Many people think of the new year as a new start in many areas of their life. This week’s post is about organizing spaces in your home and spaces in your life to help you have the best 2024!

Did you know that in addition to making your space more beautiful, houseplants actually have superpowers and can boost your health and well-being? 🪴 We have all heard that there are many psychological benefits to spending time outside, but with winter 🌨️ in full swing, houseplants provide us the opportunity to bring a little nature inside, especially if you live somewhere cold! 

As we prepare for the amazing things in store this new year, many of us are setting goals and creating resolutions, particularly in the realm of our art.  Each new year comes with the opportunity to try new things and enter into new possibilities - a “fresh start.”  With that, however, often comes the phenomenon of setting a goal that is quickly left behind, or “breaking” a resolution that you dreamed up on December 31st. 

From our team to you and yours, Happy New Year! 🍾 Through another year around the sun, the Challenge America community has remained a safe haven full of inspiration, support, and creativity. 🎨

As we reflect on 2023 and look towards a new year full of new opportunities, we invite you to join our vision this #GivingTuesday to transform lives with the gift of music to Veterans nationwide.

As we reflect on 2023 and look towards a new year full of new opportunities, we invite you to join our vision this #GivingTuesday to transform lives with the gift of music to Veterans nationwide.

Thank you, Veterans, for everything you do to protect us and preserve our way of life. We honor and salute you today and always.

This month is an opportune time to remember the sacrifices made by our Veterans and service members in defending our freedom. These brave individuals have selflessly put their lives on the line for our country and for the ideals we hold dear. Whether serving on the frontlines or supporting operations from afar, each and every member of the military plays a vital role in keeping us safe.

A new partnership between national Veteran nonprofits, Challenge America and Guitars For Vets, is building camaraderie and learning opportunities through guitar instruction, live events, and resources hosted in CAVARTS, the Challenge America Veteran Arts Community.

Through another successful collaboration with Operation Gratitude, our National July 4th Veterans Art Competition attracted over 100 submissions and 200+ votes to determine the final three winners!

Challenge America announced the winners of its latest guitar decoration competition during a special exhibit of decorated guitars at the Red Brick Center for the Arts in downtown Aspen, Colorado. This project offers local artists the opportunity to decorate the guitars that Challenge America provides to the Veterans in its music therapy programs.

Gabriela Mejia grew up hearing stories about her grandfather, who served during WWII. These stories, passed down through the generations, instilled in Gabriela a deep respect for Veterans and their service, as well as a deep sense of patriotism.

2021 started on a high note with the final event in a year-long collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop innovative solutions to the most urgent non-clinical challenges facing essential workers on the frontlines of COVID-19.

Members of the Military Sisterhood Initiative recently participated in Challenge America's very first Virtual Music Therapy Retreat, where they had the opportunity to discover the healing power of music and write their experiences into song with professional songwriters.

Members of the Military Sisterhood Initiative recently participated in Challenge America's very first Virtual Music Therapy Retreat, where they had the opportunity to discover the healing power of music and write their experiences into song with professional songwriters.

On the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, national Veteran nonprofits On the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, national Veteran nonprofits Operation Gratitude, Challenge America, and the National Veterans Art Museum, invited Veteran artists to recognize the service and sacrifice of first responders, active-duty service members and Veterans by participating in the National 9/11 Veterans Art Competition. 

On the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, national Veteran nonprofits Operation Gratitude, Challenge America, and the National Veterans Art Museum, invited Veteran artists to recognize the service and sacrifice of first responders, active-duty service members and Veterans by participating in the National 9/11 Veterans Art Competition. 

Will Watson is an author, graduating creative writing student, and USMC Veteran. He gave twelve years of service to the Corps--nine years in the infantry, with tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen; and three years as a recruiter in Wichita Falls, Texas. His love of creative writing was fostered by his composition professor’s recommendation to take a poetry class. He is a featured poet on Madswir-l.com. His first play Uneaten Candy was performed in March of 2021.

Major League Baseball and the Colorado Rockies honored Challenge America and military families during All-Star Week 2021.

Hunter Futo participated in our COVID-19 Maker Challenge, an ad hoc spinoff of our Challenge America Makers For Veterans (CAMVETS) program to address the arising needs of frontline workers during the pandemic. We caught up with Hunter to hear about her experience with the Maker Challenge and what she's been up to since.