“The photo is a trio of commissions we completed for Chase Bank, called “The Color of Community,” “Unity in Color,” and “Uplifting” (from left to right). These were designed by Studio Crew members Shantisa and Jada and fabricated by the Studio Crew.”
This year, CARE Maryland partnered with Arts on the Block in Silver Spring, Md., to deliver financial education to a group of their program participants. Arts on the Block is a nonprofit organization committed to helping young people pursue careers in the arts. Its programs bring educational guidance, entrepreneurial training and a real-world experience in the arts that imparts transferable life skills. One of the aims of the program is to show how creative pursuits can lead to sustainable careers.
CARE volunteers met with young people in their apprenticeship and Studio Crew programs to share information on budgeting, student loans and credit issues throughout the year. Each of the three sessions brought new opportunities for students to connect with each other, Arts on the Block staff and CARE volunteers to discuss how to manage their finances to help them meet their goals.
“The conversations were more elevated and more focused than what we typically do in the classroom. I found it very rewarding. You could tell the young people were listening because they had objectives they wanted to achieve and they were trying to find bits of information to help them reach those objectives.” Hon. Michelle Harner, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, District of Maryland
This partnership is another example of how CARE volunteers make a difference in their communities by sharing information that empowers young people to build strong financial futures. Working with organizations like Arts on the Block gives CARE the opportunity to reach new audiences and expand our impact by sharing information when young people need it the most. After each CARE session, program participants were given tools they could immediately put to use.
“It was one of the most successful partnerships we had this past year. We had crew members tell us that they valued the program because it focused on things they were asking about, like, ‘How do I improve my credit score?’ We look forward to continuing this partnership because we have young people telling us, ‘This is information I need to live my life.’” Melissa Ezelle, Arts on the Block
Thank you to the students and staff at Arts on the Block and apprenticeship and the Studio Crew programs for working with CARE Maryland this year. We look forward to seeing what work we can do together in the future!
To learn more about Arts on Block, please visit their website at https://www.artsontheblock.com/.
“This photo is a trio of medallions we completed for the Wheaton Clock Tower. These were designed and fabricated by the apprentices.”
