Projects
2025 ONGOING PROJECTS
Cycling Without Age (CWA) Impact Campaign
In 2025, the foundation partnered with our 2024 Lens of Hope award recipient, Cycling Without Age, on the film’s impact campaign
- We provided a grant to create an online toolkit to assist individuals who want to know what it takes to start a local CWA chapter.
- The foundation covered the travel expenses for three of the filmmakers to attend the National Bike Summit, March 11-13, 2025, in Washington DC. A screening of the film was followed by visits to Capitol Hill so conference attendees could lobby their elected officials.
- In April, we hosted several events in Colorado Springs and Pueblo, CO, where we participated in regularly scheduled trishaw rides, raised awareness about CWA, recruited more volunteer pilots, and raised over $3000 for these two Colorado chapters.
- In July, the foundation partnered with the filmmakers and the Santa Barbara CWA chapter to host a series of events in the Bay Area to promote Cycling Without Age. This included a free outdoor screening of the film along with trishaw rides in downtown Redwood City as part of the opening night program for the 2025 BraveMaker Film Fest. The next day we hosted rides from the Atherton Library to a nearby park to introduce this work to key stakeholders and local residents in the area.
Learn more info about the film
Learn more about the CWA toolkit
The Power of Small Film Screenings
January–July 2025
- At the end of January, we partnered with the filmmakers on a 3-day virtual release of the film that was watched by more than 650 people nationwide. We used this event and three virtual Q&A sessions to announce our Kindness Grant Initiative (see below), one the key aspects of the film’s impact campaign.
- In April, Terri Bullock and Shel Milligan participated in a community screening and Q&A to increase awareness about the work of the Ben Lomond Village Alliance. The event helped to raise $7000 to support various BLVA projects.
- In May, the film screened at a reception for the UCLA Anderson MBA Class of 1980 class reunion. Attendees at that event donated generously along with the foundation’s match gift to raise a total of $10,000 toward the Altadena Wildfire Relief efforts sponsored by the Altadena Rotary Club.
- At the Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride, CO, May 23-25, 2025, The Power of Small screened for two capacity crowds for over 750 audience members. Terri Bullock joined Tom Shadyac and several filmmakers for a panel discussion on the topic, “Changing the World through Kindness, Compassion, and Spirit.”
- On July 25, 2025, at the Indy Shorts International Film Festival, The Power of Small played to a sold-out audience in the Lens of Hope shorts program along with 2024 and 2025 Lens of Hope award recipients, Cycling Without Age and The 17%.
Kindness Grant Initiative
One of the key aspects of the impact campaign for The Power of Small was a Kindness Grant Initiative demonstrating that small acts of kindness can have an outsized impact.
L.A. Wildfire Relief. Our initiative started with ten $1,000 microgrants that were donated to organizations that were involved in the relief efforts after the wildfires in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. These grants were donated to a diverse group of grassroots community organizations and local faith communities who were providing immediate relief and acts of hospitality and kindness for individuals and families impacted by these devastating wildfires.
Weekly Kindness Grants. At the end of February, the foundation began awarding a $1000 microgrant each week to organizations and individuals who presented us with projects to creatively spread kindness in their communities. We received more than 500 applications, engaged a team of more than 25 volunteers who reviewed these applications and recommended deserving recipients, and the foundation awarded more than 30 grants by the end of August 2025.
The TDB Family Foundation believes that small acts of kindness can be a powerful force for change. The inspiring stories about these creative ideas for kindness and their amazing ripple effects can be found here:
2025 COMPLETED PROJECTS
Lens of Hope Award presented to The 17%, directed by Aaron Johnson
This was the second annual award presented by the foundation to both the filmmaker and the nonprofit work highlighted in the film. The film also won the coveted Audience Award: Documentary Film. The 17% tells the story of Collette Devitto, a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome who used the rejection she experienced with every job she applied for as motivation to start her own baking company and hire 15 other people with neurological disabilities. Collettey’s Cookies is changing the world – one cookie at a time.
General Operating Grant for Heal Ukraine Trauma (HUT)
July 2025
Peak Education – Youth Health Ambassador Program
For 25 years, Peak Education has been empowering youth and driving meaningful changes for educational opportunities in Colorado Springs. We have joined other strategic funders to launch a new Youth Health Ambassador Program. Led by an experienced healthcare professional, this program will provide wellness education and mental health resources for Peak Ed youth and their families and will create a youth ambassador program to help high school students earn college credits and explore career opportunities in the healthcare field.
The Carter Center’s Mental Health Newsroom Collaborative
March 14, 2025
2024 COMPLETED PROJECTS
The World Premiere of The Power of Small at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival
Our short film about kindness, directed by T.C. Johnstone and produced by Kristen Johnstone, had its world premiere at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival. We were honored to receive the Grand Jury Prize for Best Featurette Documentary.
Youth Documentary Academy VIP Reception
November 16, 2024 – Colorado Springs, CO
On Saturday, November 16, at the Cornerstone Center for the Arts at Colorado College, YDA presented the World Premiere of new films produced by the Class of 2024. From immigration and body image, to faith and family, from homelessness and namesakes to memory and motherhood, 13 budding filmmakers unveiled powerful and poignant work that opened the door to courageous conversations.
Heal Ukraine Trauma Advocacy Video from Burn A Light Productions
TDB Family Foundation provided funding to support a Burn A Light Productions
promotional video for Heal Ukraine Trauma. The concise and powerful short video shares the organization’s mission statement, its purpose, and its importance to assist their strategic needs.
