An Open Letter To The World (in sizes small, medium and large)

Dear Chicago, Dear World,

We recently entered the running to win a $250,000 grant from Chase and Living Social to extend our programming, specifically the capability to offer Crafter-School for the additional families and schools that have requested access to our program. We don't usually enter these types of contests but this time were moved to do it and want you to know why. If it resonates with you and your experience, would you vote for us?  Would you ask a friend to do the same?  We wish you would.

If you're really busy, here's the Cliff's Notes version-- Creativity. Wishcraft grows artists. Artists are free with their creativity. Creative people solve problems. Big and small problems. Worldwide and local problems.

If you're really organized, here are the bullet points--

We believe an after-school program should...

• value the creative process over the product
• empower students to curate their environment and shape their days
• actively recognize that one size doesn't fit all or even most
• operate in way that demonstrates that the planet deserves better
• understand allergies and other special needs and deliver consistent and sensitive oversight
• model positive conflict-resolution
• encourage literacy and fluency in a fun and individualized way
• be an inclusive environment in every way possible
• offer activities that ignite imagination
• grow kind people and active citizens
• hire, and keep, dedicated staff that treat each student like extended family
• be priced such that it provides families a choice
• listen, share, iterate and continually improve
• celebrate spontaneous act of silliness, dance, song, make-believe or any other form of creative expression

And if you're really sentimental, read on for more...

Deciding who will care for your child in your absence is one of the single most important decisions that a parent makes. Working parents rely on programs such as ours to remove doubt from their day, allowing them to focus on what needs to be done to keep turning our economy around. We don't just pick-up students from school or show them how to make something fun with their hands and hearts. We have their back. We have Mom's back. We have Dad's back. We have the school's back.

Students that routinely engage in the arts do better in school. Period. We'd like to make more of that available to anyone that asks. Our program is different. It is special. People know that and they want to be a part of it. Our Crafter-School after-school program has been at capacity for the 2011/12 school-year and has a waiting list for schools we already serve and a deep list of schools and families that want to be added. It is not a job for us. Working with the Wishcraft community is something that we get to do, not have to do. We are honored to be chosen by any single family and it shows.

It is a time of enormous change in Chicago. Being a source of stability and personal growth for both students and their families brings calm to the storm. And to wrap all of that in a container of creativity, color and joy...lucky for us.