The After Dark Art Paint Contest for August 20-23, concluded last night with one 1st Place winner and four 2nd Place winners! The theme for the week was "Expressions of JOY". Five pieces were selected out of 28 entries for guest of the Bread of Life After Dark Shelter to vote for their favorite.

Though one piece received the most votes, all of the art was affirmed by the community. Many of the guest said to Lanecia Rouse, the Project Manager of TAPH, that all five artists were winners and should receive a prize.

So listening to the community, all of the artists in the top five entries received affirmation for their work and received a price. When it was announced we had one 1st Place winner and that the other artists would also receive a prize for their entries, the Bread of Life was filled with claps and cheers of affirmation.  Joy filled the room along with the beautiful cardboard art that had been created during the week.

People who are homeless spend a lot of time alone and they kind of get into themselves and something has got to bring them out.

Because we have to to stay in touch with the world around us and not just turn in. In The Art Project we get to talk about ourselves. We get to feel like we are apart of something again.

When you come to these shelters you have a very disconnected feeling. We don't feel like you belong to anything, like you are floating. When you come in the Bread of Life and you participate in something, it becomes apart of you and you become apart of it.

Thank you for investing in the lives of the men and women we serve at the Bread of Life, Inc. 6 days a week. Together WE are making a difference and empowering so many to craft beautiful masterpieces with their lives.