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Wrapping up the 2025/2026 Season!

Hello beautiful people! 

Big thanks for your ongoing support for Art for Aid. The last of the school shipments have gone out for the season and we'll resume again in September. Over the summer months, we sometimes receive requests for support for wildfire evacuees. We have a mid-sized collection of art supplies in the warehouse but can always use more if you or a friend are inclined to clean out your hobby room. We are located just off Highway 7 in Carleton Place and can meet you there for a drop off.

From September 2025 to May 2026 we were able to support the following schools and community art programs:


  • Gaagagekiizhik School / Bimose Community High school, Kenora, ON

  • Pelican Narrows, SK

  • FWFN St Ann (Satellite School), Fort William FN, ON

  • Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, MB

  • Ministik Community School, Cumberland House, SK

  • Rossignol High School, Ile-a-la Crosse, SK

  • Clearwater River Dene School, SK

  • John George Martin Memorial School, Wunnumin Lake, ON

  • Petit Casimir Memorial School - Lac Brochet, MB

  • Minwaashin Lodge Youth Art Program - Ottawa, ON

  • Wabano Centre Youth Art Program - Ottawa, ON

  • Bimaychikamah School - Slate Falls, ON

    Students opening art supply boxes and a student Luke Morgan showing us their board game using the wood burning tools we've shipped to their school.


Beyond this season's shipments, we are supporting a brilliant young student in Saskatchewan with several shipments of specific art supplies this summer. His teacher tells me that he masters just about anything he tries. He has a wonderfully artistic mind, but few resources to hone his skills. He looks after his 92 year old Grandmother and is actively pursuing an education after being away from school for a while. We will work to support his efforts as best we can and we hope you will too. His first shipment of supplies were all about watercolour. I'm excited to see what he turns out. Recently a group of 8 students from the Toronto area were sponsored by the Rotary Club for a 4-day conference for students. The students collected 8 large suitcases of art supplies for us! WOW! We met them at the airport with the Ottawa-Stittsville Rotary Club member Lori and presented the group with Certificates of Participation for their efforts. We were in love with this beautiful young people!


This past May we held the 5th annual Celebration of Indigenous Culture hosted by Zion Memorial United Church in Carleton Place. We host this annual event in cooperation with the Carleton Place Public Library. It is well supported by the Town Carleton Place and by local businesses, something we are very grateful for as it has become an attaction. This year we were fortunate and grateful for a grant from the United Church of Canada. The grant allowed us to pay proper honorariums and workshop facilitator fees so that was a very good feeling! If you missed the event this year, we'll be back next spring!



Meanwhile, on the Italian front, renowned International model Ashley Callingbull is front and center of a remarkable dress that is part of a collaborative European art project called "Still 1492 | Never Ending Story". Proceeds from the sale of this incredible dress will benefit Art for Aid. We are tremendously grateful for this powerful representation by an impressive Indigenous leader. 





This work could not be done as well as it is without the help of an amazing volunteer team! Below are Tissan, Robert, Debby, Mel and me, Colleen. There are others working hard to support what we do who are not in this picture.

I'm deeply grateful and constantly humbled by the support that Art for Aid receives. Shipping is expensive and we do not charge the schools for our support. The need seems endless, but positive changes are happening all the time. So please tell people about us - share our news, our website, follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/artforaid.ca or Instagram. Art for Aid is entirely volunteer run and publicly supported. We do not receive federal funding or grants. All funds raised are through my efforts or by the kindness of people who believe youth should have access to art. Please consider supporting this important initiative. We have supported access to art supplies for remote Indigenous youth and community youth art programs since 2013. Art for Aid is a program of the Canadian registered charity, Soaring Circle. Donations can be made to Art for Aid through this donation portal: https://www.zeffy.com/donation-form/the-art-for-aid-project-colleen-gray

 
 
 

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