ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania — The men begin each art class with a blank canvas. Then, a few hours a week, they get the opportunity to paint something new.
It’s a creative exercise that inspires her as she rebuilds her life at the Allentown Rescue Mission.
The art students are participating in the Transformation Program, an eight-week residential program designed to help the men find jobs and housing while also allowing them to participate in counseling sessions, life skills classes and religious education.
“Some people come here and don’t know each other. Some don’t like to talk. The classes help us open up because we’re all doing the same thing.”
Jose P., about art therapy courses at the Allentown Rescue Mission
Graduates of the Transformation Program can continue teaching art while joining the Mission’s Clean Team Workforce, where they receive a salary and re-enter the workforce.
“We all do the same thing”
The art classes began in September 2021 to provide residents with an opportunity to socialize during the pandemic.
During the two hours they paint, the group often listens to music and jokes. Laughter fills the space at the mission at 355 Hamilton Street in Allentown.
“It gives us time to do something else while we’re here, when we could be stuck in our rooms. Everyone has a story to tell, so the classes help other people because you learn about other people’s situations and maybe you can help that person,” said Jose P. (Last names are omitted in this story for privacy reasons).
Micaela Hood
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LehighValleyNews.com
“Some people come here and don’t know each other. Some don’t like to talk. The course helps us to open up because we’re all doing the same thing.”
Art therapy meets twice a month and is taught by Wendy Navarre, an administrative assistant at the Rescue Mission.
At each station, the men are given an easel, a blank canvas, paint brushes, a cup of water, paper towels and a paint wheel – one with several splashes of different colors.
You will receive pre-printed images of silhouettes – skylines, deserts with cacti, beaches – suitable for artists of all levels.
“Through the program, I discovered that I’m not perfect, but I’m actually pretty good at art,” said Jose P. “And we learn patience and how to focus better on things. To not be afraid to try something new and move forward.”
Help with fears, spread joy
A 2021 study published by Frontiers in Psychology found that art therapy produced positive clinical outcomes in treating mental disorders and reducing conflict and stress.
“If you are suffering from anxiety and depression, it helps to sit down and start painting. It is relaxing and fun,” said Javon P.
“Plus, Wendy is a really cool person. It’s a time where we all open up and just have fun.”
Recently, the men took part in a Christmas card competition with the theme “Christmas in July”.
Among the five paintings competing for the title “Winter Barn Scene” by Jose P., the winning painting in Navarre’s class was chosen.
Micaela Hood
/
LehighValleyNews.com
It is used as the mission’s Christmas card during the Christmas season and is sent to donors and friends of the Allentown Rescue Mission, founded in 1900.
Spreading joy is a small part of what the men do at the religious, interdenominational shelter.
“Using examples from the Bible and the stories we tell each other, we discuss how a person went down the wrong path and ended up at the bottom. And today, because of inflation and the high cost of living, some people become homeless,” said Javon P.
“But there is hope in these Bible stories. There is a message in them about what God has done for us. And when we live (in mission), we begin to see that.”
