Music as a Global Resource: - International Council for Caring ...

SECTION:
Music for Mental and Physical Health
COUNTRY:
United States of America
PROJECT:
PROVIDING SONGS FOR CHILDREN FACING LIFE THREATENING ILLNESS AND
LIFETIME DISABILITY: SONGS OF LOVE FOUNDATION
DESCRIPTION:
The Songs of Love Foundation‟s (SOL) was founded in 1996. It‟s mission is to bring joy and alleviate
suffering by providing uplifting, personalized songs on CDs for children in the United States and
worldwide who are coping with life-threatening illness and lifetime disability. In addition to songs sent to
recipients in the USA, SOL has sent songs to Ireland, England, South Korea, Japan, Scotland, Israel,
Cuba and Brazil.
Volunteer “Music Messengers” across the country seek out children in need in their communities. The
process begins when a family fills out a Song Request Form that is made available from the SOL office
and web site, hospitals, clinics and community organizations. The Music Coordinator assigns a request to
an artist who writes and produces a song based on the information provided. The songwriter makes a
master recording that is checked by the Music Coordinator for content, originality and quality and then
burned onto a CD. Songs are created in 30 languages and any musical style requested, usually within 4
weeks.
The organization has worked with over 350 professional singer/songwriters who compose and record
“songs of love.” Since the inception of SOL over 22,000 songs have been recorded for children.
Songwriters are identified through referrals and ads placed in music publications and on websites. Each
songwriter is auditioned and pre-selected for quality, versatility, originality and reliability. Some of the
artists are known for their hit songs. Songwriter bios and sample songs are included on the SOL web site.
CURRENT STATUS:
Project 1: Songs of Love for Children Who Are Ill
Songs of Love Foundation provides songs free of charge to terminally and chronically ill children from
birth to 21 years of age. Children served are from all ethnicities and socio economic backgrounds.
Recipients of a “song of love” report that the songs enhance self-esteem, encourage smiles and laughter,
promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, enhance memory, improve communication and support
physical rehabilitation. The song impacts the entire family, healthcare staff and friends, as well as the
recipient. Due to the portability of the CD, a child is able to bring their “song of love” with them
wherever they may be, so they can draw on its therapeutic value at any time.
Project 2: Raising Funds Raising Voices
The SOL “Raising Funds Raising Voices” engages the community by working with volunteer groups in
schools, corporations and other organizations by arranging for these groups to lend their voices and record
a “song of love” for a sick child in their community as well as raise funds. SOL will come to a group of
any size and turn ordinary people into recording artists. This special program is a team building activity
that will boost morale and ensure that everyone leaves feeling they have made a difference. SOL brings
all necessary equipment – a simple and quick setup consisting of a laptop computer, two speakers and
microphones. The organization provides the location, an electrical outlet and the crowd. A free download
of the finished song is available on the SOL web site within hours of finishing each project. SOL has
worked with groups of ten and up, including crowds of thousands, in this innovative program.
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