Advocates urge New Jersey
to fund art therapy program
MANALAPAN — The fourth annual talent show sponsored by the Taylor Mills School PTA raised great awareness among parents, students and residents about the benefits of art therapy conducted by 180’s Amanda’s Easel Program.
Held on May 9, the Friday evening program opened with remarks by Amanda’s Easel art therapist Cindi Westendorf, Monmouth County Freeholder Ted Narozanick and 180 community relations consultant Sue Kozel urging the public to continue to call for state funding to be restored in the New Jersey Fiscal Year 2004 Budget.
Because Taylor Mills School was attended by Amanda Wengert prior to her murder, her mother and Friends of Amanda Foundation founder Karen Wengert also attended the annual talent show.
Narozanick announced that the freeholders had plans to declare May as Amanda’s Easel Awareness Month in Monmouth County. The action was expected to come at the freeholders’ May 15 meeting.
Part of 180, Turning Lives Around’s services for Monmouth County survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, Amanda’s Easel is slated to lose all of its $100,000 in state funding in the Fiscal Year 2004 budget, effective July 1, according to a press release.
Created in 1997, the program has helped more than 400 children and their non-offending parents heal the wounds of domestic violence through art therapy, according to a press release. Since March, 180 staff members have addressed various legislative and state government hearings, urging no budget cuts.
Having secured numerous national awards, including the 1998 United States Department of Justice Crime Victims Service Award for Karen Wengert, Amanda’s Easel was featured on 48 Hours and the CBS Weekend Evening News for its bereavement work for families who lost loved ones on Sept. 11, 2001.
The Amanda’s Easel notecards, funded by Meridian Health System, are now on sale, with 10 images created by the Amanda’s Easel students packaged in a container, selling for $10 per box.
"We thank the freeholders for bringing attention to our program’s impact on the community and our funding crisis," said Anna M. Diaz-White, 180 executive director. "We thank Taylor Mills PTA and these incredible students for helping heal the trauma of other children in need. We’re distributing petitions to urge the Governor and the Legislature to fund Amanda’s Easel. We hope that everyone will let the Governor and the Legislature know that our at-risk kids matter and that they must restore the projected funding cut of $100,000 to the Fiscal Year 2004 budget. We need our funding."
For more information about the PTA support of Amanda’s Easel, call Donna Formoso at (732) 409-2475. To distribute petitions to support Amanda’s Easel, call 180 Executive Director Anna M. Diaz-White at (732) 264-9110. To make a donation to 180’s Amanda’s Easel program, call Lori Sadwith, 180 Director of Development, at (732) 264-9114.
The toll-free telephone numbers for 180 are: 1-888-843-9262 – domestic violence; and 1-888-264-RAPE – sexual assault.
Recently, 180 received a $10,000 donation from Best Buy Children’s Charity to support Amanda’s Easel, and last summer, New York Mets pitcher Al Leiter made a $10,000 donation to support the program’s expansion into Ocean County.