Style Your Sole

I’m so excited to write about a project I’ve been working on that incorporates two organizations that I love, love, love—Free Arts Minnesota and TOMS!

For the past two years I’ve been a mentor with Free Arts Minnesota, but this semester I decided to take a little break. As the weeks went by, I found myself wanting to still be involved with them. So I started dreaming up a project that I could propose to the Free Arts team. I’ve also always wanted to do a TOMS Style Your Sole party where people could come and decorate TOMS shoes. As these two, separate ideas bounced around in my head, they eventually smashed into each other and started singing that song from the end of Grease that goes, “We go together like ramma lamma lamma ka dinga da dinga dong!” And thus the Free Arts Style Your Sole project was born!
Knowing that to do a project like this would be kind of expensive, I dug into my “Money For Other People” fund and pulled out the dough to make this all happen. I then brought my proposal to the Free Arts program coordinator, Esther Callahan, who was more than excited to work with me on it. She really took my small idea and made it into the awesome project it is today. She organized a group of about 15 high school students from the Boys and Girls Club in Saint Paul to meet with us every Thursday for three weeks.

The first week (two weeks ago) we introduced the project to them by watching the TOMS documentary and writing Soul/Sole poetry . It was awesome. We had poems about everything from basketball to poems about the TOMS mission of giving shoes to children in need. This last week we had the kids sketch out their designs for their TOMS shoes on paper. That way they could work out all their creative ideas before they got their shoes. And next week they get to decorate their very own pair of TOMS! Esther is arranging for the poems and shoes to be photographed and, hopefully, framed and displayed somewhere in Saint Paul as a mini art show.

I love being involved in projects like this because the impact is so broad:
1. It gives the kids from the Boys And Girls Club a creative outlet, a chance to be around positive role models and a chance to make a difference in someone else’s life by being a part of the TOMS One For One movement.
2. It broadens the reach of Free Arts by doing the project in Saint Paul—an area that they’re currently trying to get more groups started in. The more exposure, the more interest is generated and more kids are helped.
3. It spreads the word about TOMS and the One For One movement and also provides 15 pairs of shoes for children in need.
4.  It gives me warm fuzzies.
For more information about Free Arts and TOMS, check out their websites—and get involved!
FreeArtsMinnesota.org
TOMS.com 

What to Be or Not to Be: That is the Question

When I was a little girl, I dreamt of becoming a famous author. (The dream never died, by the way; it lives in me to this day. Perhaps it’s true what they say: “If you can dream it, you can do it.” With time, I shall test this theory.) In my early teen years, I fancied becoming a journalist.  It was a dream-come-true when, during my junior year of high school, I was assigned the role of "Features Editor" for my high school newspaper.
By the time college rolled around, my interests had changed.  In spite of abusing large amounts drugs and alcohol during my adolescent years, I graduated from the university with top honors. I attribute this in large part to my impassioned writing, which was my savior when it came time for mid-term papers and final exams. Professors seemed to enjoy my essays. In those years, with so many metaphorical pats-on-the-back from teachers and academic advisors, I had vague aspirations of joining the ranks of academia.
Somewhere around the age of 23, I read Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, which triggered in me the notion that art was my true calling. This discovery was poorly-timed, however: I had just accepted a full scholarship to a Master’s of Social Work program in Boston.
It only took me a few days of class to realize that the program wasn’t right for me. However, in keeping with my characteristic stubbornness, I refused to quit until something set me sailing far over the edge: that is, my father’s untimely death during winter break.
Preoccupied with the formidable task of exorcising my internal demons, I returned to my native Minneapolis for treatment. Shortly thereafter, I found employment in the aforementioned stable-but-passionless Finance position.
After a few years with the company, I became acquainted with a charitable organization called Free Arts Minnesota. It just so happened that my employer was one of their biggest corporate sponsors. I was fascinated by the Free Arts mission, “to [bring] the healing powers of artistic expression into the lives of abused, neglected and at-risk children and their families.”

