Good News Fridays: Help Out Art 4 All

By Nathan Young on February 22, 2013

Arts in schools have disappeared in an alarming rate! And I wanted to use this edition of Good News Fridays to help out a local charity. Art 4 All is based in Alexander City and it was started by now 10 year-old Hannah Walton. Art 4 All started with a question, “What can I do to help other children reach their dream to become an artist?” So, little 8-year-old Hannah Walton called a meeting at her house of city leaders and unveiled her mission.

Hannah has made her mission a reality with the founding of Art 4 All. Since February of 2011, Art 4 All has served over 1500 students with over 3,000 students and 12 schools waiting for Art 4 All’s programs to reach them. From ages 2 and up, Art 4 All provides many different programs that motivate, inspire, and help create art exploration. Hannah is so determined to help other children that she homeschools so that she can ensure the success of Art 4 All. With the help of others, Art 4 All is helping bring youths dreams to life.

Art 4 All needs some help! They need to raise $12,000 to continue offering its services to the community, and mother Allysen Walton, said the trouble is a lack of donations. “All organizations have dry spells – we’ve just had our share,” Walton said. “We’re just not getting any donations coming in.” The nonprofit faces expenses like $4,000 or more per year for art supplies, $2,600 per year for rent and utilities and other costs for art field trips, website and accounting services and office supplies. All while providing art services for free for the kids!

Hannah is just trying to help kids who would otherwise not have art classes. The kids absolutely love Hannah and she’s created personal bonds with all of them. Art 4 All has been operating since the first of the year with no donations, paying for expenses out-of-pocket. Several parents have helped these people out, but they still need your help! Although Hannah’s “Cup O’ Art” classes are meant to provide money for the nonprofit. Art 4 All has been unable to promote those classes since it has begun losing money. The nonprofit has also scaled back its free afternoon classes from three per week to two per week and stopped offering both art classes to schools as well as monetary help to art teachers.

Hannah hopes the community will donate to keep Art 4 All in business. “Kids will be sad, and they won’t have a happy place (if Art 4 All closes),” Hannah said. “Then the parents will be sad. There are not enough schools that have art in them.” Multiple studies have pointed to arts having a big impact on a child’s education. And losing these good people in a city with multiple job losses would be a big blow. There are several ways to help them!

1. Go to http://www.art4all.org/ and donate!

2. Donate through Razoo at http://www.razoo.com/story/Art-4-All

3. Call 855-KID-4-ART

4. Mail a donation to P.O. Box 895, Alexander City, AL 35011