CHI Saint Joseph Health Gives Grants to 7 Elementaries

Classroom Projects Focus on Art of Humankindness

Seven elementaries in Fayette County Public Schools have received 2024 Art of Humankindness grants from CHI Saint Joseph Health – designed to promote kindness, empathy, compassion, and friendship. The awards provided the Title I schools from $300 to $2,000 each to support year-long projects encouraging kindness and creativity through various art forms.

“Saint Joseph is truly a model partner in caring about our kids,” Superintendent Demetrus Liggins said at Thursday’s launch, adding, “Art is where they get experiences that help them become well-rounded individuals.”

Saint Joseph chose seven grant recipients based on their art teachers’ project proposals:

• Arlington, led by teacher Kristen Blaker
• Cardinal Valley, Michelle Armstrong
• Coventry Oak, Hope Bennett
• Deep Springs, Emily Blankenship
• Mary Todd, Brittany McFarland
• Millcreek, Caryn Raskin
• Meadowthorpe, Annette Justice

“Art is that one tool that has the power to heal,” said Violence Prevention Manager Demetria Blair, who heads the hospital’s Creating Safer Neighborhoods Initiative. The program, and the school grants, are supported by CommonSpirit Health’s Mission and Ministry Fund.

The grants grew out of an internal Chalk It Up to Humankindness challenge in 2021 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the initiative has grown each year with schoolwide art projects at Mary Todd, chalk art at Russell Cave, photography at Russell Cave, chalk art at George Washington Carver STEM Academy, a musical video at William Wells Brown, and 3D printed art murals at Yates.

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