If you have ever read Crossroads Center literature, you are probably familiar with the following phrases: “a team of social workers and volunteers”…”circulate Jerusalem’s city center at night”…”seek out English-speaking teens on the streets and in bars”…”inform them of the solutions Crossroads has to offer.” They describe a longstanding and effective way of getting our name out to kids on the street. (In fact, it is a method we employed even before the Center came into physical existence; as a result, there were teens waiting to come through our doors the day we opened.)

But over the past several years, we have grown increasingly aware of the need for supplementary outreach. For one thing, when our representatives make rounds, rather than remain at a fixed location, teens on the street have a hard time locating them. For another, there are potential clients on the streets who prefer that they make contact with our staff—approaching us, rather than being approached. To meet this need, we developed a program called Coloring the Streets. We have finally received sufficient funding (from an organization that has asked to remain unnamed), and just a few weeks ago, in mid-March, implemented Coloring the Streets for the first time.

Coloring the Streets, which is held on Thursday nights in downtown’s Crack Square, is an art station run by a trained therapist. The site attracts street kids to the field of street art. Each week, a guest artist leads a session on a specific medium (wood, ceramic, painting, graphic art, etc.), and participants use supplies we provide to create pieces of their own. At the same time, a social worker and volunteer circulate, forming bonds with participants and telling them about the Center.

So far, Coloring the Streets has been going well—attracting teens to art, attracting participants to the Center, and attracting passersby to our cause. We will be sure to let you know how the program advances.