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.

Art With a Heart is a unique organization which provides a much-needed service to the youth of Indianapolis. I recently had the privilege of working with Art With a Heart's leadership, staff and board to formulate their strategic planning. The dedication to delivering high-quality, life changing programming via the arts was extremely impressive. Even more important was the constant desire to improve and expand their services to create much needed, generational improvement for our city.

My experiences with AWAH have all been very positive. The director and staff are all professional and of highest quality. Not only do I support the cause but I would highly recommend its to anyone seeking / needing the services AWAH provides.

I first learned of Art With a Heart through a friend who served on the board. The mission to offer QUALITY art education to every child regardless of her situation spoke to me. Personally, the opportunity I was given to experience art in school helped to steer me toward a career in art direction. Time spent creating art made me feel confident and capable as well as joyful. Every child should be given the opportunity to see how art can fit into their lives. We hear stories about schools removing art education from their curriculum every day and it is a beautiful and hopeful thing to know that an organization is working to keep art in the lives of every student. I joined the board this summer and have been delighted by the commitment and passion of the staff and administration that I have worked with. I have also been impressed by the many different programs that service the children of this city in the ways that meet their specific needs, as well as the specialized training that the instructors receive. This organization has a huge heart and is doing great things.

Art with a Heart is a dynamic vibrant organization dedicated to making a lasting difference in the lives of a primarily economically challenged client base. Their work is very "hands on" and the mission is to teach young people about the joy of the visual arts. They accomplish this mission every day by working with excellent teachers and establishing very high standards for each program they embark upon. I have been an arts management professional for over 30 years and Art with a Heart greatly impresses me with their commitment to genuinely working to create positive transformational moments for thousands of students each year.

Art With a Heart is truly amazing. They are dedicated to making a difference, and they do every day. Not only are they passionate and intuitive to community needs, they are also extremely organized and get things done. I always look forward to working with them.

I am a nonprofit marketing and development consultant with more than a decade of experience specifically in the arts and arts education programs. I have worked with the Art with a Heart staff and board for the last year and a half in a consulting and advisory role. The organization has grown tremendously during that time and I know that they are making solid and sound business and program decisions that equate to lean operation and reaching more people with their programs and services.

Art with a Heart is a life-changing organization for underserved youth. The programs are not focused just on artistic product but on personal growth and development - meaningful engagement and personal development through arts education.

I have been so moved by the work of the organization that, after offering advice many times from a consulting standpoint, I found myself giving of my own time and money to help the staff better achieve their ambitious goals. The organization is one of the most well run I have encountered in Indianapolis and I am honored to be associated with their powerful mission to provide hands-on visual arts experiences that educate and inspire at-risk children. Those who have not witnessed their work yet are missing a remarkable opportunity.

My daughter has attended Art With AWAH classes for five years.She was first introduced to AWAH offered as an after school program, then she later was introduced to the Saturday morning Honors Art Class. The classroom experiences she's had, have helped her to be able to see the world in a whole new light. AWAH has helped her hone the skills she already had, and has given her new skills to work with. I am a single mother, and AWAH has given my daughter opportunities she may have not otherwise gotten. She was even picked to present a piece of artwork that she alone created to present to the Founder of AWAH, at this year's fundraiser/art exhibit! AWAH gives our children a positive way to express themselves, and has opened a lot of doors for out younger generation. I personally want to thank AWAH for everything they have done for our family

I became aware of AWAH through my daughter, an art teacher by profession. Through her I learned of the hard work and dedication AWAH has in helping children appreciate and develop their artistic talents. As a citizen of Indianapolis, I am very concerned that our community foster art, music, literature, and theatre in our children. It's part of what makes a community wholesome, desirable, and beautiful. AWAH is working tirelessly to do that. And I thank them for it.

My daughter has been part of Art With A Heart for over 3 years. We learned about it through her Catholic School summer program Great Spirits in Indianapolis. From that summer program, my daughter has participated in the Saturday honors program with Art With a Heart. This program has provided affordable yet exciting and educational service for my daughter. She has worked with mediums ranging from clay to water color to "trash" to felt to building small models. The teachers are kind and work well with the kids. This program has provided my daughter with a release and with self esteem that I could not do for her myself.

Hello, I'd like to say AWAH is a great program for children of all ages and parents who are involved in their kids development. You never know how much talent your child really has until you get them involved in something educational, exciting, challenging and fun all at the same time. That is what AWAH has been for me and my daughter's experience and it's been our 1st year with the group, my daughter Maxene has learned a lot with the group, she's 12 yrs old and loved the different projects AWAH presented each weekend, techniques learned aside from painting. I encourage anyone with a child interested in art, painting, drawing or culturally inclined to bring their child to AWAH program. I'm the parent of an AWAH student and I LOVE being involved with their activities and working with the children. Happy 10 yrs AWAH and many more to come with future artist. Lyz Wilkins

As a fellow Art Educator and colleague I have had the pleasure of witnessing how much of a difference Art With a Heart has made in its surrounding community. The organization provides many beneficial services to the youth of the Indianapolis area as well as to children in need from other areas of the world. True compassion and care is shown by each individual that is associated with Art With a Heart, the curriculum is carefully selected and concentrated to meet the needs of every student that participates the Art With a Heart afterschool programs and summer workshops.

I was the summer intern for two months in 2011, and Art With A Heart is really a spectacular organization. The staff truly cares about the children that they work with, and they really want to make a difference in their lives. Since the children that AWAH works with are all at-risk, it's essential that they continue to be exposed to organizations like AWAH in order to give them a positive outlet for their emotions.

