What We See
In Charlottesville and in America as a whole, there’s a social stigma around homelessness and very little is being done to change these negative societal perceptions. This issue stems from a lack of understanding, communication, and positive interaction between the homed and homeless populations. We see a culture of dehumanization, and the majority of the social tensions between the housed and homeless populations are heavily fueled with misconceptions. We want to tackle some of these barriers and build positive connections between groups in our community.
What We Do
Art for the Heart is addressing this issue by offering an opportunity to connect the homeless and housed populations by using art as a form of therapy, but also a way to connect with others, process, and reflect. This process integrates groups of the Charlottesville community in an organic and welcoming way. By pairing with local artists in town, we are able to have inspiring teachers and artists connect with our members. Everyone is allowed to express themselves creatively, but also connect with other community members through art.