Coming Soon...
Volunteer Community Event New innovative volunteer trainings Exciting new artist-led workshops |
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FRIENDS OF FREE ARTS
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"I love volunteering with Free Arts because I believe art heals.
I also love engaging with kids and encouraging their creative minds to explore life's endless possibilities." -Reena, Free Arts Volunteer
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THANK YOU
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To the guests of our annual Halloween Luncheon!
We appreciate your support of
Free Arts'
Courthouse Program!
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SAY CHEESE!
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Did you attend our Art Heals event?
CLICK HERE to view photos from our photobooth, and LIKE US on Facebook for more event photos!
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OUR PARTNERS
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We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Look to the Stars! Last month, Free Arts was added to the growing roster of nonprofits with a track record of demonstrated celebrity support. Check us out on the #1 source of celebrity charity news, covering what the top stars do to make a positive difference in the world. The site includes exclusive interviews and a database where fans can learn about their favorite stars' good deeds.
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Grab your cup of coffee or tea and support Free Arts!
You can visit us at the Marina del Rey location on December 1st & 15th AND... Step in on Xmas Eve to receive a free coffee when you donate to
Free Arts!
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The Handprint
November 21, 2012
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Greetings!
It seems right to write about gratitude this Thanksgiving week. Everywhere I've turned for the last few days, there's been a blog or an article about being thankful for what we have. Maybe it is one of the things that make working in nonprofit different from other sectors. We exist in a perpetual state of gratitude - and not surprisingly - it is one of the aspects of my life for which I am most grateful.
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Free Arts offers me a unique perspective or lens with which to view the world around me. More than anything else, when I came to Free Arts I was looking to avoid coasting through the rest of my life without a sense of awareness and purpose. To make that happen, I decided that I want gratefulness to be one of my core values. In other words, I chose to create a life of gratitude... but what does that mean? For me, a life of gratitude is composed of three parts that combine to make a whole:
1. A sense of purpose in my life
2. An appreciation for the lives of those around me
3. A willingness to take action to show the gratitude I feel
Each week brings opportunities to listen to volunteers talk about their latest programs -- sometimes about a child who had refused to talk or make eye contact and how they finally reached them through some aspect of the art they were doing, or overhear a volunteer chat happily with Justin, our programs supervisor, as they pack art supplies and plan for a new project. Sometimes -- and I am not making this up -- I will get a text message from Trevi, our community liaison, who has just finished an orientation with a room full of prospective new volunteers -- and her excitement lights up the screen. The reality of a room full of 20-25 people who are ready and willing to give their time, talents, and energy to help children and families -- people who've come to the orientation after a long day at work or school -- just because they want to help - can be overwhelming. We are surrounded by experiences like this. Every day.
In this issue, you will read about the success of our recent fundraising gala, Art Heals. Through the efforts of a dedicated committee and those who came out to support, bought tickets, sponsored, and offered auction items, we raised enough money to fund art programs for more than 5,000 children. Gratitude is not all about money, but it does include money. The way we handle our money reflects how we feel about other people and our lives in general. It's not a huge leap to believe that an important part of living gratefully usually includes a commitment to help others regularly with our financial resources. The process of outwardly showing more gratitude (by investing your money in others' lives) will create an inward feeling of gratefulness. It's a win-win relationship.
If you are still reading this, I am grateful. Seriously and profoundly grateful. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Sincerely,
Shauna McClure
Executive Director, Free Arts for Abused Children |
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Giving heARTS
 On Thursday, November 8, Free Arts held another successful ART HEALS cocktail party at Geoffrey's Malibu. Now in its seventh year, the event, a staple in the Malibu community, raised enough funds to serve nearly 5,000 children. We are very excited to announce that the event surpassed its funding goal, in part through the wonderful Charitybuzz online auction. Our committee also outdid themselves in securing amazing auction items, selling tickets, and securing top sponsorships. We were honored to have the following individuals and groups sponsor Art Heals: Mrs. Cindy Landon; R.J. Bernstein, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney; Warner Bros. Entertainment; Wells Fargo; Dennis & Ligia Korn; Malibu Kiwanis Club; Rod Summers; Roma and Mark Burnett; Marcia Maizel-Clarke and Merlin Clarke, Dogeared Jewels & Gifts; KJ Margolis; Playa Vista; Shamrock Holdings, Inc.; Cristina Warfield, Keller Williams Realty Westchester-Playa; and Darryl C. White, CEO of TDC Pacific Properties, Inc. The staff at Free Arts would also like to thank all the committee members for their hard work: co-chairs Cindy Landon and KJ Margolis, Stephanie Ex, Jeanne Llewellyn, Kathy May, and Leticia and Jeff Peterson. Thank you to everyone who attended or donated to the event. We could not have done it without you!
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Helping Hands
On Sunday, November 11, Free Arts teamed up with some fantastic members of the volunteering arm of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, the UCB Corps, to provide a fun- and improv-filled Free Arts Day for the girls at Aviva! Over the course of three hours, the girls were introduced to classic theater warm-up exercises and some really fun improv games.
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We learned everyone's names by going around in a circle and
having everyone pairing their names with an adjective and a silly action -- which got goofy and engaging pretty quick!
The girls were shy at first, but after a couple more exercises, they began to open up. One of their favorite games was called "Taxi," in which driver picks up three different people along her route. Each time a new person entered the car, everyone imitated her character or mood. The girls came up with everything from hungry to ditzy to angry to sick with a cold -- and back again! It was fun and rewarding for everyone there to see the girls come out of their shells, and we were impressed with how funny they all are. Thanks Aviva and UCB Corps for joining us on this funny day!
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Volunteer Training & Event Calendar
Tuesday, November 27th - New Volunteer Orientation
6:30-8:30pm, West LA
Thursday, November 29th - Courthouse Program Training
Saturday, December 1st - Free Arts Day: Holiday Celebrations 10am-2pm, Long Beach
Saturday, December 1st - Free Arts Day: Mentoring Workshops
10am-12pm, Lynwood
Tuesday, December 4th - PACT Program Training
Wednesday, December 5th - Weekly Program Training
6-8pm, West LA
Saturday, December 8th - Free Arts Day: Music & Visual Arts
11am-2pm, Lomita
Wednesday, December 19th - Weekly Program Training
6-8pm, West LA
Thursday, December 20th - PACT Program Training
6-8pm, West LA
PLEASE NOTE: The Free Arts Main Office will be CLOSED for the Holidays
December 24th through January 1st. We will reopen on January 2, 2012.
For additional information, CLICK HERE to view our calendar or
call our office at (310) 313-4278.
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