from staff
As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this page that will each week chronicle the efforts of local nonprofit organizations. Bailey Publishing & Communications invites all members of the local nonprofit community to submit news, announcements, success stories and any other information they feel would be of interest to our readers. E-mail to: [email protected].
We also encourage our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they try to continue to provide valuable services with reduced resources.
Art with a Heart in healthcare lets children be children, not patients
The intensive care unit at a children’s hospital is a difficult place for families to spend several days, let alone months on end. In 2006, then 12-year-old Emily Warren spent six months in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, but through the healing power of art, she found some bright moments.
“Emily spent a total of almost six months in the PICU,” said Catharine Warren, Emily’s mother. “When the artist entered the room, I could just see her face light up. I could just see that she expected to have a great time with whoever was there. They would ask, ‘What kind of supplies do you want today Emily? Would you like to use pastels? Would you like to paint? What would you like to do?’ She didn’t have a choice about the medications or the procedures but she had a choice about art and it just made such a difference.”
Thousands of young patients like Emily have been helped by Art with a Heart, a local organization that provides young patients at Nemours Children’s Clinic and Wolfson Children’s Hospital the opportunity to create art as they heal.
“Every day, we see the tremendous power of art, and the impact it makes on young lives,” said Jeanette Toohey, executive director of Art with a Heart. “We seek to reduce patient stress and anxiety, motivate a sense of purpose and a positive outlook, build self-esteem and self-confidence, and normalize the clinical setting.”
Amy Shaheen, a nurse, reports that her son Christopher, now 7 years old, “has been coming to Wolfson Children’s Hospital since he was a baby. Although the surgeries and the treatments may be tough he always looks forward to seeing the ‘art ladies.’ He often forgets their names but not their smiles, words of encouragement, and the joy they bring him while he’s in the hospital. Art with a Heart gives Christopher an opportunity to forget about everything around him and embrace the world of art. For that hour or so he spends with Art With A Heart there are no surgeries, IVs, medicines, pain, doctors, nurses, or therapists on his mind. There is a twinkle in his eye and a look on his face that says I can do this not only with the care from my doctors and nurses but also because Art With a Heart is there too providing their time, kindness, laughter, and of course all those cool art supplies!”
The program was co-founded by cousins Lori Guadagno and Lisa Landwirth Ussery in 2001. Their dream was to improve the quality of life for hospitalized children and they believed that they could achieve this through the healing power of art. To date, Art with a Heart has served more than 15,000 children at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Clinic.
Attorney Jeff Dunn has long been involved with the arts in Jacksonville, and recently joined the Board of Trustees for Art with a Heart.
“It’s a wonderful program and allows children to be creative, and think about and do something that is unrelated to their illness and its treatment. It allows children to be children,” he said. “It’s fun, and that’s something that the hospital experience isn’t. These children come out of their shell when they work on their art.”
Art with a Heart constantly seeks different mediums for their young clients, and recently received a BlueCross BlueShield Cultural Education Grant Program award for a digital photography initiative through the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. The grant allowed Art with a Heart to hire photographer Linda Broadfoot as the lead artist for the project. The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville will host the exhibition of photographs produced by teen patient artists.
For more information, visit www.artwithaheart.info
Linda Cunningham Boutique ‘Fashion Cure’ for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Beautiful models and local celebrities recently took to the runway at Linda Cunningham’s San Marco boutique during The Fashion Cure, a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The inaugural event, presented by The Players Championship and decorated by PRI Productions, raised more than $25,000 and gave all who attended an evening of spring fashion previews and insight into the lives of those affected by cystic fibrosis.
“Jacksonville really showed its support for the foundation by attending this high-energy evening and donating time and many resources to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis,” said Dana Troeger, director of special events for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “A big thank you goes out to all those who attended, supported and participated in this fashion-themed fundraiser.”
Linda Cunningham hosted The Fashion Cure at her boutique in San Marco and donated 10 percent of all sales to the foundation during the weeks of Feb. 28 to March 14.
“It was a privilege to present an evening of fashion and fun for such a worthy cause,” said Cunningham, who has been designing a signature couture collection of gowns, evening wear, sportswear and bridal apparel for more than 20 years from her store in San Marco.
Event chair Charlene Shirk emceed the evening and State Rep. Aaron Bean provided lively commentary as auctioneer during the live auction and throughout the runway show. As the evening progressed, guests enjoyed fare by San Marco Grille & Chefs for a Night and had the opportunity to try their luck at a golf challenge in The Stadium Pub sponsored by The Players Championship and in the Casino Royale game room presented by PRI Productions.
Designer sponsors for The Fashion Cure included Bill and Sally Green, Charles L. Prizzia, DDS, Cypress Village and FM-96.1. Jim and Ann Dyer, Jim and Gleith Mann, and Brady and Kathy Rackley were the Private Collection sponsors.
More affordable housing for seniors
LISC Jacksonville, the nonprofit that helps community development corporations create sustainable urban core neighborhoods, has provided a loan to Grace and Truth Community Development Corporation (CDC) to complete the purchase of the Norwood Ave. Elementary School. The previously closed school will be renovated into 84 units of low income senior citizen rental housing and a business center for the community.
The nonprofit, which was first funded by LISC Jacksonville in 2005, has led revitalization efforts in the North Brookside/Norwood neighborhood, has built 26 houses, organized the Norwood Neighborhood Association, the Norwood Business Association, Community Fun Days and Clean-ups. The renovation of the Norwood School will be their first multifamily project. They are working in conjunction with Renaissance Design/Build who will handle renovations of the school prior to the construction of the senior citizen housing.
“We are excited to be part of Grace & Truth’s expansion into multifamily and commercial development,” said Joni Foster, executive director of LISC Jacksonville. “Bishop Johnson of Grace & Truth CDC has established a strong reputation in the neighborhood for doing great work and we know that it will continue with the development of the Norwood School.”
LISC Jacksonville is the community organization that helps create quality, affordable neighborhoods that contribute to the local economy. They provide technical expertise, grants and financing to community development organizations and affordable housing providers. For more information, call 353-1300 or visit www.liscjacksonville.org.