CVS gives $20,000 to Voices Together

Michelle Chinn-Cannon was amazed when her autistic son, Shea, started singing the lyrics to songs.

Shea participates in therapy with Voices Together — a local nonprofit organization that educates individuals with developmental disabilities through musical instruction.

Chinn-Cannon said the technique has worked especially well for her son.

“We have found that our son frequently sings Voices Together songs at home,” she said. “If he is having a meltdown, we sing some of the songs, and he will often calm down.”

But after budget cuts to local school systems threatened the program’s existence, it found an ally in an unlikely place­ — a drugstore.

On Sept. 12, Voices Together, which serves more than 400 people in the area, announced it had received a $20,000 grant from the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, which awarded $4.3 million in grants to health-related organizations.

Founded six years ago by Yasmine White, Voices Together reaches children in public schools and communities in the Triangle and Triad areas.

White said she was concerned her organization might not survive the budget cuts.

“It was awful. I would say a good 30 to 40 percent of funding comes from the schools,” White said. “When their budgets shrunk, there was just a lot less ability to fund our organization. But we made it through.”

With the grant, the program will be able to continue to help parents like Chinn-Cannon. Both of her autistic sons, Shea and Joshua, participate in Voices Together at Pittsboro Elementary School.

Chinn-Cannon said the program has helped Shea improve his social communication skills and cope with his anxiety.

“We are so grateful for this program and because of this grant, I believe more children in the area will experience Voices Together,” Chinn-Cannon said.

The CVS foundation strives to support the type of positive local outreach that Voices Together provides, according to a press release.

Eileen Howard Boone, senior vice president of the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, said in the press release that Voices Together was recognized because of its musically inspired peer groups that address communication and social skills for people with developmental disabilities.

For Chinn-Cannon, the grant is a chance for her son, Shea, to expand his speech skills.

“Seeing the increase in functioning in our youngest son’s life has brought us a bit of hope,” she said. “Imagine the hope Voices Together will bring to families who could otherwise not participate.”

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.