Description: Artists Striving To End Poverty (ASTEP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to mobilizing the global community of artists in an effort to create positive change for young people...

Description: Artists Striving To End Poverty (ASTEP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to mobilizing the global community of artists in an effort to create positive change for young people in need.

Mission: ASTEP was founded in 2005 by Mary-Mitchell Campbell. A music director and pianist living in New York City, Mary-Mitchell spent a summer volunteering in poverty stricken India to gain world perspective. While in India she volunteered for six weeks at an orphanage in Bangalore and for two weeks at Mother Teresa's missionary. After returning to NYC, Campbell began work on forming an arts based organization designed specifically to combat worldwide childhood poverty. It is no secret that there exists a significant crisis in arts education today. Children are encountering fewer and fewer chances to build confidence or to learn through self-expression. Although the arts can be a powerful catalyst for empowering young people, arts education is too often neglected.At the same time, because of the nature of the show business and art industries, many artists' talents remain untapped. Although they might hope to use their skills to contribute to society, many artists feel frustrated in their efforts to do so.At ASTEP, we strive to connect artists who wish to share their talents with children who can benefit from artistic encounters. The work we do serves as a network, a hub of opportunities for artists to use their gifts to create meaningful change