About 10% of students in GITC classrooms are living in profound poverty, Some have insecure housing and others are living in a shelter, out of a car or on the street. These students have no chance of receiving an instrument for their own unless we help. We often hear from teachers in our free programs about a special child for whom receiving a ukulele would make a true difference. This project will allow them to apply for a small, durable ukulele to be given on your behalf to a child in need.
Upwards of 3,000,000 children in the United States today are homeless. Many more are housing insecure, going from shelters to friends to the street and back again. Children living in these harsh and precarious conditions suffer deprivation, loss, trauma, and lack. Changes over which they have no control like sudden moves and losses come upon them without warning. They need a way to soothe, comfort and lift themselves up wherever they go. Making music can provide this ever-present, healing force.
Students in crisis are soothed, restored and enthused when they strum a ukulele and sing a song. Holding a little ukulele and sharing a song on a tough day helps turn things around. But parents in poverty can't afford to provide one for their child. This fund will allow teachers with a student in clear need of "the music cure" to request, with the family's consent, a durable, portable, colorful and waterproof Waterman ukulele to be given so that child is able to make music wherever they go.
This work instills life-long love of learning & success and music! It imparts a permanent solution because teachers train and keep playing for years at school. All children are reached, including those in Title 1 and public school classrooms- GITC creates precious musical opportunities for everyone. This approach makes classrooms happier places, enables students to bring up their grades and test scores, schools get stronger, and teachers acquire an inspiring new way to do their best!