Our Grants
Lauren’s passion for peace and justice for all of the world’s citizens was clear. We hope to help in our own way to enable and strengthen that same passion in others. This is the driving force behind our grants. We wish to provide the financial means necessary to assist those who are working to change the world for the better.
We work to alleviate the financial pressures placed on international volunteers. Let’s face it, volunteerism can be expensive. We hope to help relieve at least some of that burden, by giving qualified individuals the financial support they need to help complete their volunteer projects.
Since our beginning we have funded over 140 grant recipients to more than 35+ countries, totaling nearly $250,000.
We work to alleviate the financial pressures placed on international volunteers. Let’s face it, volunteerism can be expensive. We hope to help relieve at least some of that burden, by giving qualified individuals the financial support they need to help complete their volunteer projects.
Since our beginning we have funded over 140 grant recipients to more than 35+ countries, totaling nearly $250,000.
PAST GRANT RECIPIENTS
EmilyProject: Africa Heartwood Project
Country: Ghana Emily chose to work with Africa Heartwood serving an orphanage of Liberian refugees who were living in Accra, Ghana. This was a natural extension of her time with the Peace Corps where Emily also was in Ghana teaching art at a secondary school. Her 6 months of work with the orphanage also involved helping them get ready to resettle back in Liberia which took place in the summer of 2012. Emily was one of Lauren’s best friends and had grown up with her in Windsor, Co. The two often dreamed about a variety of international experiences and Emily has carried on this vision of being a global citizen. She is a graduate of CSU. BrianProject: Burmese Refugee Project
Country: Thailand Brian is pursuing a graduate degree in international relations from New York University and was the 2nd Lauren Project sponsored volunteer to work through the Burmese Refugee Project in Thailand. Brian spent approximately 2 months with the Shan refugees. His focus was on teaching English as a 2nd language and on working with teachers and social workers to improve their skills and training. In addition he spent time working on community health and wellness issues. |
TyshaProject: CSU Global Ecotourism
Country: Panama Tysha, was our first volunteer through SLiCE (Student Leadership and Community Engagement program at Colorado State University). She travelled to Panama to work with the indigenous population in building and improving ecotourism opportunities in and around the city of Achiote. The main focus was trail restoration and improvement of facilities that will attract tourists to this beautiful region of Panama. Tysha, who grew up in Hawaii, is pursuing degrees in biochemistry and sociology. SamProject: Come Let’s Dance
Country: Uganda Sam volunteered a month of his life primarily in Kampala, Uganda and also in the slums of Katanga. He worked through an organization named Come, Let’s Dance. He worked on community organizing around the issues of public health, vocational training and education primarily for orphaned children. Sam was a candidate for a Masters degree in Public Administration through the University of Denver and has since graduated. He spent one month on this project and is returning to Uganda in 2012 with a group of youth from the United States to increase their awareness and understanding. |
SarahProject: Hines Ugandan Ministries
Country: Uganda This was actually Sarah’s third trip to Uganda, all working with the Hines Ugandan Ministries. The purpose of her work was to assist orphans and widows with basic human needs including education, homelessness, and health care. Sarah made this trip while a student at Colorado State University where she is pursuing a degree in social work. MichelleProject: Burmese Refugee Project
Country: Thailand Michelle, was the first recipient of the LMJ Humanitarian award. She had worked closely with Lauren at the Moreau Center at the University of Portland. She had also completed her Masters degree in international human rights from Curtin University, Bentley, Australia before leaving for Thailand. Her international volunteer experience was working with the Shan rufugees who live in the border region between Burma and Thailand. This project is operated by the Burmese Refugee Project. Michelle created and maintained an art program among the children as a means of helping them express some of the feelings and trauma of the refugee experience. She spent 5 months on this trip and has since, been back to Thailand and hopes to create a non-profit of her own to continue to assist the refugees.
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PaulProject: CSU Global Ecotourism
Country: Panama Paul was also volunteering through the CSU organization, SLiCE. Paul has spent much of his time at CSU focused on multiculturalism and diversity. The trip to Panama was a natural extension of that experience to build his understanding of global economic and political issues. His work in building facilities in Achiote was a way to assist that region as they build up economic resources for increased ecotourism.
MariaProject: International Volunteer HQ
Country: Peru Maria spent her time working at the Cusco Medical Clinic in Peru. Having just completed her first year of medical school through Howard University School of Medicine, this volunteer experience involved doing triage and health histories with woman and young children, most of whom had never been to any kind of medical facility before. A native of Guam, Maria, has dedicated her life to caring for the poor and needy. She is a graduate of the University of Portland, majoring in biology. She too, had worked with Lauren at the Moreau Center, where they had organized a variety of opportunities for students to serve their community and to be responsible environmental stewards.
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The Lauren Moilien Johnson International Human Rights Award
The Lauren Moilien Johnson International Human Rights Award is a financial award intended to promote volunteer service around the world and increased awareness and understanding of global issues. Lauren’s passion was international human rights and this award seeks to support experiences that lead to a deeper commitment for solving the world’s problems caused by poverty, war, and injustice and to create life-changing opportunities as volunteers work among the poor and disenfranchised people of the world.
RECENT GRANT RECIPIENTS
“This I believe: That every man, woman, and child has the right to opportunity: the opportunity for freedom, the opportunity for education, the opportunity for health care, and the opportunity to enjoy their lives peacefully.”
- Lauren Moilien Johnson | August 27, 2008