Youth Art For Healing is a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring works of art created by youth into healthcare environments to provide a sense of comfort, inspiration, and healing for patients and their loved ones, and healthcare professionals.
The Matt Papirmeister Award
Launched during the 2022-23 school year, Youth Art For Healing's Matt Papirmeister Award is presented annually to two Montgomery County high school seniors to support their post-secondary education. Winners of our award are selected by YAFH's Board of Directors after their review of the student applicants' essays, paintings, and art teacher evaluations.
Youth Art For Healing created this award for student artists to honor the life of Matt Papirmeister, cherished son of our organization’s founder Jan Papirmeister and her husband Chuck, and brother of Sara. Our award, originally $2,500 and now $3,000 for each recipient, is designed to commemorate Matt's kind spirit and zest for life, and to honor and support student artists who create uplifting art to give to others in their community.
For details about the award, please visit our Matt Papirmeister Award page.
The Matt Papirmeister Award
Recipients
In the first two years of presenting the Matt Papirmeister Award, Youth Art For Healing's financial support has had a significant impact on the 2023 and 2024 recipients. Erin Malone, Isabel Acuna Marin, Giselle Maravilla, and Alanna Sidlowski have all kindly provided updates for us to share with the YAFH community.
YAFH’s support has enabled them to attend educational institutions otherwise out of reach, work fewer hours and focus more on their studies and artwork, and given them the confidence and motivation to move forward in their careers as artists…
Youth Art For Healing in Action
See highlights from our final project year (2022-23) and learn more about the Matt Papirmeister Award in our Youth Art For Healing in Action video.
Youth Art For Healing
Retrospective Art Show
(2012-23)
Our 2012-23 Retrospective Art Show includes hundreds of the 2,024 artworks created by our student artists during those 11 years. Enjoy viewing the outstanding paintings from all the years of YAFH working with our school and healthcare partners to bring the students' uplifting artworks into healthcare environments.
