We had a wonderful time visiting the Burlington Paint and Sip Studio for a fun, substance-free afternoon painting event for youth who access our Drop-In Center. Colleen Clark, the studio manager, told us, “We hope that everyone who visits our studios is able to laugh, smile, and fall in love with painting.” And we had a blast! We’re so grateful to everyone at Paint and Sip who came together to make this possible for 14 of our youth. Thank you.

Being able to explore new talents is so important in helping our youth see themselves as more than just a ‘homeless kid.’

Michael McCaffrey, Lead Artist at Paint and Sip, donated two hours of his time to spend with us, plus the inspiration for the afternoon. “Art has been a life-long passion of mine and I am totally excited to share this passion by offering a creative experience to local youth who may not typically get the opportunity,” said McCaffrey.

Our AmeriCorps Resource Coordinator Liz Flynn helped arrange the visit to Burlington Paint & Sip. She was excited about the event: “This is a really great opportunity for our youth to engage with our community, and vice versa. It also gives our youth a chance to explore creative outlets they may not have tried before.” And, she got to make her own painting, too!

Allie, our Drop-In Coordinator, added: “Being able to try new things in the community, exploring new talents, using art as a way to express themselves, and sharing their stories is so important in helping our youth see themselves as more than just a ‘homeless kid.’ These opportunities allow them to escape whatever struggles they are dealing with day-to-day, and just enjoy trying something new and being seen as a member of the community—a person with something to share.”

Thank you, Burlington Paint and Sip, for supporting our youth.

The post A chance to try new things: Our youth visit Burlington Paint & Sip! appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.