Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona has announced it received a $50,000 grant from the Genesis Inspiration Foundation for continued work in using art programming to transform trauma into resilience for children who have experienced abuse, neglect or homelessness.

“We are so grateful to the Genesis Inspiration Foundation for selecting Free Arts for funding for a second year,” Free Arts Executive Director Alicia Sutton Campbell said in a press release. “We are committed to using art and trauma-informed mentors to help elevate and encourage success in some of Arizona’s most vulnerable children.”

Campbell said in the release some ideas for the use of the unexpected funds include recruiting and training more volunteer mentors, increasing opportunities and events in the Professional Artist Series, and increasing the supplies on hand that are used in the organization’s ready-to-go projects, bravery boxes and free art days that serve approximately 7,500 children each year.

GIF is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting education through the arts and celebrating that creative force in each child that will catapult their lives. The GIF team does independent research to identify active organizations that align with their mission and goals while utilizing art programming to provide education and betterment to underserved communities. Once an organization has been researched, the board determines if they will receive funding.

Free Arts was one of two organizations from the 2021 grant cycle to be selected for a second round of funding, for a total of $125,000 in funding from GIF over two consecutive years.