My son has been involved in the program for several years. I watched as it helped him with not only his love of creative arts but also his application of what he learned to other areas of his life.

This has been an awesome expierence for my girls. They both go to the Saturday art class. The teachers are great, talented and very kind to all children. When my kids enjoy something, i know it is a good thing!! They also going into lower income neighborhood schools and teach art after school.

This organization's daily classes are carried out by dedicated college students and recent graduates who are passionate about helping young children and teens find a place in life when they have little to no support surrounding them - doing this through art. At a very young age children are given very high quality art supplies to use where their ideas pop off the page and are vivid! The atmosphere of smiles, confidence and calmness fills the classrooms. My 13 year old child is a student of 5 years now and has used more quality supplies and more mediums (printmaking, ceramics, charcoal, various paints, pencil, wax) then a college student. What amazes me most the diversity of students from low income families that this organization serves. They bring together all races creating another level of support. Amazing leader of the organization who digs to find funding for them. We are fortunate to be a part of Art With a Heart.

Art With A Heart has been such an educational blessing in my classroom. We are an inner city school with many students that have limited oppportunities. AWAH has been volunteering in my classroom for the past several years and I have seen such a tremendous improvement in my students. They offer numerous art activities that not only use many types of mediums, but also incorporate stories and literature that go hand in hand with their projects. They come weekly with experienced teachers, materials, and volunteers leaving me with nothing that I need to prepare or purchase. AWAH has been able to provide our students with educational art experiences that are absolutely amazing.

My daughter's first experience with Art With the Heart was when she was leaving kindergarten for first grade in her Catholic School summer program. She loved the oppurtunity to express herself and to learn more about art even in her young age. She has currently been a part of Art with the Heart for the last 3 years and it has been such an important part of her life. She is shy, yet very smart and expressive. The Art with the Heart classes allows her to learn about her feelings and how to express them through art.
As a parent, Art with the Heart is great because its first and most importantly AFFORDABLE, then it is great because it teaches my daughter different forms of Art, including drawing, painting, 3-D models, ect. In addition, they had a course at our local art museum which allowed the kids the oppurtunity to see other artists and learn about them first hand. The teachers are patient, kind and really enjoy helping the kids.

With art programs being cut, Art With the Heart is an exceptionally strong program for young children to develop their artistic and expressive side no matter their skill level.

They have created wonderful programs for children who truly enjoy coming to their classes. You can see the joy in the kids eyes when they are working on the projects developed for them. The staff is wonderful and you can tell they put their hearts and souls into everyday!

I am a student at Holy Cross Central School and have participated in AWAH classes since I was in 4th grade. I love art because you can creat anything you want and it will still be cool. My favorite is painting.

I go to Westlane middle School and I have participated in AWAH since i was in third grade. I joined because I love expressig myself through art and not having to worry about making everything perfect.

I am a student at brook park and have participated in awah classes since I was in 2nd grade. I like to come to awah classes because I love art and every one is so nice. My favorite art to do is clay.

i am a student at westlane middle school. i participated in art with a heart since i was in fifth grade. i think art is fun and exciting. i love drawing and japanimation and abstract painting.

In November 2010, my nonprofit organization Saving Orphans through Healthcare and Outreach was able to partner with AWAH for an international collegiate service-learning program in Swaziland Africa. I know nothing about art, so it was truly a blessing that Kaitlin (lead AWAH teacher) was able to organize the program and obtain the art materials from donors. As is the way of the developing world, plans changed numerous times throughout the trip and Kaitlin was able to adapt with ease. If it weren't for AWAH, AWAH students who helped with preparation, and Kaitlin, art would have never reached the lives of orphans and child-headed households in Swaziland.

Well to start "Art With A Heart" is a great program. My daughter and I have been in the program provided at her school for three years now, and I could not ask for a better program for her to be in. The way she is interacted with while there is amazing she really has been given the opportunity to express herself artistically. She has never felt more free to do the type of art work that comes to her mind at that specific moment.
She loves being there every Monday and I hope to keep her in the program as long as they offer it.

We really enjoyed working with Art With a Heart on a recent mural project. Their staff was well prepared and interacted exceptionally well with the students and adults at the event. It is clear that they have a "Heart" for "Art" and for the impact that it can have in our community.

Our experiences with Art With A Heart have been great. From an administrative standpoint, if provided students with an outlet to express themselves artistically. Parents were thrilled to see the work that their children produced and I was delighted to see murals and other individual works of Art that parents eventually agreed to frame in their homes. My own child participated in Heart With a Heart and enjoyed it immensely. He would tell of the work that he did today and his willingness to look ahead at what may come during the next art class. Thanks Art with a Heart for this excellent service.

I have three (3) children and through the past years they have participated in Art With A Heart provided with the after-care program. Not all my children have may be considered "artistic" but the children loved the opportunity to be creative. My daughter, who has a great interest in art, had the opportunity to learn more through this program and build upon the skills she already had.

My experience volunteering with Art with a Heart was really great. I loved being able to directly interact with the kids each day and see them progress throughout the year.

I had a wonderful time volunteering for Art with A Heart. The teachers that I worked with were amazing. They were fun and always had creative ideas for the students. It was a great experience to see all the student's artwork and see how they progressed throughout the year. Overall, I was more eager to help out here than other places I have volunteered at. The teachers and other volunteers really cared about their work and students, and it was a wonderful environment to be in.