Meet the Atomic® Grant recipients!
Genevieve Cornish, Lakeville MN
Genevieve Cornish is the latest recipient of an Atomic® Grant – she and partner Gena Patrella have started a new community – Caregivers Connect – which supports families and working professionals who are caring for a child or adult with unique medical, intellectual, physical, emotional or behavioral challenges.
Round 1 – Colombian Influence
Round 2 – Love for Words
CaTyra Polland, Rochester, NY
CaTyra is CEO of Love for Words, an editing boutique, so she knows the power that books and reading can have on making change happen to individuals and communities. CaTyra plans to use her grant to help children develop a love for reading through book donations, a “read-a-thon” and writing sponsorships.
“The books I am donating to local elementary schools feature characters who look like the students. Black students deserve to read stories they can relate to, appreciate, and enjoy. I remember being a girl in school and not finding many books that included characters that I was able to connect with. I want to change the narrative for today's youth. It warms my heart to know I can add one more book to the collection of students' personal libraries.”
Erika Poesch and Resa Schier, Minneapolis, MN
A two-woman team that has started a podcast series about Colombia and adoption after they discovered they were adopted from the same orphanage in Bogota. Their hope is to ultimately grow their offering beyond the podcast to family services and travel assistance. Listen and subscribe to their podcast here!
“The word “adoption” can have a negative connotation to some, and we wish to not only change that, but explore why. The presence of this topic in mainstream media is another step for our world to be open and understanding. Adoption also expands the idea of privilege to another demographic. When the two of us met in 2018, it was quickly discovered that we were both not only adoptees, but had been adopted from the same orphanage in Bogota, Colombia.
Upon meeting, the feeling of sharing emotions, hardships, joys, and challenges led us to a content mindset that we normally don’t experience. The emotional impact that adoption has had on our lives is just a small sliver of the possibilities for other adult adoptees, and it’s very important for us to include as many stories as possible.
Creating an accepting community where everyone is proud of where they come from, and feel supported by people like them is our purpose.”
Round 3 – Bella Nava Creation
Round 4– Caregivers Connect
Genevieve Cornish, Lakeville MN
Genevieve Cornish is the latest recipient of an Atomic® Grant – she and partner Gena Patrella have started a new community – Caregivers Connect – which supports families and working professionals who are caring for a child or adult with unique medical, intellectual, physical, emotional or behavioral challenges.
Brandie Itman, Shakopee, MN.
Brandie is growing a thriving baking business from her home, a venture that started after she made a birthday cake for a friend.
Brandie discovered a real passion for not only baking, but bringing people together through food and celebration. When adversity hit her family, she realized how much she cared about it, and what it took to build.
Brandie plans to invest her grant into building a community for baking to help others, and an upgrade to her tech equipment that captures her creative process.
Genevieve Cornish, Lakeville MN
Genevieve Cornish is the latest recipient of an Atomic® Grant – she and partner Gena Patrella have started a new community – Caregivers Connect – which supports families and working professionals who are caring for a child or adult with unique medical, intellectual, physical, emotional or behavioral challenges.
