Check out this video and sign up!
Participation process
1) If you are an art teacher, please complete our signup form.
2) Then, based on your desired timeframe, we match you with children on our waiting list and email their photos to you.
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3) Next, your students follow our instructions to create artwork for the children. Advanced students create realistic portraits, while novice students create "identity art" featuring their names and inspiring words. The aim of both art forms is to honor the children, touch their hearts, provide encouragement, and promote positive self-esteem.
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4) Finally, you mail the artwork to us, and we deliver it to the children! We then provide you with updates after the children receive your students’ thoughtful and creative gifts.
Participation fees
Running this program involves many costs in international coordination and logistics. We cover these costs by asking every school group that creates artwork to also contribute participation fees, and the fee has been $15 per person ever since 2006. (We've worked hard to keep this fee low despite the pressure of rising costs and inflation.)
Most art teachers submit their group's fees by card or check when they send us their students' finished artwork. However, we don't want these fees to prevent the participation of art students in low-income situations. If your school is Title I schoolwide, you can request a fee reduction in the signup form.
Overall, our funding model is similar to a group of friends pitching in money for a pizza party. If no one pitched in any money, the party wouldn't happen. But as long as most people contribute, the party can go on. If a couple friends aren't able to contribute financially, we would never turn them away at the door.
Questions?
Please email Ben Schumaker or call 608-616-0317. Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to having you involved!
Portrait example (advanced student):
Identity art example (novice student):
