Create Now - Transforming Lives
September 2009
Have a Ball!
A Jungle Story
Fine Arts Inspire Foster Kids
Thank you to Our Sponsors!
Kidz Kreationz

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Join us - $10 a month can transform a child's life
Please consider joining us in transforming lives of vulnerable youth by donating $10 per month to help us ensure that we keep our valuable programs running.  Automatic monthly deductions can be made thorough our secure website. Thank you for your generosity.

Create Now is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1996. Our mission is to transform the lives of high-risk and at-risk youth through creative arts mentoring, education, resources and opportunities. The organization serves kids who have been abused, neglected, abandoned and orphaned (foster youth), are left homeless, runaways, teen parents, victims of domestic violence, children of prisoners, substance abusers, gang members or incarcerated. In the past thirteen years, we've reached almost 20,000 of these vulnerable kids through our unique arts mentoring and cultural programs and services.
Create Now
Have a Ball!

Join us at our benefit Have a Ball! on Saturday, December 5th at Exclusive Casting Studios in Hollywood. Party # 1 - Make unique holiday ornaments with ribbons, beads, glitter, paint and much more; Red ornamentParty # 2 - Party till you drop with a hip DJ, fun games and receive a handmade ornament. Drink champagne and Mimosas donated by Barefoot Winery at both parties. Tickets are just $35 for each party, or only $60 for both. While this is a great chance for actors to network with casting directors, managers, agents and other entertainment industry pros, THE EVENT IS OPEN TO EVERYONE, so come Have a Ball!
A Jungle Story

Katherine O'Connor had never mentored before, or created a mural. But with the support of Create Now, she helped ten teenage foster girls who are severely emotionally-disturbed to create their own jungle-themed mural at Star View Adolescent Center, a residential psychiatric health facility in Torrance.

Five Acres Art"One of the challenges set out in the beginning was to get the girls to work together," Katherine said. "But that was never a problem. The enthusiasm engendered by the girls for this project was amazing and I am so proud to have worked with them."

Working on the mural was exciting. It was magical and the day room looks like a forest with a waterfall. - Camille, age 16

Katherine was very energetic and the mural that I did was the waterfall, koala bear on a tree and a snake. I thought it was awesome. Very awesome! - Khadijuh, age 15

Dale Young, the Director of Group Services at Star View Adolescent Center said, Thank you Create Now for such a wonderful and therapeutic experience!

 
Fine Art Inspires Foster Kids

As a Visual Merchandiser at Nordstrom's in Arcadia, Melissa Hogan spends her days creating beautiful window displays and arranging fashion shows. As an experienced artist, her goal was to help children learn about artists and to appreciate fine art. "I wanted to volunteer to step outside of myself and my world and share my passions with others," Melissa said.

Five Acres ArtWe learned about Van Gogh who did the big brush strokes. He put so much emotion into his art. - Rachel, age 12

I like painting the most, especially the cave paintings. Melissa brings a lot of paintings to show us. - Joseph, age 10

Not only is Melissa teaching the children about art, but she is also teaching them about respect, patience, following directions and exposing them to a new world of art and artists. - Ryann Romero, Activities Director, Five Acres

Create Now
Thank You To Our Sponsors!

We are thrilled that Oprah's Angel Network has given Create Now a very generous donation for our Write Now literacy program. We are very proud that they have selected Create Now as a new partner, especially during tOprah's logohis difficult economic time when the healing power of the creative arts are especially needed. Because of their support, we will be able to bring our therapeutic creative writing projects, including screenwriting, poetry, journalism and more, to the most troubled children and youth in Southern California.
Kidz Kreationz

Five Acres artwork
 
Original painting by a child at Five Acres
Thank you!

Thanks to you, Create Now programs prove that the arts can impact the lives of high-risk and at-risk youth in ways that other intervention programs cannot.

Working together, we are transforming lives through creative arts!

Sincerely,

The Create Now Team
Phone:  (213) 484-8500
Email:  [email protected]
Website:  www.createnow.org