Funding for art therapy center
Donation protected
According to the U.S. Veterans Administration, 22 veterans everday commit suicide. That is more than 7,000 per year. Now imagine those who suffer from conditions such as PTSD that are not tracked by a government agency and that number goes up astronomically.
I am a disabled combat veteran with PTSD. Thanks to the support and encouragement of my wife I am still alive to type this. Not everyone has that. Also, thanks to her, I have learned to use the creative process to help me heal. I make metallic art.
I am raising money to start a nonprofit in Oak Ridge, Tenn. called Welding for Warriors. While veterans were my inspiration, I consdier anyone battling mental illness a warrior. Those are who this center is for.
Anyone with a diagnosed condition that can be helped by art therapy is welcome. They will never be charged and the art they make is for them. They can keep it, sell it, display it in the center, or sell it though the center's shop for a 15% consignment fee and 85% profit.
We have been given a small space in a building and have developed a board of directors consisting of me (Russel Langley), a police officer's wife, a director of a youth center, and an art therapist. We have also recruited a painter, glass blower, and wood carver to act as artist mentors for clients.
The local art center and several other local groups have agreed to work with us on this project. We even have a gardening opportunity for those with a green thumb — not me!
We now need to buy supplies, equipment, and all of the things that go along with establishing a center. Our next step is to obtain official government nonprofit status and start writing grants.
I am a disabled combat veteran with PTSD. Thanks to the support and encouragement of my wife I am still alive to type this. Not everyone has that. Also, thanks to her, I have learned to use the creative process to help me heal. I make metallic art.
I am raising money to start a nonprofit in Oak Ridge, Tenn. called Welding for Warriors. While veterans were my inspiration, I consdier anyone battling mental illness a warrior. Those are who this center is for.
Anyone with a diagnosed condition that can be helped by art therapy is welcome. They will never be charged and the art they make is for them. They can keep it, sell it, display it in the center, or sell it though the center's shop for a 15% consignment fee and 85% profit.
We have been given a small space in a building and have developed a board of directors consisting of me (Russel Langley), a police officer's wife, a director of a youth center, and an art therapist. We have also recruited a painter, glass blower, and wood carver to act as artist mentors for clients.
The local art center and several other local groups have agreed to work with us on this project. We even have a gardening opportunity for those with a green thumb — not me!
We now need to buy supplies, equipment, and all of the things that go along with establishing a center. Our next step is to obtain official government nonprofit status and start writing grants.
Organizer
Russel Langley
Organizer
Oak Ridge, TN
