When one chapter ends, another begins.
December 2, 2025
Since our opening, kids staying at Crescent Cove have been delighted by visits from Ziggy’s Art Bus, bringing arts and crafts activities to them during their respite stays at our Home. Kids would get excited when they saw the familiar big painted bus arrive, knowing that creativity was in their near future.
Ziggy’s Art Bus was founded by Gina Zaffarano, who was inspired to create this nonprofit after volunteering at Crescent Cove. She realized how meaningful it was for children with life-limiting conditions to have access to creative expression. While she loved making art with kids during their respite stays, she dreamed of reaching even more children, wherever they were.
“My goal was to bring moments of joy and healing through art to children and families dealing with life-limiting conditions,” says Gina. “Art is such an equalizing experience for everyone, regardless if they think they have artistic ability or not, and it is something that takes people out of their heads and into their hearts.”
Launched in 2019, Ziggy’s Art Bus went on to serve more than 2,000 children, powered by over 3,000 volunteer hours — a remarkable testament to love, creativity, and community. “Our success came from the dedication and commitment of our volunteers,” says Gina, “they are the heart and soul of Ziggy’s Art Bus.”
Recently, Gina made the difficult decision to sunset Ziggy’s Art Bus. With her business Santé Beauty Creatives expanding to two locations and a new grandchild to adore, she found herself with less time to devote to running the nonprofit. “Ziggy’s has truly been a labor of love,” she says, “And it was time to let it go, as difficult a decision as that was.”
As a part of the sunsetting process, the art bus was sold to the Stages Children’s Theatre in Hopkins, where it now has a second life as an outreach unit, bringing art and theatre to children.
Wanting the spirit of Ziggy’s Art Bus to live on, Gina reached out to Crescent Cove to ask if the generosity of Ziggy's Art Bus donors could help create a lasting legacy here. The answer was a heartfelt yes. We are deeply honored to carry forward the joy and beauty that Ziggy’s brought to so many children — made possible through the generosity of its supporters.
After completing the process of closing the nonprofit, Gina gifted Crescent Cove $100,000, half of which will be used to renovate the Dragonfly Playroom — the heart of art, music, and creativity at our Home. The expanded space will include accessible and mobile storage, a sink for cleaning art supplies, and adjustable desks to encourage creative exploration.
Gina’s gift, along with the support of the Mary Moon Foundation, will help us convert this space into a vibrant, functional, and joy-filled space where kids can let their imagination soar.
And the name, “Ziggy and Mary Moon’s Art Room,” will continue to be a place where kids and families can Make Moments Count through color, laughter, and creativity.
Dominic with a Ziggy's Art Bus volunteer, during one of their many visits to Crescent Cove!