Music for Autism and Special Needs!

Hello! I am raising money to fund a music enrichment program for people with Autism as well as various mental and physical disabilities to be held in Bellingham, MA. There are 32 clients already signed up for the 104 classes your donation will fund and the location is set- all we need is your help to get things started!     Initially, I started contacting schools and day habilitation centers with the hopes of starting a weekly music enrichment class only to find that many of these programs do not have the funding to do so. I found this so frustrating because these are the individuals who need music enrichment and music therapy the most, as it is essential for their growth and development as human beings.      My goal is to help with the emotional, physical, cognitive and social lives of the clients through music in order for them to live more fulfilling lives. Music is a dynamic and powerful tool that helps individuals with disabilities work through issues and enjoy life to a higher degree. These populations need music enrichment, as it is a vital tool to help them in ways that nothing else can. This campaign is aimed at raising funds to do exactly that- give the opportunity to grow and truly shine through the power of music to those who need it the most.      With that being said, we need your help! This campaign will fund 104 classes over a one year period- that’s 2, weekly 30 minute classes for 32 students. Your donation will be put into everyday class expenses, instruments, teacher
compensation, therapeutic tools for a better classroom environment as well as other items to help make this program the best it can be. We plan on using the funds to buy the students ukuleles, hand drums, percussion instruments and recording gear. These items will be used for movement and rhythm exercises, sing alongs, songwriting sessions and other fun activities to help with cognitive, physcial and emotional growth.      One example of a classroom activity will be a songwriting workshop. The students will write their own songs and record them with the equipment purchased through your donation. They will be able to listen their own song whenever they want- imagine the smile on their faces while hearing their own music! This is just one of many activities that your donation will help fund with this wonderful program.      Please donate and help change someone's life for the better- your generosity is greatly appreciated!A little bit about myself- my name is Chris Lewis and I am a Music Specialist and Music Instructor in the Metro West Boston area. I have been teaching music for over nine years and have worked with populations including the mentally and physically challenged, autistic as well as geriatric. I currently have thirty private music lessons per week with students people ranging from ages 3-55 and teach music enrichment classes for children ages 0-7.