I'm the director of WarmStreets.org, a nonprofit that works to help the homeless in Lynchburg, Virginia. We started an art gallery in October, the WarmStreets Gallery, and started selling donated art to buy new backpacks and emergency kits for the homeless, and also to fulfill wish lists from shelters in the area.

We decided to do a Steampunk / sci-fi juried art show in order to make more people aware of homelessness, but also that as a community we can do something about it.

I wasn't getting many entries from local folks for the juried show, so I started looking for good examples of steampunk and sci-fi art on DA.

I emailed the best artists I could find and asked permission to print and sell up to three of their works and use the money from sales to help the homeless. if an artist won 3rd-1st prize, the artist would keep the prize money. Out of all the artists I contacted, only one said no. Most were VERY happy to help, and the Hispanic community really got behind us and spread the word from Mexico to Spain. Lithuania, Russia, Belgium, France,  Canada, all were represented.

Tomorrow is our opening, and thanks to the high quality of the art work, I know we will have good sales, which means we can help more of the homeless. ALL the local TV stations have already covered us, as well as a local business magazine and a local free paper that's read by most of the 20-35 age set.

Thanks, DA, and thank you, DA artists, for showing you have Art with Heart!
-Rick
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