POVA IN THE NEWS: NewsChannel5 - Nonprofit pivots to support homeless artists

By: Alexandra Koehn

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For many local nonprofits the need is great right now, but donations have dwindled during the pandemic.

At Poverty and the Arts, homeless artists are able to create artwork that people can purchase.

"To be able to have an opportunity to leverage your creative talent that’s in you to earn income is a really vital piece of the puzzle here in Nashville," Nicole Minyard said.

As people struggle financially during the pandemic, non-profit founder Nicole Minyard said donations are down.

"Because of the pandemic, not only have we not been able to get grants, but we’ve seen a lot of donors decrease as well," she said.

That's why they're doing holiday cards this year to showcase their work.

"And at the same time, you’re able to empower our homeless artists, and put income right into their pockets for this holiday season," Minyard said.

The cards can be purchased in bulk and customized too. "We are also offering companies the opportunity to put their logo on it, it’s a really great opportunity to send a handwritten letter during this time where we’re all virtual and social distance."

Usually, artists are gearing up for holiday events, but they're being forced to pivot.

"We also typically sell their artwork and merchandise at different holiday markets and different fall festivals, and a lot of those were canceled this year."

Minyard said doing this work has helped ease their anxiety during uncertain times. "I think that my favorite part about this is we’re really offering the community an opportunity to come and see their talents."

If you would like to look at the art for a Christmas present, click here. If you would like to purchase holiday cards, click here.