Heartwarming Stories of Healing and Hope for Orphans
Plus the Wonderful People Who Make it Possible
What is
All Kids Need Music?
Our Music Non Profit Organization is an IRS Recognized Charity for Children
Our music non profit organization is an IRS recognized charity for children founded by Ed Kelly, a professional musician, and director of a music school for over two decades. His school, Fundamental Music Instruction, provides musical instruction and music classes to many schools and individuals around the United States.
Director Kelly began noticing that in each classroom, there were students who were unable to participate in the music programs he provided to the schools. They were unable to participate because taking a music class requires having an instrument to learn to play on. It also requires paying school fees for instruction. The thought about founding a music charity for children began to form based on the unmet needs around him.
The reality of these students’ circumstances hit Director Kelly hard, as he witnessed the children that need music instruction were the least likely to be able to receive it. Research shows that learning to play music has the power to transform children, provide joy, increase academic performance, decrease stress levels, and serve as a tool to treat trauma.
As a result, Director Kelly began providing for these vulnerable children himself. He quickly realized there are far too many children in need than he could provide for personally. He decided to do something about it.
And so, All Kids Need Music was born. It is a music non profit organization that is a legally recognized charity for children dedicated to making sure that the children who need the benefits of learning to play musical instruments have the cost of renting an instrument and paying for the lessons covered by caring people, businesses, and governmental entities who realize that every child needs and deserves access to the transformational power of playing music with music class.
There are thousands of orphans, homeless children, and vastly underprivileged children in the United States. The orphans’ music classes are private, therapeutic music lessons to help the children heal from the trauma they have experienced. Please join us in helping them heal and changing their future. Find out more about becoming a music champion for children.
Our Mission
The mission of All Kids Need Music, a music non profit organization and IRS recognized music charity for children, is to reach the most at risk and underprivileged children in the United States and help as many of them as possible by providing therapeutic music lessons and the musical instrument of their choice to help them heal from trauma and improve their odds of success academically and in life.
Our Vision
Our Music non profit is committed to providing therapeutic music lessons and musical instruments in every state in the U.S. We will work with national and federal child welfare agencies, schools, foster homes and orphanages to identify children with the greatest need and move forward to facilitate their healing through therapeutic music lessons and positive mentoring.
Student
Shout Outs
Tyranny (Ty) loves music! His group home manager let us know how much Ty is enjoying his lessons and his vocal instructor...
"Thank you so much for the lessons. Ty is really enjoying Sergio!! Thank you again for this special gift."
Shawn is 15 and lives in an orphanage. Shawn has a strong passion for music and loves the piano.
"T" is fourteen, orphaned, and lives in a group home. She began her musical journey by wanting to make it to American Idol! Her gifted teacher, Karen, recognized her aptitude for piano and directed her to the instrument that she is now excelling at.
Wesson loves music, has written a few of his own songs. He is learning to play the guitar, and is a very energetic student!
Our Team
We have been providing high quality music lessons and music class for over a decade. Our high quality, trauma trained faculty represents over two hundred years of combined music instruction. Post graduate musical studies, accomplished musicians, choir directors, performers, composers, arrangers, band directors and music curriculum authors – you will be hard pressed to find a more accomplished music faculty to learn from during music class for the many different types of instruments with our charity for children.
All Kids Need Music, our music charity for children has a psychologist that specializes in trauma therapy and a certified music therapist that provides oversight and insight as our instructors work with the children to help them heal.
Mr. Kelly is a music educator with undergraduate and post-graduate studies in music performance and music education at the Aaron Copland School of Music. His main instrument is trombone, but he also plays trumpet, classical guitar, and piano.
Director Kelly
President/CEO
Kyle McLaughlin holds a bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education. His main instrument is the trumpet, but he also performs on guitar, bass, piano, drums, and vocals.
Mr. Kyle Mclaughlin
Instructor: Trumpet, Guitar, Piano
Matthew R. Smith is a bassist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and educator. He earned his bachelors and masters degrees in jazz performance. and studied with top jazz musicians and educators.
Mr. Matthew Smith
Instructor: Bass & Multi-Instrumentalist
Mr. Franca holds a degree in professional music. Mr. Franca’s main instrument is tenor saxophone but has also studied most woodwind instruments as well as trumpet, trombone, guitar and percussion.
Mr. Brian Franca
Instructor: Tenor Saxophone & Woodwinds
Brendan Stavris has been teaching both general and instrumental music for almost 10 years. He is working on a Doctorate in Musical Arts, and is continually improving his teaching methods to help students reach their utmost potential.
Mr. Brendan Stavris
Instructor: Saxophone
Mrs. Bender is a graduate of Rutgers University and Thomas Edison State College. She has taught for 14 years in several private schools. She performs with the Orchestra of St. Peter’s by the Sea, and the Brass Belles.
Mrs. Janet Bender
Instructor: Trumpet
Mrs.Clores holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance. She has extensive experience teaching in many settings and is enrolled in a Music Therapy program to become a Board-Certified Music Therapist.
Mrs. Kate Clores
Instructor: Piano
Mr. Wramage holds a Dr. in Musical Arts and serves as faculty at several universities. His goal is to provide a fun, creative, and intellectually stimulating environment for children to explore their musical interests as they also develop personal and social skills.
Dr. Gregg Wramage
Instructor
Mr. Della Pello holds a Degree in Professional Music. He is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and Pproducer. He has spent the past 30 years teaching, performing, writing and recording. As a solo artist He has released 12 independent albums.
Mr. Victor Della Pello
Instructor: Guitar
Mrs. Shaffstall was awarded her Music Education degree. She has a private teaching studio & continues to perform with the world famous New York Staff Band.
Mrs. Karen Shaffstall
Instructor: Trumpet, Piano
Mr. Bender received a BA in Music Education. He is a performer, composer, and arranger with numerous high profile professional performances.. He has over 35 years experience teaching in private and public schools.
Mr. Thomas Bender
Instructor: Woodwind Instruments
Mr. Klaus holds a B.A. in Music with over 17 years of teaching experience. He is proficient on the piano, violin, viola and cello. He has performed in orchestras including the Rutgers symphony and philharmonic, New Sussex Symphony and Pocono Youth Orchestra.
Mr. Chris Klaus
Instructor: Violin, Piano, Viola & Cello
Ms. Syvarth holds a degree in Music Education. She has a 30-year teaching career including band director, and pit orchestra director. She has performed with the South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble for the past 5 years. Her passion is teaching children instrumental music.
Mrs. Kathy Scalfaro
Instructor: Flute
Mrs. Shaffstall was awarded her Music Education degree. She has a private teaching studio & continues to perform with the world famous New York Staff Band.
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Instructor: Trumpet, Piano
Mrs. Debbie Thompson graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education majoring in the clarinet. Mrs. Thompson has taught instrumental music for grades 3-8, directing concert band, jazz, beginning band and taught lessons for every musical instrument.
In addition to teaching, Mrs. Thompson plays woodwinds in the pit orchestra for schools and community theaters throughout New Jersey.
Mrs. Debbie Thompson
Instructor: Woodwind Instruments
Mr. Klaus holds a B.A. in Music with over 17 years of teaching experience. He is proficient on the piano, violin, viola and cello. He has performed in orchestras including the Rutgers symphony and philharmonic, New Sussex Symphony and Pocono Youth Orchestra.
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Instructor: Violin, Piano, Viola & Cello
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Heartwarming Stories of Healing and Hope for Orphans