Vocational Options of Hoke County partners with local retailers to promote inclusion and art

Vocational Opportunities of Hoke County (VOHC) is no stranger to art of various media.

Last year, VOHC saw a wider audience that put the creativity of the people we support on display throughout the community. Now, Monarch Creative Arts Specialist Joy Dorety and Community Engagement Team Leader Bruce Hurst are taking it a step further.

“Businesses in the area are going to allow Monarch to have a table at their locations and allow us to sell and market the art [the people we support] are doing,” said Dorety. “They aren’t charging us anything, they don’t want anything, they are just allowing the people we support to go and sell their artwork.”

People and businesses around Hoke County continue to welcome the people we support and their artwork with open arms. This time around it’s also an opportunity for the people supported to network and potentially gain employment.

“Some of the business owners may have jobs that they may be able to offer the people we support,” said Dorety.

The fourth-generation owners of Home Food Market in Raeford have already commissioned art from VOHC as they prepare for the centennial celebration.

“We brought people we support to meet the owners at Home Food Market and the owners really had a great interaction with them. The people we support and the owners are both excited about this,” said Hurst.

“They’ve personally invited us to be part of the centennial. We’re going to try to create a papier-mâché piece that emphasizes their history of fresh meat and fish, so we may make a cow and a huge fish,” said Dorety. “There are a lot of opportunities.”

Some of the pieces on sale will also include handbags, rugs, pillows, smaller furry animals and paintings. The hope is that the attention from the artwork will also translate into foot traffic for the businesses.

Art will be on display at the locations below starting this month. The team at VOHC hopes to grow this list as the partnership progresses. For more information, you can contact Joy Dorety at (910) 975-7227 or [email protected].

Home Food Market, Inc.
117 N. Main St.
Raeford, NC 28376.
910-875-3375

NAPA Auto Parts
130 N Main St.
Raeford, NC 28376
(910) 875-4414

Posted on: Thursday March 8, 2018