Arts for Youth Engagement Foundation

555 West Walnut Drive

Muncie, IN--47530
Dear Dr. Akinye,
The HeARTist Things to Say is a nonprofit organization that has taken the
lead in providing opportunities for storytelling in cities for young people in
Muncie, IN. Our current project is about ensuring not only that the cities
story is told, but also that there is an increase in parental-child engagement,
mentoring relationships and a safe space for teens ages 13-18 to openly and
freely express themselves to eventually become the change agents of
tomorrow. I am writing to see if you would consider a proposal to expand our
mentoring and working artists team.
Our organization is newly formed. Currently, our team consists of the cofounders Jade Jefferson and Sanovia Garrett, a board of directors and a
program director. THT2SAY believes that by planting artist communities that
bring awareness to the stories of that particular city, youth will be more likely
to make better decisions within a safe space that they themselves explore.
This project encourages each of our projected 20-25 participants to answer
questions about the way they view the world themselves in comparison to
what and how others view people their age. This allows them to discover and
create meaningful relationships with their city and with the adults that live
there.
We believe our chances of accomplishing this would be improved by ensuring
that each child has a mentor that does not exceed a 1:2 ratio. We believe
that quality time is necessary in building longer lasting relationships that
direct youth to greater positive change. Your foundation has expressed a
special interest in the engagement of youth within an art spectrum in the
Muncie area. We hope that you will give our project further consideration.
THT2SAY is partnering with 10 local churches, and currently has 15 of 19
registered participants sponsored by an individual or corporate sponsor. We
are also working in conjunction with several downtown businesses and 7 Ball
State University TCOM undergraduatesall, which we believe, increase our
chances of sustainability for future projects. They agree that a major problem
in reaching these young people is the often misunderstanding of youth of
that age. We estimate the cost of this project the first year at $30,750, of
which $ 5,750 will be provided by the cooperating agencies. We would like
you to consider a proposal for the remainder ($25,000). This will compensate
7 mentor/artists for a $3,571 stipend for the 5-month span of the project.

In the meantime, would you please mail me your application guidelines and
any instructions for preparing a completed request? I can be reached at
Sanovia@tht2say.com. Additionally, a copy of our 501(c) 3 letter is attached.
Sincerely,
Sanovia Garrett , Co-Founder and Executive Director of THT2SAY