Founder and President: Allison Kang
Allison is a senior at Cherry Hill High School East and the Founder of Patch heART Works, a volunteer club she started with her brother in 9th grade. The student-run initiative brings art therapy programs to seniors in local communities, using creativity as a bridge for comfort and connection. While the club began as a shared idea, Allison now leads its growth as President—designing workshops, coordinating volunteers, and partnering with senior centers to expand its reach.
Her creative journey began early: in 2017, she was honored as a National Finalist in the Doodle 4 Google competition. Since then, she has continued to use art as a form of service, from hand-made cards for seniors at Korean cultural centers to large-scale community workshops through Patch heART Works. Today, she hopes to broaden the impact of art therapy and bring healing through creativity to more communities.
Beyond her volunteer work, Allison enjoys biking, spending time with friends, and catching up on sleep—but her greatest fulfillment comes from building projects that brighten the lives of others.
Founder and President: Alexander Kang
Alex is currently a dual-degree student pursuing biology and healthcare management in the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management at the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton School. He launched Patch in 2022 with a small team of volunteers and a simple belief that creativity can be a powerful tool for healing and human connection. What began as a local effort has since grown into a multi-site program bringing hands-on art workshops to nursing homes, hospitals, and community spaces across New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
As President, Alex leads the organization’s strategic direction, partnerships, and program design. He has worked with Penn Medicine, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Cherry Hill Township Mayor’s Office to coordinate more than 30 art therapy workshops, reaching patients, seniors, and families in clinical and community settings. Under his leadership, Patch heART Works has earned the Governor’s Volunteerism Award twice, recognizing the group’s consistent impact and service to the community.
Beyond Patch heART Works, Alex has led and participated in a wide range of service and leadership roles, from designing education programs for high school students to supporting community partnerships through Penn’s Netter Center. Outside of his work, Alex enjoys making music through the clarinet, saxophone, and ukulele, snowboarding, and exploring new foods.
Patch heART Works 