Live Musical Performances for Underserved Senior Residents of Community

Grant Information
Requested	2000.0
Granted	1500.00
Categories	Healthcare , Arts , Community
Location	United States
Grant Cycle	2018

Organization Info
501c3 Organization	Issaquah Singers
Organization Website	http://www.issaquahsingers.com

Grant Description
Description	Who do we benefit? Since the choir’s inception in 1976, our mission has been to perform uplifting and inspirational music that improves the quality of life for underserved residents in senior living facilities. The estimated impact and outreach of our 2019 program: • 250 seniors in senior living facilities in the City of Issaquah and 300 in the surrounding area will hear live music • 75 Issaquah and surrounding area residents will attend our concert at the Downtown Issaquah Association’s Make Music Day • 1300 people from the region at the Tahoma National Cemetery in May 2019 The total anticipated impact of Issaquah Singers in 2019 is estimated at 2,275 individuals from our community and surrounding areas. In addition to focusing on senior living facilities in the City of Issaquah, the Issaquah Singers will also serve as regional ambassadors to nearby communities. When performing in other Eastside cities, the group will continue to embody the values of community service and outreach. What will we do to achieve those results? We will continue to achieve these results by: 1. performing joyful, uplifting and inspirational music programs that improve the quality of life for senior members of our community 2. retaining board members and a choral conductor who believe in and can execute our core mission to serve seniors 3. enlisting choir members who want to serve seniors, willing to attend 35 weekly rehearsals and up to 20 performances a year 4. evaluating the success of each performance by capturing conversation from the audience and using that feedback to revise future programs 5. inspiring the audience to become active participants by incorporating sing-alongs into every musical program We will continue to enhance accessibility by not charging for any of our concerts and auditions to join the choir will not be required. We will continue to provide a creative outlet for musicians who want to perform choral music and bring joy into the lives of an underserved senior population of the community. We will continue to follow operational methods, accounting principles and best practices for a non-profit organization. To help minimize the cost of purchasing of music, more effective processes for managing, cataloging, distributing and tracking music has been initiated and will be monitored. To help manage the 2019 increase of rehearsal facility costs, the board is pursuing a partnership with the City of Issaquah Parks and Recreation Department’s Senior Center effective January 2019. This partnership will honor the goals of both organizations to serve seniors. How this grant money will be used? Grant money would be used for the acquisition of music and copies of sing along sheets used by the audience and the choir at our concerts. Funds would also be used to purchase a computer software program to create rehearsal tapes to help choir members to learn their singing parts. Grant money would also be used to help manage the upcoming 2019 increase of rehearsal facility costs, from $75 to $125 per rehearsal. Attached is a copy of our IRS 501(3)c Tax Exemption letter, concert list, a copy of our Community, Friends and Family Program, a photo of the choir, a photo of the choir at the Community, Friends and Family Concert, a photo of the choir at a Senior Living Facility concert and a photo of the Issaquah Singers with the Issaquah Philharmonic Orchestra. Thank you for your consideration.
Used for	ARTS – The mission of Issaquah Singers is to foster and expand the arts through our concerts at senior living facilities in Issaquah and surrounding areas and by our participation in the Issaquah Downtown Association’s Make Music Day and Tahoma National Cemetery’s Memorial Day service. COMMUNITY – The growing needs of our community will be addressed by offering musicians an opportunity to serve seniors through music and by providing free choral concerts at the growing number of senior living facilities. HEALTHCARE – Our mission will be focused primarily on seniors in residential facilities because they often have limited physical abilities, which may make it impossible or difficult for them to attend live musical performances and based on available research and our experiences, senior residents suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia can recall the words to songs they used to sing when they were younger.
Benefits	1. The grant funds will be used to help fund a year-long musical program (see attached concert list) that allows us to share the joy of live music with underserved members of the community – seniors in nursing homes, independent and assisted living facilities. 2. In addition to our mission to serve seniors, we also perform free concerts on Memorial Day at the Tahoma National Cemetery to an audience of about 1100 people, a Community, Friends & Family concert to about 280 people at no charge and for 75 people at Issaquah’s Make Music Day. 3. Our choir members also benefit from the joy of learning music and singing with others who share a common goal – to serve seniors in our community. Friendships are formed through music and fellowship that last a lifetime.