Our Challenges, Accompishments and Impact

Our Challenge

Young aspiring creatives often struggle with mental and emotional wellness. At the same time, they face challenges to their empowerment; family, peers and counsellors tell them to pursue a “more dependable practical career.” Worse still, some are told they aren’t good enough to be an artist as a career before they’ve even had the chance to try to hone their skills, find their style, and hit their stride.

As they take on the weight of discouraging words, their wellness declines; as their wellness declines, so does their ability to create; as their ability to create declines, so does their sense of self-worth. And as self-worth declines, the risk of self-harm increases exponentially.

Our intention with Sunflower Outreach is to reverse this downward spiral into a synergistic ascent. When an aspiring artist sees themselves in a successful artist mentor, their self-belief strengthens; as they hear encouraging words from peers, confidence increases; as self-belief and confidence strengthen, courage to create grows. And as they create, working in the space to which they are called as a career, so the world’s wellness improves from their creations.

Our Accomplishments

Established Annual Scholarship Fund in partnership with Savannah College of Art and Design for fine arts and photography students. Funded partial academic scholarships for four students at SCAD in 2024 and 2025.

  • Started to form our Board of Directors

  • Held first visibility event, started planning for 2026 events

  • Launched market assessment and positioning study

  • Drafted 2025-2029 capital and operating budget and staffing plan

  • Started conceptual design for art-centric wellness app and virtual village

Testimonials to our early impact

“I’m so grateful to have been awarded the Meagan Crystal DeNoya Memorial scholarship. It reduced the significant financial burden on my family, and allowed me to focus entirely on my creative work without working multiple jobs. I’ve been able to build my portfolio faster, and have had the energy to co-found MODA, a club for creators that overlaps with the empowerment goals of Sunflower Outreach. The support you’ve provided will help me launch my career as an artist at least a year sooner than I would have done otherwise.”

Christen Worthington, Spartanburg, SC
Scholarship Recipient – Illustration, 2024

“Thank you for establishing the Meagan Crystal DeNoya Memorial Scholarship. Meagan’s memory will continue to shine brightly at SCAD. Scholarship recipients will admirably carry on her legacy of creativity and achievement and will surely make a lasting impact on the world.”

Paula S. Wallace
President, Savannah College of Art and Design

“When I initially found out I had been awarded the scholarship I didn’t think it was real, but when I realized it was, I broke into tears. I decided to attend SCAD to fulfill my dreams of working in a creative career. Going into it, I knew it would be not only academically and creatively challenging, but it would also strain me financially. The scholarship allowed me to devote myself entirely to my photography and my degree, without worrying about how to afford my supplies, or whether I will be able to make my next tuition payment. Sunflower Outreach’s support has truly changed my life, and for that, I am ineffably grateful.”

Patrick Balter, Houston, TX
Scholarship Recipient – Photography, 2023

“The Sunflower Outreach scholarship helps me ease the financial burden of attending the school I feel I was always meant to attend, continue to push myself, and be the best I can be.”

Kyra Tosiello, Traverse City MI
Scholarship Recipient – Illustration, 2023 & 2024