Visual Arts Continues to Help At-Risk Children Heal
In what is being called one of the worst funding years for arts and culture by the state of Florida, the Youth Crisis Center (YCC) and Cathedral Arts Project (CAP) say funding from The Jim Moran Foundation has been more critical than ever for the youth both agencies serve.
A partnership with CAP has provided visual arts classes for youth in the Residential Crisis Care Center at YCC to help with therapeutic self-expression. It is a vital part of the counseling and support services YCC offers to youth who have been exposed to traumatic situations such as divorce, homelessness, relocation, loss of life, bullying, abuse and sex trafficking.
The Jim Moran Foundation has sponsored 28 weeks of classes in 2018 at YCC that teach art
forms such as 3D and clay sculpture, word art and collage, among others.
“We are thankful for the leadership that The Jim Moran Foundation has shown in funding education and the arts in our community. Through this grant, YCC’s partnership with the Cathedral Arts Project has restored visual arts classes for the children and teens YCC serves in our Residential Crisis Care
program,” said Kim Sirdevan, president and CEO of YCC. “Although our youth are receiving
these classes while in Residential Crisis Care, there are many others in our community who are
not because of a lack of funding. We want our community to know that a lack of funding truly
impacts so many young people, who for some, use the arts to help in their healing.”
Earlier this year Florida lawmakers approved state funding for arts organizations at less than a
quarter of what it approved the previous year. Some cultural organizations saw their projects
vetoed by Governor Rick Scott. Although CAP was eligible for $150,000, the organization will
receive less than $10,000 toward its overall $2 million budget.
“Young people often feel safer expressing traumatic experiences and uncomfortable feelings
through the arts than through traditional therapies,” said CAP President & CEO Rev. Kimberly
L. Hyatt. “When kids aren’t sure of what they are feeling, the arts provide a vehicle for them to
explore, process and express a whole range of emotions. We are deeply grateful for the forward-thinking leadership of both The Jim Moran Foundation and YCC for understanding that it’s more important than ever that kids be equipped to utilize the arts as a means of self-expression and
perseverance.”
Without the funds from The Jim Moran Foundation, the vital art therapy program provided by
CAP for the youth at YCC would be in jeopardy.
“We are grateful to Youth Crisis Center and Cathedral Arts Project for their commitment to
enriching the lives of at-risk youth through creative arts education in a caring and supportive
environment,” said Jan Moran, chairman and president of The Jim Moran Foundation.
To learn more about the Youth Crisis Center, please visit www.ycc.org. Tours of YCC are open
to the public, call 904-725-6662 to schedule.
