2012 PR auction

Project Renewal’s mission is to end the cycle of homelessness by empowering individuals and families to renew their lives with health, homes, and jobs.

Erika taught/assisted weekly art classes for 2 years at Project Renewal in the Bowery. The projects she created were mostly with materials of magazines, collage papers, and watercolors. As she sat working alongside these men, she spontaneously one day began creating portraits of them with paper she would tear up.

It was a very meaningful process on both sides. The men loved seeing their images develop from paper shreds and Erika enjoyed the fresh take on portraiture, after a decades long career of executing realistic pastel and oil portraits. She did over 17 of these torn paper portraits that were displayed and auctioned at Project Renewal’s annual spring gala in 2012. The proceeds she donated entirely to the organization.

“Since 1967, Project Renewal have pioneered social innovations that provide a lifeline to the most vulnerable New Yorkers, and are now replicated around the nation.

Throughout our history, Project Renewal has developed an unmatched array of integrated programs and services. 
We meet homeless New Yorkers WHERE they are, with what they NEED, and WE NEVER GIVE UP on a single one.

First known as Manhattan Bowery Corporation, Project Renewal began life more than 50 years ago as a 48-bed alcohol detoxification program at the then-notorious Third Street Men's Shelter.

This was one of the nation's first successful treatment programs for "public inebriates," coming at a time when arrest and incarceration were society's most common responses to the problem.

Today we continue this pioneering course as a leader in providing health, homes and jobs for homeless New Yorkers with the highest needs.”

-PROJECT RENEWAL