The Fusion of Art, Education and Opportunities for Children

The Marta Chapman Memorial Foundation Fund

 

The smiles of young children holding their ‘turkey art’ and murals painted at the Midtown Villages at the Melrose low-income housing complex, are just a few ways that Marta Chapman’s vibrant legacy lives on. Her heart and spirit sought to provide ways for all children to have a fair opportunity to succeed, express themselves, and thrive; and the Marta Chapman Memorial Foundation Fund has done just that.

 

When Jim Chapman, Marta’s husband, established her Fund in 2008, friends and family gave gifts that served as a tribute to a woman whose life’s work was to uplift and empower every child she met.

 

Through donations and the financial stewardship of NGCF, the Fund has blossomed and continues to honor the nurturing spirit of “Mama Chapman,” as her middle school students affectionately called her.

 

Marta’s unwavering commitment to children has inspired countless local art projects and initiatives that Jim has championed, and Marta’s Memorial Fund has monetarily supported. By providing support for arts programming, including numerous art classes, murals and art scholarships, our spaces are beautified but also, even more importantly, they ignite the imagination of our youth. These opportunities are primarily offered to children in public housing or children considered “at-risk,” and creates opportunities for them to have access to tools and resources to pour their creativity and attention into, rather than other influences that may surround them. Building these relationships and ties to families who find themselves in precarious or difficult situations has also opened pathways to provide even more support, such as Christmas gifts for local students or other needs that can be filled in order for children to be encouraged and have a sense of normalcy and feelings of nurturement.

 

The fusion of art, education and opportunities for children beautifully encapsulates the essence of the Marta Chapman Memorial Foundation Fund and continues Marta’s legacy, For Good, For Ever.