On a sunny December afternoon in Solana Beach at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego, musician/educator Jefferson Jay leads an enthusiastic group in a rousing set of holiday songs, who surprises him with a twist – in addition to singing, they accompany Jay with an American Sign Language rendition of Frosty the Snowman.
The singers are participants in a new program from the tiny-but-mighty Synergy Arts Foundation, which provides emergency funding for local artists and offers programming for underserved populations across the county.
Synergy’s new program is providing musical and visual arts education for people with developmental disabilities. The program was funded as part of the Prebys Healing Through Arts and Nature Initiative, which is distributing more than $6,400,000 to 59 organizations. This initiative seeks to improve community health and well-being by enhancing access to arts, culture, and nature. A growing number of healthcare providers, researchers, and community advocates recognize the importance of not only treating illness but also promoting mental, physical, and social wellness through non-clinical experiences in the arts, culture, and nature.
Recent data shows the particular value of arts experiences for reducing social isolation, reducing stress, and improving health.
A New Program is an Immediate Hit
Synergy has teamed up with the Boys & Girls Club’s R.O.A.D.S (Real Options for Adults with Disabilities) program to offer music and visual arts experiences to developmentally disabled people in Northwest San Diego County.
The partnership alternates between music and visual arts sessions, which are led by a team of talented and very dedicated staff. Musician Jefferson Jay came to the work by happenstance. He was working as a substitute teacher for the San Diego Unified School District while earning his master’s degree at San Diego State. Jay notes that he took any classroom assignments he could get, and he often ended up in special education, which he found very rewarding. “Every opportunity to work with people with disabilities lifts my soul,” he says. “Their appreciation, positivity, and joy make this work so special.”
Synergy’s Executive Director Naomi Nussbaum – who serves on a volunteer basis – helped launch the group in the aftermath of the tragic fires of 2003 to raise money for artists who lost studios, instruments, and homes. The organization’s mission grew from there. Over the years, they have partnered with foster care programs, orphanages, and the brain injury program at Scripps, among many others, to provide arts programs to people who would otherwise not receive them.
