Our Art Therapy Program
Do you ever find it cathartic to doodle in the margins of paper or to pick out a coloring book and draw? For many of our clients (both adults and children), MSP’s Art Therapy program has been incredibly helpful for processing emotions and experiences. Our licensed art therapist Sharelle Langaigne works with nearly 100 survivors each year. Many of the children we work with find it challenging to describe their trauma and pain verbally, so art therapy gives them a space to express themselves in ways that are difficult to speak out loud. We do most of our art therapy with children in the playroom at our shelter, so it’s a warm and encouraging environment that invites the children to be open and expressive.

Sharelle comes up with different prompts based on what our clients are struggling with. For example, if a client is struggling with a lot of worries, Sharelle will invite them to do a worry jar where they write down all their worries and place them in the jar. Another activity is called a gratitude heart--a heart is divided into 20 different sections and the client writes things they are grateful for, or hope to be grateful for. For many of our clients, the act of creating something with their own hands is both fulfilling and healing. The intended outcomes of art therapy are reduced anxiety, depression, developing coping skills, increased resiliency, and overall processing of trauma.

We would love your help with new art supplies. With summer just around the corner and kids out of school, we would be very grateful if you would consider donating art supplies through our Amazon Wishlist
Artwork created by one of our clients in Art Therapy
Community Diaper Love
A couple months ago, we asked for donations of diapers and baby wipes and my oh my did you deliver! We want to say a gigantic thank you to DC Run Crew, St. Mary’s Baptist Church, and other individual donors for their incredibly generous donations. The groups arrived at our administrative office in cars (a bus in St. Mary’s’ case!) packed with boxes upon boxes filled to the brim with wipes and diapers of all sizes. Our clients are beyond grateful.

Even though diapers and wipes are essential items for our clients’ babies/toddlers, they can be extremely expensive. The cost of diapers and wipes can creep up to $120 per month, per child, which is an enormous burden for our clients who are living below the poverty line. While purchasing products like diapers and wipes in bulk is one way to save money, most of our clients cannot afford the higher upfront cost of buying in bulk and end up paying more for these necessities than middle-and upper-class families, buying in smaller quantities more often. Food stamps and assistance programs like SNAP and WIC prohibit using those funds for diapers. By providing our clients with diapers and wipes free of charge, you help clients allocate the money saved to other necessary expenses.

The DC Run Crew counted up all the diapers they donated, over 3,000 wipes and 3,000 diapers! We are now in the enviable position of having plenty of both. Thank you to both organizations, and everyone who participated, for their tremendous support.
Our Community Keeps Growing!
We would like to recognize our partners of the month

Michael Hastings-Black – Michael runs Hungry Vintage, a vintage t-shirt/sweatshirt store where 100% of sales are donated to nonprofits. Michael chooses a new nonprofit every month and we were honored to be the beneficiary of all April sales – thank you so much, Michael! And if you’re interested in grabbing your new favorite t-shirt, check them out on Instagram!

Sigma Psi Zeta – The ladies of Sigma Psi Zeta @UMD College Park hosted their annual charity dinner where MSP was the keynote speaker and 100% of net proceeds benefited MSP. Combating violence against women is the chapter’s philanthropic mission. Thank you for a great event, SYZ!

The Madison of DC & Barre3, 14th Street – The Madison chose us as their philanthropic partner and hosted a donation-based barre class this month
where all proceeds benefitted MSP. What a great way to move your body
and support a great cause!

Finnegan Law Firm – Thanks to the firm, we received supplies for all our
clients who are mothers to enjoy on Mother’s Day,
and some essential items off our Amazon List.

If you’re interested in partnering with us in the future, we would be honored to work with you. Please email Elena Romanova to get the conversation started.

And please remember to select My Sister's Place
when shopping on Amazon Smile!

With Much Gratitude, MSP Team
MSP Board Of Directors:
Shawn Wright, Board Chair
Santina Rocca, Vice Chair
Mairzy Webster Krulic, Secretary
Gilbert Smith, Treasurer
Sara Adland
Beverly Allen
Amy Berger
Deborah Berkowitz
Jenny Brody
Shelley Guiley
Michelle Kisloff
Lisa Orlowski
Rebecca Carr Rizzo
Lisa Rosenthal
Diana Rubin
Zoe Sharp
Kimberlee Ling Sheldon
Sharon Denise Wise
Bailey Williams