Art, Healing, and Hope: Open Hearts Foundation Unveils Landmark Grants Supporting Vulnerable Communities
Jane Seymour Paints Lilli
While the Foundation brings more than a decade of grantmaking impact, this marks the first time it has dedicated resources specifically to arts-based mental health and healing initiatives serving vulnerable populations. The focus emerged from a powerful realization after the Los Angeles wildfires: communities in Altadena and the Palisades, profoundly affected by the fires, face lasting physical and mental impacts. In response, Foundation leadership began exploring ideas and inquiries around how arts and creative expression might support communities around the country dealing with healing and recovery.
“Art has always been my way of opening my heart, of expressing feelings that words cannot capture, “shared Seymour, “I have witnessed time and again how creativity can transform pain into beauty, isolation into connection, and adversity into possibility. This is why I believe so deeply in making art accessible to everyone who seeks healing.”
With more than 165 requests and limited funding, the Foundation faced a difficult task in selecting its inaugural Arts & Mental Health grantees. Those chosen to reflect trauma-informed arts programs rooted in grassroots leadership, deep community connection, and service to marginalized populations. The many strong applications underscored both the urgency of this work and the need to expand the Foundation’s grantmaking in the future.
“We were humbled by the overwhelming response and inspired by the power of the arts to heal.” said Tim Mallad, Chair of the Open Hearts Foundation Board. “From music and theater to painting and dance, these programs are transforming lives across the country. Seeing this overwhelming need motivates us to grow as a foundation so we can expand our impact and walk alongside grantees as true partners. Not just as funders, but as volunteers and advisors.”
The Foundation is honored to support the transformative work of the following nonprofit organizations. Each grant, ranging from $15,000 to $25,000, represents an investment in healing, creativity, and community resilience. For a full breakdown of funding allocations, please visit our website.
Actors Bridge Ensemble is advancing healing and self-expression through autobiographical writing and performance workshops for women experiencing incarceration in Nashville, TN.
City Youth Now is uplifting youth in San Francisco’s foster care and juvenile justice systems through the Art Expressions Project, a three-day immersive experience that channels creativity, self-expression, and community healing.
Creative Kids is transforming grief into resilience in El Paso, TX through the Resiliency Art Program (RAP), where the healing language of art helps a community affected by gun violence reclaim hope and connection.
Crescent Moon Center is guiding individuals facing trauma and addiction in Northern California through the Healing Reflections Project, a powerful blend of art, writing, music, and equine experiences that fosters renewal and self-discovery.
Excite All Stars is bringing trauma-responsive arts programming to local schools and the Innovation & Wellness Center in New Orleans East thus igniting creativity, healing, and joy in young minds.
Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation is supporting Family Caregivers in South Carolina and California through “Healing Through Expression”, a program that harnesses the visual, performing, and literary arts to nurture emotional well-being and connection.
Prattsville Art Project Inc. is addressing the youth mental health crisis in rural Greene County, NY through inclusive, arts-based programs that cultivate healing, resilience, and a sense of belonging.
San Francisco Women Against Rape is fostering healing and empowerment through “Healing the Trauma of Sexual Violence”, a powerful program that weaves storytelling, artmaking, and public arts exhibitions to support survivors and spark community dialogue.
Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (SWIM) is addressing generational trauma through its “Addressing Trauma Through Art”, group therapy program using creative expression to nurture emotional healing and resilience in a community long impacted by unspoken pain.
The CityKids Foundation is empowering youth in New York City through the CityKids Repertory Company, an arts-based mental health initiative in partnership with the Lower Eastside Girls Club that amplifies young voices through creative expression and collective care.
Urban Voices Project is uplifting residents of Los Angeles’s Skid Row through “Skid Row Integrated Arts & Wellness”, a community singing program that strengthens well-being, connection, and hope through the healing power of music.
Additionally, the Foundation proudly recognized two extraordinary Gala honorees with the Humanitarian Award and Open Hearts Awards, celebrating their profound impact and unwavering commitment to uplifting others.
Altadena Girls is launching a dance and movement therapy pilot this fall, marking the opening of their new dedicated space, a vital environment designed to nurture healing, expression, and growth through embodied arts for teens affected by the Eaton fire and neighboring communities.
UCLA Mobile Stroke Program is advancing emergency care through the purchase of lifesaving equipment technology (CT Injectors) that improves stroke survival rates and enables critical procedures that can mean the difference between lifelong disability and restored independence.
Open Hearts Foundation grants are made possible by donors nationwide who share the belief that we can all do something to help one another. The Foundation welcomes gifts of any size to support future impact.
Sarah Vohland
Open Hearts Foundation
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