This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Local Voices

San Diego Music Therapy Nonprofit Given $15K Grant for Program

Since its inception in 2004, Resounding Joy, a music therapy nonprofit organization, has served more than 75,000 people, from infants to seniors, throughout San Diego County. The organization promotes healing through music-making to seniors, children who are hospitalized, teen parents and their children; active duty military personnel, veterans and their families.

Earlier this month, Resounding Joy accepted a $15,000 grant from the Front Porch Social Accountability in Action program for its Joy Giver Program, a recreational quality-of-life-enhancing music program for older adults at the San Diego Senior Community Centers and for at-risk seniors served by the Alzheimer’s Association – San Diego Chapter.

Resounding Joy's programs provide professional music therapy services, recreational music experiences and supportive musical engagement. Among these programs is the Joy Giver program, a volunteer training platform in which trained volunteers provide supportive and recreational music services to Joy Receivers – children and adults who are either in a community, hospitalized or home-bound.

Find out what's happening in La Jollawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Our programs are highly replicable and are often cited as model music programs,” said Barbara Reuer, PhD, Executive Director of Resounding Joy. “Both our Joy Givers and Joy Receivers have reported life-affirming benefits from their music experiences. We appreciate this generous contribution from Front Porch’s Social Accountability in Action council, as it will allow us to expand our offerings to older adults, helping them build connections with one another and their communities through recreational music.”

Based in Glendale, CA, Front Porch is a not-for-profit ‘human serving’ organization featuring innovative communities and programs that meet the changing needs of individuals as they age. Its Social Accountability in Action program began in 2010, with annual funding starting in 2011 to enhance the Front Porch mission of “meeting needs through excellence in human services.” The program sets aside money annually to fund projects, programs and services that align with the social responsibility mission of Front Porch.

Find out what's happening in La Jollawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Music has the power to improve emotions, as well as our physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing,” said Terry Bluemer, SVP, Organizational Accountability Group at Front Porch. “Resounding Joy’s Joy Giver Program provides a healing mechanism for older adults and residents living with Alzheimer’s, and offers social engagement from its volunteers who range from adults to children ages 8-to-17 … also known as Junior Joy Givers. This program fits with Front Porch’s human serving goals. Our Social Accountability in Action council is pleased to provide this contribution.”

In the past fiscal year, Front Porch’s Social Accountability in Action council has provided $294,000 in funding for:

  • Cecil Pines ‘Lady Crafters’ – A group of residents producing personal items for the comfort of hospital patients, hospice residents and members of military in war zones.
  • Bethany Towers – Financial support to provide housing and services to improve the lives of elderly, moderate-income residents in Hollywood.
  • CARING Housing Ministries (CHM) Community Benefit and Teambuilding – Contributes matching funds to a unique program for CHM employees to select a charity and provide support by doing volunteer work and fundraising. Through this program, CHM chooses to foster team development and nurture team building by leveraging the effort to “do good” and learning to “do it well” as employee teams work for six months to support their designated charity.
  • Claremont Senior Services – Supports the ‘REAL Connections’ program by paying membership fees for seniors who could benefit from the ‘connections’ program but cannot afford it, allowing local seniors to connect with neighbors and utilize local services and resources.
  • LeadingAge – A two-year commitment to its national association for sponsorship of technology research and development for seniors.
  • Alzheimer’s Association – Matches fundraising efforts of Fredericka Manor and Fredericka Manor Care Center employees and residents to support research for Alzheimer’s disease.

Additional information about the programs is available at www.resoundingjoyinc.org and www.frontporch.net.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?