Hope Creates

Community Creation Events (CCE) - Expand Creative Experiences to Build a Bigger World. CCEs are collaborative gatherings, open to youth and adults in recovery (from one day sober and beyond) and their families. These provide an easy, entry-level activity for all involved. Events are provided at no cost to our participants and some members donate their art for display and sale in Expressive Arts Exhibitions (EAEs). In the CCEs, participants and their families are provided art supplies and/or performance training so they can create in different settings and with different media - from "legal graffiti" to metal smithing, glass blowing to drum circles, ceramics to a traditional studio for modern dance. All events are adrenaline-pumping fun. We emphasize a safe and sober community event that includes a meal with loving peers and family members. We delivered 16 CCE sessions with approximately 250 attendees in the year ended June 30, 2023.

Expressive Arts Exhibitions (EAE) - Share Our Art and Recovery Stories with the World. EAEs are open to the general public to attend. Exhibitors must have over one year sobriety or more to show their artwork with their name and last initial or perform music and poetry. If they have less than one year sobriety, they will remain anonymous when showing their art. This program allows members to experience the value of their artwork and share their stories of recovery, creativity, and hope with the community. We delivered 1 EAE event with 93 attendees in the year ended June 30, 2023.

Make Your M.A.R.C. (Music. Art. Recovery. Connection.) (MYM) Make Your M.A.R.C. is a nine-session program for a cohort of 10-15 youths ages 12-19 in recovery from or deemed at risk of Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Participants meet for 3-4 hours each session, engaging in a multi-disciplinary healing arts experience in painting, drawing, music, drums, and storytelling, and deliver an exhibition and concert the final week. We delivered 3 Make Your M.A.R.C. cohorts (24 Make Your M.A.R.C. sessions) with approximately 316 attendees in the year ended June 30, 2023.

Education and Outreach (E & O) - Leadership, Entrepreneurialism, and Business Skills. Education and Outreach services are provided to St. Louis area residents to convey the scope of the disease of Substance Use Disorder (SUD), to support those in recovery from, or at risk of SUD, and to raise awareness of innovative solutions to prevent relapse through the expressive arts at private and community events. Hope Creates provides established participants who have 1.5 or more years of recovery the opportunity to develop as leaders and entrepreneurs by engaging in the development of programs, projects, and outreach. Hope Creates' Young Professional Advisory Council (YPAC) members work with the Executive Director and a committee of board members to brainstorm, develop plans, and implement new programs and large projects. These life expanding experiences support their future success and ability to contribute to society. Additionally, this program allows Hope Creates to design programs and outreach with our members, not for them, creating program ownership and relevance for our members. We delivered 54 E & O sessions with 1,705 attendees in the year ended June 30, 2023.