On April 28th 2017, Design for America of NYU had its Spring Showcase. The organization had worked one 5 projects focusing on various issues faced by the multiple communities
The 5 projects during the showcase were:
- SS Columbia: A winner of the Spring 2017 Prototyping Fund, Phase-1, the project received $500. The project aimed at transforming a 100 year old boat into an interactive experience for youngsters, while riding on the boat across the Hudson river. The steam boat will begin its journey in June 2017.
- The NYU FREEdge: This project tackled serious issues faced by the students of NYU helping reduce food insecurity and thus increasing the affordability. The project was also a recipient of the Spring 2017 Prototyping Fund showcase, but received a Phase-2 grant of $2000.
- The incubator Club for Credit Union: This project worked on helping the population aged 50 and above to begin their own start-ups, hence debunking the theory that creating start-ups is a young person’s game. The team also won the Financial longevity challenge by OpenIDEO, and received $4000.
- New York State Court Signage: This project tackled the issues faced by the multi-cultural individuals who go to court for many proceedings. The team worked to develop clear and concise signs that can be used by people to navigate across different types of courts across the State of New York.
- Mobility devices for the elderly: The team worked on building two different kinds of devices: a safe shopping cart and an all-terrain cane— inspired by stories told by over 400 elderly people, caregivers, physical therapists, clinical social workers, and other experts in the field. The team received the Phase-1 Spring Prototyping fund of $500.
The highlight of the evening was announcing that the organization received the NYU President’s service award, and receiving certificates of appreciation from the New York State Senate for their excelling work in the field of Social innovation.
