help us reach our goal!

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$199,000 to raise!

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help us reach our goal! 〰️ $199,000 to raise! 〰️

build a creative third space with us

Help us open a brick-and-mortar home for Lavender Education

For the past two years, Lavender Education has welcomed hundreds of people into cozy pop-up workshops — spaces where phones go away, creativity returns, and people reconnect with themselves and each other. Most people enter our workshops saying they’re “not an artist,” and leave feeling proud of what they’ve created. Sometimes, tears are even shed from the realization that we’ve been disconnected from our creative minds for so long.

Now, we are growing.

We’re seeking a permanent, brick-and-mortar space in Brooklyn — a warm, art-forward café where people come to slow down, breathe, and make something with their hands.

become a supporter.

3% Cover the Fee

An Art Café for your creativity

You’ve made your way into a calming, warmly lit creative café. A host welcomes you and gently invites you to tuck your phone away. At your table, you find a pot of tea, small cakes, and beautifully arranged art supplies. For two hours, the outside world softens.

No doomscrolling.
No pressure to “perform.”
Just a curated, guided creative experience that reconnects you with your inner child, your friends, or your own quiet thoughts.

Based on the experience you choose, you’ll receive reflective prompts — designed by a former educator trained in art-based therapeutic practice — that lead you through mindfulness, creativity, and meaningful connection.

Beyond an art activity, this is a technology detox, a mindfulness practice, a creative ritual, and a relationship-building experience — all held inside an inviting, low-pressure community space.

How You Can Support

  • Become one of 50 Founding Donors giving $1,000+

  • Give at any level - every contribution brings us closer to opening this space

  • Share our mission with someone who believes in creative mental wellness

what people say about our art experiences

  • “I haven’t been this relaxed in so long. I felt like I was meditating.”

  • “We need to do this all the time… I forgot about everything bothering me.”

  • “Low-key, cozy, and no pressure.”

  • “I created something I was really excited about—and made friends!”

  • “Such a fun way to engage in joy.”

  • “Kimm is such a welcoming facilitator… I didn’t feel scared or pressured at all.”

 FAQs

  • We’re creating a brick-and-mortar creative third space in Brooklyn, an art café and mindfulness sanctuary where people put away their phones and reconnect with themselves and others through guided creative practice, therapeutic art, and curated experiences.

  • The world offers endless places to work and consume, but very few places to rest, make art without pressure, or be fully present. Our workshops consistently show that creative practice reduces stress, strengthens relationships, and fosters meaningful connection. A permanent space allows this experience to be accessible every day.

  • Lavender Education blends:

    • Mindfulness

    • Therapeutic, guided creative prompts

    • Technology detox

    • A cozy café environment

    Guests receive tea, cakes, materials, and reflective prompts created by an educator trained in art-based therapeutic practice. Each visit is a curated transformative experience—not just a craft session or journaling time.

    • Daily guided creative sessions

    • Art journaling, collage, and mindful making

    • Couples and small-group experiences

    • Workshops (blackout poetry, blockprinting, writing, etc.)

    • Private events for groups, teams, and community partners

  • Kimm Topping — Former Harvard educator, longtime youth worker, and practitioner of art-therapeutic methods.
    Ke Martins — MBA, operational strategist, and hospitality professional specializing in human-centered design.

    Together, we’ve built Lavender Education into a community-loved creative wellness practice over the past two years. It brings us so much joy every time we see someone in our art workshops feel more present, grounded, and creative.

  • We aim to raise $200,000 by June 2026 to cover space rental, materials, insurance, permits, staff, and start-up costs. We are inviting:

    • 50 Founding Donors to contribute $1,000+, and

    • Additional supporters at any amount.

  • No. Lavender Education is not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Contributions are start-up support for a social impact small business and are not tax-deductible.

    We are transparent about this so donors can make fully informed decisions as supporters and early-stage partners.

  • What happens if the fundraising goal isn’t met or the space can’t open?

    If we cannot open a space or meet our goal by the summer of 2026, funds raised will be redirected to support emerging creatives through the Ink & Impact Fellowship. Either way, your contribution uplifts artists and creative wellness.

  • Your support directly funds:

    • Brooklyn rental costs

    • Art supplies, materials, and start-up equipment

    • Insurance & permits

    • Staff and guest artist compensation

    • Program development and community offerings

    Thank you for your contribution to accessible, creative wellness for the community.

  • Yes. Organizations can support us through:

    • Sponsorships

    • Underwriting community workshops

    • Private team sessions

    • Founding Donor contributions

  • Founding Donors support the project with a $1,000+ contribution. You can give directly through our donation portal or reach out to us for a conversation about partnership or recognition options. Founding Donors will receive a free creative session once we open, plus recognition on our website.

  • Our target opening is late 2026, dependent on fundraising benchmarks and securing a location. Donors will receive periodic updates as we reach major milestones.