Located at the 220 Oak Street residential site, Cota’s Health, Home, and Community Program have been working in collaboration with local artists Bruce, Naomi, and Masha to foster a sense of community with the residents through art.
What started off as an art studio project focused mainly on clay work with a few participants, has turned into a multimedia, explorative community space with ongoing projects, learning and a growing membership. We have become a family.
The impact of this program extends past the 220 Oak Street residents, and has garnered donation support from the community. Maureen and her husband are one such example.
They heard about the Acorn Arts project through CBC Radio around the same time that their close friend Carole passed away. Carole was a local artist with a vast collection of brand new art supplies and Maureen had just found a home for them: the Acorn Arts Project! Maureen contacted Naomi and made the arrangements. She drove from the Durham Region area with her husband and friend Linda to downtown Toronto to drop off brand new art supplies to 220 Oak Street.
This was a labour of love to our close friend Carole, and her family is so ecstatic that the donations went to people who will use and appreciate them
Another impact is the positive media attention from CBC. The Acorn Arts Project was nominated and subsequently selected as one of five winners for the CBC Toronto Champions project. Click the photo to listen to their radio interview on Here and Now Toronto:
Furthermore, Marivel Taruc from CBC Our Toronto visited the site and was in awe of the program and its impact on the lives of residents. The CBC Our Toronto segment was broadcast on TV April 27/28 at noon.
This is the kind of story people need to hear
Pat, Naomi, Bruce and Masha thank all the supporters for their generous contributions and hope to continue connecting with the surrounding community to keep this program open!
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