Embrace Living Resident-Run Arts Programs Are Bolstered by Grant Funding

Residents at Greencastle of Mulford and Greencastle of Allerton, both in Rockford, Ill. — part of Embrace Living Communities based in Oak Brook, Ill. — find community and fulfillment in the arts, so much so that they’ve expanded their programs.

Darlene (Dee) DeFrisco leads an arts program called Community Ceramics and Sheila Mace leads a knitting and crocheting group called Caring Hands. The two women coordinate the respective workshops with inspiring results, fellow residents enthusiastically join them.

Today, 15 residents participate in the Community Ceramics and 10 participate in Caring Hands. However, participation has been limited by financial barriers. Many of the communities’ low-income residents do not have the disposable income to purchase the supplies needed to create unique artwork and clothing accessories.

But thanks to generous funding of $4,000 from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois’ (CFNIL) Neighborhood Grants, more residents will be able to participate in the resident-led arts programs.

“We’re grateful to the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois for recognizing the impact that art is having on our residents,” said Jennifer Truppa, Embrace Living’s director of social services and quality assurance. “And our residents are having an impact on the wider community through art, too!”

Art with a Cause

Community Ceramics will use its $2,500 grant to purchase six months’ worth of supplies for 25 residents, and Caring Hands has already begun to use its $1,500 grant to purchase six months’ worth of supplies for 20 residents.

“I’m excited to watch [my fellow residents] get excited about creating artwork that they never thought they could create,” said DeFrisco. “This is so fun!”

The best part: the residents’ artwork always goes to a good cause. The ceramics are displayed in community common areas, donated to local nonprofits, and gifted at community holiday gatherings. Meanwhile, the hats, mittens, stockings and scarfs made by Caring Hands participants are donated to local cancer patients, hospice patients, and unhoused individuals.

“It’s a blessing that we’re able to do something we already love in order to make a difference in our community,” said Mace. “And it’s incredible that it has helped form a real sense of community with my neighbors.”

Residents Receive Intangible Benefits, Too

Residents also receive intangible benefits from creating art together. Community Ceramics and Caring Hands are social gatherings that combat loneliness and isolation. According to a study by the National Academies, loneliness and isolation can increase older adults’ risk of dementia by 50 percent, heart disease by 29 percent, and stroke by 32 percent. A growing body of research has also shown that creating art increases older adults’ cognitive function, self-esteem, and motor skills.

“This support will allow us to fund much-needed social services programs in the Rockford region,” says Embrace Living President & CEO Ralph Gaines. “We look forward to future collaborations in order to address our residents’ needs and help the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois fulfill its mission.”