Congratulations to the recipients of our 2017 4th quarter grants!
Boston, MA: Boston String Academy: This program serves a broad community of minority and immigrant families around Boston; their goal with this grant is to establish a solid string program in Allston, MA at their partner Gardner Pilot Academy. CFKF has offered matching support for 12 violins to encourage this program’s growth from our Boston String Project fund.
Buffalo, NY: Olmsted School Foundation: This program supports a thriving and quickly growing string program serving kids K—12. The city of Buffalo has a poverty rate of nearly 50% for children, and 64% of the students in this program qualify for the Federal free lunch program, CFKF has offered $3,000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s growth.
Chicago, IL: Chicago West Community Music Center: This is our second grant request from this organization; they serve children grades K-12 and beyond. They are building a program for younger students to grow into their teen program. CFKF has offered $1,248 in matching funds to further encourage this program’s growth.
Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Academy: This program serves kids grades 4-12; they have an active and growing orchestral program and requested support for 1 double bass. We have offered matching funds to further encourage the growth of this program in a state we have a growing presence in.
Kansas City, MO: Heartland Chamber Music: This program serves kids pre-K through 6th grade with violin instruction. Many of the students go to schools without a string program; They requested support for 14 violins and have received $1,044 in matching funds to further encourage the growth of this program.
Madera, CA: Millview Elementary School: This is the 3rd grant request from Madera; interest in their string program continues to grow, and this grant will support the creation of another string program in another elementary school there. 100% of the students qualify for the Federal free lunch program; the kids are 90% English language learners. They requested support for 20 instruments and CFKF has offered $3000 in matching funds to further encourage this program’s growth.
Mobile, AL: St. Paul’s Episcopal School: This private school serves an ethnically mixed population of students grades 5-12. They have an active string program called Chamber Strings that travels and performs around the area, and they wish to allow access to instruments for those families unable to purchase or rent them. They requested support for 5 instruments, and CFKF has offered $1,937 in matching funds to encourage this program’s growth in a new state for CFKF.
NYC, NY: Washington Heights Inwood Project: An organization called Orchestrating Dreams is developing a project in Washington Heights to provide cultural access to Washington Heights residents ages 2-24 with orchestra, chamber ensemble and other activities. This grant will provide instruments for students grades 7-10 for this ethnically diverse group. They requested support for 16 instruments, and CFKF has offered $3,000 in matching funds to encourage this program’s expansion.
Rushville, IN: Franklin County 4H: This 4H group serving kids grades 3-12 fills a void where there is no string program in the schools in this rural area. They requested support for 1 cello and 1 bass, and CFKF has offered matching support for this program’s request
San Marcos, CA: Kids’ College: This is our third grant request from this quickly growing and innovative program (they are projecting growth from 75-125 kids this year) serving kids grades 4-6. This organization is the only source of string education there, and 85% of the children qualify for the Federal free lunch program. They requested support for 14 instruments, and we continue our support for this great program’s growth with a $2,500 match.
Savannah, GA: Savannah Classical Academy: This school serving students K-12 has a goal of providing a classical education including the arts; the students for this school are chosen by city-wide lottery. They have an active string program and need more stringed instruments to serve the kids there. The student population is predominantly African-American. They requested support for 20 instruments, and we’ve offered support for this program’s growth with a $3,000 match in a state we haven’t had a presence in yet.
St. Cloud, MN: Talahi Community School: This elementary school is requesting support for growth of their string program. The school (recognized for its STEM program), serves many different ethnicities, including a large East African immigrant community. Most students can’t afford to own or rent instruments; 96% of the children qualify for the Federal free lunch program. They requested support for 4 instruments, and CFKF has offered $994 in matching funds to further encourage the growth of this program in a state we have a growing presence in.