Our wonderful friends at Children Mending Hearts launched a new campaign called “Please, Mr. President.” It’s an arts exchange program that gives undeserved kids in America and in armed conflict zones around the world a chance to send a message to President Obama. With letters and paintings, these children will have the opportunity to share their stories, hopes and dreams.

The workshops kicked off earlier this summer in LA at the Union Rescue Mission. Nearly 200 kids participated. Boys and girls of all ages, shapes and sizes were treated to DJs, pizza, dancing, singing and some surprise guests from Twilight, Nickelodeon shows, and the new Hannah Montana movie. Some kids wrote letters to President Obama (you can read some sample letters here, here and here), some painted pictures and others painted t-shirts with messages that will be distributed to kids in the Congo later in September.

Lysa explains that “While many kids and parents had smiles when they arrived despite feeling beaten down, all had smiles of hope when they left.”

Throughout the fall, the Please, Mr. President campaign will travel from LA to Chicago, to Detroit and Flint, MI, to New York, Washington, DC and Baltimore, to New Orleans and Austin, and finally to San Francisco conducting letter writing and painting workshops, culminating in a workshop in January 2010 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Children Mending Hearts is also creating a global children’s book that will include works from professional artists, writers & teachers who will lead the workshops in conjunction with more fortunate children, in an effort to sustain the workshops long after the campaign has expanded to another city. The goal is to create active young people who will continue to serve and empower their peers to express their voices within their own communities.

And, the workshops are only the beginning… stay tuned for updates!

Do you want to get involved with the campaign? Here are some things we can do to help:

Each urban workshop in the U.S. costs between $15,000 and $20,000 depending upon the number of kids in each workshop to feed, art & crafts supplies to obtain, travel distance, etc.
Your donation of $50 will supply the following for one child with:

Art and Craft Supplies
Food & drinks for child and family
T-shirts for giveaway