The Imagine Project’s Pasta & Pjs Virtual Benefit Raises $25,000 For Their Journaling Process To Combat Trauma And Difficult Life Experiences
The event featured appearances by Gary Morris, Rena Strober, Nick Howard and more.
The Imagine Project hosted its fifth annual gala on November 20th from Denver raising over $25,000 for the organization. The Imagine Project supports the mental health of children by giving kids an opportunity to write about a difficult life experience, heal and imagine a new ending to that story. It creates camaraderie, compassion and kindness in a classroom and emotional wellness in students of all ages.
This year’s fundraiser featured appearances from award winning artists and entertainers Gary Morris (ACM, CMA and Grammy award winning Ccuntry and Broadway legend), Nick Howard (Winner of The Voice[Germany]), Rena Strober (Broadway’s Les Misérables and The Disney Channel’s Liv and Maddie) and Frank Maroney, as well as auction items like a day of aviation, gourmet dinner and wine pairing for six, a guided fishing trip and a seven-day resort stay in Mexico.
“We had an amazing virtual event this year! People were so inspired listening to the kids read their Imagine stories and seeing how far The Imagine Project has come in just a year’s time,” says Dianne Maroney, RN, MSN, Executive Director of The Imagine Project, Inc. “We are grateful for all who joined us and supported kids around the world,”
If you missed the fundraiser but would still like to support the incredible work of this organization, visit THIS LINK.
The Imagine Project has reached over 380,000 kids across 35 countries and in all 50 states creating positive effects through their unique expressive writing program. The journals, which are free to download for anyone at THIS LINK, are available in both English and Spanish and come in four tiers: Kindergarten; Kids ages (6-12); Teen (ages 13-17); and Adult (18+). In addition to the journals, lesson plans are available for educators interested in joining the teachers that have already seen the impact of the exercise in their classrooms.
This program enables kids and adults around the world to develop the skills to flourish academically and emotionally. The Imagine Project’s goals involve promoting mental health, decreasing suicides, and creating self-awareness and internal understanding through journaling.
The Imagine Project’s 7-step journaling process is used as part of literacy programs in schools and sees impact from students across K-12 grade levels. Dropout rates as well as depression and anxiety have markedly decreased. These students really benefit from the important work that The Imagine Project offers to those going through the program.
Here is a recent imagine story from Dominic age 12.
Imagine… going to 5th grade after ending the school year online in 4th grade.
Imagine… starting off the school year required to wear a mask every day.
Imagine… being scared to get covid.
Imagine… getting covid and being quarantined in your basement.
Imagine… your family being split up because you and your mom have covid.
Imagine… your dad and sister are upstairs and don’t have covid.
Imagine… feeling lonely and depressed in your basement.
Imagine… no one teaching you how to do online schooling.
Imagine… 14 days are over and you go back to school.
Imagine… many people distancing from you because you came back to school.
Imagine… people seeing you and backing away because they think you still have covid.
Imagine… people in your family getting the vaccine.
Imagine… finally being able to see your grandparents after 10 months.
Imagine… hope.
What are educators saying about the project?
“After teaching through Columbine and 9/11, we were at a loss in the classroom for addressing the emotional needs of children in a way that was not only effective but long lasting. This year in fifth grade, we used the Imagine Project to express our emotions and turn our focus toward the positive potential future. In our Imagine Journals, students were able to process racism and social justice, peer and personal conflict, as well as transitioning to middle school. The very best part of the Imagine Story is that kids can take this tool with them into their future to work through their feelings around any issues that may arise in their lives. For that, I am eternally grateful.
I would like to thank you for this gift to help me end my career in teaching and help my students move through this pandemic school year healthier than any class I have ever taught. My next adventure involves mentoring pre-service teachers at the college level and you can be sure that this will be one of the first tools I share with them.
As one of my students says at the end of every one of her imagine stories, ‘Imagine Hope.'”
Todd Daubert
5th Grade Teacher
Belleview Elementary School and Cherry Creek Schools
“I sat in on all three classrooms while they did the bulk of the project, and it was really a fascinating process to be a part of. I saw many kids really engaged in the writing process, many chose to share their stories and the displays of support and empathy by fellow students was beautiful to behold. Many of the stories I heard read aloud were from kids that were not necessarily even on my radar as a counselor. Whether these students internalize more, rather than acting out, or are just more comfortable with writing in general, probably a mixture of both. It was good for me to hear their stories, so I better understand them. It is too often those kids who do not act out that do not always land on our radar and often suffer in silence. I was glad they were connected with this as a tool to get those things out.
The teachers were awesome and enthusiastic the minute I brought this idea to their attention. I think we are all interested to see the long-term impact, especially around the area of empathy. Thanks so much for what you do, you are truly impacting lives in such a positive way!”
Nikki Wood
Counselor
Eastgate Elementary
To learn more about The Imagine Project and its origin and impact, which has been featured on The Meredith Vieira Show, Colorado Public Radio, CW’s Focus Atlanta, and NBC’s Today in Nashville, visit theimagineproject.org.
