Our Story
The gift that
started it all
There was a time not too long ago when I was going through one of the hardest seasons of my life. Work was difficult. There were personal challenges. We had just lost my father. I was trying to hold everything together, to be a good husband, a good dad, while navigating situations that felt heavier than I knew how to carry.
I found myself praying a lot. The kind of prayers you say when you're in it. When you're searching for strength, for clarity, for peace.
My birthday that year was especially hard.
I remember coming home feeling completely worn down. Sitting there, just trying to process everything. My wife looked at me and said, "You're going to be okay. Everything is going to be fine." Then she handed me a package that had arrived at our door.
For the past few years, our family had been supporting an orphanage in Uganda, run by a truly special person, John Patrick Sisonda. He would often send photos of the children, smiling, waving, full of joy. Always full of love.
He had asked for my address to send a small gift. I assumed it would be something simple from the kids.
When I opened the package, I was honestly dumbfounded.
It was a painting… of my children. They were sitting together, eating cookies from my company, Snorble.
And the painting itself was extraordinary. I've been around great creative talent my entire life, and this stood out immediately, the detail, the emotion, the care.
It was so thoughtful, so specific, so full of heart. I couldn't believe the gesture.
And at that exact same time, more photos came through.
The children were all gathered together in the orphanage, holding up the painting. They had made a birthday cake. They were celebrating. Smiling. Proud. Happy.
I teared up.
I remember just sitting there thinking… what an incredible gift.
Not just the painting, but what it represented.
In that moment, everything connected.
None of what we chase in this world, the stress, the pressure, the things we think define success, comes close to the impact we have on others. Sometimes we need a moment that that shakes us. And more often than not, it takes far less than we think to change someone's life. Like these children who ask for so little.
That was the real gift.
And it's a moment our family will carry with us forever.
REAL IMPACT
A simple realization
It also made something very clear.
This orphanage can be fully supported for about $55,000 a year.
That's it.
Not some impossible number. Not something out of reach. Just something that, if enough people care, can be done.
And that's where this idea came from.
What if we could take that feeling, that moment, and share it?
What if you could commission a beautiful, custom piece of artwork for your home, created by these incredibly talented artists, and in doing so, directly support children who need it most?
What if something personal for you could also become something deeply meaningful for someone else?
That's what this is.
This is about purpose.
It's about connection.
It's about using what we have to create something good in the world.
The artists are paid fairly.
The children are supported.
And you receive something truly one-of-a-kind, a piece of art that carries a story far beyond itself.
Our hope is to grow this. To support more children. To work with more artists. To expand this model to other communities around the world.
But at its core, it will always be this simple:
People helping people.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
If you have any questions, we're always here.
May God bless you and your family.
And may we continue to bring more love into the world, together.
With love and gratitude,
The Art Loves Children Family
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