Every year, an estimated 1.6 million of America’s youth experience homelessness. Though a problem nationwide, this is also an issue locally. In order to better serve this important population, Hillsboro Community Arts founded the Rise Above Arts Program, providing arts education to homeless youth. These teens, ages 13 to 17, currently reside at A Safe Place for Youth, a teen homeless shelter run by the Boys and Girls Aid Society in Hillsboro. Each year, Rise Above offers 150+ teens the opportunity to express themselves through art and writing, while helping them to build confidence, learn about themselves, and realize a sense of accomplishment.
Beyond the weekly art and writing classes, Rise Above provides the teens with the chance to participate in other local events and programs. During our first year, such events included: an art exhibit of the teen’s work at the Walters Cultural Art Center in Hillsboro; participation in the Global Art Project, where the teens exchanged artwork with youth from Fredericksburg, Virginia; and an exhibition of the teen’s art at the First Tuesday Artwalk in downtown Hillsboro. Beyond this, Rise Above was able to help two of the teens obtain scholarships for further classes at the Pacific Northwest College of Art and helped a group of the teens go on a field trip to the Portland Art Museum.
Present this voucher when you purchase items at the Tanasbourne Barnes & Noble and a percentage of the sales will go to Rise Above Arts Program. Even if you don’t have a voucher, you can let the cashier know that it’s for Rise Above.
