Orchard Village Receives Instrument Grant from Guitar Center Music Foundation to Enhance Music Program

CONTACT:

Joseph Like, Vice President of Development Orchard Village

(847) 583-7734

Joseph_Like@orchardvillage.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,

Orchard Village Receives Instrument Grant from Guitar Center Music Foundation to Enhance Music Therapy Programs

SKOKIE, IL –Orchard Village, a Skokie-based organization serving nearly 300 people with developmental disabilities, has been selected as the Q3 recipient of an instrument grant from the Guitar Center Music Foundation.

The generous donation includes a trumpet, electric guitar with amplifier, two acoustic guitars, four ukuleles, a karaoke entertainment center, an electric drum set, recorders, and microphones. These instruments will directly benefit participants in Orchard Village's onsite special education school, Orchard Academy, and the DiscOVer music therapy program.

Research shows that playing musical instruments significantly benefits people with developmental disabilities by improving communication skills, reducing anxiety, and fostering social connections. At Orchard Village, music serves as a powerful tool for personal expression and healing. Participants use various instruments and activities—from violin playing to drum circles, physical movement, and storytelling—to enhance social engagement, reduce anxiety and depression, and build stronger relationships with others.

"We are grateful to the Guitar Center Music Foundation for this incredible gift," said Susan Kaufman, President & CEO of Orchard Village. "These new instruments will expand our ability to reach more participants and provide them with additional pathways for creative expression and therapeutic growth."

The organization's approach to music therapy taps into each person's unique identity, skills, and creativity through art, music, theatre, and sensory activities. This latest donation will enhance existing programs while creating opportunities for more individuals with developmental disabilities to experience the transformative power of music.

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Founded in 1972, Orchard Village is a charitable social services organization located in Skokie, Illinois. The agency empowers people with developmental disabilities to achieve fulfilling lives in their communities. It partners with families and communities to ensure that people with developmental disabilities have choices and a voice in their lives, and, that they receive support to reach their goals. Orchard Village services and programs support the housing, day program, employment, behavioral and mental health, and home-based needs of nearly 300 participants, who range in age from children to mature adults. For more information about Orchard Village and its services, visit www.orchardvillage.org