Artists Of America
Target demographics: The children we help are from low income areas, between the ages of 4-18 years old.
We are particularly concerned about the situation of foster children when they “age-out” of the foster care system.
Within 1 year of leaving the foster care system, 80% of these young people are:
In JAIL
HOMELESS
or DEAD,
Yes, dead.
With upwards of 550,000 children in foster care every year, the cost if these statistics in human terms is enormous.
It is not just the undeserved pain in the kids’ young hearts—it is the cost to our society in terms of
TAX DOLLARS spent in the correctional systems, the money spent trying to repair broken lives, and the sheer economic loss caused by these potentially productive citizens not entering into the workforce.
And think about it:
what kind of parents will these kids make, if we haven’t shown them love and mentoring?
It boggles the mind, and breaks my heart.
Direct beneficiaries per year: 1,000+
Geographic areas served: California, New Mexico, New York
We step into the gap created by school budget cuts that eliminated the art (visual, performing and literary) classes in the schools.
Children need art education to teach them how to problem solve and think creatively. Society benefits from workers who can think, read and write...all of which is enhanced by art classes.
Research proves that math and science scores go up when students have art education.
Without education in the arts, where are our future thinkers, scientists, and visionaries going to come from?
900 children.
The classes included:
Dance
Cartooning (this is a big hit with boys & girls!)
Poetry & Movement
Drawing
Painting
Creative Writing
StoryTelling & Learning to Read
