Letter From The Executive Director: June

At first glance, these two ideas might seem unrelated. One celebrates a year of growth and impact. The other marks the loss of a dedicated leader whose steady presence helped guide We Care Arts for more than sixteen years. 

Yet together, they tell the same story. 

The success reflected in our annual report did not happen because circumstances were easy. It happened because people chose to show up for one another. 

• Donors invested. 
• Volunteers served. 
• Staff persevered. 
• Community partners collaborated. 
• Board members like Ed provided faithful leadership and stewardship year after year. 

In a world that often encourages us to focus on ourselves, We Care Arts exists because people choose something different. 

  We choose community. 

  We choose connection. 

  WE choose hope. 

And perhaps that choice matters now more than ever. 

The adults attending ArtWORKS classes at no cost to them, students developing employment and life skills through Transition to Work, and the individuals finding healing, confidence, and belonging through creativity are not simply numbers in an annual report. They are our neighbors. They are people with dreams, talents, challenges, and potential. They are people who deserve opportunities to thrive. 

As I look around today, I see a world that feels increasingly uncertain. Many families are facing financial pressures. Many people feel isolated, overwhelmed, or disconnected. For the individuals we serve, those challenges are often compounded by disability, mental health diagnoses, substance use recovery, poverty, or barriers to employment and community participation. 

At times like these, it can be tempting to pull back. 

To focus only on our own needs. 

 To wait for greater certainty before acting. 

  But that is not how communities are built. 

   Communities are built when people lean in. 

They are built when we choose generosity over indifference. 

When we choose inclusion over isolation. 

When we choose hope over fear. 

That is what Ed understood. For more than sixteen years, he faithfully invested his time, talents, and leadership into this mission. His legacy is not found only in budgets balanced or reports reviewed. His legacy lives on in every artist who discovers their potential, every student who gains confidence in their abilities, and every person who finds healing through art and community. 

I see that same promise in our future. 

This spring, students from Centerville High School's ITOPS program partnered with We Care Arts to design and create an installation at Wegerzyn Gardens. Watching these young adults apply creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, and workplace skills in a real-world setting was a powerful reminder that art is never just art. 

• Art builds confidence. 
• Art builds connection. 
• Art builds futures. 

And because of supporters like you, those futures remain possible. 

As we celebrate the accomplishments of 2025 and honor the legacy of those who helped make them possible, I hope you will continue to invest in the work ahead. Whether through your donations, volunteer service, advocacy, or simply sharing our story with others, you are helping create a community where people of all abilities can discover purpose, belonging, and hope. 

The challenges facing our world are real. 

But so is the power of community. 

So is the power of creativity. 

So is the power of people coming together to lift one another up. 

The answer to uncertain times is not to retreat from our mission. 

It is to lean into it. 

Because healing happens in community. 

 Because hope grows when it is shared. 

Because together, we ARE building a future  
where every person has the opportunity to reach their full potential. 

And because now, more than ever, we need each other. 

With such gratitude for you and all the folks who continue to hope, lean in, and support We Care Arts and those we serve,