I want to provide 30 families with a portrait of their loved one who was taken from them due to violence.

I have two reasons for this:
In my first year teaching, I lost a student to gun violence. My student was a 4th grader and was enjoying her summer when her life was taken from her on July 16th. After this tragic event, I was depressed at school where I thought I was safe. I wanted to find a way to show how I feel and I knew I needed to get back to painting. I decided to paint a picture of my student and post it in my home to help me cope and smile through my sad days. Also, I created a picture for the family (free of charge) so that they can have a part of her memory within their homes. This is when I had this idea. I want my artwork in the homes of families that reside in the DMV who have lost a family member to unforeseen circumstances.

My second reason is that I am approached by so many families when I am doing live paintings and they ask how much I charge for a painting. I do not feel right charging families for a painting of a lost one. Sadly, I still have to purchase supplies and I can cover the painting part. I just want families to be able to smile when they see their loved ones' faces in their homes.