Peace Love Foundation

PEACELOVE GIVES PEOPLE AN EASY, LOW-PRESSURE WAY TO FIND EMOTIONAL RELIEF THROUGH CREATIVE ACTIVITIES.

1. CREATORS TO DATE, WE HAVE TRAINED 295 CREATORS (FRONTLINE PROFESSIONALS) TO DELIVER 8,787 WORKSHOPS. OUR TRAINED CREATORS HAVE TOUCHED OVER 100,000 INDIVIDUALS, ACROSS 32 STATES IN THE US, JAMAICA AND 2 CANADIAN PROVINCES, WITH OUR LIFE-CHANGING CREATIVE ACTIVITIES. IMPACT STORIES STORY 1 AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS WITH ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, HOW DO I MEASURE THE IMPACT OF A PROGRAM LIKE PEACELOVE WORKSHOPS? I CAN GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS OF ALL THE PARTICIPANTS OF ALL THE WORKSHOPS I'VE RUN. I NEVER EXPECT AN "A-HA" MOMENT OR SEEING SOMEONE'S MAGIC COME OUT IN PROCESSING THEIR EMOTIONS, BUT IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME. THE IMPACT IS MEASURED IN SO MANY WAYS: WHEN STAFF TELL ME THAT PARTICIPANTS ARE TAKING FEWER BEHAVIORAL MEDICATIONS, OR THAT BEHAVIORS HAVE DECREASED OVERALL AND ESPECIALLY SURROUNDING WHEN A WORKSHOP IS SCHEDULED. OR WHEN A NONVERBAL PARTICIPANT RELATES TO A CERTAIN COLOR OR IMAGE, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO CONVEY OR COMMUNICATE THAT EMOTION. OR WHEN A PARTICIPANT COMES IN WITH A FLAT AFFECT, NOT ENGAGING, AND THEN YOU SEE IT - A SHIFT. THEY SOFTEN, THEY ENGAGE, AND THEY OPEN UP. BECAUSE IN THESE WORKSHOPS, THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE SEEN, HEARD, RESPECTED, AND WELCOMED. THERE'S NOT MUCH OPPORTUNITY IN THE WORLD THESE DAYS TO GO AND DO SOMETHING THAT THE GOAL IS TO JUST "FEEL BETTER." TO CREATE, WITHOUT JUDGMENT OR FOCUS ON WHAT IS PRODUCED. THAT'S THE MAGIC. AND THE IMPACT IS IMMEASURABLE. CREATOR ANDREA DURANT DEMING IS A RECREATIONAL THERAPIST AT COVENANT CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN MATTHEWS, NORTH CAROLINA. STORY 2 I AM THE VIOLENT CRIMES VICTIM SERVICES COORDINATOR AT PEORIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I DEAL WITH MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF VICTIMS ON A DAILY BASIS. CRIMES VARY FROM IDENTITY THEFT TO SEXUAL ASSAULT (JUVENILE AND ADULT) TO ELDERLY ABUSE, DOMESTIC BATTERY, AND HOMICIDE VICTIMS. I WANTED A CHANCE TO PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR EVERYONE TO COME TOGETHER AND INTERACT, AS I WAS OFTEN ASKED THE QUESTION, "IS THERE A SUPPORT GROUP FOR OTHER VICTIMS LIKE ME WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS?" THE ANSWER WAS NO, BUT I DECIDED TO CHANGE THAT. I WAS TRAINED IN 2022 AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT IT HAS CHANGED OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE BETTER. THE VERY FIRST GROUP I HELD WAS IN THE EVENING. I HAD MALES AND FEMALES, AGES RANGING FROM 15-68, BLACK, WHITE AND HISPANIC ETHNICITIES. AT FIRST IT WAS VERY QUIET AND EVERYONE WAS JUST SITTING LISTENING TO EVERYTHING I HAD TO SAY WITH NERVOUS FACES. WE DID TRANSFORMATION COLLAGE. IT TOOK EXACTLY 3 MINUTES INTO THE PROJECT FOR ONE PERSON TO START SPEAKING OPENLY ABOUT WHAT THEY EXPERIENCED AND BEFORE I KNEW IT, ALL 14 PEOPLE WERE TALKING WITH EACH OTHER SHARING STORIES. THEY WERE LAUGHING AND, YES, THERE WAS CRYING. I WILL ABSOLUTELY NEVER FORGET THIS MOMENT IN MY CAREER. I REMEMBER STANDING THERE WITH GOOSEBUMPS ALL OVER AND TEARS IN MY EYES. