August/September 2005

It started out as just a senior thesis project. Now, it has become something unexpected, something more than 18-year-old Alysa Teichman ever imagined. Alysa knew she wanted to do something interesting to give back to the community for her project. Last summer, she began working at the Stewpot, a homeless outreach center in Dallas, TX. When Alysa began attending art classes there and found herself surrounded by homeless people who happened to be great artists, she knew what the title of her project would be: "Homelessness and Art - How Art Changes Homeless People." Befriending many of the artists, she began taking pictures of their artwork and using it for the fronts of note cards. On the back of the cards, Alysa featured each artist's picture and a personal quote. Before long, the demand for the cards was so high that she started taking pre-orders, sending every penny back to the Stewpot. Today her project, Alysa's Friends, continues to grow. Within just two months of selling the cards, the project has already raised about $8,000 for the center, and orders are still coming in from Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, and even New York City. Alysa hopes to continue Alysa's Friends even after she graduates. To order a box of cards, log on to alysasfriends.com.