Free Arts Minnesota Share Cards

Avery is 9 years old. Before he got involved with Free Arts, his life was a nightmare. Avery didn’t feel safe in his own home because after his mother died, his father began drinking and often hit Avery. Avery didn’t have many friends because he was afraid that they might find out what was happening to him, and Avery wore long sleeve shirts in 80 degree weather because he didn’t want his teachers to see his bruises.

Avery found Free Arts when he was removed from his home and placed at one of our partner facilities. Within 8 months Avery’s life turned around. Rather than being that scared little boy that pushed everyone away, he was excited to see the Free Arts volunteers each week. The weekly mentorship program provided Avery with new relationships, self-esteem and new communication tools. Now Avery is thriving.

One week when the Free Arts volunteers arrived, Avery was very excited to give them a picture he had drawn of himself and the volunteers together. As he gave the volunteers the picture he told them “you make me feel special, really, really special.”

Facts

• One out of four families is affected by physical, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect. Minnesota’s child protection agencies receive more than 25,000 calls each year about child abuse. (MN Dept. of Health Services)
• In 2007, almost 6,300 children were abused or neglected, 46 children incurred life-threatening injuries and 16 died from maltreatment. (MN Dept. of Health Services, 2008)
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services speculates that child maltreatment costs the nation as much as $285 million each day, or approximately $94billion each year. (MN Dept. of Health Services, 2008)
• An average of four children ages 3-18 die as a result of abuse or neglect every day.