Music Mends Minds Inc

“No formal minutes were kept by strategy committee.”

“A draft return was reviewed by the executive director and president.”

“Mmm does has a conflict of interest policy, which is monitored annually with existing board members and upon inception of a new board member, as well as throughout the year by the executive director.”

“For both carol port rosenstein and john kander, their compensation was benchmarked with the center for nonprofit management annual survey as well as other comparable 501c3s in the greater la area.”

“The organizations governing documents and conflict of interest policies are available upon request.”

“Mends minds, inc. Mmm is a 501c3 organization, founded in 2014, that establishes and runs free musical support groups drum circles, sing-alongs, and bands for seniors, many of whom have alzheimers, dementia, parkinsons, traumatic brain injury, stroke, ptsd and other neurodegenerative challenges. Mmm provides this cost-effective strategy to increase mental/emotional stimulation, promote empowerment, reduce stress and isolation, and improve overall quality of life through the power of music for seniors, caregivers and families alike. Mmm also strives to educate our community and public about the latest scientific findings regarding the benefits of music and brain through several platforms including our website, a podcast series, and an educational forum, and in print resources and personal appearances and performances. In 2020, when the covid pandemic forced closure of our in-person groups, it also inspired us to add a virtual musical therapy and engagement platform, enabling our participants to continue to make music together on a zoom platform 3 times per week. This zoom platform continues to this day engaging seniors and caregivers who cant leave home, led by a board-certified music therapist. Mmm is now expanding our collaboration with the neuroscience research community to continue building and annotating evidence that musical programs can improve outcomes of traditional treatment regimens, forestall seniors from entering isolated nursing homes, cut possible healthcare costs for expensive treatment and bring joy back into the lives of our community of struggling patients. Moreover, we are extending our outreach to include collaborations with public sector agencies and civic leaders to democratize our music groups, building new free groups in those diverse and underserved communities that have historically been the last to experience advances in medicine, social welfare, and opportunity. This will provide great fiscal impact to the public health of these communities, as the reduction in stress, depression and general chaos at home will mean fewer accidents and issues to tax the emergency systems, thus saving families - and communities - significant money. Mmm has partnered with two global arms of the international rotary organization 1 the alzheimers dementia rotary action group adrag and 2 the international fellowship of rotarian musicians ifrm to bring attention to the growing epidemic of neurocognitive diseases, specifically alzheimers and dementia. Mmm is a resource partner and we share a mission to spread awareness and educate about research regarding alzheimers and dementia. And through its mission to promote and encourage the use and appreciation of music and, thereby, to encourage world understanding ifrm plans to be a vital partner in starting new mmm bands across the world.”

“Continued we strongly believe that operating music therapy and engagement groups for the seniors in these neighborhoods will lead to a reduction in the kinds of stress, depression and homebound chaos that can cause physical and drug-related accidents and injury, all of which will lower to fiscal demands on the emergency health structure and the governments that subsidize them. Of course, an ultimate goal remains to convince the insurance establishment that supporting-and reimbursing for-music therapy and engagement as a preventative and prescriptive intervention for the neurodegenerative illnesses and challenges that naturally affect a growing percentage of seniors is not just the right thing to do, but good business. So, too, we have continued our thrice-weekly virtual music therapy sessions on zoom for those seniors and caregivers who cant readily leave home. These online sessions are also attended by other seniors and family members who, as with our many volunteers in our live, in-person groups, dedicate this time to support and cheer on those who participate as a part of their therapeutic regimen, many of whom have been prescribed these sessions by their doctors who treat their cognitive and neurodegenerative illnesses and challenges. During the current fiscal year, mmm has reached over 5,000 seniors and caregivers monthly through a combination of programming on the golden network television streaming platform and interactive sessions conducted via zoom. Indeed, our relationship with research and advocacy organizations continues to grow and deepen as our podcast series, music is medicine, ask the experts, continues to gain viewers worldwide. We are working closely with the sound health network, which is a collaboration of nih, nea, kennedy center and renee flemings foundation, and now have a professional relationship with the world health organization. Moreover, our relationship with additional rotary international clubs continues to grow as we are giving presentations, live and virtual, to many more clubs who seek us out based on our relationships with adrag alzheimers and dementia rotary action group, ifrm international federation of rotary musicians, and rotary internationals own reporting on our mission and success. Lastly, a wonderful episode of the documentary streaming series, making good, produced by byutv, has now introduced mmm to an audience approaching millions through byutv.”