 I first volunteered for Free Arts as an Art Buddy who accompanied a child one-on-one through various art projects during a designated “Free Arts Day” sponsored by my employer. Invigorated by this day-long event, I dedicated myself to the cause. It wasn’t long before I’d interviewed for and accepted a position as a Volunteer Mentor, which entailed that I team up with a group of other mentors and, once weekly, spend a couple hours at a partner facility, teaching at-risk kids about art and simultaneously serving as a positive adult role model.

For the first time in my adult life, I felt as if I were truly in my element. I loved collaborating with my fellow volunteers and preparing art projects to share with the kids. Even though I still found my 9-to-5 job rather humdrum, my volunteer position with Free Arts gave me a profound sense of professional purpose.
I maintain hope that a position equally as fulfilling as volunteering, exists here in Philadephia; I simply have to find it . . . or perhaps create it.

Intern Perspective by Jessica Shultz

Over this past summer I had the opportunity to intern with Free Arts Minnesota. As I walked into the office for the first time I saw children’s art adorning every wall, a bench stacked with art supplies, an excited potential volunteer getting interviewed, and I knew I was in the right place. The internship provided a great balance of assigned tasks and opportunities to head up a project and run with it! I was able to dip my fingers in everything from office administration and organizing the enormous art supply closets to researching and implementing a blogging development and outreach project. Additionally, there were a number of fun events I was able to help with including a Walker Open Field Day and a ‘festival of the arts’ Free Arts Day. Monthly intern meetings were held in which we were able to have a discussion and ask questions about a topic of our choice including a resume building meeting. The Free Arts staff was friendly, supportive, and endlessly energetic and enthusiastic!

Throughout the course of the summer I was also involved in the weekly mentorship program at Northside Community Center working with the teen group and headed up by Esther, one of the incredible staff members at Free Arts. The mentorship ended up being the highlight of the summer for me; the kids were amazingly talented and left me filled with energy after every session! It also made me even more committed to the work we did in the office in making sure the mentorship program is available for even more kids.

Though the internship is now over, I am endlessly grateful for the experiences I gained, the support of the Free Arts Staff and the other interns, and the great introduction I had to mentoring with the Northside teens.  I am continuing with the weekly mentorship at a new location and am excited about the projects we have lined up for the year! I strongly encourage everyone to get involved with Free Arts whether it is a one time event volunteer opportunity, the weekly mentorship, or interning in the office—you won’t regret it and you’ll probably become a lifelong Free Arts supporter like me!

The Power of ONE

Kelsey Hayes, from Blake School
ran her own supply drive
collecting 40 bags of supplies
for Free Arts Minnesota.

I thought I'd tell you about an art supplies drive I performed this week with my neighborhood. All in all, I collected 40 bags of supplies and 1 monetary donation, and I think my process could be repeated across the state to benefit Free Arts even more.

I was given this list when I expressed interest in Free Arts Minnesota at a community service fair at the Blake Upper School.  I first composed a letter that explained who I am, what Free Arts is, and how one could help. I photocopied this sheet on bright paper and also photocopied a list of supply needs from Free Arts Minnesota.  

I then went into my local Byerly's and asked for 50 brown bags with handles for my project. I had been saving up bags for a few weeks, but I wanted to make sure I had enough. Then I stapled my flyer and the copied list to the bags and started to deliver them to my neighbors. I spoke with many of the residents of these households about Free Arts and how great of a cause it is, and gave them the bags with the papers. For those who didn't answer the door, I hung the bag on their door knob. I dropped of 81 bags, and got 40 bags of supplies in return.

I noticed that when I talked to people, they were more likely to donate. There was a very positive response from many because 1: it gave people a chance to recycle their art supplies they didn't need or use, 2: the drive was different from the usual door-to-door solicitation for money, and 3: Free Arts is a great cause.
 This was a great experience for me and it got me thinking about expanding the drive to a broader level and increasing the amount of supplies that Free Arts would receive. I have a process: an explanation flyer, a list of needs, and a thank you note. I think other students can use this process and really aid Free Arts. I also believe many grocery stores such as Cub, Lunds, and Byerly's will be interested in helping out because using their bags advertised their company to each household. There may be an opportunity to take what I've done here and expand it. I collected 40 bags, but could we make it 400? 4,000?

