BEND, Ore — Hearts Unknown Education (HUE) is looking to the community to help continue its mission of supporting the mental health of kids through art. HUE will host its annual Art from the Heart fundraiser Friday, Nov. 7.
The Bend-based nonprofit offers a safe, inclusive space where young people can explore identity, emotion and connection through art, movement and community. Through artwork, kids learn to channel their emotions into expression and connection, rather than isolation.
“They do some amazing work here. Some of these kids, like wow, some of them are expressing heavy things like they can’t hear me. And we like that because they’re getting it off their chest and breathing it onto here where it’s no longer a part of them and then they can connect to other kids that are feeling the same thing. So I think it’s a very important program,” said Nico Carpinelli, HUE co-founder.
HUE serves more than 500 kids each year and says funding for nonprofits is getting harder and harder to find.
The fundraiser is Friday, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m., at 184 NE Franklin Ave. in Bend. It will feature live music, student showcases, a silent auction, food from Spork, and beverages from Deschutes Brewery and Dogwood Cocktail Cabin. Tickets are $20 at the door.