By Barb McDowell | Executive Director
Sharon, the Lead Teaching Artist for CHAP, was recently social-distance visiting with a family that participated in CHAP's art-making programs for several years. She originally met them years earlier when the son had been in the hospital for quite some time. While the young son was hospitalized, CHAP would come to the community playroom every week, bringing colorful and imaginative art supplies for all the children to enjoy. He looked forward to and loved these art-making sessions.
During this recent visit with the family, they asked Sharon about CHAP's current partnership with the hospitals, given the COVID-19 pandemic. Sharon explained that, for everyone's safety, the hospitals had all temporarily suspended CHAP's weekly in-person visits. She added that the hospitals were continually evaluating CHAP's status and that right now, only essential workers were being allowed in the hospitals to care for the children. The young man thought about this for a moment and then said to Sharon, "But you are essential...to the kids." Sharon smiled. She knew exactly what he meant.
Since mid-March 2020, CHAP has been understandably unable to bring our healing art programs to Portland area hospitals due to the on-going pandemic. CHAP also had to temporarily close our beloved art studio on Portland, which has meant that no children or volunteers have been able to enjoy that joyous space with us for over 7 months.
So, CHAP got creative! We immediately began posting art-making ideas on social media platforms, switched in-person monthly Art Club to weekly online Art Clubs, completely re-structured the Inclusive Summer Art Workshops to take place via Zoom instead of in-person, and began providing free Healing Art Care Packages full of art supplies to hospitals to give to the children and families in their care. CHAP also continues to send free CHAP In a Box deliveries of art supplies to families outside the Portland-metro area every quarter.
CHAP believes in the healing power of art -- and we could all use some healing during these challenging times. We're constantly exploring new ways to deliver on our mission and to make a difference in the lives of children and families facing medical issues. When it is safe to do so, CHAP plans to return to our weekly in-person visits with the hospitalized children and to re-open our studio. Until then, CHAP will continue to make as many healing art experience happen as possible in any way we can.
Wishing you JOY, CREATIVITY, & HEALING.
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