I really enjoyed the process of helping Free Arts and hope others will join in to keep their mission of healing an ongoing one!

My Life As A Superhero By: Julia Fillingame

Having wrapped up the Bloomington Theater Arts Camp, a YES to Art! Program, and getting close to the end of summer mentorship, all with the same group of kids that I have been with since September, I started to reflect on my experiences. During the Theater Arts Camp, I had the opportunity to spend about twenty to thirty hours with that group of kids. That week flooded me with emotions – excitement, sadness, sense of pride, frustration, love…

Those of you who know me know that you can say “School Age 2,” and you can expect my eyes to water. Over the past year, I have seen and felt the benefits of mentorship. As much as I can hope that I have taught them something, they have learnt so many things on their own, and in turn taught me many lessons that I have been blessed to witness.

It is easy to forget sometimes that these kids are just kids and that we cannot hold them to the same expectations as adults. Likewise, it is easy to forget that those kids do experiences and live lots of “adult” challenges. Their strength sometimes masked with toughness can be exposed as soon as their fears are present through tears. You can give a child as much praise as you want, but when a child meets disappointment 90% of the time by those that matter the most – you cannot master a single statement or action that will allow a child to forget all their pain. Instead, you are challenged with the opportunity to prove this child otherwise through multiple and consistent statements and actions. It will be a battle of who breaks first. But I promise you that once you get there with your strong-will, adaptability, compassion, and laughter, when they break first and look to you as their “superhero,” then that challenge and opportunity seemed like nothing.


You cannot begin to imagine what it means to be someone’s “superhero.” If anything, it makes the weekly 2 hour pledge a seemingly effortless commitment. Those of you who are and have been where I am today understand exactly what I mean, right? Then we get to thinking, if only more people can push them and be that consistent and caring adult with a mentality about learning from others. Then so many more lives of youth can be given that glimmer of hope, even if it is temporary.


Just think how great true friends make you feel. Just think how great those that believe in you make you feel. Now think about those who need that extra friend and confidence will feel – alive, proud, and connected.

To be honest, my mixed emotions that flooded me was the epiphany of all this. I could put words and thoughts to my emotions. As I hugged a girl who would not say a word to me for the first seven months, I was able to get her to listen. As I held hands with a girl who was furious half the time, I could redirect her attention. As I sat on the school bus with a developmentally slow boy, I refocused the attention on him rather than the jokes of the other kids. As I wiped the tears from the face of a boy who grasped me in yet another disappointment that his parents were not in the audience, I was able to give him someone to perform for. On and on went these moments at BTAC, every turn seemed to be filled with another wow.

The culmination of it all made everything seem essential and priceless. The art is the means by which we have the opportunity to develop relationships and get to know these kids. And as much as art is a major passion of mine – the relationships through the fun, laughter, learning and support from one another is the ultimate reason that I do what I do and why I volunteer. There is a reason that we say there is a Free Arts Family, and those that are determined to get to where I am today, will understand and always remember this family.

The day that my journey leads me in an alternative direction than that amazingly strong, lively and caring group of youth, I will feel the loss of part of me. I have lost things, including loved ones before, and have learned how to overcome that pain, but even as an adult, it is hard. Now think about those kids. Remember that they may live adult lives, but they are still only kids. Now what do they feel? I cannot say enough how vital this organization is to its mentees, partner facilities, and own mentors. As paths go in different directions, we must still find individuals to continue to bring such one-of-a-kind services to those in need.

North Minneapolis Relief Efforts

            "Time is a dressmaker specializing in alterations."  ~Faith Baldwin

This quote holds true after the Sunday May 22nd 2011 tornado devastation of North Minneapolis.  Many families are now displaced and are in great need of basic items like food and water.  But another major needs is relief.  Relief in the form of laughter and fun.  Something that is severely lacking for many effected by this disaster.

