Sounds of Hope Benefit Concert helps combat illiteracy

According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, kids who don't read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma. So, if "Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak" (as William Congreve wrote in The Mourning Bride), could illiteracy, too, succumb to music's charms?

The Sounds of Hope Benefit Concert is giving it a go. Sponsored by Mercantile Bank of Michigan and performed by the Professional Orchestral Musicians Association - Grand Rapids (POMA-GR) , the benefit concert takes place on Thursday, May 2 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Park Congregational Church, 10 E. Park Place NE, Grand Rapids. Proceeds will go to the United Way's Schools of Hope and the Literacy Center of West Michigan (LCWM).

Concertgoers should come a little early to enjoy light hors d'oeuvres and desserts by Martha's Vineyard, a silent auction, and a reception from 6:15 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 per person, or $25 for a group or family. Children under 5 are free.

The LCWM's mission is to build a literate community and transform lives by strengthening reading and language skills. United Way's Schools of Hope tackle the problem of illiteracy by focusing on early grade reading.

And POMA-GR is the voice that speaks for every member of the Grand Rapids Symphony (GRS), with this mission: "To continue to build upon our tradition of excellence in the performance of orchestral music for audiences of all ages."

Sharing the joy of music with children is an important part of that mission and each year, POMA-GR performs in concerts given to over 70,000 children in West Michigan. In addition, the members of the GRS teach hundreds of students private music lessons, passing on their knowledge and passion for music to the next generation of performers and music teachers.

Get involved:
- Attend the concert May 2 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Come early for the reception and silent auction. Get your tickets here.
- Donate to the United Way.
- Donate to the Literacy Center of West Michigan.
- Volunteer.
- Tutor a child.
- Follow the POMA-GR Facebook page.

Sources: Heart of West Michigan United Way; Literacy Center of West Michigan; Grand Rapids Symphony
Writer: Victoria Mullen, Do Good Editor

Image: Photo by Martin Hogan, courtesy of POMA-GR