By Crystal Donaldson

BLOOMINGTON – Domestic violence situations can make the idea of finding peace and calm, not to mention a caring community, seem difficult to imagine.

Two groups in McLean County have joined together to address that dilemma with music. These groups help families, specifically children, cope with difficult circumstances at home.

That’s the goal of a program partnership through the Music Connections Foundation and Neville House entering it’s second year thanks to a two thousand dollar grant through the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation.

The 4-6 week sessions give parents a place to take often traumatized children into a relaxed nurturing environment. Where they learn self-care through music; moving to it, singing with it, and sharing it with others.

Music Connection’s Tawni Martin explained how the impacted children can cope.

“We’re trying to give them some happy memories in the midst of a life that has maybe virtually none, or has so much inconsistency. But I have these little nuggets. These little things that I can hold on to that were happy things that I did,” Martin said.

The Prairie Foundation’s Women to Women grant pays for the meal, music teacher and at home music resources.

Crystal Donaldson can be contacted at [email protected].