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Donate a minimum of $5 receive 3 beautiful postcards created by women for women!!
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Sista2Sista Soul2Soul
In August 2020, Opportunity, Inc. launched the Sista2Sista Soul2Soul program, where we connect women in the community with incarcerated and elderly women by creating communal art projects that translates into greeting cards. Women in the community who participate in the art project will receive a ‘goodie bag’ with gender-specific essential items, such as sanitary napkins, toothbrushes, and nail files, to name a few. Incarcerated and elderly women will receive greeting cards made with the paintings created by the women in the community. All women, whether young or old, homeless, sheltered or behind bars will not be forgotten during these trying times.
For more information about the program or to schedule a communal art project with 4-6 women, please call 215.384.8506 or email at info@opportunitytoadvance.com.
For more information about the program or to schedule a communal art project with 4-6 women, please call 215.384.8506 or email at info@opportunitytoadvance.com.
Our Inaugural Communal Art Project created by Women at 52nd & Parkside-Lowe's
In August 2020, the women at 52nd & Parkside-Lowe's outdoor community event were so open to the idea that their mark on a canvas would create a cover of a greeting card sent to women who are incarcerated. Dr. Latisha Webb, the Acting CEO and creative director, put the finishing touches to develop this beauty. Opportunity, Inc. has partnered with ReConstruction, Inc. to send greeting cards to women at Muncy and Cambridge Springs SCI in the state of PA. Partnerships are being developed to send cards to elderly women who reside in local senior citizen facilities.
Our 2nd Project: The Women of Naomi's Project
In October 2020, The second Sista2Sista Soul2Soul project was completed with Naomi's Project one of the organization's sponsors and supporters who chose to remain anonymous. The message behind this project is freedom.
How do you define freedom?
Our 3rd Project: The Women at Greater St. Paul Community Empowerment Day
Opportunity, Inc. is excited to present its 3rd communal art project: Women @Greater St Paul Community Empowerment Day. In November 2020, Bishop Rudolph Mills, the host and new lead support of Greater St Paul along with his wife, Rev. Michelle Mill, gave away free food, had live entertainment and admonished the residents of the community to pray and unwavering hope. Bishop Mills partnered with Ecclesiastical Council of Churches and Keep It Real Ministry who helped to make the event a success. Guest speakers traveled from Georgia and vendors sold their merchandise. It truly was an empowering day.
Our Very First End of the Year Painting & Greeting Card: "Swimming in Grace"
We, at Opportunity, Inc., thank you so much for a great year. As a result of COVID-19, we pivoted from our HEAL Expressive Arts Support Groups on Mondays to offering on-line classes. That online program did not get much traction so we no longer offer it. We pivoted again and launched the Sista2Sista Soul2Soul program in August 2020. Here's our accomplishments up until now:
- Facilitated three communal art projects and gave away over 50 "goodie bags" filled with essential items to women in the community
- Increased our email list by over 25 new contacts
- Wrote to 65 women who are incarcerated and maintain communication with 10 out of the 65 women
- Raised roughly $467 in monetary donations
- Painted a beautiful 8 1/2 by 11 picture and gave it away as a birthday gift to a very special woman who will remain anonymous
- Purchased 24' by 36' posters with frames as another fundraising opportunity; Naomi's Project purchased the one with their communal art project; and another one was gifted to a woman on her 16th anniversary as a pastor
- Signed up for the Daughters newsletter spearheaded by a woman at SCI Muncy
- Presented the idea to ReConstruction, Inc, one of our partners, to use the program for praxis and research
- Communicated with the founder of Let's Get Free based in Pittsburg and
- Created our very first "End of the Year" painting and card: Opportunity, Inc. Presents "Swimming in Grace"
Our 4th Project: The Women @It's Ok 2 Laugh/Dezzie's B-day Bash
We, at Opportunity, Inc., welcome 2021 with renewed hope for a productive year!! We are thrilled and humbled to present our 4th communal art project: Women @It'sOk2Laugh/Dezzie's B-day Bash. This art project is special for several reasons:
We are all broken pieces, and in the core of our beings is the need for healing. Love, care and emotional safety thread our brokenness together. It is through our cracks where we equally leak out our hurts and pour out our compassions.
- It was our first time using multiple palettes to create one piece of art
- We used unconventional materials, such as thread, to add texture and dimension
- A source other than the women at the event strongly stimulated the direction of its central theme. We were inspired by the Healing Wounds Ministry founded by Rev. Michelle Mill, who mails inspirational material monthly. Rev Mills' mailing emanated with power and screamed to be a part of this finished art piece.
We are all broken pieces, and in the core of our beings is the need for healing. Love, care and emotional safety thread our brokenness together. It is through our cracks where we equally leak out our hurts and pour out our compassions.
Our 5th Project: Dream BIG: Women @KIRM's Food Bank (59th St)
We, at Opportunity, Inc., have BIG dreams for 2021 and beyond!! We are thrilled and humbled to present our 5th communal art: Dream BIG on MLK Day 2021 Women @KIRM's Food Bank. Opportunity, Inc. partnered with Keep It Real Ministry's food bank, where the pastor is Bishop Wade Jackson, located at 59th and Lansdowne to host our first MLK Day Sista2Sista Soul2Soul communal art project. At this event, Opportunity, Inc:
Our program is gaining momentum. We ask each of you to meditate on this question:
- Gave away roughly 70 goodie bags filled with women-specific essential items
- Connected with Ray, Membership Growth Consultant, from Dedicated Senior Medical Center and Courtney, Medicare Benefit Advisor, from Cigna to send more items to women who are incarcerated at SCI Muncy and Cambridge Springs
- Raised $5 in donations
- Added 9 more names to our email list
Our program is gaining momentum. We ask each of you to meditate on this question:
Are your dreams too big for you to handle alone, and do they stimulate fear and anxiety?
If not, then you are not dreaming BIG enough...
If not, then you are not dreaming BIG enough...
