We chose the name EmpowART (pronounced like the word empowered) because of the dual nature of what we hope to accomplish with visual art as the keystone of our methodology.

Mission Statement

We aim to increase the use of painting and other visual art media as a healing tool in hospitals and senior homes while empowering youth to be leaders and take control of their volunteering experience. 

We want to empower students to be more engaged and confidently take control of their volunteering experience by leading art sessions*. In addition, we want to empower the elderly in senior homes to combat ageism and show that they are capable of learning new skills like painting and also for patients to have the strength and emotional resilience to recover by taking advantage of the healing properties of art. 

*Disclaimer: It is important to note that as a youth-led initiative, we are NOT licensed art therapists but the main goal of our organization is to encourage youth to take charge of their volunteering experience and to increase the practice of painting/art in the healing and emotional recovery process in hospital and senior home settings. However we are more than happy to partner with art therapists and for more information please contact us.

Our Method

Guided painting workshop will be lead by a student in a step-by-step manner so patients who may be concerned about their artistic abilities do not feel overwhelmed as each brushstroke and shape is broken down into small manageable steps. Each art workshop runs for about an hour. 

Meet the Team

Niha Burugapalli

HBSc Global Health and Peace, Conflict, and Justice Studies 
Partnerships and Finances

Growing up in a multi-generational household, Niha cherished the wisdom and richness her grandparents added to her life. This inspired her to challenge the stigma and neglect often faced by older adults. Driven to create a more positive narrative, she envisioned fostering intergenerational connection through shared experiences. Combining this vision with her love for art, Niha developed the hobby-based volunteering approach that became the cornerstone of EmpowART’s philosophy. EmpowART blends creativity with community, using art as a powerful medium for social connection. Niha is thrilled by how this approach not only strengthens relationships across generations but also offers youth enjoyable service opportunities that nurture both personal growth and professional skills. She feels honored to have painted alongside people from all walks of life from war veterans to terminally ill patients to proud grandparents, learning their enriching life stories. Niha hopes to keep empowering students to integrate their unique interests and talents to make meaningful and lasting impacts on their communities.

Cecilia Tsai

HBSc Physiology and Psychology
Operations and Human Resources

A deep commitment to community service has shaped Cecilia’s journey, starting at the age of nine, when she began volunteering at a local soup kitchen and senior home in Vancouver. Her first major initiative, Baked With Love, united elementary and high school students who shared a love for baking and used their passion to serve others by making baked goods for homeless individuals and refugee families. This experience illuminated the transformative power of integrating hobbies into volunteering, turning it into a joyful and deeply rewarding activity while helping volunteers grow in compassion, teamwork, leadership, communication, and empathy.

With her grandparents living abroad, Cecilia became acutely aware of the loneliness, isolation, and sense of loss many older adults experience. Her grandfather’s feelings of loneliness and being a burden deeply touched her and fueled her determination to address these issues. Although she did not have significant experience with art at the time, Cecilia combined her background in leading hobby-driven volunteer initiatives with her commitment to alleviating social isolation among older adults to co-found the EmpowART Foundation. She is honored to help older adults feel part of their community, discover new skills, gain emotional and mental support, and provide a platform for youth to share their talents, build intergenerational connections, and uplift neglected members of society. Cecilia aspires to expand this initiative, reaching more seniors and inspiring a new generation of compassionate changemakers.

Denitsa Iankova

HBSc Neuroscience and Physiology 
Current BSc Nursing Student 
Marketing and Media

As a lifelong artist, passionate about both digital and traditional media, Denitsa has always been inspired by the freedom art offers for self-expression and its unique ability to connect people of all ages. Her passion for this connection led her to co-found the EmpowART Foundation as a student at the University of Toronto, driven by her belief in the transformative power of art. Having witnessed firsthand the unifying potential of art through her leadership in a high school art club and the growing incidence of older adult isolation through her work as a community centre Pool in Charge, Denitsa strives to create environments where individuals of all backgrounds have an opportunity to express their voice, and feel valued and connected.

Dr. Yip is a professor at the University of Toronto, researcher at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, and co-founder of a biotech startup. He is a proud co-founder and supporter of the EmpowART Foundation. For more information about Dr. Yip, please see kennethwyip.com.