2026 Gift of Life Strokes of Kindness Art Contest & Fundraiser

To mark our 15th anniversary, Strokes of Kindness now includes a special Children’s Category, inviting young artists to share their unique interpretations of kindness, hope, and home. This new division celebrates the creativity and compassion of children connected to the transplant community and beyond. Whether they’ve stayed at Gift of Life Howie’s House, supported a loved one through donation or transplant, or simply want to spread kindness through art, every child is welcome to participate.   Age Divisions:

• Ages 5 – 8: Budding Artists
• Ages 9 – 12: Emerging Artists
• Ages 13 – 17: Teen Artists

Children may submit original artwork using any accepted medium – paint, pencil, marker, ink, charcoal, pastels, collage, or digital design – inspired by this year’s theme, “Rooted in Hope.” Submissions will be featured alongside adult entries in the online gallery, and the community will have the opportunity to vote and donate in support of their favorite pieces.

Artists who submit pieces are encouraged to request votes from their community to support the fundraiser. Each gift of $5 will count for 1 vote. The artist with the most votes at the end of the voting period will win the contest. No limit on votes. All proceeds will benefit the Adopt-A-Family Program to continue providing transplant families with an affordable home away from home during the transplant journey. Not particularly crafty?  No problem! You can still participate by voting for and sharing your favorite pieces during voting period.

Art Contest winner will receive a $200 gift card. Submissions will be featured alongside adult entries in the online gallery, and the community will have the opportunity to vote and donate in support of their favorite pieces. Each $5 gift = 1 vote. Prizes will be awarded for the top-voted artwork in each age group, with winners recognized during the summer Birthday Bash celebration and featured in Rooted in Hope: Stories, Recipes & Art from Gift of Life Howie’s House.

Entries must be digitally submitted by email to info@giftoflifehowieshouse.org by 11:59pm ET on Sunday, May 31^th. Maximum number of submissions:  3   Online Submission must include:

• Photograph of artwork in accepted file format and size (jpg, jpeg, or png; max 10MB per file)
• Artwork themed using the prompt: “Rooted in Hope”
• One-Paragraph description of artwork and how it fits the theme prompt “Rooted in Hope”. (If applicable, please include your connection to Gift of Life)
• Submitted artwork without the above inclusions will not be accepted

Photo Requirements

• File types include: jpg, jpeg, png
• Maximum file size: 10MB

For questions regarding the art contest and fundraiser please email info@giftoflifehowieshouse.org or call 267-546-9812.

• Contest and fundraiser is open to all artists. Artists are not required to have a personal connection to Gift of Life Howie’s House or organ and tissue donation or transplantation.
• All artwork must be original.
• Entries may be created using paint, pencil, marker, ink, charcoal, pastels, collage, or digital media, and will be displayed online during the voting period. No AI submissions will be accepted.
• Please refrain from including copyrighted materials, such as logos, brand names, licensed or trademarked characters, images, or names, in your submissions.
• If your submission includes any messaging, kindly ensure that it uses clear and straightforward artwork that is easily understandable.
• Submission may include Gift of Life Howie’s House logo. Refer to the following approved logos for your use:

When submitting your artwork, you authorize Transplant House d/b/a Gift of Life Howie’s House and its designated affiliates to use, disclose and publish the submitted artwork, story/connection and artist name in connection with Gift of Life Howie’s House Strokes of Kindness art contest and fundraiser for the purposes of awareness, development and promoting the mission of Gift of Life Howie’s House and organ and tissue donation. Selected artists may be invited to submit their artwork for auction to further support the mission after initial contest closes. Social Media Hashtag: #StrokesofKindness