Rehoboth Boys & Girls Club receives FACES grant

This summer, the Rehoboth Beach Boys and Girls Club was privileged to receive $5,000 from the Carl M. Freeman Foundation FACES - Freeman Assists Communities with Extra Support - grant to provide art therapy for its members ages 5-15 throughout the summer.

The therapeutic arts program, Vision, Voice and Choice, created and led by Jennifer August, certified art therapist, helped the children deal with past adversity, encouraged a healthy self-concept and provided tools to make positive personal choices.

The Club Art Therapy Program had two components: weekly group and weekly individual therapy for children needing individualized attention. The program helped support the club’s goals of instilling a sense of belonging, caring, personal responsibility, capability and influence. There was no charge for this program, thanks to the FACES funding.

In 2000 in Delaware, the Freeman Foundation launched the FACES Grant program to provide extra access to individuals served by nonprofit organizations. Michelle Freeman, foundation president and chair, has been featured in Elle Magazine’s list of the Top 10 Influential Women of Washington, D.C.

Her philanthropy is driven by a belief that children have options when they are exposed to the beauty of the world. Children who face adversity are often her guests at the Freeman Stage shows in Selbyville.

Parent Eric Logullo said the program helped reduce his stress when he dropped off his 5-year-old daughter at a new childcare facility.

For more information on this or any other programs provided at the Rehoboth Beach Boys & Girls Club, contact Director Maria Edgerton at 302-260-9864 or medgerton@bgclubs.org.