When asked about the New Hampshire PBS shows they love, Briana Feola and Jason Snyder, the team behind the Dover-based design company Brainstorm, have no shortage of answers. There are the childhood classics, of course. To this day, Jason keeps figures of Bert and Ernie from SESAME STREET in his office. For her part, Briana reminisced, “I just remember Mr. Rogers being such a huge part of my everyday.” As adults, they continue to draw inspiration from PBS. They became THIS OLD HOUSE fans when they bought their home, and as avid travelers, they love RICK STEVES’ EUROPE. They’re also big fans of FINDING YOUR ROOTS, and LIDIA’S KITCHEN is one of Briana’s go-to cooking shows.
It’s appropriate, then, that the duo has put their artistic stamp on the thank-you gift for NHPBS’ Program Fund Match, a fundraising initiative designed to keep the quality programming that makes NHPBS a trusted, valued and essential part of viewers’ day on the air.
How You Can Support Your Favorite Shows
“With the loss of federal funding and 18% of our budget, NHPBS was forced to make some hard choices, “ said NHPBS Vice President and Chief Content Officer Dawn DeAngelis, noting that the station has cut back on acquiring programs beyond the core offerings from PBS. This new fundraising match is a chance for donors to double their impact and invest in their favorite shows—plus, show off the exclusive bandana they’ll receive as their thank-you gift.
We love PBS because it feels like it represents me, it represents the things I love and it represents my community. – Jason Snyder, Brainstorm
“Thanks to the generous support of several anonymous donors, we have the opportunity to unlock $100,000 in matching funds,” said DeAngelis. “Every donation will be matched dollar for dollar and used exclusively for the NHPBS Program Fund. Not only will we be able to continue purchasing British titles and other popular series, but also invest in local programs—on-air and online.”
While investing in independent media is its own reward, Brainstorm was happy to contribute their talent to designing colorful bandanas, which come in light blue, bright pink and marigold, as a unique thank-you gift for those who contribute during the match. “It was a no brainer,” said Briana.
“We love the whole vibe behind viewer supported independent TV. I think you would be hard pressed to find an artist who is a big champion of corporate TV,” Jason elaborated. “We love PBS because it feels like it represents me, it represents the things I love and it represents my community.”
Drawing Inspiration from the Granite State
As with the programming the NHPBS Program Fund will support, an emphasis on community, a sense of place and education are recurring themes in Brainstorm’s work. The bandanas feature dozens of hand drawn, quintessentially Granite State icons, from the COG railway, skiers and moose to covered bridges, tapped maple trees and historic mills.
The couple, who have called New Hampshire home since 2011, said they wanted the artwork to display an insider’s appreciation of New Hampshire. “What is that one thing that, if you saw it, you would know that only a local knew to put that on there,” said Jason. “Those are the little things that we love to sneak in.”
The look of the bandanas is also influenced by their love of thrifting, especially old books and vintage postcards. “We were always seeing old graphics in these books, and we thought they should come off the page,” noted Briana.
It’s a style steeped in classic fun and lifelong learning, an appreciation Briana says was forged, at least in part, by the programming she watched on PBS growing up.
“I think PBS inspired my curiosity as a child. It was an inspiration to me to grow up and be curious,” she said. “I credit a lot of who I am to the educational programming I watched as a child, and I am eternally grateful to PBS for being a part of my life.”
Whether you want to keep your favorite shows on the air, help NHPBS grow, innovate and serve your community, or you just want to snag a cool bandana, you can double your impact and unlock our $100,000 match at nhpbs.org/match.