Craft Crawl returns on Saturday, May 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Hillside’s 13-acre campus located at 690 Courtenay Drive in Morningside.
The event supports the nonprofit’s mental health treatment services for children and adolescents. The Craft Crawl series, started by Suzy Lee and Susan Doyle during the pandemic to showcase handmade items in Morningside front yards, has found a permanent home at Hillside.
“The event is about inviting our neighbors in and raising awareness for Hillside,” said Gabriella Marvin, Hillside’s Director of Community Engagement and Communication. “We are experts in children’s mental health. We are a resource. We want to be an active part of Morningside.”
Hillside serves 900+ youth aged 6-18 each year who struggle with emotional and behavioral issues, like depression and anxiety, through a continuum of care: residential treatment, day treatment, intensive in-home and virtual group therapy. Founded in 1888 as a shelter for homeless women and their children near downtown Atlanta, the nonprofit moved to Morningside in 1926.
Today, the serene campus includes seven residential cottages that house 87 youth, an Atlanta Public Schools accredited school building, a dining hall, a gymnasium, pool, learning gardens, and more.
Hillside is raising nearly $3.25 million for costs not covered by insurance, including horticultural therapy, recreational therapy, art programs, and assistance for families who can no longer afford their child’s treatment. The nonprofit relies on the support of the community, alumni families, donors, volunteers, and sponsors – like presenting Craft Crawl sponsor SCANA Energy.
“The kids are painting lots of pots with different designs and messages as part of their horticultural therapy,” Marvin said. “Folks can pick out a succulent and a pot. We’ll help you pot it in soil with little rocks on top and teach you how to care for it.”
Stop by the DIY tent for guided crafting projects ($35 per project) that also raise funds for Hillside and can help with last-minute Mother’s Day gifts.
“One of the projects is to make your own fairy home,” Marvin said. “Hillside’s Horticultural Therapist Barbara Bohannon and her volunteers will have all of the materials and glue guns for you to create something for your garden or your mantelpiece.”
Hillside’s facility manager, Zach Flowers will help you build a birdhouse.
“We’ve got about 50 kits for folks to construct themselves and then decorate,” Flowers said. “It’s all repurposed spare wood from building a fence. It looks sharp and can be cleaned out between seasons.”
The event will also feature handmade works from local crafters including jewelry, cards, soaps, home décor, treats and more!
“I am so excited to sell my homemade baked goods, meet fellow crafters, and support teens at Hillside,” said participant Helen Vickers.
“The [Hillside] campus has a wonderful sense of community, and I feel a strong connection to their important mission,” said Schuyler Rideout, who paints with watercolor and ink to illustrate fashion and flowers. “Crafters are always welcomed with great spirit and enthusiasm for creativity. The event also offers a variety of unique activities in a beautiful setting.”
Make an afternoon out of it, grabbing free snacks and drinks from the Haygood United Methodist Church’s Happy Camper while listening to the four piece band Atomic Lush’s stripped down jazzy style covers at noon at 2:15 pm.
“Please come and join us on May 11 to learn about what we do,” urged Marvin.
For more information, email Gabriella Marvin [email protected].