Lens of Hope Award presented to Cycling Without Age
July 24–26, 2024 – 2024 Indy Shorts Film Festival, Indianapolis, IN
Daughters Film Screening and Panel Discussion
TDB Family Foundation hosted two film screenings and panel discussions with Co-Director, Angela Patton, cast member, Chad Morris, and Impact Producer, Lisa Mazzotta. Daughters is the story of four girls who participated in a transformative empowerment program, Girls for a Change, as they prepare for a momentous Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers who are going through a unique fatherhood program in a Washington DC jail. Daughters made its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and took home two awards: Festival Favorite and Audience Choice: U.S. Documentary Competition.
The Carter Center’s Annual Week Event – Screening of “The Test”
Terri was honored to attend The Carter Center’s Annual Week event to hear updates on the powerful work it is doing around the world. This year, the event was at Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego. Terri was given the opportunity to share the film, “The Test” with the other guests. She shared the film because it relates to the center’s work promoting democracy, supporting caretakers, and working to bring awareness and progress in the mental health space.
26.2 to Life Screening and Sponsorship of Life Strides Foundation
June 7–9, 2024 – Colorado Springs, CO
Panel discussion with Markelle “the Gazelle” Taylor, Melissa Stapanowich, Life Strides Director, and former state Senator Pete Lee. 26.2 to Life explores the transformative power of San Quentin State Prison’s 1000 Mile Club, in which incarcerated men train for and run an annual marathon and complete the hard work of rehabilitation for a second change in life. This running program inspired a similar running program at the local juvenile detention facility.
Learn more about this event at the following links:
CuriOdyssey’s 70th Anniversary Celebration
TDB Family Foundation Sponsorship of “Night at the Museum.” As a nonprofit science museum and zoo, CuriOdyssey lets kids loose to observe wild animals, experiment with scientific phenomena, and let the natural world answer their questions. We treat kids like the geniuses they are.
“The Test” Screening and Panel Discussion
Learn more about this event at the following links:
Being Michelle Film and Panel Discussion
February 7, 2024 – Roundup Fellowship 50th Anniversary Fundraiser, Colorado Springs, CO
Learn more about this project at the following links:
Using Film to Build Awareness,
Engagement and Philanthropy
Our founder, Terri Bullock, joined film producer, Sudnya Shroff (Fremont), for this engaging panel discussion and reception hosted by Caridad Partners and Forward Global.
2023 COMPLETED PROJECTS
The 50 Film Screening – Beach Break Film Festival
Provided direct engagement in the planning and promotion of a film festival screening, VIP reception, and moderating a panel discussion with the Director and three formerly incarcerated subjects in the film who are now actively working as peer counselors in their communities.
Learn more about this project at the following links:
“A Divine Journey” Screenings
The foundation hosted these two private film events to introduce people to “A Divine Journey”, and help raise financial assistance for Supportive Pillar Organisation, created to build a leadership academy for refugee orphans and help marginalized youth access education in a safe and loving environment.
In The Dirt – Film Screenings
Major Sponsor for World Premiere of In the Dirt at Crested Butte Film Festival. Organizer and Host for Colorado Springs Screening of In the Dirt. Provided direct engagement and promotional support for both film screenings and support for cast members and families to attend both events. Coordinated fundraising efforts to generate support for Silver Stallion Bicycle and Coffee Works.
Gratis 7 Productions and In the Dirt
Youth Documentary Academy – 10th Anniversary Events
The foundation provided significant financial support and direct assistance for two signature events to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Colorado Springs-based Youth Documentary Academy. We also provided the initial funding and recruited additional partners for a matching gift incentive that helped to raise more than $10,000.
The Pet Cross
August–November 2023
The Pet Cross offers free veterinary care to the pets of senior citizens, low-income families, and the homeless with a mobile vet clinic at convenient locations in Colorado Springs. The foundation provided a grant to cover basic operational expenses, introductions to other sources of funding, and technical expertise totaling over $15,000 in support.
Camera as Witness: Screening of Violins of Hope – Strings of the Holocaust
The foundation promoted this event at the Stanford Research Center and participated on the panel for this film that featured Israeli master violinmaker, Amnon Weinstein, and his efforts to restore violins from the Holocaust.
Watch Violins of Hope – Strings of the Holocaust streaming on PBS.com
Social Impact for Education:
Opportunities, Equity, and Hope
Major partner for two film festival screenings, moderated a panel discussion, hosted and luncheon and VIP reception, and coordinated nonprofit impact tables focused on transformative educational opportunities in three documentary short films: Finding Ubuntu, Developing Our Future, and Barefoot Empress.
The Power of Small – Kindness Film Project by Gratis 7 Films
The foundation is supporting the pre-production phase of a film on kindness, The Power of Small. In a world longing for compassion, imagine gathering a diverse group, endowing them with unexpected financial means, and setting them on a single mission: spread kindness. No rules, no supervision – just empathy as their guide.
Learn more about Gratis 7 Productions and The Power of Small
Vibrant colors illuminating beauty, joy, and hope.
Tireless movement illustrating possibility, endurance, and resilience.
Prolific pollinators inspiring collaboration, connection, and healing.
These beautiful creatures remind us
that even a single person can help transform the world,
making it a better, kinder place.
Be a hummingbird.