South Shore Young Professionals’ annual foundation grant funds financial assistance for regional youth education programs and nonprofit growth

McGRATHPR.com – The nonprofit South Shore Young Professionals (SSYP) announces that South Shore Children’s Chorus (SSCC), the region’s training program for all young singers, has been awarded its 2021 $10K Foundation Grant.  SSCC, founded in 2016, currently serves 103 students from 20 communities across the greater South Shore region in all grades K-12, welcoming singers to learn no matter their musical experience, circumstance or financial challenges.  The grant will enable SSCC to expand its mission, welcoming even more singers to experience its education programs, and enable its aspiration to grow to more local campuses in the coming years.

“Our Grant Committee was blown away by the passion for education and inclusion SSCC brings to their students. The success of organizations like theirs shows that you don’t need to leave the South Shore to access high quality educational programs,” shares Bill Kingdon, South Shore Young Professionals’ Board chairperson.

Currently, South Shore Children’s Chorus hosts programs at its flagship campus in Quincy, in Sharon, and new this season, in Hanover at South Shore YMCA’s Laura’s Center for the Arts.  SSCC’s programs were heavily impacted by the pandemic, forced to become virtual programming last year, and are now in the rebuild and expand phase. Joyful, positive encouragement and an uplifting environment inspire choristers to learn and embrace confidence through their own voice.

“Receiving this Foundation Grant award is a complete game changer for South Shore Children’s Chorus. The funding helps cover so many budget challenges that would otherwise be sourced from crucial concert ticket revenues and multiple smaller grants. This gift gives us the freedom to amplify our programming and expand into other South Shore communities, reaching and supporting many more students,” shares Kirsten Oberoi, SSCC’s Founding Artistic Director.

To date in 2021, SSCC has provided $12,570 in tuition assistance for families that face financial challenges, enabling their singers to fully participate in our choral programs.  SSCC has many more requests on the horizon, a result of its new rolling admissions policy. “Part of our mission is to ensure that every student who wishes to participate – regardless of experience or financial status – is empowered to sing with us. Having the capacity to award more scholarships helps families enjoy this education and community experience who may not otherwise have the means.  It is life changing for many of these children!” says Oberoi.

South Shore Young Professionals selects one sole organization or start-up annually as its Foundation Grant recipient.  The program was established in 2012, when SSYP established The Foundation and entrepreneurial grant program to help develop and support businesses on the South Shore.   The SSYP Foundation is designed to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation through financial assistance, mentorship and support for both for-profit and nonprofit organization in the South Shore region, each founded within the last seven years.  The program’s goal is to support entrepreneurship and economic growth on the South Shore through a grant program designed to help start-up businesses and organizations succeed. This program fosters new ideas and innovation to bring economic development to the South Shore, a good match to South Shore Children’s Chorus tenure and mission. 

“South Shore Children’s Chorus has already made great strides towards growth and expansion to support the South Shore community.  With this additional community support, we can continue our successful programs while continuing to offer a welcoming and accepting environment for students to learn about their voices, and about themselves,” says Oberoi.

SSCC’s Training Choir engages students in kindergarten through grade 2 by developing their musicality and voices through song games, movement and listening. Intermediate Choir trains students in grades 3 through 6 to develop self-confidence through the medium of vocal music, learn musicianship skills, begin singing in two or three parts and solidify healthy vocal technique. Advanced Choir allows students in grades 7 through 12 to engage in an honest and accepting community of passionate singers, develop sight-singing skills, sing challenging and unique repertoire and study vocal technique through performance and rehearsal of a variety of musical genres. The ensembles perform at annual concerts and community events.  SSCC also offers a summer intensive camp week in July.

South Shore Young Professionals was founded in 2008 with a mission to provide information, resources and opportunities to young professionals and businesses on the South Shore, a driving force behind positive change. SSYP has a goal of shifting the perception that geographical lines prevent businesses from recruiting talented, young professionals and proving that suburban settings can grow to attract these thought leaders to its community.

For more information about South Shore Children’s Chorus, including tuition and calendar, to register, or for more information, visit southshorechildrenschorus.org, email Artistic Director Kirsten Oberoi at oberoi@sscchorus.org, or Managing Director Michelle McGrath at mcgrath@sscchorus.org, or follow South Shore Children’s Chorus on Facebook and Instagram.

About South Shore Children’s Chorus

South Shore Children’s Chorus was founded in 2016 by colleagues Kirsten Oberoi and Carey Shunskis.  SSCC debuted with choral classes for singers in grades pre-K through 9. The following season, SSCC founded its annual summer programs, and shortly after initiated an Advanced Choir serving high school singers in grades 8 to 12.  SSCC has collaboratively performed with many music organizations including The Treble Chorus of New England, Genesis Chamber Singers, Quincy Choral Society and Atlantic Symphony Orchestra.  In 2018, South Shore Children’s Chorus expanded to a second rehearsal site in Sharon, and this fall launches its third campus in Hanover.

South Shore Children’s Chorus’s mission is to provide joyful music education and vocal training to students in South Shore communities and beyond. SSCC reveres the development and well-being of its students as a top priority, aiming to create a safe space and loving community for choristers to learn, grow and to find their own voice.  Its programs serve dedicated, responsible singers ages 4 to 18 who seek a well-rounded choral education. SSCC is passionate about access for all chorister students, regardless of financial circumstance.  Need-based tuition assistance is available by application. 

For tuition and complete schedule details, to register, or for more information, visit southshorechildrenschorus.org, email Artistic Director Kirsten Oberoi at oberoi@sscchorus.org, or Managing Director Michelle McGrath at mcgrath@sscchorus.org, or follow South Shore Children’s Chorus on Facebook and Instagram.