Teenagers and young adults of low socioeconomic status who have a history of in-depth arts involvement earn better grades and have higher rates of college enrollment and attainment than those that are not exposed to the arts. They are more likely to work in a professional career, volunteer, vote, and read a newspaper. In fact, according to the National Endowment for the Arts, exposure to the arts tends to promote education, health, and well-being and economic prosperity for at-risk youth across the board.
Free Arts NYC Executive Director Liz Hopfan understands this connection. Having worked as an elementary school teacher in the Los Angeles public school system, Liz was profoundly concerned with the lack of arts programming offered to inner-city children. In 1997, Hopfan founded Free Arts NYC to provide under-served children and families with a unique combination of educational arts and mentoring programs to foster the self-confidence and resiliency.
Free Arts NYC offers a number of programs including:
- Weekly Mentor Program – Small groups of children pair with teams of volunteers throughout the academic year.
- Parents and Children Together with Art Program (PACT) – Children and their parents or guardians pair with teams of volunteers for 8-week program cycles.
- Free Arts Days – Saturday arts festivals for 100 children, each sponsored by an individual, family or corporation.
- Cultural Enrichment – Every child attends a live performance or cultural event.
- Multicultural Arts Camp – Week-long summer camps where 100 children learn about art, music and dance from different cultures.
The organization has touched the lives of more than 28,000 at-risk children and parents over the past fifteen years. Free Arts NYC currently serves approximately 2,400 kids and 150 families per year. You can see some of those who have benefitted through the organization’s gallery.
According to Board Member Richard M. Schaps, over the years, Liz has gained the support of top fashion houses, such as Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Dior, Ferragamo, David Yurman, and Emporio Armani, all of whom have volunteered to help her raise funds for her programs. Also moved by Liz’s passion and dedication, iconic artists such as Chuck Close and Yoko Ono have donated their works to her organization, further aiding in the realization of her dream.
How can you help? You can make a cash donation online in any amount to the organization. You can also make “In memory of” and “In honor of” gifts using the online donation form.
Free Arts NYC also has a gift shop where you can buy greeting cards and tee shirts. You can also buy specific items through the gift shop for the organization, such as art supplies for 5 Free Arts Day projects (that’s just $10).
You can also volunteer your time at Free Arts NYC. The organization can use a range of talents from buddying up with kids to mentoring as part of an established program. Internships are also available. For more information about volunteering, check out the opportunities page on the web site.
Finally, you can support organizations that work with Free Arts NYC such as Elisa Contemporary Art, Joan Hornig Jewelry, KDP Enterprises, and The Urban Zen Foundation.
A search at irs.gov (which I highly recommend any time you are considering making a donation to a charity) reveals that Free Arts NYC is on the IRS list of charitable organizations; the organization is listed under its legal name, Free Arts for Abused Children of New York City Inc. To find out more about the work of the organization, check out their website, follow them on twitter or like them on Facebook.
Remember that these are just suggestions and, in most cases, I can’t personally vouch for the good work that these folks do. So be generous. But be smart.
