DrawBridge Reaches Homeless Children
Picture a drawing, a child's drawing of a perfect house, boxed by a
thick border. It is inaccessible to the child drawn just outside the house.
Imagine a sketch of a house drawn completely intact- only with all contents
systematically, and apparently unknowingly, shifted upside down. These
images are the reflection and creation of homeless children. These same
drawings appear year after year by different children in different places;
the themes remain the same-every child inevitably draws houses.
Homelessness affects an increasing number of U.S. families each year. The
right to housing, included in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights ("...the right to a standard of living adequate for the
health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing.
housing and medical care and necessary social services..."), is not
guaranteed by state or federal laws in the United States. Many individuals
and organizations are involved in the effort to combat homelessness in
the U.S., but much more needs to be done to increase funding and change
government policies that limit access to affordable housing and other basic
needs. While these efforts continue, one program in the San Francisco Bay
Area of California concentrates on easing the hardships of homeless children,
using art as a medium for self expression.
DrawBridge, an arts program for homeless children, was founded 8 years
ago in San Rafael, California by Gloria Simoneaux, the group's Executive
Director. She explains, "when homeless children are asked, 'How are
you?'. the answer is predictably, 'Fine.' But the images they paint and
draw are often of' spooky houses with no means of access, monsters eating
children, blood, storms, and tornadoes. Through the paintings, a process
of communication begins where before there was only suppressed hurt or
anger When children are allowed to tell their story in their own time and
in their own way, it affirms their value and their own creative process.
The results are that real changes in self esteem occur spontaneously and
at deep levels."
DrawBridge reaches hundreds of children through its staff and its volunteers
who lead art groups in shelters, typically attended by 5 to 20 children
between the ages of 4-16.Simoneaux speaks of staff member Michelle Latessa's
experience with one of her students. "Over the course of 3 months,
Michelle has entered the girl s world of silence. As a result of Michelle's
sensitivity and intuition, the girl's paintings have evolved from drawings
of rigid grass standing alone, to swaying grass with flowers, and then
to a little girl watering them with a watering can."
DrawBridge provides a tremendously valuable outlet for children who are
experiencing enormous anxiety, disruption. and loss. Simoneaux stresses
why DrawBridge is so important for homeless kids. "Homeless children
have nowhere to express the barrage of emotions they experience. Their
feelings are kept in side for fear of further burdening parents who already
face overwhelming stress. The shame of being homeless silences the children
in school and distances them from friends. There are rarely programs in
the shelters addressing the emotional needs of these children. An eleven
year old homeless girl says, 'You don't have your own privacy and whenever
you felt like you wanted to cry, you couldn't do it."
Artwork by DrawBridge children has been displayed in museum exhibits throughout
California, including exhibits at the Museum of' Children's Art (MOCHA)
in Oakland, tire Los Angeles Children's Museum, the Yerba Buena Arts Center
in San Francisco, the Town Center in Corte Madera in Marin County, and
also al the Multi Cultural Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. DrawBridge
also produces a newsletter that updates members and supporters on DrawBridge
activity as well as showcasing individual artwork and stories. In addition,
an informational package and training workshops are available for individuals
and organizations interested in starting a similar program in their own
communities. DrawBridge can be contacted at PO. Box 2698, San Rafael, CA
94912, 415 456-1269 (voice), or by electronic mail <Art4home@aol.com>.