Foundation Journal

Visual art has the potential to capture the imagination of both the artist and viewer. Public art, especially painted murals, occupy a special place that not only captures the imagination, but also the history and struggles of people wherever you see this art form. Mural projects that document popular history and culture, plus involve people in creating the work hold a special place in the hearts of the participants. Two mural projects in different parts of the world -- Gaza and Topeka -- fit this mold. At a reception for Harvesters food assistance agencies held in Topeka on July 12, 2011, I spoke with Delores with Turnaround Topeka and first learned about a mural painted on a 900-foot wall in Topeka. Delores joined the reception after coordinating a mass distribution of donated food to 1000 Topeka area residents at the Expo Center. "The Road From Brown V. Board"   Lead Artist - Dave Loewenstein . Assisted by KT Walsh and students from Marty Moreno's Advanced Ar...

Harvesters, a 30-year old food bank in Kansas City, is opening a second distribution center in Topeka to better cover its service area in Kansas. The reports of the economy improving are quietly eclipsed by a still increasing demand at food pantries, as well as record highs in food stamp applications , especially in Missouri and Kansas . Several other food banks across the US are expanding the size of their warehouses, but others are expanding new programs to serve specific groups, like providing backpacks full of food over the weekend for school-age children and programs geared toward homeless high school kids.