Renaissance Enterprises
Encyclopedia
Renaissance Enterprises is a nonprofit organization devoted to bringing the arts to residents of long term care facilities and senior centers. They are one of the few agencies to address the need for regular arts and therapeutic music interaction between professional artists, artisans and performers and the isolated elderly.
Renaissance Enterprises was founded in 1988 by Bob Rowe
to reach out to elderly members of the community. The organization operates in Michigan
, Indiana
, Illinois
, Tennessee
and New York
as well as some neighboring states.
The aim is to deliver messages of love, healing and hope by means of the live arts to residents of long term care facilities. They note that abundant medical literature exists supporting the benefits of music to elderly and people with significant impairments such as physical pain or mental disorder. Music therapy
is an accepted medical approach.
Renaissances uses a staff of 25 volunteer artists for this purpose.
In 1994, Mother Teresa wrote: "Your work of love in nursing homes, hospitals and for the aged, the neglected and the forgotten is truly the work of peace, for the fruit of love is service and the fruit of service is peace. Works of love like yours bring one face to face with God. Continue to use music to make the presence of God - His love and compassion better known to those in need - His little ones who have forgotten to smile. My prayer is with you in a special way and also with all connected with Renaissance Enterprises."
The organization's work has been featured in several newspapers and magazine, including Time Magazine, USA Today
, Cover, Mature Years, Daily Word
, National Enquirer and Detroit News.
See the article on Bob Rowe
for description of awards and recognition.
Foundations that have supported Renaissance Enterprises include:
Origins
Bob Rowe
Robert J. “Bob” Rowe is a noted musical performer and recording artist. He is also well known as a crusader for residents of long term care facilities....
to reach out to elderly members of the community. The organization operates in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
as well as some neighboring states.
Mission
The mission of Renaissance Enterprises is to provide therapeutic entertainment at nursing homes and related facilities through the use of artists, artisans and performers.The aim is to deliver messages of love, healing and hope by means of the live arts to residents of long term care facilities. They note that abundant medical literature exists supporting the benefits of music to elderly and people with significant impairments such as physical pain or mental disorder. Music therapy
Music therapy
Music therapy is an allied health profession and one of the expressive therapies, consisting of an interpersonal process in which a trained music therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help clients to improve or maintain their...
is an accepted medical approach.
Renaissances uses a staff of 25 volunteer artists for this purpose.
Notability
In 2006 the executive director was presented with the Mother Teresa Award for this work.In 1994, Mother Teresa wrote: "Your work of love in nursing homes, hospitals and for the aged, the neglected and the forgotten is truly the work of peace, for the fruit of love is service and the fruit of service is peace. Works of love like yours bring one face to face with God. Continue to use music to make the presence of God - His love and compassion better known to those in need - His little ones who have forgotten to smile. My prayer is with you in a special way and also with all connected with Renaissance Enterprises."
The organization's work has been featured in several newspapers and magazine, including Time Magazine, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, Cover, Mature Years, Daily Word
Daily Word
The Daily Word is a daily inspirational message provided by the Unity Church of Christianity. Themes include inner peace, hope, healing, guidance, and others. It is distributed via magazine, website, and e-mail.-History:...
, National Enquirer and Detroit News.
See the article on Bob Rowe
Bob Rowe
Robert J. “Bob” Rowe is a noted musical performer and recording artist. He is also well known as a crusader for residents of long term care facilities....
for description of awards and recognition.
Funding
Renaissance is supported by charitable foundations, individual donations, corporate donations and support from the care facilities where they work and from sales of artist's CDs.Foundations that have supported Renaissance Enterprises include:
- Arcus FoundationArcus FoundationArcus Foundation is a private foundation in the United States, that supports groups working globally to promote great ape conservation as well as supporting human social justice causes, including sexual orientation, gender, racial equality and rights, and pluralism, particularly through the...
- Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo
- Battle Creek Community Foundation
- Berrien Community Foundation
- Frey Foundation
- Frederick S. Upton Foundation
- Guido Binda Foundation
- Irving S. Gilmore Foundation
- Kalamazoo Community Foundation
- Leo Buscaglia Foundation
External links
- Renaissance Enterprises
- Mother Teresa Award
- Catholic On Line
- Arts Council of Kalamazoo
- Battle Creek Community Foundation
- Berrien Community Foundation
- Irving S. Gilmore Foundation
- Kalamazoo Community Foundation
- Leo Buscaglia Foundation
- Candace Corrigan