Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

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Organization Name: The Sundari Foundation, Inc.
Legal Name (if Different):
Also Known As: Lotus House Women’s Shelter
Mailing Address: 217 NW 15th Street
City: Miami
State: FL
Postal Code: 33136
Main Phone: 305-438-0556
Main Fax:
Organization Website: www.lotushouse.org
Employer ID Number: 81-0652266
Organization Tax Status: tax exempt 501 (c)(3) nonprofit

Proposal Information

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Today’s Date: March 30, 2023
Requested Amount: $10,000

Project Title: Mental Health Therapy Through Art at Lotus House
Project Description:

Since 2006, Lotus House has opened its doors to women experiencing homelessness adressing their special needs and those of their children. After a decade of growth, with more than half of those we shelter nightly being children, we put our research and resources together to build the largest shelter in the country exclusively serving women, youth, and children. Lotus Village now shelters 500+ women and children nightly and is helping set a new national standard with service driven research and evidence-based, best practices that put children first with child-centered interventions. Lotus Village includes an in-take sanctuary, healing salon, education center, recording studio, art & activities lab, yoga/meditation/exercise room, hydroponic and rooftop gardens feeding into a working classroom kitchen (serving 365,000 meals/year), onsite health clinic, and a children’s wellness center with a childcare center and playrooms. Approximately 83% of women, youth, and children successfully exit into housing.

Our signature Children’s Services program includes early assessments, parenting classes, life changing linkages to community resources and deep therapeutic support. With that, we would like to add a Mental Health Therapy Through Art program to further enhance our extensive roster of therapeutic treatment modalities. Studies have shown that art therapies have been used successfully in a variety of contexts as treatment for traumatized children. It uses creative expression to provide individuals with a safe outlet for expressing thoughts and emotions to successfully facilitate recovery from psychological distress. This therapeutic art program, led by a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, will offer children ages 5-12 years the ability to use art and the creative process as a formal method of therapy to help explore, process, and heal from traumas and homelessness. During the grant period, and with your support, we anticipate that 150 unduplicated children ages 5-12 years will participate in this art therapy program.

Total Project Budget: 68,176.96

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): This is a new program. If funded, the Hermanowski Family Foundation will be among the first funders of this pilot program. Potential: The Hobbs Foundation and The Fred & Jean Allegretti Foundation among revenue from Foundation’s annual fundraiser.

Project Duration: January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024
Geographical Area Served: Overtown, Miami, FL
Age Group To Be Served: Children ages 5-12 years

Contact Information

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Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Mrs
Contact First Name: Beatrice
Contact Last Name: Gonzalez
Contact Title: Director
Contact Phone: 305-790-6893
Contact Email: beatrice@lotushouse.org