Did you know that In The Orchard (ITO) provided high-quality, professional arts programs to over 1500 members of the Niagara Region in 2011? Whether participating in the Salvation Army-sponsored Art ² program, one of the ten weeks of art camp, the eARTh Art Program, the Youth Art Program in partnership with the John Howard Society or participating in one of the free art workshops that were offered in 2011, ITO  has been focused on promoting a healthy, stronger community in Niagara.

Housed at the Happy Place Art Studio in Fonthill, In The Orchard has been evolving to answer the specific needs of the community with each new season. This past summer,ITO offered a full subsidy program for the cost of registration – which offered more accessible rates to families with single parent/guardian, families on social assistance and/or families on employment insurance. This past fall, ITO launched the Orchard Arts Day Trips program that brings students from Toronto (and other larger cities) to Niagara to spend a day touring a local farm/orchard and then building environmentally-inspired crafts and pieces of art work.

Looking forward, In The Orchard is forced to rely heavily on provincial and federal support and local sponsorships in order to offer the arts programs that have been shaping lives and inspiring young minds in the Region since 2003. The Ministry of Ontario played a major role by sponsoringITO for four full-time employees who worked at the studio from February 2011 and are with ITO until February of 2012. There were many other great organizations who stepped up to support ITO this year as well, such as: M & M Meat Shops, Giant Tiger, Benjamin Moore Paints and The Salvation Army all heeding the call.

With eyes focused on 2012 and all of the exciting programming that In The Orchardhas on the horizon, it is important to rally the community to get behind the cause as well. ITO needs you. In order to remain situated in Fonthill, in order to continue to offer unique programs for youth-at-risk and individuals with mental health issues, in order to continue to offer subsidy rates for families in need and in order to keep creative minds motivated and inspired,In The Orchard needs you to stand up and make a difference. For full details on sponsorship benefits and how to get involved, please contact us at the studio at 905-892-1709. There is no such thing as a donation that is too large, or too small – every contribution counts. Help In The Orchard continue to serve the youth in the community and continue to make Fonthill and Niagara a better place to live. 

If you would like to make a donation, please use the Donate button below.