Portraits for Charity™

Mission Statement:

Portraits for Charity™(PFC) Project: "Kids Share" A Global-Storybook Journey

Where you grow up should not determine the quality of arts education you receive. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, many public schools are cutting arts and extra curricular activities out of their already constricted budgets. In communities around the country, family income often determines a child's educational opportunities. To help level the playing field, PFC hopes to bring creative art workshops to American school children in middle to low-income communities. Additionally, a village chosen from the group of International 'Children's Villages' will be sent a complete "Kids Share" workshop packet along with disposable cameras. Our goal will be to bridge cross-cultural learning through the arts with collaborative and exciting "Kids Share" workshops. We hope the end result of creating and publishing a "Kids Share" Storybook will empower and excite children to consider the many possibilities of the creative arts. PFC will also consider ways we can help charitable causes here in the US and abroad, through the creation of these "Kids Share" storybooks. 

The Impact "Kids Share" Storybooks will have on children:

Here are just 4 examples of what would be brought to life with our workshops: Creating positive team work in each classroom, cross-cultural learning through collaborative "Kids Share" story telling, strengthening narrative writings related to their worlds, participating in solutions to problem solving using the creative process. The result: Children will feel empowered and enriched by their own creations which will be shared with other children in other communities and throughout the world!

Kristina A. Lutes; founder of PFC's Inspiration:

"As a child I remember feeling frustrated with the academic curriculum. My ability to express myself lay in the creative arts. Most schools focus on academics, or liner thinking, as "the" means to success. I believe that future generations will be called upon to exercise the creative side of their brain more than ever. I want to help the younger generation to think about innovative ways, through a combination of creative arts with academics, to problem solve. Additionally, my desire to help the 'Children's Villages' through cross-cultural arts education,fundraising and most importantly giving the children a voice---has come from my own appreciation of being brought into a loving family and given special privileges that so many orphaned children never receive. Therefore, I hope to brighten the futures of many children with our exciting "Kids Share" workshops!"

Portraits for Charity™ was created by Kristina Applegate Lutes in early November 2007.

 Your Support is Needed: 

Portraits for Charity™ is evolving through the collaboration of many people and organizations. If you are interested in learning more, starting a workshop at your school/organization, letting others know about the healing arts through Portraits for Charity™ or making a contribution, please contact us at:portraitsforcharity@gmail.com. 

*Please consider supporting Portraits for Charity™(PFC) "Kids Share" workshops. We are a volunteer based arts education organization.