When someone is drowning in grief, battling mental illness, or caring for a loved one around the clock, a box of art supplies might seem like a small gesture. But for Creative Healing Fund, those carefully packed boxes represent something bigger: a tangible reminder that someone sees you, and that creativity can be a path through the darkness.
Led by Katherine Hernandez, owner of Mindfullimage, the nonprofit operates on a straightforward premise. People in crisis—whether they’re kids, teens, adults, or elders—fill out a brief application on the organization’s website, sharing what they’re going through and what kind of art materials they need. Friends and family members can also nominate someone they love. Then, personalized art kits for people facing hardship arrive at their doorsteps, filled with rescued and new supplies matched to their age, interests, and creative style.
Born From Personal Crisis
The project emerged from its Katherine’s own recovery from alcoholism, grief, and medical trauma. As a trained art therapist who has navigated depression, PTSD, domestic violence, and single motherhood, the founder brings lived experience to every application reviewed. That personal history shapes how each box is curated—not as a clinical intervention, but as something that might have brought comfort during her own impossible nights.
What started as one person donating their own supplies has evolved into a community-funded effort. Her organization recently crossed a significant threshold, receiving and reviewing over 100 applications. A Facebook junk journaling community recently named the founder “Artist of the Year” and committed to six months of support, enabling more boxes to reach more people.
Building Community Beyond the Box
Creative Healing Fund has also launched an online community where members encourage each other and participate in gentle, trauma-aware creative prompts. These micro-workshops offer ongoing support between those hard moments, giving people a judgment-free space to express themselves and connect with others who understand what they’re going through.
The approach is intentionally accessible. Many recipients are creative beginners or people returning to art after difficult seasons. The emphasis is on play and expression rather than skill or product, with trauma-informed creative healing activities designed to offer a sense of control and accomplishment when everything else feels chaotic.
Expanding the Reach
Looking ahead, Katherine and her team plans to grow from a founder-led project into a sustainable nonprofit capable of sending significantly more boxes each year. Future plans include partnerships with therapists, community organizations, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation programs, making it easier for caregivers and institutions to request supplies for the people they serve.
The vision also includes in-person creative healing workshops in community spaces, shelters, and faith-based organizations, bringing art and play directly into places where people are coping and healing. By building systems to continuously gather, sort, and distribute art supplies while expanding supportive creative communities for mental health, Creative Healing Fund aims to prove that small gestures of care can have profound impact during life’s most difficult seasons.
