For over two decades, the Nartel Family Foundation has worked to improve the lives of individuals in Genessee County, including supporting Alzheimer’s programming within the community and research across the country.
For over two decades, the Nartel Family Foundation has worked to improve the lives of individuals in Genessee County through its five areas of giving, including supporting Alzheimer’s programming within the community and research across the country.
Timothy Allen, communications officer and trustee of the Nartel Family Foundation, shared that through the foundation’s medical and medical research area of giving, the foundation’s largest annual funding is for research with the Alzheimer’s Association.
“Every three years, we provide a three-year grant in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association. They offer several researchers around the country for the foundation to support in hopes of finding a cure for Alzheimer’s,” Allen said.
Although this Alzheimer’s research is typically conducted outside of Genesee County, the family foundation has partnered with local organizations to advance programming for individuals impacted by the disease.
The foundation is now supporting a program in Flint designed for people with mild to moderate memory loss, including individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia and their caregivers.
The program, Art Spark!, is hosted by the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) and provides opportunities for dialogue and reflection through art engagement within the FIA galleries as well as experimentation with a number of mediums and materials through art-making workshops.
Allen shared that the foundation began partnering with the FIA in 2012, and this past year, FIA approached the foundation to share more about the goals of the program.
Specially trained staff and volunteers lead the interactive sessions that engage both the individuals with memory loss and their care partners. The program also provides an opportunity for participants to socialize with their peers.
“We see this program as something really special and unique for loved ones with mild and moderate cases of dementia and Alzheimer’s. We’re so proud of all the FIA staff who are engaged in the program and who have been trained to support the individuals who attend the sessions,” Allen said.
According to the FIA, engaging with visual art and art-making activities can help individuals cope with the emotional impact of Alzheimer’s and memory loss. Art Spark! workshops offer a creative and non-verbal way of communicating and creating moments of connectedness through art making.
“We know that individuals with memory loss connect through art and music, and this program is so valuable in that way. We anticipate the program growing even more, with participants attending sessions even more frequently,” Allen said.
Want more?
Learn more about Art Spark!
Read more about the Nartel Family Foundation and its five areas of giving.
