Our Mission. We deliver art supplies and educational materials to kids in our community to enhance their education and learning throughout life.
Why Art? Making art is a fun and creative way for kids to express themselves and tell their own story. Art is also therapeutic and a way to express feelings, work out complex emotions, and build community. Art education enhances math and reading skills and develops cognitive skills and creative expression throughout life. It also deepens our understanding of ourselves and others, and it contributes to self-esteem and empathy.
Origin Story. ArTPack was formed by Kay Hardy, a lifelong art enthusiast who supports art organizations in our community. She worked with partners to assemble kits of art supplies, such as colored pencils, watercolors, art paper, glue sticks, etc., for children in Blaine County, in response to the pandemic. She wanted to expand this simple and powerful program in the Boise area, so she and Lisa Derig brought in five other women to help develop and grow an art supply program for students.
Our Program. We believe the “A” in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) is an integral part of education. To make education more equitable, we are assembling sacks of art supplies to give to kids in our community who have minimal resources and funding for arts education.
Along with the art supplies, we include an educational component with our ArTPacks through (1) written or on-line instructions (2) classroom teachers or (3) with a partner organization. We encourage a showcase celebration of student art through a display at school or in public places, digitally, or as a take-home portfolio for parents and family to enjoy. This way, the kids can feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in their creative work.
