Our Beginnings
ArtBridge was founded in 1999 by two board-certified licensed art therapists to bring expressive arts into the lives of children in Houston area homeless shelters. After working for more than 10 years in psychiatric hospitals with children and adolescents, the co-founders sought a way to broaden their experiences and benefit homeless children in Houston area shelters.
While working as an art therapist at local hospitals and treatment centers for many years, co-founder Jo Ann Williams worked with a six-year-old boy who was abandoned at the hospital. When the child was placed at a local shelter, Williams visited him with art supplies in hand and saw the large number of homeless children in the Houston area. With her ability to pool resources, interests, experience and expertise, she came up with a direct and honest delivery of art therapy skills to serve homeless children. Before receiving any funding, Williams volunteered her time for two years to bring expressive arts into the lives of homeless children. When ArtBridge became its own independent organization in 2004, Williams and Beverly Bentley, Executive Director, worked for six months as volunteers. The organization has expanded to annually serve an annual attendance count of more than 5,000 children at 14 weekly sessions.
Artwork
