We teach an undeserved audience of low income senior military veterans and their families living in rural communities and isolated settings. This can be nursing homes and memory care facilities as well. 
The majority of our Veterans are living with mental and physical disabilities. This undeserved Veteran community will benefit from healing art and storytelling classes and become part of their own community art show.
Their creative and traumatic expressions will be printed into book form.  All classes and the final art show will be held in public buildings accessible and equipped for persons with disabilities

Part 1 – We will use expressive writing, art, and music as a language to express emotional stories about what happened to military veterans and their families.

Part 2 – The creative written testimonies and related works of art will be published in a colorful book work.

Part 3 – The works of art will be on display in an art show. This might become a rolling art show with the presentation of the art book statewide.

We will reach out to the Veterans Community through TV and radio broadcasting, and social media.
Project Goals are:
A) The testimonies and works of art in this project will support the participants in creating a Pathway of healing and creative recovery within reach.
B) Allowing the Military Veterans, not just their loved ones but the entire community to know their story, get understanding and feel appreciation for their services.
C) Building public awareness and preserve this experience for the next generation.

Example of the success of this project:
We wish to share a touching testimony made recently by the executive staff of a local Assisted living Facility, expressing their desire of veterans and their families participating in our project, Freedom Warriors Portraits.

” One of our participants was Dr. Muller. He has been a part of this assisted living family for many years and over this time we have seen a progressively decline in his ability to remember and sometimes is unable to recall important events and loved one’s names.  He was a Captain in the United States Air Force. Dr. Muller, or “Doc” as he likes to be called, served his country from April of 1952 until April of 1955.  He served as a Korean War Flight Surgeon, risked his life on many occasions to save his military brothers. 
He often flew helicopters and preformed surgeries that saved many lives.  During his time in the Air Force, Captain Muller, served as the Medical Services Physician in Japan and Embassy Physician in India.  Doc has been given awards for wonderful service, The National Defense Services Award, Korean Services Award and UN Service Award just to name a few. 
After his service he returned to West Tn to work as a OB-GYN physician is Jackson for many years.  He has been a bright star in our community and hero to many of friends here at Elmcroft.  One of things he loves is to talk to others and tell stories about his days in the service. 
This has become little bit difficult and having a way to express this love with art would be a wonderful fit for this resident.

 
He is just one example of the type of residents we have at our community who could benefit from this type of program.