The Heritage Community Foundation presented a $2,000 grant to Aug. 16 executive director Tammy Wiggins and co-founder/program director Gina Moore of Crosswalk Ministries USA, Inc. (Crosswalk).
The grant will be used to purchase art supplies for the ARTreach 180 program. Specifically, the grant will be used for the purchase of consumable art supplies for all three campuses of ARTreach 180 (including canvas panels, watercolor pads, Sharpies, plastic art trays, acrylic paints and small canvases with easels for display). Currently, ARTreach 180 meets at the Excel Academy in McDonough (central campus), Momentum Christian Church in McDonough (south campus) and Stockbridge First United Methodist Church in Stockbridge (north campus).
Launched in 2010 in Henry County, ARTreach 180 is an arts-based after school program for at-risk youth and is the natural extension of two years of research with juvenile offenders and arts programs inside correctional facilities. With an emphasis on prevention rather than intervention, the program has yielded significant results. Crosswalk’s mission is to reduce juvenile crime and address its underlying causes by providing Christ-centered preventive and aftercare programs for at-risk youth. Their desire is to give hope for a better future to juvenile offenders and offer healing for families affected by incarceration.
At each campus and session, a team of trained staff and volunteers provide mentoring and instruction to youth. Each campus retains a director, assistant director, lead art teacher, lead drama teacher, food service personnel and various volunteer mentors. Students may complete the program in one semester, but have the option to continue as need dictates. The program operates two days a week from 3:30pm until 6:30pm during the Henry County Georgia school calendar year.
For more information on how to apply for a grant with Heritage Community Foundation, make a donation or volunteer, visit www.heritagecommunityfoundation.org or contact executive director Rocky Davis at 770-478-8881.
Pictured in front are Pamela Cisneros, Gina Moore, Sheri Dockweiler and Tammy Wiggins. In back are Luann Daniels, Kimberly Anderson (Principal, Excel Academy), Stacy Hammons, Jenny Smith and Rocky Davis.
