridgewater, where he met Val. Both Val and Ben are passionate about the holistic health benefits of an organic plant based diet, and incorporate their love of nutrition into their business. The Hot Cup is a dream come true for the couple because it allows them to offer organic, vegetarian, and vegan options to the local college students in a town that primarily offers pizza and fast food. Val works incredibly hard to create a Zen, relaxing atmosphere in Hot Cup and strives to make it a place where stressed students can take a break from the heavily populated and highly distracting school facilities. Ben handles Hot Cup’s finances, while also working very closely with local sustainable farmers in Bridgewater to be able to offer the organic menu options that allow the Hot Cup to stand out in a college town where the green movement is so prevalent. Given that the local college students make up the majority of their customers and have helped to grow their small business into what it is today, Val and Ben jumped at the opportunity to be able to make a donation that would give back to Bridgewater students. They are open to a plethora of grant proposals, and just ask that the cause they donate to be environmentally conscious, as well as something that can be sustained for years to come so future classes are able to reap the benefits of their donation as well.

Given Valerie’s passion for mental wellness and student counseling, and Ben’s invested interest in sustainable farming, I think that a community garden would be a great way to allow those values to coexist. Horticulture therapy is an up and coming form of treatment for people who suffer from depression, anxiety, and even PTSD and a variety of mental illnesses. The community garden would act as an outlet for students to escape from the stresses of school and enable them to submerse themselves in the natural world where they can work with their hands while engaging in the therapeutic process of gardening. Gardening has been proven to help reduce human cortisol levels, which is a hormone that plays a huge role in stress response. Not only will a community garden allow students a mental break from the chaos of a long school day, but it will also provide them the satisfaction of growing their own fruits and vegetables. The students would then be given the opportunity to sell their crops at the local farmer’s market. The proceeds will then go towards fun schoolwide activities and events. This not only gives students incentive to help tend to the community garden, but it also allows them to feel a rewarding sense of pride in the work that they have put in when they see that they too are contributing to BSU’s ability to hold exciting events for its students. Val and Ben’s grant would go towards the building of raised vegetable and flower beds, the cost of seeds, natural fertilizers, and gardening tools for students, and creating an enclosed area for the garden beds where they will be protected from natural elements. I believe that this grant proposal will really appeal to Ben and Val due to its environmental consciousness, the mental and physical health benefits that it would provide students, and finally the fact that the garden will continue to make the school money that it can use to put on events for students to celebrate all of their hard work.

11/6/2015 02:47:31 am

Tori,

I don't know how you came about with this idea of combining mental illness and gardening but I will like to thank you because I think it is a beautiful idea. I worked in nursing homes for couple of years and what I have seen is most people with mental illness love the outdoor and including them into such projects are worth a million.

Patrick mcguinness

11/4/2015 03:07:43 pm

I think that a new bike program would be beneficial for the BSU community. This would help any student that want to actively workout but don't have the time to with the swamping workload of school work and whatever other obligation people have. This is also a good idea for the environment, instead of driving around campus and having to deal with the hassle of finding a spot. Biking becomes the most efficient, and healthiest way for everyone.

Winnie link

12/16/2020 04:16:17 am

Appreciate this blog poost

Analysis + Purpose = Hot Cup Funding

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