New York City: Executive Director, ART START for the homeless, The Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group

Position: Executive Director
ART START
The Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group

Art Start:

Each night in New York City, more than 38,000 people are homeless. Almost half of them are children under the age of 18, comprising by far the largest and fastest-growing segment of the homeless population. Intervention is desperately needed to help children from falling victim to
a number of problems endemic to homeless people, such as drug addiction, domestic violence and discrimination. Yet, even when services are provided, they are often interrupted when children move from one shelter to another. Despite this urgent and growing need, the number of programs supporting homeless youth continues to decrease. Plagued by small staff sizes and
further threatened by budget cuts, shelters are ill-equipped to offer necessary recreational activities without the intervention of outside groups, leaving youth with no alternative to the street after the school day ends. Since 1991, Art Start has been part of the solution.

Founded by a handful of artists who got together to make art with homeless kids in New York City, Art Start connects with kids who are denied access to a nurturing education, a supportive home environment and promising work opportunities. Art Start's kids are shut out. They contend with economic brutality, racism and neglect every day, and get pinned with harsh labels like "homeless," "dropout," "thug" and worse. They would rather shape their own identities. They are strong, resilient, open-minded, talented and full of dreams. They yearn to be participants, to make meaningful contributions. Art Start uses the arts to spark their lives to the possibilities of "making it." Art Start gives them tools and opportunities, and most important, a chance to be heard.

Challenges Facing the Executive Director:

The next Executive Director will come to Art Start as the board looks to carefully, deliberately and thoughtfully nurture and grow a modest model program into one which substantially increases the impact the program is having on the children in its community. Whether the program will grow to more shelters or work more deeply with existing program youth is uncertain; what is clear, however, is that the program will retain and even improve the high level of quality it currently offers. Art Start is seeking a leader who will both position the organization for profound and meaningful work and simultaneously share ideas and best practices with other programs also looking to make incredible contributions to homeless children. The ideal candidate will couple strong business acumen with the heart and soul
of a social worker and a steadfast commitment to the belief that involvement in the arts can permanently alter the trajectory of a homeless child's life.

This search is being led by Laura Gassner Otting and Deb Berman. Any assistance you can provide in identifying or nominating applicants would be appreciated.

Sincerely,
Laura Gassner Otting, President, and Deb Berman, Vice President
Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group
E-Mail: deb@nonprofitprofessionals.com
Phone: 212-628-0419
Website: http://www.NonprofitProfessionals.com