Creativity Heals is a Los Angeles based organization founded by Matt Kessinger, Jennifer Kita, and Charleen Dere Meyer. Also joining the organization is Jonathan Wang of Eat.Sleep.Work. The three founders and Jonathan have a background in the arts and believe that all forms of art can be healing. The organization is aimed at healing individuals in the community through creative arts.
How It Began:
After the earthquake and tsunami rocked Japan on March 11, 2011, Matt, Jennifer and Charleen felt compelled to do something to help. Within weeks, they formed a group called Creativity Heals and organized their first fundraiser, raising thousands of dollars for the city of Sendai, the hardest hit region in Japan.
The event was held at KESSPRO Studios – an 8,000 square foot space in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles – and involved dozens of local artists, designers, professional dancers, DJs and musicians. Six months later, Creativity Heals hosted a second event — this time to raise money for breast cancer research. These fundraisers inspired others, and the organization has since expanded to host events in other cities, including Vancouver. The founders discovered that their passion for healing individuals and communities through creative arts was something they wanted to continue with. They decided to expand the organization so that they could share the healing effects of creativity and the arts by engaging individuals in the community in various forms of creative expression. Matt, Jennifer, and Charleen are happy to announce that Creativity Heals is on its way to becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (slated to be registered in 2012).
The Founders:
Matt Kessinger is the co-owner of KESSPRO Studios – a fullscale production studio for film, photography and special events. In addition to managing the studio, he works as a Production Manager for Willy Bietak Productions – a worldwide company that specializes in live entertainment and state of the art portable ice installations.
Jennifer Kita is a professional dancer who has toured with Gwen Stefani, Madonna, and Snoop Dogg. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Sociology from San Diego State University.
Charleen Dere Meyer is an art therapist who works with at-risk youth in the city of Torrance. She has a BA degree in Art with an emphasis in Drawing and Painting from SFSU, and an MA degree in Marital and Family Therapy specializing in Clinical Art Therapy from Loyola Marymount University.
If you are interested in Creativity Heals being part of your cause, please contact:
Jenny@creativity-heals.org, Char@creativity-heals.org, or Matt@creativity-heals.org
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Marketing Collateral and Web Design by: Eat.Sleep.Work.,inc.