New Website Promotes Assistance for Children in Need

Seven million children in the United States between the ages of six and nineteen are hearing impaired, and research has shown that these children are much more likely to have developmental, language, communicative, and social delays as a result. Graceful Sounds is a nonprofit organization founded with the mission of providing hearing aids and audiology services to children whose families are in financial need. These devices and services are costly and often are not covered by insurance. With the help of its new website, designed by graphic design artist Rachel Paris, Graceful Sounds seeks to help children with hearing loss live up to their full potential in our fast-paced, hearing world.



Graceful Sounds works in partnership with the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt Music Therapy Program supported by the Julian T. Fouce Fund. In addition to providing hearing aids and audiology services, Graceful Sounds seeks to ensure that all children have access to the healing benefits of music therapy. Grace Gore, founder and president of Graceful Sounds, is a doctoral student in Audiology at Vanderbilt University, and was also chosen as Miss Tennessee in June 2007. On gracefulsounds.org, Ms. Gore states, "I have seen the needs of the hearing impaired children of Tennessee and the healing power of music therapy first-hand." Through song writing, instrument play, movement, singing, and music assisted relaxation, music therapy serves to address the various needs of each child, including providing sensory and tactile stimulation, increasing self-awareness and awareness of others, increasing attention span, and increasing accuracy of motor skills. It also serves as a modality for emotional expression and social interaction.

www.gracefulsounds.org enables families in need to apply for assistance, and enables donors to make secure online contributions. The new website will also soon feature inspiring stories of children who have benefited from the organization. For more information, visit www.gracefulsounds.org.