About Us
behind the scenes at Stars of HOPE
our mission
Stars of HOPE empowers people of all ages to transform individuals and communities in need of hope through the power of art and messages of healing.
Who we are
Stars of HOPE is the world’s largest and fastest-growing healing arts program. Started by New York Says Thank You Foundation in 2007, we are pioneering a paradigm at the intersection of mental health and therapeutic art.
92%
Participants reported that they created Stars of HOPE because they “felt for those who were hurting,” and to “pay it forward.” 92% agreed that Stars of HOPE helped them feel more optimistic about the future
84%
Participants reported that Stars of HOPE made them feel supported and hopeful
75%
Participants reported they felt comforted and connected to others
100%
Participants agreed that Stars of HOPE positively impacts people’s lives, helps affected communities recover emotionally from disaster and tragedy
Together we heal
We Believe In Kindness and Compassion
We believe every act of kindness and compassion, no matter how small, makes an impact. We strive to make a positive impact with hope, and we have seen that impact ripple through communities, schools, survivors, and their families.
We initiated a study with the Florida State University (FSU) College of Criminology and Criminal Justice to measure the direct impact on individuals that have participated in, received, or witnessed Stars of HOPE in various settings after a natural or human-caused tragedy.
A survey was taken by individuals who have participated in, received, or witnessed a Stars of HOPE. The questionnaire elicited information about how receiving, seeing, or creating a Star of HOPE made them feel and their overall assessment of the program’s impact. The results were overwhelmingly positive.
meet our amazing team
The Faces Behind stars of HOPE
Jeff Parness
Josh Garcia
Carolyn Deters
Fran Sheff-Mauer
Kelly Burns, MA, LMHC, ATR
Stephanie Wray, ATR-P, RMHCI
Matt Deighton
Elsie Citron-Rosado