With winds calmed, the sun shining and reality setting in, parents and children alike are seeking out some relaxation.  Whether it be from a quick basketball game, or simply sitting outside enjoying a barbeque with family and friends, both old and new, or in the form of face paint.  

Only one week after a tornado tore through North Minneapolis, over 3,000 people gathered at Farview Park for a community picnic.   Sherenia Gibbs with Minneapolis Park and Recreation stated, " The whole northside needed relief, and that is why we feel this is important."  How true she was. 

Free Arts Minnesota met with other local nonprofits on May 26th to discuss the needs for the area and how we could help out during the picnic.  It was decided that having some fun art activities for the kids would help them through this trying time.  At Free Arts we know that art can help you heal through whatever trauma you may be going through.  Free Arts was able to put together over 300 art kits to hand out to children at the picnic, with all donated art supplies, bags and snacks from varying wonderful people, including Rob and Donna Bronk who found us via a google search and showed up with pallets of snacks for the kids, stayed and volunteered for most of the day and came again the next day to help serve.  It is truly through the goodness of strangers that we were able to be there on Saturday the 28th.


The day was filled with music, games, laughter and face paint.  Free Arts Minnesota had a great group of volunteers face painting up a storm!!  We had to have painted over 600 faces, hands, arms and even hair!  Along with the face painting and the art kits, we brought out chalk and chalked up the park as well as created a community mural project asking the community, young and old, to share what art is to them in word or in a drawing.  


I know from my own experience that the power of giving is it's own reward and all of us volunteers were greatly rewarded that day with smiles, hugs and stories of strength.  Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who came out and helped brighten the lives of many in need!

From One Mentor's Perspective

When I began volunteering at a site that specializes in Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD) there were things I expected: screaming, the occasional meltdown and a lot of crumpled up art.  Let me tell you—the kids definitely delivered.  But they also delivered some things I didn’t expect.   The experience of watching a happy, calm child become an entirely different, much angrier kid in a matter of seconds was an experience that threw me for a loop.  Of course anyone who’s spent any time with small children knows this happens to all kids, EBD or not but this kind of frustration, at times, is a frustration beyond a broken toy or budging in line.

We have a little girl who does art with us and she loves rainbows, Christmas trees and Wonder Woman.  She is a kid who will draw you a picture of a flower just to make you smile – and it really does make your day if not your entire week.  I keep her drawings in my textbooks so while at school sometimes I get the surprise of a unicorn or a smiling sunshine.  This girl loves art and every day we visit the site she greets us with a giant smile on her face.  She seemed so adept at social relationships and her emotional and behavioral reactions to things were so appropriate that I actually wondered why she was in this school at all.  Then a week came when we walked into the building and could hear the shrieking the minute we hit the front door.  The distress was palpable and I knew that voice.  It was our little Christmas tree loving, rainbow drawing artist.  She did come to our classroom that day (which on many occasions, when a kid is having a tough day, doesn’t happen) but she came as a different kid than I had gotten to know.  She was now tear-stained and silent and she definitely didn’t want to be an artist that day.  She climbed on top of the table barefoot and curled into a tight, little ball in the middle of all our crayons and markers. 

We’re given a lot of good advice on how to handle it when kids are having a bad day but this girl was having no part of it.  She didn’t want to try the project her own way, she didn’t want to talk about her favorite cartoons or colors or books.  So I sat with her, just sat and colored.  Eventually she saw me and silently took her own piece of pink paper and began to draw.  By the end of our session the flowers and rainbows were back.  Mentoring through Free Arts has taught me all the things you’d expect of a great volunteer experience (patience, how to work with different age groups, how healing art can be) but it’s this unexpected understanding that sticks with me most:  No matter who the kid and what the emotional or behavioral issue, that issue is not who they are; it’s what they deal with.  They carry a lot more than I do on shoulders that are a lot smaller than mine -- but first and foremost they are kids and they want to draw and paint and sculpt and maybe, someday grow up to be Wonder Woman.