Dear Levitate Community,
Thank you for your incredible support!
Year two of the Levitate Foundation, our most ambitious project to date, has made a meaningful impact, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Our mission remains to unite the Levitate community through fostering access to music, the arts, and outdoor experiences. With the unwavering dedication from our 1% pledge, sponsors, and generous donors, we’ve been able to turn our vision into action. Because of your contributions, over the past year, we have:
• Launched two transformative grant programs—Passion Projects and Varsity Projects— supporting creative initiatives and educators in our community, awarding 33 grants to provide over 1,000 people with access to music, arts, and the outdoors.
• Funded the Send A Kid To Camp program, providing scholarships that sent 100 kids to summer camp, creating opportunities for South Shore children to experience the outdoors.
• Supported student scholarships, helping the next generation pursue their academic and creative dreams.
• Expanded opportunities for aspiring musicians and students to explore and perform, connecting them with the wider community.
It has been such a joy to uplift creators, educators, and musicians, ensuring they receive the funding, recognition, and platforms they deserve. Your continued support is the lifeblood of these programs, and we are excited for what’s next.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Krissy Kennedy Executive Director Levitate Foundation
Pat Cullen Director of Community and Program Development Levitate Foundation
Thank You For Supporting Our Signature Event!
This summer, we threw a secret party steeped in stoke to celebrate the one year anniversary of the Levitate Foundation. We sank shots and raised glasses with an incredibly eclectic crowd of arts + outdoors lovers in support of a community made more colorful with access to music, art and the outdoors for all.
As the Levitate Foundation has picked up steam and rolled into its second year, we’ve been able to fund 33 incredibly unique grants intended to give creators the ability to tackle ambitious projects related to the arts and the outdoors and showcase the power of creativity and community in the process.
The early results from our “Passion Projects” and “Varsity Arts” grants are rolling in, and we’re truly inspired by the impact they’re already having.
Supporting leaders and mentors as they launch programs to share their often under-celebrated creative passions and uplift our communities.
Playfully named to highlight the overlooked nature of many creative pursuits, this program provides grants, resources, and supplies to mentors and organizations dedicated to sharing their passions with the next generation. We were extremely lucky to work with some incredible folks, who adamantly believe following your passion and expressing yourself are key ingredients to learning what you’re capable of and who you are. While teaching tangible lessons, these mentors / organizers were also keyed into the “hidden teachings” they were sharing: like how learning something new comes with a sense of self empowerment. Each of these programs are all about enriching culture, building connections, and giving young people a tangible look at where their own passions could lead.
500+ people impacted, 10 mentors and organizers rewarded!
Youth Music Programs
• Youth Music Programs: Rawkstars Inc teamed up with the Levitate Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield to create a music program that strikes a chord with the next generation. Powered by a team of local musicians and educators, kids at the club are being introduced to making and playing music in a fun, creative, approachable way!
• JULO Studios Mentorship: Julie is local potter who used her grant to give back to her younger self: inviting 3 students into her studio over 5 classes, giving them a space to create and gain a mentor in the arts.
• Art Throwdown: Meghan Dinsmore, Head of the Art Department at Marshfield High School, hosted a dream project during the Art Throwdown: bringing 8th graders into the high school to collaborate with upperclassmen for a day of creative teamwork.
• Launchspace: The Creative Sector Pathway Program prepares young people, ages 13–24, to enter the creative workforce by offering hands-on, real-world training in tools and techniques, creative workforce development, and opportunities for apprenticeships and paid internships.
ART Throwdown
Studios Mentorship
INTRODUCING
Empowering creators with grants to help them pursue under-celebrated creative passions that uplift their communities.
In 2024 we started the Levitate Foundation’s Passion Projects initiative - a total game-changer that’s making creators’ dreams possible through grants supporting their next big move in arts and outdoor projects. All too often, incredibly talented folks with mind-blowing ideas get stuck in that frustrating space between their having a vision and the financial challenges that keep that vision from becoming a reality. That’s exactly why we jumped in with both feet, creating this program that’s already helping some seriously incredible creators turn their big ideas into reality. From artists pushing boundaries to outdoor enthusiasts blazing new trails, we’re all about putting creativity on the highest pedestal possible and celebrating the amazing people who pour their hearts into these projects. The best part? We’re not just funding individual dreamswe’re helping spark the kind of creativity and stoke that spreads through entire communities, preserving local crafts and traditions while inspiring the next generation of creators to think bigger than ever!
Keystone Projects
• Community Stage Outdoor Classroom: Andy Bustin rallied the community to build a structure with a lasting impact. He partnered with “We Built This,” an organization that provides underrepresented communities with opportunities to learn timber framing, to create a community stage. This stage will serve as an outdoor classroom for the Fiddlehead School in Maine for as long as it stands.
• Ammy Gonzalez Rivera Mural At Cambridge Health Alliance’s Somerville Hospital: Ammy moved from the Dominican Republic when she was 12 and is currently a student at Mass Art. Having assisted on numerous murals, she was able to take the lead on her first Mural, getting paid for her work via her Passion Project Grant!