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT I WAS A PART OF SOMETHING SO SPECIAL. AFTER THE PROJECTS, EVERY SINGLE PERSON SHARED ABOUT THEIR PROJECT. NOT ONE PERSON IN THIS GROUP WAS EVER LEFT OUT. THIS GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS NEVER MET EACH OTHER BEFORE THAT NIGHT AND STILL TO THIS DAY THEY GET TOGETHER, THE YOUNG AND OLD THEY CREATED A BOND THAT ONLY THEY CAN BE A PART OF BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY ENDURED AND IT WAS ALL BECAUSE PEACELOVE GAVE US THE TOOLS TO GIVE THESE PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO OPEN UP AND FEEL HEARD AND KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE IN THEIR BATTLE. I WISH EVERYONE I KNOW COULD HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS INTERACTION BECAUSE IT WAS SO PROFOUND AND SOMETHING SO SIMPLE HELPED SO MANY PEOPLE. CREATOR AIMEE SHINALL IS THE VIOLENT CRIMES VICTIM SERVICES COORDINATOR AT PEORIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN PEORIA, ILLINOIS. STORY 3 WRITING THIS I HAVE A HARD TIME GATHERING WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE WORKSHOP THAT TOOK PLACE TODAY. MY DAD DECIDED TO STOP BY TO SEE THE REC CENTER AND I WAS NERVOUS ABOUT HOW THIS WORKSHOP WOULD GO BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WITH KIDS. I COULDN'T HAVE DREAMED OF A BETTER EXPERIENCE TO SHARE WITH HIM. WHAT THIS WORKSHOP UNLEASHED IN THESE 10 GIRLS WAS INCREDIBLE WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT MAKES US NERVOUS, ONE GIRL WHO LOST HER GRANDPA RECENTLY, SHARING SHE IS MOST NERVOUS OF LOSING THE PEOPLE SHE CARES THE MOST ABOUT AND THAT SHE HAS LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE. A LOT OF THESE KIDS HAVE UNIMAGINABLE STRUGGLES AT HOME AND IT WAS POWERFUL TO HEAR HER SHARE THIS. BEING TOLD THERE ARE NO RULES UNLEASHED SOMETHING IN THESE GIRLS AS WE STARTED, THEY ASKED MY DAD WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CREATIVE. HE SHARED IT MEANS BELIEVING YOU CAN DO ANYTHING AND MAKING MISTAKES. INSTRUCTING THEM TO EMBRACE MISTAKES, WE HAD AN HOUR-LONG WORKSHOP FILLED WITH LAUGHTER, SMILES, JOY, AND SHOUTS SHOWING US ALL THE MISTAKES THEY MADE. THEY WERE SO PROUD AND EXCITED TO SHOW THEIR MISTAKES AND KEPT EXCLAIMING HOW FUN IT WAS TO NOT HAVE ANY RULES HERE. THEY GOT MESSY, USED THEIR HANDS, DIFFERENT MATERIALS, AND GUIDED BY THE CONCEPT TO TELL A STORY, THEY EXPLORED WITHOUT JUDGMENT. THEY SHARED OPENLY ABOUT THEIR LIVES, STRUGGLES, AND ONE EVEN SAID THE GREATEST WORDS I COULD HEAR IN A WORKSHOP"THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE." WHETHER TRUE OR NOT, THIS WORKSHOP, THIS HOUR OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE FUN WITHOUT PUNISHMENT, TO BE CHEERED ON FOR MAKING MISTAKES, SUPPORTED TO BE CREATIVE; IT MEANT SOMETHING TO THEM. IT WAS A MOMENT IN THEIR DAY THEY COULD LET EVERYTHING GO AND JUST BE KIDS AND THAT WAS INCREDIBLE AS A FACILITATOR TO SEE. AFTER DISPLAYING OUR WORK, I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE HOW EXCITED THEY WERE TO SHARE THEIR STORIES THEY CREATED. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD TROUBLE WITH THE KIDS WANTING TO SHARE BUT NOT TODAY. THEY HAD THESE AMAZING AND CREATIVE STORIES BEHIND THEIR SHOES. ONE SAID THEIR SHOE TOLD A STORY OF A SHOE THEY DREAMED OF BUYING BUT COULDN'T FIND AND THEN CAME ACROSS ONE DAY. ANOTHER SAID IT WAS THEIR MOM'S FAVORITE HIGH HEEL THAT MATCHED HER BEAUTIFUL DRESS. THE CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION WERE MAGICAL CREATOR CHARLEE SPARR IS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT PARTNERSHIP FOR PROVIDENCE PARKS, RECREATION CENTERS, AND