(TRENTON, NJ) -- The Salvation Army Trenton Corps has launched a new Music & Creative Arts program for children throughout Trenton. The program offers students ages 7-16 the chance to receive a wide range of instruction, including guitar, piano, brass instruments, and dance, and perform at Salvation Army events throughout the year. It is designed to give children who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. It also compensates for the fact that most schools’ creative arts programming is on hold due to COVID-19. The program is in-person and adheres to strict COVID-19 safety requirements, with each child having a divided station of their own.
The classes are led by Lieutenant Alan Porchetti, who has been making music for 20 years and runs The Salvation Army’s Trenton Corps. He studied music as a young person at The Salvation Army and is committed to giving back and enriching students in the community, many of whose families have taken advantage of The Salvation Army’s food pantry and other services, especially since COVID hit. The Lieutenant says that there is still room for students to take part in the program, and he is also looking for upbeat teachers with a passion for music to volunteer their time.
“Our Music & Creative Arts program offers hope and gives young people a chance to explore their talents while joining together in powerful community expression. We offer something special, like learning to play a brass instrument, and it’s a great way to beat the social isolation caused by COVID-19,” said Porchetti. “Children need regular activities that give them purpose and bring out the best in them, particularly in parts of Trenton where arts offerings like this are scarce.”
For more information and to register for the program, click here or call 609.599.9373.
News about the program has spread through dedicated outreach and world of mouth about the good work The Salvation Army does in Trenton. It is just one in a wide network of services The Salvation Army provides to Trenton residents in need, many of whom are just a few blocks from the State Capitol. The Trenton Corps.’ food pantry serves approximately 180 hot meals per week and distributes 120 meals to go. Addressing a full range of needs, the Corps. provides help with rent and utilities, and offers tax clinics and other practical services.
The Salvation Army has a rich history in providing music and arts training and is the second-largest provider of music education in the country, following public schools. In New Jersey, The Salvation Army has trained students and educators who have gone on to have professional artistic careers, including Broadway actors and musicians in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. The Salvation Army Trenton Corps. has strong board support for its Music & Creative Arts program, including four generations of board members, ages 24-92, who are committed to supporting youth leadership.
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of "America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit.
