Family Crisis Center exhibit at PC
Porterville College has partnered with the Family Crisis Center for a special art exhibition in the campus Learning Resource Center during the month of October as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The art on display was created entirely by the women and children who are, or were recently, staying at the Family Crisis Center emergency shelter, or who are a part of the transitional housing program.
The Family Crisis Center uses art as a form of healing therapy through a program called Windows between Worlds. Clients have the opportunity to express their feelings through art.
Currently on display in the Porterville College Learning Resource Center is “Faces of Hope”, where each face has a card beneath it with a quote from its creator explaining their feelings.
Also on display is “Journey Murals.” The murals take the viewer on a journey from the victims past to a survivors future.
The crayon art on display was created exclusively by children at the Family Crisis Center. The crayon art is titled “The Many Colors of life.”
Story trees are also on display. The Story Tree gives children an opportunity to explore their strength and areas of growth. Using the tree as a symbol of life and courage, participants are free to play and let their imaginations run wild as they discover the kind of tree they want to be.
And “Heart of the Survivor” was created by clients after being asked what their heart looked like in the past, how it looks now or what they would like their heart to look like in the future.
Hearts with boxes were made by adults who placed a secret message encouraging themselves in the box. Hearts supported by the gold cylinder bases were made by children.
The Family Crisis Center is a multi-cultural organization which exists to protect individuals and families from domestic violence and economic deprivation by providing food, shelter, education, and other charitable services. They have a 38-bed emergency shelter along with seven transitional apartments. At their administrative office they offer legal advocacy and batterer’s intervention courses, counseling, domestic violence support groups and parenting education classes.
Family Crisis Center also own Treasures Thrift store which produces income for its agency.
On average there are 34 women and children at the shelter at any time. Within the past year, they have served more than 400 women and children and assisted with more than 100 temporary restraining orders.
The Porterville College Learning Resource Center is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to noon Friday.
Guests are asked to park in visitor parking. Porterville College is located at 100 E. College Ave. in Porterville.
For more information, call 791-2209.