STREETSCAPES (P3) IN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND. STORY 4 I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN WORKING WITH A 17-YEAR-OLD WHO ENDED UP HAVING A 4- MONTH HOSPITAL STAY. DUE TO HER CHRONIC DIAGNOSIS, SHE HAD TO HAVE HOUR LONG TREATMENTS 3-4 TIMES A DAY. ONE DAY, I INTRODUCED PEACELOVE TO HER. OF COURSE, I STARTED WITH CREATIVE CALISTHENICS. WELL, THAT MOMENT CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR HER. SHE FOUND THAT SHE ABSOLUTELY LOVED PAINTING (AND OTHER ART TOO, BUT PAINTING WAS HER FAVORITE) AND THAT IT HELPED HER COPE WITH THE LONG LONELY DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL. SHE WAS ALSO ADOPTED AND HER PARENTS WORKED DURING THE DAY...ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT IT WAS ALMOST AN HOUR DRIVE TO AND FROM HER HOUSE. EACH DAY, SHE BEGAN PAINTING CANVAS AFTER CANVAS. WE WOULD TALK ABOUT HER INSPIRATION BEHIND EACH ONE. THERE WAS ONE OF HER LUNGS FILLED WITH FLOWERS THAT SHE CALLED "BAD THINGS CAN BE BEAUTIFUL- AND ANOTHER OF FLOWERS THAT SHE CALLED "LOOKING THROUGH A WINDOW" SHARING THAT SHE SPENDS HER DAYS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW WHILE LIFE CONTINUES FOR EVERYONE OUTSIDE. SHE PAINTED ME A TREE THAT SHE CALLED "HELPING ME TO GROW- AND SAID THAT I HELPED HER TO GROW AND COPE WITH HER EMOTIONS THROUGH ART. SHE ENDED UP WITH OVER 25 CANVASES THAT SHE HAD PAINTED DURING THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF HER STAY. I SUGGESTED AN ART SHOW WHERE SHE COULD LEAVE HER ROOM AND WE COULD SHARE HER ART WITH THE STAFF AND OTHER FAMILIES. WE TOOK DOWN ALL OF THE PAINTINGS THAT HAD BEEN IN A HALLWAY NEAR THE PLAYROOM. THE CARPENTERS AND PAINTERS REPAINTED IT AND HUNG HER FRAMED PICTURES TO LOOK LIKE AN ART GALLERY. WE GOT A RED CARPET, UP-LIGHTING, AND A CANDY BAR WITH ALL OF HER FAVORITE TREATS. THE HOSPITAL MEDIA ATTENDED AND SHE SPENT 2-3 HOURS TALKING TO EVERYONE WHO CAME TO VISIT ABOUT HER ARTWORK AND WHAT INSPIRED HER TO START PAINTING. I'M SURE YOU CAN GUESS. IT ALL STARTED WITH PEACELOVE. HAVING THE ART SHOW GAVE HER SOMETHING TO BE HAPPY ABOUT. IT GAVE HER SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. IT HELPED HER PASS THE TIME WHILE STUCK IN THE HOSPITAL. IT MADE HER PROUD AND ACCOMPLISHED. IT HELPED HER TO COPE WITH HER ILLNESS AND PROGNOSIS. I HONESTLY CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR CONTINUING TO SHARE THE WORKSHOPS. FOR CONTINUING TO EXPAND THROUGH THE PANDEMIC. FOR GIVING FRONT LINE PROFESSIONALS, LIKE ME, THE TOOLS TO COPE AND HELP OUR CLIENTS TO COPE. I HOPE THESE STORIES HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THE CREATORS PROGRAM. CREATOR TRACI AOKI-TAN IS A CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST ON AN INPATIENT GENERAL PEDIATRIC FLOOR/PICU AT KAISER PERMANENTE HOSPITAL IN ROSEVILLE, CALIFORNIA. STORY 5 AS PROFESSIONALS, I BELIEVE WE SOMETIMES ASSUME THAT PARTICULAR CLIENTS ARE OK BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE TYPICAL EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION FOR WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE. THIS WAS MOST EVIDENT TO ME DURING A DUAL EMOTIONS WORKSHOP WITH A TEEN WITH AUTISM. I HAVE KNOWN HER FOR TWO YEARS. SHE HAS ALWAYS PRESENTED HERSELF AS HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, BUBBLY AND SOCIALLY ENGAGING. SOMETIMES HER ZEST FOR CONNECTION HAS EVEN BEEN INVASIVE TO OTHERS. I NEVER KNEW, UNTIL THIS WORKSHOP, THAT SHE TRULY HUNGERS FOR FRIEN