Grantee Database
LIFE I LOVE SCHOOL
Grant Year
2025-26
Grant Program
Impact Projects
Award Amount
$20,250.00
Project Description
Life I Love requests $25,000 to implement Healing Through Art: Community Wellness Initiative, a year-long project addressing mental health disparities among Black and Brown girls in Oakland. In partnership with Madison Park Academy, the initiative will engage 3rd-5th grade girls in arts-based wellness circles that build emotional intelligence and self-expression.
Led by Sunshine Leaders (local artists and wellness coaches) each session will integrate storytelling and visual art to explore themes such as identity, emotional regulation, and healing.
Grant funds will support facilitator compensation, materials, and coordination.
This initiative aligns with CAC priorities by centering youth voice, creative practice, and community collaboration to address systemic inequities in mental health and education. Expected outcomes include stronger emotional well-being for participants, increased community capacity to use the arts for healing, and a sustainable model for creative social change.
Organization Summary
Life I Love Wellness Program
This school-based program supports Black and Brown girls in grades 3-8 with a culturally rooted, arts-integrated curriculum focused on emotional intelligence. Over the course of the program, girls explore topics like self-awareness, confidence, decision-making, and healthy relationships. Each session includes creative activities, reflective discussion, and real-life applications. The program concludes with a community showcase where girls share their ideas for improving collective well-being. Delivered during or after school in partnership with school leaders, the program reduces barriers to access and builds trusted ecosystems of support.
Sunshine Leader Training Program
This leadership pathway prepares individuals to become wellness coaches who support the emotional well-being of girls in schools and community spaces. Sunshine Leaders are trained to facilitate small group wellness circles, offer one-on-one coaching, and model emotional intelligence and relational care. The program builds facilitation skills, deepens self-awareness, and strengthens the ability to lead with joy, cultural connection, and empathy. Sunshine Leaders play a vital role in helping girls feel seen, supported, and confident in who they are.
Together, these two programs create a full-circle approach to healing and growth. From early intervention to leadership development, Life I Love offers Black and Brown girls consistent spaces to build self-worth, manage stress, and grow into powerful advocates for their own well-being.
Organization
LIFE I LOVE SCHOOL
Address
3221 HAMLINE AVE APT 1
OAKLAND
94602-1553
County
Alameda
Region
Bay Area – Other
Phone
(864) 671-9838
