H'Art Gallery receives $9k from Nightingale Network

 

The women of the Nightingale Network have awarded their second grant to a local nonprofit using a unique "crowd-funding" method matched by the Women's Fund of Greater Chattanooga.

With an average donation of $32, a growing network of approximately 150 women who attended and created mini social events over the past four months were able to raise $4,616. The women selected the H'Art Gallery as the recipient of the grant, which came to $9,232 after the match.

Ellen Heavilon started the gallery in September 2010 as a place for the homeless, political refugees, victims of domestic violence, and others with special medical needs to make and sell art while learning other marketable skills.

She said she has been hesitant to ask the community for help with funding until she could prove the idea was worthwhile and supported.

"The fact that these (Nightingale) women are now putting their trust in that I will put their money to work in the best possible way, well, I just won't sleep," Heavilon said.

The money will be used to start three new programs that serve low and no income women.

Those in the Nightingale Network who donated money each had a vote on who would receive the funds. Heavilon's proposal received 48 percent of the votes in this cycle and was chosen for funding over proposals from Girl's Inc. and the local public television station WTCI.

Courtney Altfillisch, who is a donor and co-chair of the Nightingale Network's steering committee, said she was part of the 48 percent. Picking a start-up like H'Art represents many of the reasons she and others are involved in the network.

"People want to see new ideas. I think people get really excited about how these start-up programs directly impact their community in a new and unique way that hasn't been thought of before," Altfillisch said.

For Heavilon, the funding represents a vote of confidence in her idea she said was inspired by a sculpture made with tiles created by the homeless community. But she said it is the real social change she sees in the lives of "her artists" that lets her know the idea is working.

Java's Story

Heavilon and a homeless women named Java met during one of the Friday morning art classes she leads at the Community Kitchen. Java showed an interest in jewelry making so Heavilon gave her the beads, tools and materials to make necklaces and bracelets that she could sell as her only source of income.

In time, Heavilon was able to sell Java's jewelry at the H'Art gallery and gave Java 60 percent of every thing she sold. With every new sale, Java was finally able to show a small source of income that quickly qualified her for more permanent housing than the shelter at St. Katherine's where she sometimes stayed.

"Now because she sells this jewelry she has low income and can live in the Dogwood Manor. Before she couldn't show any income. Today, she volunteers at the shelter instead of sleeping there," Heavilon said.

The Nightingales' next move

To date the network has awarded a total of $21,382 since beginning to make grants in Spring, according to Women's Fund director Kara Fagan.

The new funding network is also reaching its own goals with every new grant cycle. Established to engage more young women in the work of the Women's Fund through social change philanthropy, the Nightingales have already grown the fund by 280 percent in the past 11 months, according the Fagan.

"This year, between the fall and spring cycles, the Nightingale Network has engaged 286 women. 280 are first-time, new donors to the Women's Fund. ... Which means more women are creating change here in Chattanooga," Fagan said.

Fagan said the group will spend the next few months evaluating their first year, developing programs and preparing for the next grant cycle that will be announced next year.