NEW YORK, NY — March 8, 2026 — Mickalene Thomas, 2026 Art of Resilience Artist of the Year, was the host on Friday, March 6, 2026 for HELP USA’s fourth annual Art of Resilience Benefit. Held at the National Arts Club, artists, collectors, philanthropists, and corporate leaders joined Thomas, Co-Chairs Addavail Coslett, Atenedoro Gonzalez, Alexis Rose, Christina Senia, and Artist Committee members Baseera Khan and Shantell Martin for an evening that spotlighted the role of creativity in healing and recovery for New Yorkers rebuilding their lives after homelessness.
The evening raised critical funds for Art of Resilience, HELP USA’s expressive arts therapy initiative, which integrates visual art, music, movement, and poetry into clinical services for individuals and families living in shelters and supportive housing across New York City. The evening featured an exhibition of works created by children and adults during workshops in HELP USA’s transitional shelters and supportive housing sites.
Speaking to the 150 assembled guests, Mickalene Thomas said:
“I’m really moved by the art we’re surrounded by tonight. Not many people know that when I was in my twenties living in Portland, Oregon, I took an art therapy class, and that experience got me into making art. Using the skills from art therapy helped me work through what I was going through as a young person.“
“It’s organizations like HELP USA that really allow for the possibility of transformation and for art to be resilient.“
Dan Lehman, President and CEO of HELP USA, who emphasized the importance of creative expression within the organization’s trauma-informed approach to housing and supportive services said:
“Housing alone doesn’t solve everything that comes with homelessness. Because everyone who experiences homelessness has experienced trauma – and brings that trauma with them. Addressing trauma is critical. We do that through therapeutic programs like Art of Resilience – which you are supporting tonight.“
A highlight of the night was a community artmaking experience led by Mickalene Thomas. The artist invited guests to create their own collage work, inspired by her practice and landscapes, coupled with their reflections on the role of art in processing trauma, building confidence, and fostering connection.
Sponsors included Monadnock Construction, Court Square Real Estate Partners, Hudson Meridian, Camber, Curtis + Ginsberg Architects, Lanvin, Loqi, Marfa Stance, ArtsRx, and Senia.
Guests who gathered at the historic Gramercy Park venue included Quincy Ballon, Julie Baumgardner, Frances Bronet, Diane Brown, Ramon Brown, Allie Card, Malaak Compton-Rock, Harriette Cole, Allison Derusha, Stevenson Dunn, Jr., Joan Fallon, David Greenberg, Alexander Hankin, Jack Hayflick, Madjeen Isaac, Erika Faye Jones, Dr. Munish Khaneja, Carol Sutton Lewis, Rebecca Martin, Preetha Nooyi Myers, Lysandra Ohstrom, Sarah Pizer, David Schecter, Jane South, Sabina and Harlan Stone, Sam Swartz, Latham Thomas, Sara VanDerBeek, Lisa von Weise, Marcy Warren, Anthony Williams, Dawanna Williams, Lisa Willis Williams.
Originally launched in 2022 as an art therapy program, Art of Resilience has grown into a broader expressive arts initiative embedded within HELP USA’s clinical care teams. Therapists work alongside case managers to provide structured creative sessions that allow participants to process trauma and express experiences that may be difficult to articulate through traditional counseling alone.
HELP USA provides shelter, supportive housing, and homelessness prevention services to more than 35,000 people annually, pairing high-quality housing with trauma-informed care and supportive services designed to help individuals move toward long-term stability.
For more information, visit www.helpusa.org.
