Steffanie Lorig

Art with Heart

Grant Awarded: $45,000

Art with Heart’s “Oodles of Doodles” activity book offers over 40 engaging activities based in art therapy. Designed to help children communicate their feelings through pages that encourage communication and imagination. Hidden behind the colorful imagery are therapeutic benefits that give them back a much-needed sense of control and a safe place to express their fears and worries.

Oodles has been endorsed by the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Starlight Foundation for Children and the Society for the Arts in Healthcare, and enjoys success in an estimated 500 hospitals across North America who routinely utilize Oodles with children in their care.

The book is testament to the power of collaboration: the first two printings of the book boasted the talents of 97 different artists who all contributed free of charge, including Mary Grand Pré of Harry Potter fame, and Gary Baseman, best known for his Disney feature-length film Teacher’s Pet. Numerous printers and paper mills offered their products and services at reduced or pro bono rates to create this vibrant activity book.

Due to high demand, Art with Heart distributed 20,000 in the first three years, and then reprinted a smaller version in order to be sensitive to hospital’s postage and storage issues. The newer 48-page version is visually engaging and contains therapeutic benefits to the user. Through the magic of creativity and humor, the book transforms a difficult time back into what it should be… a childhood.