ACM LIFTING LIVES ANNOUNCES 2015 FALL GRANT CYCLE RECIPIENTS

 ACM LIFTING LIVES ANNOUNCES 2015 FALL GRANT CYCLE RECIPIENTS

Charitable Arm of the Academy of Country Music Gives $180,000 to Eleven Beneficiaries

ENCINO, CA (December 10, 2015) – ACM Lifting Lives announced its 2015 fall grant cycle beneficiaries today with grants totaling more than $180,000 for a selection of organizations including Alive Hospice,Abe’s Garden Alzheimer’s and Memory Care Center of Excellence, The Center for Courageous Kids,CreatiVets,Middle Tennessee State University Foundation, Musicians on Call, Notes for Notes, Porter’s Call, W.O. Smith Music School, The Quest Center for Art & Community Development and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center.  Partnerships with artists and generous giving from fans and the Nashville community enable ACM Lifting Lives to provide funding to organizations that share the same mission, and strive to improve lives through the power of music.

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the artists and volunteer board members that donate their time and efforts to ACM Lifting Lives.  It’s because of their kindness we’re able to give back and be a part of continuing the impact made through the power of music in these communities,” said ACM Lifting Lives Vice-President Debbie Carroll.

Programs funded through this grant cycle include:

• Alive Hospice - the grant will help the organizationto continue their music therapy program and will allow them to provide ten scholarships to the Music for Health & Transition Program, a non-profit certification program that trains musicians to provide live therapeutic music at the bedside.  www.alivehospice.org  

• Abe's Garden Alzheimer's and Memory Care Center of Excellence - the grant will allow for the purchase of musical instruments and equipment for the center’s music engagement program, along with compensation for a research assistant from Vanderbilt University, and a board-certified music therapist.  www.abesgarden.org   

• The Center for Courageous Kids - the grant will help the center to purchase new equipment and instruments to be used in their music therapy program that benefits more than 3,000 campers each year.  www.thecenterforcourageouskids.org  

• CreatiVets - the grant will help sustain their ongoing project providing veterans the opportunity to be paired with professional songwriters from the Nashville community to help create a song that tells the veteran's story by using art therapy, music and creative writing to help cope with the psychological and emotional needs that arise from combat-related trauma.  www.creativets.org  

• Middle Tennessee State University Foundation - the grant will allow the foundation a newly developed program entitled "Music Row in Murfreesboro,” an academic track within MTSU's acclaimed Recording Industry Department.  Through this enhanced curriculum, industry professionals will be invited to lecture and interact with students in a weekly three-hour class.  www.mtsu.edu/development/foundation.php  

• Musicians on Call - the grant will support the expansion of their Bedside Performance Programs in two new markets, Atlanta and Phoenix.  www.musiciansoncall.org  

• Notes for Notes - the grant will support programming in seven Notes for Notes locations during the 2016 fiscal year.  www.notesfornotes.org  

• Porter’s Call - the grant will help to underwrite counseling hours to cover the growing needs of clients who request assistance. Porter's Call provides counsel and support to artists who are facing the unique challenges that can often accompany the vocation of performing and creating. www.porterscall.com  

• Vanderbilt Kennedy Center - the grant will continue the successful ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp (for the seventh year); the partnership allows individuals an opportunity to attend, a week-long residential program open to individuals with developmental disabilities, talented in music, from around the country, has a dual purpose of studying Williams syndrome and other developmental disabilities and providing music enrichment through performance and education.  http://vkc.mc.vanderbilt.edu/vkc/

• W.O. Smith Music School - the grant will pay expenses for a “choir tour” consisting of thirty-two students traveling to Cleveland, Ohio where they’ll perform two concerts, and take part in various educational activities throughout the city.  www.wosmith.org  

• The Quest Center for Art & Community Development - the grant will support the organization’s existing music education services within their general after-school program while helping to expand reach within the community, offering more needs-based scholarships for music instruction. www.qcdickson.org

 For information on guidelines and applications for grants, or to support ACM Lifting Lives’ causes, please visit www.ACMLiftingLives.org.

About ACM Lifting Lives
ACM Lifting Lives® is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music dedicated to improving lives through the power of music.  Through partnerships with artists and strong ties in the music industry, ACM Lifting Lives develops and funds music-related therapy and education programs, and serves members of the community who face unexpected hardships through its Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund. Through generous donations and the support of artists and fans, ACM Lifting Lives is able to fund everything from disaster relief and helping communities in need, to music education in schools and music camps for those with disabilities, to supporting programs that use music therapy as a means to help our veterans and wounded warriors, while providing grants to help them ease back into life. For more information, please visit www.ACMLiftingLives.org. 

###