Congratulations to our 1st quarter grant recipients:
Bismarck, ND: Bismarck Public Schools: This school serving kids grades 4-12 is building a program called Share the Music to support underserved kids with quality instruments. A significant number of these students are Native American. CFKF has offered $3000 in matching funds from our Hilger restricted fund to encourage this growing program’s vision for our first grant in North Dakota.
Brooklyn, NY: Vanderveer Park’s Arts Program: This youth program serves kids grades 3-12; they are starting a new program to help bridge the gap in school music programs, and to offer a positive endeavor for the kids. We’ve offered matching support for 6 instruments at a cost of $2,768.
Burlington, VT: ONE Strings: This Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival has created a quickly growing string program in two elementary schools serving kids grades 3-5 in Burlington’s Old North End, where many refugee families from Bhutan, war-torn African countries, and Bosnia to name a few, settle. CFKF has offered $3000 in matching funds to encourage this innovative program, our first in Vermont.
Charlotte, NC: Project Harmony: This free afterschool program, in partnership with the Charlotte Symphony, is in its second year; they seek to create the opportunity for kids grades 1-5 in underserved communities to experience music and the myriad benefits from it. The kids are predominantly Latino and African-American. CFKF has offered $2000 in matching funds to encourage this quickly growing program’s vision and help them get 8 beautiful new instruments.
Dallas, TX: Dallas Symphony Orchestra: This new program, entitled the Southern Dallas Residency, has been created by the DSO to provide a transformative pathway through the arts for young people grades 2-5 in economically disadvantaged areas of South Dallas. 93% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. We’ve offered $4000 in matching funds to encourage this organization’s vision.
El Monte, CA: CA City SD: This new program, the Jose Hernandes Mariachi Academy,, began last year, and wishes to expand to 2 new schools serving kids grades 5-8. The program is immensely popular and has a waiting list. 93% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. CFKF has offered $3000 in matching funds to encourage this quickly growing program created by Jose and Teresa Hernandez.
Greencastle, IN: Depauw University: In 2018, Depauw University created a new music program in rural Greencastle to provide an arts experience for rural kids; their plan is to soon have this program housed in their University Music School’s community space. In order to continue their expansion, we have offered matching support for their purchase of 10 violins to support this exciting university initiative in a rural area.
Hartford, CT: Charter Oak Cultural Center: This is our second grant offering to Charter Oak; the program is growing quickly and will have a new building for their Youth Arts Institute serving kids grades 1-12 this coming fall. The student population is ethnically mixed; 99% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. With their growth, they need more inventory to keep up, and CFKF has offered $3994 in matching funds to encourage this growing program’s vision.
Homestead, FL: Redland Middle School Music Program: This newly formed music program is in dire need of new instruments for their program serving kids grades 6-8. Most families don’t have the resources to either own or rent instruments. The population is ethnically diverse and almost completely minorities. We’ve offered $3000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s growth in a state we have a growing presence.
New Orleans, LA: Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra: This orchestra has created a program called Music for Life for kids grades 3-8 in economically challenged areas of New Orleans. Their goal is to provide stringed instruments to one of their sites where kids currently have to share them. The majority of the families served are low-income; CFKF has offered $2000 in matching funds to encourage this growing program’s vision.
New Rochelle, NY: Songcatchers: This is our second offering to Songcatchers; the results from our first grant have been very positive, and they have a strong need for more new instruments. This is an after-school program for children from low-income neighborhoods. They offer strings instruction in the basement of a local church just north of the Bronx. CFKF has offered $3720 in matching funds to encourage this growing program in an economically challenged area and to support their purchase of 20 new violins.
New York City, NY: Harmony Program: This is our second grant offering to Harmony; their afterschool program serve kids K-12 in Chinatown, Washington Heights and Jamaica Plains along with other areas. This well-run program continues to grow, and along with that they have a strong need for more instruments. The students are ethnically mixed, many are economically challenged, and 84% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program. We’ve given then $4000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s continued support for young people
Prescott, AZ: La Tierra Community School: This is a new program for this small school in a very rural area; they wish to create a musical opportunity for all of the students at the school, which serves grades K-7. We’ve offered $2000 in matching funds to encourage this new program in a rural setting.
Richmond, VA: Waldorf School Music Program: This school serves kids grades 3-8; they have an active music program, and students are currently required to own or rent instruments. Their goal is to build an inventory to allow access to instruments for students regardless of their family circumstances. CFKF has offered $2000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s accessibility to new instruments.
Woodland, CA: Woodland Joint USD: This District operates in an agricultural area near Sacramento and serves 4-8 (they plan expansion through grade 12 later on). In order to expand to a new elementary school and a high school, they urgently need to build more inventory. CFKF has offered $3000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s continued growth.