Monday, December 09, 2013

PROJECTS NOW POSTED ON POWER2GIVE.ORG FOR NEW DONOR MATCH

2:1 Community Foundation of Broward matching grant targets new donors, expanded audience to support new cultural and arts projects

New donors who give to any of the arts and cultural projects posted at power2give.org/broward will see that donation triple thanks to a $100,000 matching grant from the Community Foundation of Broward to support artistic projects by non-profit organizations in Broward County.

Facilitated by Business for the Arts Broward, the initiative is designed to attract and encourage new donors. Through December 15, any donations made by new donors to the projects will be matched 2:1 up to $10,000 by the Community Foundation of Broward. That means a $25 donation will result in $75 for the project. For more information contact Lois Marino, program coordinator, Business for the Arts of Broward at 954-940-6373 or lmarino@bfabroward.org.

Own the Overpath -- YMCA of Broward County


The YMCA of Broward County strengthens the foundations of community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.

The Florida Turnpike Overpass in the City of Lauderhill has become an imposing and divisive obstacle for its surround­ing communities. Own the Overpath engages Lauderhill students, parents, and residents to increase the safety of the Overpath. This dangerous crosswalk connects students who live to the west of the Turnpike in Central Lauderhill to their school and YMCA in East Lauderhill.

Youth and com­munity members who use this pedestrian bridge daily are exposed to a dark, littered, dangerous crossing where many report being the victim of assaults and intimidation.

Own the Overpath is seeking additional funding to transform the chain link fences and the surrounding sidewalks with colorful textures that are derived from various workshops conducted with members of the Lauderhill community.

Own the Overpath is a powerful and unique opportunity for highly visible community artwork to visually demonstrate how art changes public perception and results in positive community action. Donations will provide additional support for art supplies for improvements around shade structures, side walk improvements, and improvements to the fence.

2.  Circle of Friends & StarsCultural Masks


From November to December the Circle of Friends & Stars will be presenting workshops creating Cultural Masks which will provide 45 adults with Autism, Down Syndrome & those with developmental disabilities, ages 18+ with the opportunity to design, create and showcase their creative skills.

The project gives these otherwise neglected special needs adults a chance to express themselves in positive, creative ways that reinforce confidence and artistic abilities.

The Circle of Friends & Stars is seeking funds to enhance this project by purchasing specialty materials; clay, tools, special glazes, canvas and adornments along with art instructors related to this project. Each participating special needs adult will be able to showcase their ABILITY and learn to prepare their individual items for public exhibits.

Approximately 45 special needs adults and new donors who wish to join in the project are invited to participate in the Workshops.

3.  Oscar Thomas Foundation – Senior Masterpiece Program


The Oscar Thomas Foundation is committed to promoting a healthy senior citizen community. This includes ensuring that senior residents have creative outlets to help them work through depression, loneliness and other disorders. To address this concern, we established a Senior Masterpiece Program that encourages seniors to create and become their own masterpiece.

Since 2004, hundreds of senior citizens have participated in this sought after program, held at the Herbert Sadkin Community Center in Lauderhill. In addition to teaching the arts, The Foundation sponsors the costs of art supplies, materials, transportation and admission to museums, exhibits, plays, and other art related field trips.

The Foundation is seeking your support with a senior citizen therapeutic arts initiative that focuses on the visual side of the brain that normally expresses unconscious feelings through images instead of words. This program uses multidisciplinary art to encourage lifelong learning.

Beginning January – May 2014, at the Sadkin Center, the Foundation will offer program enrollment to Broward County senior citizens. In a two-hour weekly class, participants will learn to use visual art, music, drama, creative writing, and other disciplines as empowerment.

The program promotes health, wellness, self discovery, emotional healing and lifelong learning activities by helping senior citizens:

· promote creative expression;

· tap into the imagination;

· examine the body, feelings, emotions, and thought process;

· explore dance, drama, music, visual arts, writing, poetry, and their effects;

· improve senior citizen confidence in their own creativity;

· give voice to what is felt within;

· gain knowledge of the therapeutic advantages of expression through the arts.

 4.  Mental Health Association of Broward County: Recovery Rocks

Many years ago rocking chairs emerged as an aid for treatment of various ailments. Rocking regularly is shown to calm the spirit, soothe a stressed body, and refocus the mind more pleasantly.

9Muses’s Recovery Rocks program combines the holistic benefits of rocking chairs with the artistic beauty of the mental health community. This program will enable MHA to purchase 12 unfinished, high-grade rocking chairs to be personally painted by the artists and used in the Center to benefit our members.

For close to 20 years, we have focused on recovery through the arts and have provided free membership to more than 4,000 individuals with mental illness. Each of our members brings a unique talent and vision to the Art Center and this project. The artists work individually and collaboratively to promote healthy expression through creative opportunities. 9MusesArtCenter at the Mental Health Association office has also successfully created and provided public art at locations such as South Florida State Hospital, Broward Health, Florida Medical Center and Henderson Behavioral Health.9Muses serves as a social center and source of support, where members can shed the stigma of mental illness and collaborate on visual and performing arts. Classes are offered for an array of activities. Each of the artist’s work is available for sale at the Center and directly benefits the artist. Once 9Muses is equipped with the rockers to meet the needs of our members, we will begin working with other providers to spread the benefits of Recovery Rocks.

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