PAINTER PALS
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Mission Statement
We are a nonprofit dedicated to using art as a tool for emotional healing, self-expression, and resilience in youth. We provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive art programming to children in underserved communities—meeting them where they are, whether in schools, hospitals, or community centers. Our mission is to create safe spaces for creative exploration and to ensure every child has access to the transformative power of art, regardless of circumstance.
About This Cause
Painter Pals is a Black- and BIPOC-led nonprofit organization that provides trauma-informed, art-based programming for children in underserved communities. Our mission is to use art as a pathway to healing, self-expression, and empowerment—especially for youth navigating emotional distress, chronic adversity, or systemic inequities. We believe creative expression is a human right, and we meet kids where they are: in Title I schools, hospitals, shelters, and community spaces. Our vision is a world where every child—regardless of income, race, or life circumstance—has access to the emotional tools and creative outlets needed to thrive. Painter Pals helps youth process pain, build resilience, and rediscover joy, one brushstroke at a time. We offer a variety of free and accessible programs that blend art with mental health support. Our trauma-informed art therapy classes are aligned with state SEL standards and focus on emotional literacy, identity, and creative coping. These lessons are designed to be culturally responsive, neurodiverse-friendly, and adaptable across school and community settings. We distribute thousands of high-quality “Painter Pals Kits” every year to students in Title I schools, shelters, and hospitals—each kit includes curated art supplies, journals, and prompts for therapeutic expression. In the summer, our Rooted in Resilience initiative combines agro-art therapy with land-based learning, where students explore food justice, identity, and emotional healing through garden work and creative projects. Our Sound in Body, Sound in Mind program offers wellness sessions that integrate movement, breathwork, journaling, and visual art to support stress regulation and mindfulness. We also provide bedside art experiences for hospitalized children, sensory-friendly sessions for youth with special needs, and support schools in building trauma-informed sensory rooms. Beyond programming for children, Painter Pals supports educators through our upcoming platform, Teacher Lounge Online, where teachers can request supplies, share feedback, and access culturally aligned curriculum. We also train volunteers and partner artists to support classroom delivery, community events, and youth development. To date, Painter Pals has served over 2,000 students across Washington and California, with more than 85 SEL-based art sessions taught this year alone. We’ve provided art kits and therapeutic programming to over 1,200 students in Seattle and Tacoma, WA, and continue to grow our reach. We partner with Seattle Public Schools, the Office of Arts & Culture, the Seattle Art Museum, and various hospitals and housing programs. Painter Pals is also the largest BIPOC donation recipient from Coordinated Care in Washington State. At its core, Painter Pals is a response to the mental health crisis impacting youth—particularly those from communities historically excluded from traditional support systems. We serve children from Black, African, Southeast Asian, Eastern European, Indigenous, and Latinx backgrounds with culturally grounded, equity-driven care. Our work builds protective factors, improves classroom behavior, and restores confidence and joy in children who need it most. In this way, Painter Pals offers more than art—it offers agency, healing, and hope.