Bringing Music to their Ears                                                 09/23/07

Welcome to Graceful Sounds!

Mission Statement:
Twenty-eight million Americans suffer from hearing impairment.  As one of the most prominent but often overlooked disabilities today, there is a large population missing out on the world of sound, music, and communication.  Seven million children in the United States between the ages of six and nineteen have a hearing impairment; many of whom have developmental, communicative, and social delays as a result. However, these numbers can be significantly reduced by putting hearing health back in the national spotlight.

The Graceful Sounds platform aims to enrich the lives of individuals who suffer from hearing impairment, and encourages them to meet their full potential in a mainstreamed world. Also, I have always believed that there is a natural link between music and healing, and now I have seen the benefit of music therapy programs firsthand.  My focused mission is to raise money for CMN, and specifically to finance music therapy programs and hearing aid purchases for hearing impaired children in CMN hospitals. The specific needs of these programs led me to found Graceful Sounds, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization.  Funds are now allocated in accordance with the mission of Graceful Sounds, and I will leave a legacy for future Miss Tennessees to use for their own specific fundraising.