D'Addario Foundation Awards Grant to El Valor

The D’Addario Foundation, a 503(c) nonprofit that partners with transformative music education organizations, awarded a grant to El Valor on Friday, April 28th. The event was held at the Quinlan & Fabish Burr Ridge, Illinois location, and owner George Quinlan himself was on hand to present the checks with D’Addario Foundation Director Suzanne D’Addario Brouder. Rey B. Gonzalez accepted the grant on behalf of El Valor.

“The El Valor music program provides instruments and instruction to students age 5-12 during after school hours when children are the most susceptible to negative influences and gang violence. El Valor’s music program is more than just a music education after-school activity. It is a bilingual program that nurtures young musicians in both their chosen instrument and their character,” Brouder said during the presentation.

D’Addario Foundation awards grants to support grass-roots organizations like El Valor across the nation, though 25 Chicago-based non-for-profits were awarded last year. “As grant makers, we have pioneered a process of supporting grassroots efforts to bring music back into underserved communities, particularly in Illinois where our education system is so challenged,” Brouder said. “Because of this, independent not-for-profits like El Valor are more vital to widening the achievement and access gap for music and arts education.”

El Valor is so thankful to the D’Addario Foundation for its support of music education for every child.