🎸 Meet the musicians who walk into hospitals, care centers, and special schools, armed with a guitar and a whole lot of heart.
Our newest Kindness Grant recipient is KidLinks, a Dallas-based nonprofit bringing therapeutic music to kids facing illness, congenital disorders, and long hospital stays. These are children who’ve been through more than most of us could imagine, from severe burns to mental health struggles to complex developmental disabilities.
But when a KidLinks musician shows up to play, something shifts. The room softens. A child smiles. A connection is made.
With help from a $1,000 Kindness Grant, KidLinks will deliver 15 hours of Therapeutic Music Entertainment to children across hospitals, care centers, and special education settings. These sessions are led by specially trained musicians who don’t just perform. They engage, uplift, and bring a few moments of light into places that are often heavy with grief, fear, or pain.
One story that stuck with us came from a musician named Josh, who began visiting a young boy in a local hospital’s burn unit. The child had been burned over 80% of his body and had already spent nearly a year in the hospital. His parents couldn’t visit often, and he was understandably withdrawn. But when Josh began coming by to sing with him, something changed. The little boy smiled. He sang along. He even told Josh, “You’re my best friend.”
That’s the kind of moment this grant is helping create.
And the impact doesn’t stop with the children. These music sessions are often witnessed by teachers, caregivers, hospital staff, and parents. The joy they bring ripples outward, creating small moments of shared humanity that brighten entire communities.
KidLinks’ work is a beautiful example of our commitment to Building Thriving Communities and creating Pathways to Mental Health Resiliency. Music becomes more than entertainment. It becomes therapy, connection, and care.
We were also moved by the personal heart behind this project. Bob Grega, who submitted the application on behalf of KidLinks, shared that one of his first memories as a child was being alone and scared in the hospital. Now, through his work with KidLinks, he’s helping ensure other children don’t have to face those moments in silence.
We’re proud to support this deeply meaningful work. Whether it’s in a hospital bed, a group home, or a classroom, these songs are bringing comfort and connection to the kids who need it most.
➡️ Want to learn more? Visit kidlinks.org
Photo Courtesy of KidLinks