Wow! What a crazy back to school start this month has been! Many schools around the country are trying to navigate through the challenges caused by the more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19. Some schools have moved back to distance learning. For U.S orphans living in foster care, the inability to attend in person school eliminates an important support system and a chance to “be like other kids”, while increasing the emotional stress as a result of isolation and restriction from activities. We are fortunate that our online music lessons are proven to be so effective for children learning to play musical instruments. We believe it is because our professional music teachers are trauma trained instructors. They provide the safe, stable, and encouraging place for wounded children to heal, giving them the opportunity to move from depression and despair to hope and joy! In case you didn’t know, almost 450,000 U.S. children are currently in foster care. They range in age from newborn to 21 years of age. According to AFCAR, as of Sept. 2019, 28% of the almost 450,000 children are orphans. When parents do not change behaviors of life-threatening abuse or neglect, parental rights are severed. Through no fault of their own, foster children become orphans that live in foster homes, group homes, and emergency shelters. Unfortunately, they move an average of three times per year. Some research suggests that every time foster children move, they lose an average of one year of academic progress. They also experience ongoing emotional trauma from losing stability in caring adult relationships. At All Kids Need Music, we focus on the children who have experienced the most trauma. The majority of these children have had their parental rights severed so they are truly orphans right here in our midst. We work with state child safety agencies, group homes, and schools to identify the students that need us the most. Once the students pick from one of ten musical instruments to call their own, we match them with a trauma trained, professional music teacher and begin their lessons and journey towards healing. As you might guess, the need is staggering. We really need your financial support to help these fragile children heal. All Kids Need Music is an IRS registered 501(c)3 charity, and we have earned the  2021 Seal of Trust from Guidestar as an organization that ethically and transparently manages funds donated for the children. There are many ways to help, and there is no git too small to help change a child’s life. I urgently invite you to join me in transforming depression and despair to joy and hope for the most vulnerable children in our nation. Thank you for your caring and kindness – it is exactly what is needed to bind up the wounds of U.S. orphans. For the most vulnerable children, Ed Kelly President/CEO All Kids Need Music | 
both of her parents was devastating. She sought traditional medical treatments with little progress. Thankfully, a friend knew of her love for music and her need for healing. Janine leapt at the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. She chose the bass guitar. Six months into the program, Janine has not only progressed from playing chords to reading sheet music to playing songs, but most importantly, she has made wonderful progress on her path to healing from PTSD.Her instructor is a professional musician who has receiving training in teaching with a trauma based approach. He is positive, encouraging, and provides a safe place for expression of emotions long buried so that they can come to the surface for healing.
Thank you, Michael Murillo and MCM Transportation for sponsoring a vulnerable Arizona orphan. 
Michael’s sponsored child lives in a group home. She wants to play the violin, and is so excited to get started on her musical journey, not to mention receiving a violin of her very own! Michael’s company, MCM Transportation, believes in giving back to the Arizona community. Michael has served orphans in Africa, and has seen firsthand the devastation that being orphaned creates. We are grateful that this wonderful girl who has suffered so much can begin her journey of transformation from depression and despair to hope and joy.
there were tears in her eyes. The first question out of her mouth was, “How can I help?” The second thing she said was, “Sign me up!”. Kristen’s life journey has not always been an easy one, and many times it would have been so understandable for Kristen to focus on her own problems and needs. Kristen is compassionate, and children are her soft spot.
