Art With A Heart

I Used To Work As A Teacher's Assistant For Our Schools Here In Fort Walton Beach, Fl. I'm Glad To Hear That There Are Programs That Help & Teach Our Future Generation The Tools That They Will Need Going Forward In To The Future Of The Technical World. One Of The Schools Here Makes Stuff Out Of Things That The Students Had Collected Out Of The Landfills. People Would Be Surprised At What You Could Make Things Out Of That People Throw Out And This Is One Way To Help Clean Out Some Of The Landfills. Ms. Michelle Buck

My daughter always looked forward to her Tuesdays there at the program. She would tell me "I have Art with a Heart tomorrow". She was so proud of the pieces she created and the showcase was just wonderful.

AWH is a great program for those with any interest in the arts. I enrolled my daughter for the first time last fall and she loved it so much she was able to get her friends to enroll for the next session. My daughter especially loved showing off all her hard work at the art exhibit, she even invited her principle to the show. My daughter looks forward to coming to AWH every week.

My daughter loves Art with a Heart and was so sad to see it end this year. It is amazing what she was able to do in the short amount of time and looked forward to going each week. It was great to see how excited she was each week and she couldn't wait for the next class. I recommend this program to any parent who has students who are interested in art.

My daughter has attended 2 sessions of Art With A Heart's after school programing and we could not be more pleased! My kiddo loves all the engaging art activities and researching new artists each week. As parents, we appreciate all the exposure to new art materials and processes that Art With A Heart provides in a fun and structured learning environment. We can't wait to enroll next school year!

Art With A Heart came into our lives and gave my daughters an experience they will never forget.
At an early age they became involved in the after school program that was offered at their school. This gave them and extra curricular activity that I as a single parent could not manage financially. As time progressed and the girls learned more and were exposed to all typed of art forms, their interests in art grew. As did our relationship with the AWH staff, they became our extended family
My daughters were were accepted to the Honors program. They continued with the program for several years. As they became teenagers they felt the need to give back to the program through volunteering. They were able to share their love for art as well as help the young children of the program experience what they had. It was very rewarding to them to work with these children and see them learning as they had years before.
I am so thankful to this program for helping my daughters gain an appreciation for the arts, giving them experience of many art forms that they may have never experienced.

AWaH is a wonderful organization and I am so proud to be a part of it. As a Kindergarten teacher with the Creative Connections program I get to witness weekly the impact this program has on my students. During this 90 minute time my students are allowed to move in three rotations creating and talking "art". It is a highlight of our week. Thank you to the generous donors who make this rewarding program possible.

I am a retired teacher with 40 years of experience so I know a great educational value when I see one! AWaH stretches every resource to help children learn, grow, and celebrate creativity and kindness. I know how precious classroom time can be, and I love the way AWaH is designed to reinforce reading, math, and social skills while giving children a chance to enjoy ART! I love the way AWaH students learn to respect and encourage one another. I love the way AWaH programs allow teachers and volunteers to give children extra attention by increasing the teacher to student ratio! I love the way my AwAH gift goes a l-o-n-g way to enrich the lives of underserved children.

I watched my reluctant kindergartener perk up every Tuesday morning because he knew that in the afternoon, there would be Art with a Heart. I knew he loved the sessions but once I started volunteering as a teacher with the program, I could really see some of the wonderful ways it impacted our children. In addition to valuable and fun art time, the lessons taught our young learners to work slowly and carefully, to plan how to use their space. As they drew in pencil and then traced with markers, I saw them develop control--weekly scribbling fast became careful composition and I have little doubt it built handwriting skills. I loved the lessons because I could see how it taught the students a routine of collaboration and mutual respect. As the group worked on the week's "letter" drawing, each child got to make a suggestion for one thing everyone should add to their drawings--let's add all eyes, let's all add a pet.

Finally, as a former nonprofit arts education professional, I was dazzled by the careful and financially conservative model Art with a Heart established. It's amazing how much they can accomplish for such a limited budget. I'm confident every penny donated to this organization has maximum impact on our students.

I am a AWaH volunteer and always enjoy helping young children get their creative juices flowing. Last week we had the letter U and the children giggled when they learned underpants started with the letter U. There were several unicorns drawn wearing underwear. Such a joy to see them having fun with art!

My daughter loves the Art with a Heart homeschool class. The teacher is fantastic, the classes are well planned, and the kids have a blast creating art together.

My two children (age range 7 and 13) BOTH love the homeschool art class. They look forward to going every week and they love telling me about what they are doing. AWAH provides a wonderful variety of classes to different age groups at a very reasonable price. We definitely will be going next semester!

Both of my children love their homeschool class. It is the only event we do outside of the house that nobody whines about going too. The teacher is amazing. The projects are educational and fun. They are very proud of every piece of art they finish. Thanks!

My son been in the program for a long time and he loves the atmosphere. He also he has improved his techniques does amazingly drawing.

WE LOVE ART WITH A HEART! Our daughters have been active members of AWAH for 5 years. It is not in the most convenient location for us. So, I will be honest, I have asked them EVERY YEAR if they'd like to continue. They always answer with a resounding, "YES!!! It's our favorite thing!" The instructors have always been patient and helpful. Both of our children have learned so much and I feel like the creativity they express at AWAH seeps into all other areas of their lives!

