Life Preservers Project’s artist collective facilitates art workshops for the youth in the under-served areas of NYC including those experiencing homelessness.
What is the Community Youth Art Program
Through partnerships with numerous city and nonprofit social service agencies, Life Preservers Project conducts creative arts workshops providing at risk youth an extracurricular outlet for their creative energy and providing them future opportunities to lead workshops and mentor others.
The art program teaches basic sighting and perspective skills that will enable the students to walk away from a single session with some of the most important building blocks for drawing.
Workshops are currently led by Life Preservers Project’s Founder and CEO, Shana Pederson assisted by committed volunteer mentors who focus on building trusting relationships with youth.
Current Partnerships
Why Teach Art
We believe that each individual has an autonomous and creative spirit which is essential for empowering and liberating oneself. We believe in providing basic art education and opportunities to those who wish to use the arts as a means of communication or personal growth, and further empowering these individuals. We strive for collaboration between youth participants and mentors and celebrate and encourage their creativeness and cooperation.
Because of this, Life Preservers Project is committed to building an inclusive arts community that gives youth most in need of a creative outlet a safe place to fully express themselves.
Learn more about partnership opportunities and what workshops we offer:
Volunteer
Life Preservers Project connects New York City’s artists and professionals with under-served youth.
Volunteering for our Community Youth Art Program provides you with not just a way to give back but helping to enhance the life of another person. Your ideas, your time, your expertise and your willingness to make a relationship with a child or young person will:
- Help them build trust and open communication lines
- Teach them to seek opportunities
- Assist them in creating goals
- Make a positive impact in their lives
Workshops currently take place on weekends. Most workshops are 1.5 hours long and the starting time depends on the organization we partner with.
Workshops can be located in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or the Bronx, and Harlem.
THE COMMITMENT
- Commit to participating in a one and a half (1.5) hour workshop.
- Have a positive, open mind, and believe that anything is possible with vision and commitment.
Donate
Art supplies are extremely expensive and could be unattainable for the organizations we work with. Life Preservers is committed to providing supplies for each of our workshops. We will also supply starter packs to those youth interested in working on their newly learned art skills after the workshops.
If you are interested in making a donation of art supplies, we are currently accepting the following:
- Paint Brushes (all sizes)
- Pens
- Pencils
- Permanent Markers
- Watercolors
- Acrylic Paint
- Paper
- Canvas Board
- Blank Stickers (any shape or size)
- 5×7 Notebooks
- 4×6 Notebooks
- Drawing charcoal
- Paint smocks
Donations can be shipped to:
Life Preservers, Inc.
c/o Shana Pederson
2 Dawes Avenue
West Orange, NJ 07052
To ensure prompt receipt of a tax acknowledgment letter, please provide the donor’s contact information and the declared value of the donation.
Monetary donations are welcome and can be submitted here.