Local children create art to help foster kids
NEWARK - Local children, some as young as two, created paintings and drawings as part of an art show Thursday night to benefit Fostering Further, a Licking County-grown organization working to help foster children have the same opportunities as other children their age.
Show organizer Kelly Tenney said she wanted to do something to help foster children after learning that some of the students she tutors at John Clem Elementary School are in foster care.
She said it was hard for her to hear what some of these other children have to go through. She wanted to show these kids that they are valuable.
"We want to show 'em that they're valued, that they're loved, and that they can do anything," Tenney said.
Her oldest daughter came up with the idea of an art show and Tenney's children, and friends' and neighbors' children, all created artwork to be raffled off at the event.
"We just wanna teach our kids that they can help other people," Tenney said. "I just want my kids to help other people."
Although they only had 2.5 weeks to prepare, Tenney said she hoped she would be able to raise at least $500 this first year.
She wants the event to return next year and she wants to have only foster children create art for the next show.
"They will be a part of it and they will see that they can make a difference, even when they're the ones receiving the love and the support, that they can be a part of that, even when they're on the receiving end," Tenney said.
Many people crammed into the small space at Antebellum Thursday and Tenney said next year she hopes to grow the event and maybe even have it at the elementary school.
About 30 pieces of art were featured at the show. One child created a painting with a glitter snowflake and another created a version of Van Gogh's "The Starry Night."
Tenney said she wanted to show her children that anyone can make a difference at any age. She said this event really was led by the kids.
"The point was just to say 'you can have an impact,'" Tenney said. "You can use your talents, or your abilities, to help someone."
Fostering Further grew out of the Newark Church of the Nazarene in 2013.
The primary focus of the organization is to help foster children be able to participate in activities such as dance lessons, music lessons and sports through donations and sponsorship from the community.
"Let them do these extra things," said Valerie Smith, Fostering Further president. "If foster parents are willing to support them in this, let's make sure there's no financial obligation. That's where we really need the community to step up and to say 'I'll help with this, this is important.'"
Smith said studies show that getting kids involved with a skill or activity helps keep them out of trouble and it builds their self-esteem.
"So there's all this evidence that these are really good things, but there was no money for it," Smith said.
Fostering Further has already supported summer camps, saxophone lessons and rental, dance and swimming lessons, and bought one child track shoes.
People who want to sponsor a kid can go to their website, fosteringfurther.org, and go under "Grant a Wish."
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