The Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts (PSHA) awarded Sycamores with a $6,000 grant to fund music therapy for the foster youth at our El Nido residential campus. Each year, PSHA awards grants to non-profit organizations to support their efforts in the community, including music therapy for at-risk children. We are grateful to be able to provide the boys on campus with a creative outlet to express their emotions positively with this funding.
The generous grant will be used to spruce up the campus’ music room with new equipment, including new musical instruments and recording equipment, in addition to some furnishings. The decisions about the priorities for the music room will be made with input from the youth on campus. According to Sycamores Chief Program Officer Joe Ford, “Being able to record their music is very important to the youth on campus. They want to be able to take their recorded music with them after they leave our care. So, some of the funds will be used to make sure the youth have personal copies of their music to keep.”
We expect to see many positive benefits from the program, including increased focus and improved coping skills. In addition to promoting their individual expression, the boys will also play as a group, learning to cooperate and listen to one another. It is also well documented that playing a musical instrument and learning to read music can improve school performance. Finally, the boys’ self-esteem and confidence will improve as they master new skills. Thank you to the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts for making all this possible with their support.
The PSHA’s annual benefit, the 2022 Pasadena Showcase House of Design, is open now through May 22, 2022. Learn more about PSHA and purchase tickets for the 2022 Pasadena Showcase House of Design here.
