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Families
are the glue that holds the world together, but what holds families together
today? For many, it's music, whether around the kitchen table, in the
car on a family vacation - or, increasingly, in a shelter, hospital or
other institution.
Bread & Roses asked administrators at two facilities we serve about the
pressures on families today and what we can do as a community to make
families stronger.
Here is what they said about the role that Bread & Roses plays in bringing
music and the performing arts to families in institutions.
'I see the shy ones light up'
Rebecca Rice, Child Life Specialist,
Children's Hospital, Oakland:
"Children today are much, much sicker when they get to the hospital. In
the past, families could check their children in two or three days before
the surgery to get them acclimated to the hospital. Families aren't allowed
to do that anymore.
"When Bread & Roses comes to the hospital, I see the children forget that
they are here for something that may be painful. I see the shy ones light
up, the quiet ones become more interactive. It's really heartwarming,
and it happens every single time."
'A lot of the families we work with are stressed out'
Julie Millman, Hamilton Family Center,
San Francisco (a transitional housing center and program for families):
"Homelessness is not an individual's issue. It's a community issue that
requires a community solution. In a lot of the families we work with,
the parents are stressed out. People don't always recognize the daily
reality of being homeless, how difficult it is.
"When Bread & Roses comes in, it's a time for the family to relax and
share something. The families leave in a totally different mood than when
they arrived."
Bread
& Roses Services for the Year Ending June 30, 2005 |
| Total
Shows in Eight Bay Area Counties |
502 |
| Institutions
Served |
104 |
| Total Audience Members |
24,017 |
| Youth
(to age 18) |
29% |
| Adult
(18 and above) |
42% |
| Elderly |
29% |
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