Carpenter Art Garden, established in 2012, is a non-profit organization in Memphis that provides a space for Binghamton youth to do arts and crafts as well as build relationships with each other in a creative and educational atmosphere. After school, the kids in Binghamton go to Carpenter Art Garden to undertake activities that the leaders have in store for them that day. These activities are not only meant to be fun for the kids but also to provide them with education and basic vocational skills that will help them in the future. Carpenter Art Garden describes their mission as “empowering the children of Binghamton to create their best futures.” The 4Memphis Impact Staff found this to be a vision worth their contribution.

On a Sunday afternoon, the 4Memphis Impact staff gathered together to create Valentine treats for the Binghamton kids at Carpenter Art Garden. There was one group making heart-shaped rice-krispy treats, and another group making chocolate pretzel goodies. In the dining room, a group of staff members sat down together and wrote Valentine’s Day notes to the kids and packed the treats into bags. Although this was a very simple way of giving to the kids at Carpenter Art Garden, everyone at the event that Sunday was enthusiastic about making the kids’ days better with small treats. Not only was this a great way to give back to the Memphis community, but it was a good way to get to know the new staff and bond with them in a more informal setting. By helping an organization in Memphis whose mission is to foster relationships between kids, we were able to foster old relationships with staff members as well as create new ones.

Later that week, the staff went to Carpenter Art Garden to pass out the Valentine’s Day goodie bags that we had made for the kids. It was so impactful for us to see who we had made these bags for and where the kids go every day after school. We are so thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with Carpenter Art Garden as our highlighted non-profit this month!