Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers: Connecting Communities through Art and Personal Reflection
Hope For The Warriors (Hope) is a national nonprofit serving active-duty military service members, veterans, and their families through comprehensive programs in clinical health, wellness, and community connection.
THE CHALLENGE
Veterans healing through creative therapies like yoga, music, and art have increasingly found footing in the broad conversation and circles, but at the time of this event – and in some spaces, stigma around these efforts remains. Hope’s Clinical Health & Wellness Team wanted to build awareness and inspire open conversation around the power of art therapy, while also giving veterans a platform to share their work and stories in a meaningful way.
THE APPROACH
Jenn led the conceptualization and launch of an immersive, community-facing event: a pop-up veteran art exhibit in New York City. We framed the exhibit as more than an art show—it was an evening of connection, reflection, and purpose. Every detail was curated to dismantle stigma, invite curiosity, and foster dialogue.
WHAT WE DID
Purposeful Event Design
Chose El Barrio’s Artspace PS 109 - an artist living community with transit access - as the exhibit venue, hosted by a resident artist who also served in the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) which has deep connections with the Tri-state veteran and military community
Scheduled for post-work hours and paired with drinks and appetizers to create an approachable, after-hours vibe
Used the gallery and patio space to create intimate, accessible environments where veterans and attendees could interact freely.
Community Collaboration
Partnered with Combat Paper (now known as Frontline Arts / Frontline Paper), an organization that promotes papermaking and creative expression as a way for veterans and others to engage and address their experiences
Invited Hope beneficiaries who engage in art therapy to display their work – for sale, as they preferred
Presented the exhibit as a week-long public event, attracting guests from across the city, not just the military community
Set up unobtrusive donation stations with impactful messaging and program data to drive interest and support.
Facilitated Conversation + Connection
Organized a powerful panel discussion led by Hope’s senior clinical director, exploring art therapy’s clinical benefits and the personal journeys of the featured veteran artists
Crafted messaging that connected veterans’ experiences to broader themes of healing and resilience, making the event relevant to both military and civilian guests.
Curated Full Experience for Artists
Coordinated custom experiences for presenting veterans and their families, including a private tour of the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum and lunch at an FDNY firehouse with emotional ties to the organization as well as a visit to the Liberty Science Center to round out the trip and honor their participation.
THE IMPACT
Created a powerful moment of community through art, blending lived experience and creative expression to foster deeper understanding of veteran mental health.
Introduced new audiences to art therapy approaches, Hope For The Warriors work, and other participating partnersInspired authentic conversations and reflections that bridged military and civilian perspectives
Strengthened community engagement and donor interest through meaningful storytelling and human connection.
“After just one day of sculpting with freedom, I found the incredible power of the arts. … I was able to relax and let my feelings pour into what I was doing. Since that day, I started healing and more importantly, I started coping with memories that were causing me pain for years.” - Staff Sgt. Adel Abudayeh who served five tours of duty, and earned a Bronze Star, three Purple Hearts and three Navy Marine Corps Achievement medals. Injured by an IED in 2013, Abudayeh was introduced to art therapy during his rehabilitation.
WHY IT MATTERS
