FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                         June 9, 2011

 

Contacts:       Karen Shawcross                               

                        Executive Director                      

                        kshawcross@hdcnwo.org                  

                        503.693.2937, Ext. 104           

Cell: 503.330.1717                      

 

Website:          www.bienestar-or.org

           

 

Bienestar   Dedicates Tile Mural at Montebello Apartments

                                    

Hillsboro , OR – Children of Bienestar's Montebello and Sierra West Apartments in Hillsboro gathered around local artist Lynn Adamo to celebrate the new tile mural that they helped to create on the fence along 12^th Avenue yesterday.   Thanks to a grant from the Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council, Bienestar partnered with artist Adamo to design a tile mural that would be compatible with the ceramic art at the 12^th Avenue MAX station.   Adamo then conducted several workshops with the children who live in the apartments, Bienestar Promotores, and volunteers from HandsOn Portland to make the individual tiles.   She then produced the two panels that were dedicated yesterday.   Because the children of Montebello had done a group project last year to create a "Fish Friendship Fence", Adamo decided to continue the sea life theme, so the children and volunteers created tiles with fish, turtles, crabs, etc.

Cutting the ribbon to dedicate the art panels were Daisy Duran and Maritza-Sandoval, two of the children who worked on the mural.   Friends who had helped make individual tiles gathered round artist Adamo, and then everyone enjoyed refreshments under the historic oak tree at Montebello Apts.  

"Everyone deserves a home", said Karen Shawcross, Executive Director of Bienestar," and we are proud to provide quality affordable housing for farmworkers and working poor families.   We also help with food, clothing, and resident service programs to help children with school success, and their parents to move to self-sufficiency.   We believe that in addition to food, shelter and clothing, everyone needs art in their lives.   We are grateful to the Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council for supporting that vision.   This is actually our second grant from the Council – the first helped us to create mosaic tile benches at Sunset Gardens Apts. on 13^th Avenue , also with the help of artist Lynn Adamo."

Bienestar is a nonprofit community development corporation providing affordable housing and resident services for 463 working poor families in Aloha, Cornelius, Forest Grove, Hillsboro and Scappoose.   Resident services programs are offered onsite for adult and youth residents in community rooms at the Bienestar apartment properties. Bienestar's mission is to build housing, hope and futures for the well-being of working families and seniors.

For more information, contact Bienestar Executive Director Karen Shawcross at 503.693.2937, Ext. 104.or kshawcross@hdcnwo.org.