One of the early initiatives of the HVC was to form a group that performs for underserved communities, such as the All-American Nursing Home in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago. This is an assisted living home for individuals with mental health challenges.

 

The goal of the group in performances like these is to build relationships with the residents and bring joy and peace to their lives through playing music with a positive message. We tailor our song set list for the enjoyment of those we perform for. This tailoring includes changing the style, language, and time period of our songs based on what they will enjoy.

 

After a show we stay and talk with the residents in an effort to build human connections and friendship. This is where the residents are able to make song requests that we can then prepare for our next visit. In the next couple of years, we look forward to similar outreach opportunities in children’s hospitals and juvenile detention centers.