RHAP Stories

  • "Working with RHAP, both as a board member and as a partner with BKLYN CLAY, has brought me closer to my community and helped me get to know the next generation of leaders and community members better. Being an active member of this community has contributed greatly to my life, and I am thankful for the opportunity to participate in empowering others to reach their fullest potential. Working with the RHAP team, and Tiffiney especially, calls me to do better, be better, and grow - which is something we all need!"

    — Laura

  • "Hello, my name is Alexa and I am a 15 year old from Brooklyn. Over the years, I have volunteered around my community and have found many spaces where I have felt comfortable and inspired. However, RHAP has given me by far the most fulfilling experiences every week I get to go. I began helping out at RHAP this past summer, after years of wanting to get involved in their incredible programs. I now have the opportunity to teach kids, from preschoolers to teenagers, how to play the guitar. I have played the guitar for years, however only once I began at RHAP I saw the true gift that guitar can bring people and how fulfilling it is to see my years of work and dedication pay off through the success of the kids I get to teach. Over the past several weeks, I have gotten the chance to help introduce kids who have never touched a guitar before to play songs and even scales. Seeing the dedication and attention all students bring to RHAP has truly inspired and changed me. Just spending an hour during the week talking to students about their pets and siblings while coloring together has become a memory I will never forget. The kindness and respectfulness the kids bring to RHAP after school or every weekend truly inspires me, and going to see them always puts a smile on my face. I love going to RHAP because it gives me a chance to meet and connect with others, and it creates a safe space open to anyone and everyone to explore their creativity and opportunities."

    — Alexa Goldfarb

  • "I started volunteering regularly at RHAP early last year and have developed long-lasting connections within my community. I am able to further my passion for art by sharing my knowledge with younger students while also learning from older ones. RHAP has provided me with a sense of belonging, especially being new to the city, and each person at the organization is loving, supportive, and welcoming in all ways. Through service at RHAP, I have been able to witness the impact on a community that a single individual can create, and as I make plans to attend college next year, I look forward to many future opportunities to continue to give back to this amazing initiative in my adulthood."

    — Nadine Srinivasan

  • "My experience working with RHAP has been phenomenal. When I first met Tiffiney, I was very impressed with the art program instantly. I have always lived art and studied art as a young person. So when the opportunity presented itself to be able to teach art workshops, I couldn’t say no. Working with young people on making skin care from natural ingredients and creating projects out of resin was therapeutic and healing. It ignited a fire in me that is never going out. I thank Tiffiney for seeing my potential and giving me a chance."

    — Tevina

  • " Being apart of Rhap not only provides another sense of peace and “at home” for me , but it also has helped me grow within my business. Being there helps me connect with different personalities & learn different strategies to accommodate unique circumstances."

    — Alyce Erdekian

  • I have been a volunteer and then board member at RHAP for years, and this organization has meant the world to me. I have had much success in my personal life and was looking for a way to get more involved in our community and the artistic lives of those in it. At RHAP I found an amazing home and opportunity to get involved with a community I care deeply about. I have seen the children I first met through homework help and Sun arts programing grow, find their voices and learn the power of expressing themselves openly through their art. Becoming a part of RHAP has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I am truly grateful for everything this organization does for our community.

    — Heather Corbett