Yasir Naqvi, Ottawa Centre MPP, helped give out Ontario Trillium Foundation grants to children’s music programs Tuesday evening at the Bronson Centre.
“This grant will go a long way towards ensuring that all children in our community have the opportunity to make music together,” Naqvi said in a news release.
The money was given by the OTF to the Leading Note Foundation, which focuses on bringing music programs to “under-served communities.”
The LNF will use the $47,500 grant over the next two years for the purchase of new equipment and software. The group will also use the money to develop marketing and fundraising strategies for their Orkidstra and KidSingers programs, according to the news release.
The LNF programs target inner-city youth between the ages of six and 14. The goal, according to the release, is to give under-served communities the opportunity to learn and create music together.
According to the release, the music programs aim to teach children mutual respect, teamwork and creativity.
“It is inspiring to see how music really is the universal language that all children speak,” said Tina Fedeski, executive director of LNF in the news release. “They are united through playing and singing together.”
The OTF is part of the Ontario government and provides grants to various community initiatives.