• Co Creative Sessions: Dena Haden brings incredible, world-renowned artists to lead workshops at the Co-Creative Center in New Bedford, MA. These workshops cover the artists’ journeys, business tips in the arts, and more, with all participants fairly compensated for their time, supporting the arts community in one of southern New England’s creative hubs.
Ammy Gonzalez Rivera Somerville Mural
11 Passion Projects Brought To Life Impacting Over 500+ of people.
The Levitate Foundation teamed up with the Marshfield High School Art Department and Art Club to raise funds for senior scholarship awards. Together, we were able to award scholarships to three talented Marshfield High School seniors Caitlin Scully, Autumn Puglia, and Mary Kate Young. We were excited to put them on stage at the Backyard Ball and display their art alongside some amazing local and international artists - all while seeing how appreciative our community is to have them in it.
From Autumn:
What did being in the Backyard Ball Gallery mean to you:
“It was a dream come true…to have my creative work be recognized and appreciated meant so much to me. I’ve never gotten to showcase my work before outside of school showings, and to hear so many positive comments on my pieces really made me happy. I also loved meeting the other artists in the community and seeing their artistic creations. The Backyard Ball Gallery gave me the opportunity to sell my first pieces of artwork and meet the women who bought them. Seeing how much she appreciated them and was so happy to have something unique and beautiful to bring home was really special.”
FOUNDATION “GET ON STAGE“
After the wild success of the 2023 Levitate Foundation “Get On Stage” program, which kicked off with inaugural winners Copilot absolutely crushing it, we couldn’t wait to dream up something even bigger for the 2024 Levitate Music Festival. We took a big leap forward this year, doubling down on our commitment to rising stars by featuring not just one, but two incredible acts on our festival stages, starting with the powerhouse Blue Light Bandits from Worcester, Massachusetts, who set the perfect vibe with their Friday opening set, bringing a killer mix of soul, rock, and funk that had everyone moving from the get-go.
To wrap up an amazing weekend, Gracie and the Good Boys brought their South Shore magic and infectious energy to the stage, showing off exactly why we fell in love with their sound. Both bands absolutely knocked it out of the park, proving that expanding our “Get On Stage” program was totally the right call, and we couldn’t be more stoked to support these incredible musicians as they make their mark on New England’s music scene. In 2025, we’re excited to expand our emerging creator spotlights to other sects of the arts and the outdoors, celebrating local legends in new fields - so stay tuned!
High School Art Excellence & Creativity Awards
Giving kids the chance to have an unforgettable summer exploring the arts and enjoying the great outdoors.
In 2024, we funded scholarships and financial aid at local camps and programs to make sure every kid can enjoy their New England Summer through an incredible camp experience.
Over 100 Summers were made.
CAMPS SUPPORTED
Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield
Crossroads/Camp Wing
Duxbury Bay Maritime School
Friends of Holly Hill Farm
Gnome Surf
Levitate Camps
Marshfield McKinney Vento Foundation
Mass Audubon North River Nature Camp
North River Arts Society summer
ARTventures
Summer Elements Nature Camp
World Ocean’s Day Beach Clean Up with COSTA
In June, we partnered with Costa Brand to bring together over 100 volunteers to clean up the Rexhame and South River beaches. Together, we were able to remove trash from the dunes, river, and rocks, and enjoyed a morning of getting the Levitate community together to do good.
Music & Arts Festival Volunteer Program
At our Levitate Music & Arts Festival, our volunteer program combined the efforts of the Levitate Foundation and the Boys & Girls Club to help support music, art, and camp programs at the Club and in our community. Over 400 people joined our volunteer crew to help park cars and scan tickets this year, helping raise money for a great cause.
SCAN to Learn more about our volunteer opportunities
Levitate
ART DONORS:
Alexis Wells
Amiee Empey Rives
Autumn Puglia
Caitlin Scully
Chris Gauthier
Connor Doherty
Ian Garland
James Burke
Julia Messinger
Karen Cass
Karie O’Donnell
Keith Conforti
Kelly MacDonald
Marykate Young
Nancy Collella
Page Railsback
Rachel Nerger
Robert Babcock
Spencer Morecroft
Thom Nyugen
BOARD MEMBERS:
Ed Farrington - Chairman
Dan Hassett - President
Amelia English
Billy Phalen
Jeff Picard
Jess Hassett
Katie Galaviz
Ryan Vangel
Britt Ryan
Chad Bruce
Chris Cunio
Chris Sherman
Sandy Olney
Stephen Buckler
Thomas Cussins
Tom Deininger
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Every time you shop, dine, drink, or attend a show at Levitate, know that 1% goes to the Levitate Foundation.
Want to join our efforts? You can donate online today!
VOLUNTEER
Join the Volunteer Team at our upcoming events, including the Levitate Music Festival, beach cleanups + more! Head to levitatefoundation.org to learn more.
APPLY!!
We’re starting our grant process for 2025. Visit levitatefoundation.org to learn more.
Give us a Follow on IG @TheLevitateFoundation
