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In 2005, I participated in my employers Food & Toy Drive Committee. We were in the process of choosing a non-profit organization to sponsor for our Holiday Silent Auction Event. It didn’t take me long to find Free Arts For Abused Children. Their bright colorful website pulled me in and I began reading about who they were and what they did to help abused and at-risk children. I immediately fell inlove with the stories and pictures that they displayed. After they recieved the proceeds from our silent auction, it didn’t stop there with me; in 2006 I decided to become a volunteer as well. The team that ran Free Arts were wonderful, full of energy, and just about the nicest people you could ever meet. I wanted to do whatever I could to help by bringing them to our community services events, and participating in their Art Explosion Committee because I believed they were making a difference in childrens’ lives. Volunteering and seeing children participate in special activities has been very rewarding for me. You can see the changes in their attitude and behavior from the moment they walk in, to the moment they finish their project. I remember one Free Arts Day, there was a teenage girl who was a bit quiet and reluctant to participate. The first task was to come up with a word to describe their current emotion. She stared at her blank canvas for awhile. Some volunteers casually went by to encourage her. After seeing other girls write words like, “Anger”, or “Sadness”, she began to write as well. Perhaps knowing it was ok to actually write what you were feeling, or that she wasn’t the only one who felt that way, may have helped. She later created one of the best works of art I have seen. I understood then, that every inch of that painting was an expression of her emotions; all the rich colors she chose, the chaos and structure in it, every brush stroke, all represented something she was feeling at that moment. Her frown turned into a smile after it was completed. She knew what she had accomplished, step by step. That was an amazing experience for me, to see the postive changes happening to someone right before my eyes. Their smiles and laughter are worth a thousand words. I have seen many wonderful works of art from kids of all ages. You can clearly see that Free Arts helps build confidence and self-esteem through their workshops and activities. I can honestly say that Free Arts has a special gift. Not only do they have the tools to help children, they also have the kind and positive energy that children need to be around. The volunteers they train have that same quality as well. I am honored and humbled to be a part of Free Arts for Abused Children and will continue to show my support.

This wonderful organization does everything possible to help the at-risk children of Southern California. I don't know how they manage because there are so many children and not enough funds to help them all, but they do. The staff is always available and always so grateful for the help of the volunteers and the community. Recently they held a t-shirt decorating workshop so the volunteers could design their own t-shirts to wear when they volunteer. I was impressed with how well Free Arts took care of us and also the creativity in the t-shirt designs. I'm sure that for the children to see such expression on the volunteers' clothes will go a long way toward inspring and comforting them.

I've volunteered for Free Arts for the last couple of years. I have seen how the programs contribute and enhance the childrens lives. Free Atrs is truly and amazing charity, it has several different programs that help build self esteem in abused at at risk children.

While I was working I always felt I was too busy to volunteer, then in April 2007 I left my job. I quickly became bored and heard of VolunteerMatch and there I found Free Arts for Abused Children and it touched and broke my heart, I immdediatly contacted FAFAC,By November 2008 I was a volunteer,it was the best thing I could have done!!!! I truly enjoy every Free Arts day I attend!! I especialy like to attend 5 Acres Residential Home. There is always one child that tugs at my heart and I want to bring them home with me!!! I have recently started the process in becoming a Special Friend to this lovely needed children!! I love Free Arts for Abused Children the staff is very kind hearted and a very wonderful organization. Hugs, Leonor

I have only been a board member for a year, but in that time, Free Arts has touched my life greatly. I had been looking for a place to serve in the community for a while, but never quite found the right fit. This is it! I am an artist myself, who came from a very dysfunctional family. Growing up, art was my solace. It gave me a place to escape the pain and express the feelings that were raging inside me. The at-risk and abused children we serve don't have access to the art materials that most kids take for granted. This is where Free Arts comes in. We provide the missing link - the materials and the tools to help them express all that is going on. The healing process even for a brief few hours begins. These hours build on themselves and at the end of a volunteer program, you have a group of children who start to feel better about themselves. Their self-esteem increases and consequently their presence in the community becomes less threatening to those around them. I was privileged to attend a Free Arts day at a girls’ home in Hollywood. The girls entered the room with an attitude of why do I have to be here. They were angry, shut down and very defensive. We handed out canvases and paint, magazines and found objects. They could paint anything that came to mind or use the materials for reference. It was a profound experience to watch these girls slowly lower their wall of defense. The one young girl I was working with treated her painting with such care that it became a meditative exercise. After awhile she softened her demeanor, made eye contact and even laughed. On a soul level there was healing taking place. By giving these kids a chance to express their feelings, we had made, even for a brief few hours, a difference in their lives. They were treated with respect and dignity, given a chance to be themselves in a non-threatening and non-judgmental environment. I left with a great sense of joy that I had made a difference in a young persons life. With your support we can reach even more of these children, giving them a chance to move beyond the limiting perimeters that currently define their lives.