Art with Heart History
1996 –
Steffanie Lorig founded Art with Heart with a mission to use creative expression to help kids facing trauma and adversities to find hope and healing.
2002 – Art with Heart’s first book Oodles of Doodles is published. Oodles of Doodles is a therapeutic book for hospitalized children that gives an emotional outlet through creative expression and humor.
2005 – Art with Heart’s second book Chill and Spill is published. Chill and Spill combines blank pages with prompted ones, giving teens lots of room to share their feelings, fears, and frustrations.
2008 – Art with Heart’s third book Magnificent Marvelous Me is published. Magnificent Marvelous Me is a colorful and engaging book that gives young kids an opportunity to name their emotions, support systems, and dreams for the future.
2011 – Art with Heart’s fourth book Ink About It is published. Ink About It is a monochromatic workbook that asks youth what they want from relationships and which goals they most want to accomplish.
2013 – Art with Heart’s fifth book Draw It Out is published. Draw It Out invites kids to share their emotions, identify their support systems and normalizes their experiences with loss and grief.
2012 – On December 14 a tragic shooting occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, CT. A team of seven professionals from Art with Heart traveled to offer support and instruction on how to use creative expression to process grief and other traumas experience as a result of the event.
2014 – In March the largest landslide in US history devastated the community of Oso, WA. Art with Heart provided books, resources, and sent a team to the Darrington Elementary School to work with students, families, and the community impacted by the tragedy.
2014 – Art With Heart publishes Draw It Out Leader’s Companion and Memory Banks.
2015 – In June mother Charleena Lyons was shot by the police in her home. Approaching the year anniversary of her death her mother, Lhorna Murray, invited Art with Heart to help and be a part of the community’s healing process. Throughout four week program Art with Heart worked with kids to articulate their feelings and navigate emotions using different tools of creative expression.
2015 – Art With Heart publishes Chill and Spill Leader’s Companion as a curriculum for adults serving adolescent youth.
2017 – Art With Heart publishes Magnificent Marvelous Me and Ink About It Leader’s Companions, offering a full suite of curricula for adults serving K-12 youth.
2020 – Art with Heart joins the Childhaven family.
RAYS History
1970 – The Berry House (RAYS) was founded to provide crisis intervention and support services to youth and families who were impacted by drug use. The program was developed and administered under the auspices of the Renton School District, working collaboratively with many community groups.
1972 – The Berry House expanded to provide crisis intervention, counseling, foster care, job placement assistance, and community education services. The Berry House changes its name to Renton Area Youth Services (RAYS) reflecting the expansion of services.
1984 – RAYS relocates to Renton Area Multi Service Center in downtown Renton, a registered historic site.
1988 – RAYS changes its name to Renton Area Youth and Family Services as early intervention and prevention oriented services with children as young as age 4 became increasingly significant as part of a more family focused, early intervention service philosophy.
1995 – RAYS became a Washington State licensed mental health provider for case management and outpatient services, expanded its school-based services to include mental health, youth development, and drug treatment services.
1996 – RAYS West Hill Family Enrichment Center opened to provide a range of family oriented prevention services to the Skyway, Campbell Hill, Lakeridge and Bryn Mawr communities. Specialized youth development services (SPARK T.H.I.S.) are also available at this site.
2014 – RAYS Family Resource Center was renamed to honor Cynthia A. Green, our long-term staff member who has served RAYS and our community for 20 years. She has been at the heart of our work and mission, often saying that “everyone who comes through these doors will leave feeling like they’ve been treated with respect.”
2018 – RAYS opened an integrated primary care and behavioral health clinic at the Family Center in partnership with HealthPoint.
2020 – RAYS joins the Childhaven family.
