Stories of Impact

As 2024 comes to a close, I want to share two stories about the impact your past giving has made and invite you to join us once again with a year-end donation towards our $30,000 goal.

The first story comes from Tony, a man who has been incarcerated for over 34 years. The second comes from Jackie, who co-wrote a song with us as part of  Stories From Our Streets, this year’s Documentary Songwriting project in the historically redlined Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood on Cleveland’s east side.

Tony’s Story

Tony is a violinist in our Unmuted Strings program at the Grafton Correctional Institution (GCI). I’m regularly impressed by his work ethic - he practices for 1.5 hours a day, six days per week. His hard work is paying off - he sounds great, and has such a beautiful bow hold! 

But there’s something else noteworthy about Tony - his overflowing gratitude. When we ask how he’s doing, he often responds with, “I can’t complain, God woke me up this morning.” The fact that Tony greets each morning in prison with such contentment and hope is humbling. It’s a reminder to me that the goodness of God, and our response to it, cannot be defined by our circumstances; it lives in our hearts.

Jackie’s Story

Jackie moved to Buckeye-Woodhill from the South, stepping into a neighborhood that was new and unfamiliar. Determined to find her place, she began building trust within her community one step at a time, showing up consistently in spaces where connections could grow. 

Simultaneously, trust blossomed between Jackie and Renovare through the songwriting process. Her song, “It Takes One Link to Start a Chain,” emerged over weeks of collaboration, beautifully capturing our shared journey and celebrating the small, intentional steps that create lasting bonds and transform neighborhoods.

The process of co-writing each song in this project reminded me that when we take small steps toward one another over a period of time, and when we’re open to new relationships with people whose experiences differ from our own, God is faithful to build trust among us. 

Will you join Renovare through a year-end gift so we can pursue more renewal like we’ve seen in Tony and Jackie’s stories?

Donations can also be made by check and mailed to P.O. Box 201625, Shaker Heights, OH 44120.

Renovare Music is a 501(c)3 nonprofit; donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.