Nonprofit Performance 360 Magazine Vol 4 No 4

JEANNE TORRENCE FINLEY Nonprofits that Work

KidLinks

I first heard Jim Newton sing about 30 years ago, and I was so impressed that I invited him to give a concert at James Madison University where I was the United Methodist campus minister. I also discovered that he wrote children’s music and bought his albumWorld Around Song for my daughter. I met Jim again in March 2017 at a recording session in which Noel Paul Stookey, the Paul of Peter, Paul and Mary, was recording a song for KidLinks, a nonprofit that provides live and recorded music for hospitalized children and their families. Noel invited me to the session because we are writing a book about his solo music, faith journey, social activism, and humanitarian work. I had had no idea that he has been involved with KidLinks since the 1980s and sang some of the songs on Jim’s album. KidLinks, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the result of a merger of two successful charities, Hugworks and the KidLinks Foundation. For decades, KidLinks ( www.thekidlinks.org ) has provided healing experiences for children through performing arts and media, funded therapeutic music initiatives, university-level Music Therapy (MT) training, and free/ low cost treatment programs for children in need. Today, through Hugworks Children’s Network ( www.hugworkschildrensnetwork. com ), KidLinks is changing the face of therapeutic music entertainment for patients and families in hospitals across North Texas and beyond. Funds raised go directly to the creation of content to improve the daily experiences of hospitalized and special needs children. Jim Newton founded Hugworks as Celebration Shop, Inc., in 1981 after graduation from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. Its original purpose was supporting Newton’s musical ministry with youth groups and

Children’s Hospital of Greenville Health System (SC) and Cook Children’s Health Care System (Fort Worth,TX) are the HCN foundational sponsors. With their support, along with many donors and foundations, HCN continues to grow steadily.Therapeutic resources (free for streaming) include songs, sing-along and relaxation videos, and animations. Some HCN music may be purchased through the website. The KidLinks TME staff develops new resources for HCN and provides hours of direct service in children’s hospitals and a number of special care centers in the North Texas area and beyond. KidLinks’ two Board-Certified MusicThera- pists serve at least a dozen children each week who are dealing with autism, traumatic brain injury, ADHD, and other challenging condi- tions. In 2016, KidLinks launched a Music Therapy Channel to provide audio, video, and digital print resources for Board-Certi- fied Music Therapists and other healthcare/ education professionals, as well as for family members and caregivers ( www.hugworks- childrensnetwork.com/musictherapy ). Now, meet Jim Newton, Founder and Chief Program Officer of KidLinks and Hugworks Children’s Network. Jim and his spouse, Rev. Melissa Graham, are also co-pastors of Line Street and Covington United Methodist Churches in the Central Texas Conference of the UMC. Jeanne Torrence Finley is writing a book with Noel Paul Stookey about his solo music, faith journey, and social activism. For more than 30 years, Noel has been a producer and singer/songwriter for the KidLinks. Jeanne is a United Methodist minister and part of the writing team for FaithLink, a weekly United Methodist curriculum on current issues. jeannetorrencefinley.com

campus ministries. Several years later, he discovered music’s value in the healing of hospitalized children and to help them deal with their challenges. Celebration Shop became Hugworks, providing Therapeutic Music Entertainment (TME) as a direct service to families in children’s hospitals and special care centers across the country. The Hugworks program was developed with input and guidance from child life specialists, music therapists, and other early childhood service professionals. The KidLinks Foundation was formed in 2001 by individuals associated with the energy industry who wanted to improve the lives of children in Texas. Over the years, the organization expanded its reach by funding TME and MT in hospitals across the United States. The KidLinks Foundation has also funded university-level MT training and treatment programs for children in need. With its merger with Hugworks, KidLinks Foundation became KidLinks. The KidLinks full-time staff includes Diana Crawford, CEO; Jim Newton, Founder and Chief Program Officer; and Paul G. Hill, Senior Producer. Other staff include a development associate/communication specialist, two Board-Certified Music Therapists, and volunteers. KidLinks music and resources are available through Hugworks Children’s Network.

22 I Nonprofit Performance Magazine