Art With A Heart has been a great outlet for my daughter improve on her natural artistic skills. It has also been an avenue for her to meet new people and foster new relationships in the process. It truly is a great program. I hope it stays around for many years to come.

My child has some learning disabilities. The large group instruction offered in his classroom did not engage him. The small group instruction Art With a Heart offers is just what he needed. Finally he felt successful in school. This built his self esteem and helped him in all areas. AwaH is the one thing my child looks forward to each week. Thanks for helping my child feel successful so he can be successful. He views himself as an artist and I cannot thank you enough.

My child loves this program. He looks forward to it every week.

We participate in the Home Educators arm of AWAH! We love it. It is great to be able to do art projects with others to inspire you and in a group setting that is obviously not available in a typical home setting. The program not only includes creative art, but art history, art technique and culture studies.

With out a doubt Art WithaHeart was the best way for me to let the beauty of this God created world be manifested in children.
The children delight in their creations and art With a Heart really celebrates each Child's joy in the creative process.

Great service to the community. I really enjoyed teaching the kiddos in underserved populations. Great way for them to see and be seen. A unique service and place where kids can shine creatively. 5 stars. Too bad a "real" job has taken me away from services like this.

Keep on keepin' it real AWAH !

I am a Kindergarten Teacher in the public school system and am a part of the Kindergarten Connection Program at our school. This is my fourth year of the program and I grow to love it more each year. Not only are my children getting a strong art foundation but they are also able to enjoy the sheer pleasure of creating. I love the way the program is tied into other curriculum areas and has a literature base for each lesson. As a teacher AWaH allows me to connect with small groups of children and for 90 minutes each week put aside the pressures of education today and just let my children be children!

I have worked with AWaH as a teacher and volunteer. I am always impressed with their dedication to the arts and children of Indianapolis.

As a former Board Member of Art With a Heart (2007-2010), I can attest to the high level of programming and educational experiences provided to the children it serves. Art with a Heart is an amazing organization that brings color and vibrancy into children's lives while integrating state standards in other areas (math, literature, etc.) into a visual arts education. I cannot wait until my own daughter is old enough to attend one of its summer camps!

Such an amazing organization doing equally amazing things for Indy youth! Nothing but great experiences all the time!

I am an artist and art instructor and have had the privilege to bring art instruction to at risk High School kids in an alternative setting. This would not be possible without the insight and quality leadership I have experienced with ART With a HEART. As corny as it sounds they truly do have a heart for making a difference in kids educational experience through art instruction and integration within the school setting. I have found their organization and leadership to be hands on , adaptable and approachable only solidifying my opinion of the impact they make on the communities who get to utilize their expertise .

My first involvement with the AWH was when I attended the annual gala a few years ago. It was an amazing evening and was a great showcase for the gifts these kids have. The organization is truly a fantastic gift to the kids it serves. These kids are provided a creative outlet that is usually desperately needed. It provides them with a chance to not only improve their skills, but their self confidence as well. We proudly display a large painting created by one of the kids that we bought at the gala, and it brings a smile to our face daily. Thrilled to support the organization and all that it does!

As an art-loving Senior in high school, I’m extremely happy to be involved in Art With a Heart. I've been with the organization for about two years now, both volunteering in the classroom, and fundraising and recruiting volunteers as a member of the Junior Board, and I have nothing but good things to say about Art With a Heart. Art With a Heart gives its kids an opportunity to exercise their creative minds, and the finished art projects give each child a feeling of success and confidence. Enter an Art With a Heart classroom and you’ll likely see happy little hands hard at work on a project, such as the yarn bowls made during the 2013 summer program, or selecting crayons to make a blank white paper blossom into a unique illustration during a free drawing opportunity. When volunteering in the classroom and on the Junior Board, it's clear to me that the staff and board members are truly dedicated to the cause and care deeply about the children they're serving. The teachers treat each student with respect and affection, supporting them in their artistic process. I cannot overemphasize, Art With a Heart is a wonderful nonprofit.

I got the chance to work with Art With a Heart during a really cool motoring exhibit that reached out to a variety of different audiences that may not usually have a regular exposure to an organization like Art With a Heart. The interactions I had with the staff and volunteers of Art With a Heart left me with a truly positive outlook on their organization and what they do for the youth of Indianapolis!

I first became involved with Art With A Heart when I was a sophomore in high school, and it has changed my life. By serving as both a Junior Board member and a two-year summer volunteer, I was able to work firsthand with the staff and experience what was going on behind-the-scenes. My time spent volunteering in an Art With A Heart classroom in a homeless shelter has been a blessing as I've gotten to know kids who thrive doing art in a way that is totally unexpected, even to them. Art With A Heart provides kids (many of whom do not even have access to simple materials like crayons at home) with the opportunity to genuinely understand and explore different art forms, and that is incredible. Moreover, I have loved my time with Art With A Heart because of its fantastic people. The staff is wonderful, full of quirky and passionate people who are no-holds-barred dedicated to their cause. Their enthusiasm is infectious.

I have attended Art with a Heart events in the past, met many of the staff and board members and have nothing but positive things to say about their mission, their culture and their resolve to help children succeed through the arts.