Thea Foundation was recently the recipient of a $6000 grant from the TEGNA foundation as part of Thea’s Art Closet. The grant is being used to provide a variety of creative materials to the children in Our House’s out-of-school-time program, called Our Club.
“Thanks to the generosity of the TEGNA Foundation and their partner station THV and the collaborative spirit of Thea Foundation, the children in Our Club will have access to some amazing art supplies and materials. We look forward to watching our families utilize these resources to explore, express themselves, and create beautiful works of art.,” stated Ben Goodwin, Our House Executive Director.
The materials purchased with the grant include basics such as markers, glue and crayons, as well as more advanced materials including canvases and paints. Materials will be used to support art programming in Our Club, which serves up to 90 school-age children who are homeless or near-homeless, operating as both an after-school program as well as an all-day program during summer, spring break, and other school out times.
“We hope these materials will not only inspire, but enrich the lives of every person that comes in contact with their creative genius,” said Nick Leopoulos, Executive Director of Thea Foundation.
Thea’s Art Closet, in partnership with DonorsChoose, has already provided over $40,000 in grants to schools across Arkansas this school year for everything from basic creative materials to djembe drums. Private donors and funding partners like TEGNA Foundation and Windgate Foundation have been and continue to be instrumental in the success of this program.
About Our House
Our House empowers homeless and near-homeless families and individuals to succeed in the workforce, in school, and in life through hard-work, wise decision-making and active participation in the community. You can find out more about Our House by visiting ,www.ourhouseshelter.org or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
About Thea Foundation
Thea Foundation’s mission is to advocate the importance of the Arts in the development of our youth. Three programs are implemented statewide to support this mission—Thea Scholarships, Art Closet and Arts Reconstruction. As we celebrate our Since 2002, Thea Foundation has awarded 472 scholarships totalling over $2.6 million to Arkansas students and provided more than $1.6 million in art supplies and creative materials to underfunded schools through our Art Closet program. In addition, Arts Reconstruction is our focused effort to help teachers receive professional development and supplies to enable a better platform to advance in their own careers and schools. Our collective aim is to enrich young minds through the power of the Arts. Named for the daughter of Paul and Linda Leopoulos, Thea Foundation carries on the legacy of Thea Kay Leopoulos, who thrived academically, socially and emotionally thanks to her artistic pursuits. More at theafoundation.org, @TheaFoundation or Thea Foundation Blo