Make a donation for TRANSFORMATION.

Through the eyes of BuildaBridge artists, constituents and the communities with whom we work, we observe radiant themes of hope, change, future, healing and transformation demonstrated in the lives of children attending BuildaBridge programming. These transforming stories are the driving force behind what we do – training and connecting artists in service to others bringing hope and healing through the transformative power of the arts.

When you give to BuildaBridge, you give to Transformation.  When you give to BuildaBridge, you contribute to the overall growth of the organization and our mission.  When you give to BuildaBridge, you help us serve over 300 children in Philadelphia and over 500 children overseas every year.

BuildaBridge's Combined Federal Campaign Code #46441

Here are a few stories of transformation examples from our 12 years in Philadelphia and 14 years overseas:

Kahlil wrote a very beautiful and expressive poem about his many homes. First, he wrote several short poems on other topics and showed that he excelled at the use of alliteration. This teacher praised him for this, and then suggested that he write a longer poem about home. Kahlil replied “Which home?” and then decided to make the poem about his shelter home, his old home, and his fantasy home. Kahlil took great pride in this process, and then at this teacher’s encouragement decided to read it to the class and then to one of the other mothers. Kahlil was beaming with pride at the end of the class.

One student encountered a "happy accident" in her work and expressed herself through it on a deeper level than she had intended. She "messed up" in the way she put down some of her paint on her home. From the mistake, she went on to paint into it and created a scar-like form. She described to me that this was an accident but that she liked it because it represented the "struggles" she has in not being in her own home now at the shelter and that the whole piece represents how she is happy when she does have her own home and will have a home again in the future.

I have seen hope in the students mostly when they are successful both in performing my choreography and making their own. It is a great process watching them struggle with a move and then master it…we have been building on the activities that we started with …each day adding a new part has helped with future orientation--talking about how to build your future.

I have learned that I am strong and in even small, but significant ways, being genuine and caring in the classroom creates respect in the children themselves, myself and others.

BuildaBridge has developed a teaching model, the BuildaBridge Classroom ©, that engages artists in active mentoring through child-centered, hope infused and trauma informed methodology. Each of the above stories is captured through BuildaBridge’s online assessment system formatted to this teaching model. BuildaBridge artists across the world complete the assessment, evaluating their classes, the children’s learning outcomes, stories and strategies for improvement. We have seen hundreds of lives changed using the BuildaBridge Classroom model, used in over 10 countries in the past 10 years. This change is evident is none other than…their stories. We can continue to share these stories of transformation from children around the globe with your donations.

Why Give to Transformation?

· Children learn to channel their energies in new and restorative ways, learning constructive methods for processing, coping with and resolving personal or interpersonal issues in a non-violent way.

· Children, families and communities learn tangible life lessons through art-making experiences

· BuildaBridge programming helps children develop a positive, future orientation and purpose for life · Increased senses of empowerment with regard to creative self-expression, ownership and responsibility

· Children are more resilient, gaining emotional and social literacy, self-efficacy and developing better ways of thinking, believing, feeling, and ultimately living

· Children learn to see themselves holistically, just as BuildaBridge sees them, helping them attain new visions of peace, justice and well-being in the social, spiritual, economic, emotional and physical aspects of life, communities and larger societies

Your donations support programming, the provision of art supplies for children, pay our teaching artists, allow children to take educational field trips, supports other administrative personnel, our children's art exhibits and other basic operational costs.  All contributions are tax-deductible with the exception of support for individual artists