Food Conservation and Musical Theater

When I was painting at Flamingo Art Studio in West Palm Beach, Florida I met Kris Kemp. Kris and I worked on plays such as "Our Town" at "The Hut", what we used to call the Underground Art Center, aka Flamingo Art Studios. With the owner Alan Patrusevich, we produced plays, art shows, managed art studios, and restored antiques together. We planned to grow our own food at the community garden. That never came to fruition. We did manage to receive donated food at the art studios and share that with community in need. 

Kris was writing a musical called, Dumpster Diver the Musical. I helped him work on his songs and edit a few scenes. We put an ad in the paper for auditions and almost produced the musical in West Palm Beach. Life took a turn again and that did not come to fruition. The seeds were planted though! 

Kris was interviewed for a news program, and he also produced the musical in New York City a few years ago. I think that the musical helps to raise awareness about United States of America's conservation of food crisis, too much wasted food. 

As I was living in Santa Fe, in 2006, I noticed that a lot of food was wasted there too. Whole Foods dumpsters were filled with food that had expired dates on them, yet the food was not expired at all. The shelf life, or the expected time to sell the products, date had passed, but the quality of the plastic bottled smoothie, such as an Odwalla was still good. 

So my friend and I started to ask Whole Foods and other markets if they wanted to donate their food instead of throwing it out. We received breads, produce, and other products that were not expired. We donated them to Santa Fe Hostels, farms to feed horses, or any other place that would consider using "day old" food, or "expired" food. 

When I was studying to become an art therapist, I found "Open Hands" Community Art Center and I donated canvases, painted, and worked with others as much as I could. I volunteered so much of my time there that I wanted to start another Art Center for the Santa Fe community. I wanted to help share food and supplies with people in need. So I teamed up with artists as many art communities as I could, "The Island", "The Art barn", "Rodeo", to help grow food and donate it to the homeless shelter in Santa Fe. My idea did not come to fruition. At least I tried. 

Later on after college, I volunteered for Boca Helping Hands to help bag groceries for homeless people. I was in charge of the cans, stocking the fridge, and various other tasks to ensure that Boca Helping Hands, in Boca Raton, Florida, had "helping hands." I was fascinated with helping people with food insecurity so much that later after I was earning my MFA in Media, I created a documentary of Boca Helping Hands. 

Because of my volunteer work at Boca Helping Hands, I was hired for a job at Jerry's Artarama in West Palm Beach, and soon afterwards I was accepted to a graduate program at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. 

Boca Helping Hands started to receive food donations from Whole Foods and other places. Our mission of building awareness about conserving food was accomplished! Food is now not being wasted and being donated to mouths that need it the most! 

Thank you to everyone who helped build the awareness and helped me accomplish my goal!! 
“When half gods go, the gods arrive.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Another Android App that I created in 2015 to connect humanity to the collective powers and to reach out for help when needed. This app was an example or a practice to start to reach out and ask for help. We can help each other grow food and nurture our souls together, one day at a time. 

Angel Android App