Cedars of Marin: Letter of Support

Bread & Roses Presents is honored to serve more than 120 different isolated audiences of children and youth, adults and seniors in institutional settings throughout the Bay Area. We have been bringing music to the main campus of Cedars Life in Ross since 1977, and also serve the Cedars Fine Arts studio in San Anselmo and Cedars Textile Arts Collaborative in San Rafael. The letters of support we receive from our social service partners are an important testimony to the benefits of our program and the healing power of live music that happens at every Bread & Roses performance. We appreciate ED Chuck Greene and our friends at Cedars Life for their in-depth expressions of the value of our work. We are grateful for our ongoing collaboration with our facility partners and for their continuing support which is key to the mutual benefits that all involved organizations receive.

-Dave Perron, Executive Director

Jimmy Dillon of the Blue Star Music Camp at the Cedars of Marin, 2007.

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At Cedars, we do everything possible to enable our clients to live creative, productive, joyous and healthy lives. No small feat as we work with more than 200 clients (105 in full-time residence), most of whom have significant development disabilities. We consider ourselves very successful at delivering on this promise. But clearly, we don’t do this alone—many individuals and groups provide regular and critical assists.

In particular, we consider Bread & Roses to be one of our strongest, dependable long-standing and extraordinary allies in our work. This has been especially true during the last 12 months of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Individuals and small groups of musicians from Bread & Roses have come to Cedars regularly—more than monthly— for many many years. And each time, clients greet them warmly and enthusiastically. That is clearly because these caring and dedicated volunteers bring joy to their lives— again, and again and again. But in the last year, Bread & Roses—with its musicians— have been successful at continuing to provide their various forms of entertainment virtually. From almost one-on-one sessions to many including dozens of Cedars clients. Not surprisingly, with clients sheltering in place, this service has been virtually “essential” to everyone's well-being. One client even stating:

“Bread & Roses has kept me sane all these months.”

It isn’t often that an organization flourishes year after year achieving the same mission— in this case, to bring joy into the lives of individuals throughout our community. That is what Bread & Roses has delivered for probably close to 40 years.

It is amazing to see how our clients anticipate a Bread & Roses concert, and then even better to witness them dancing and singing along with the performers. Their day is made—and it seems like the feelings last through the week. Bread & Roses volunteers certainly appreciate the reception they get and, I believe, receive some extra meaning in their lives through their efforts. This, in effect, is about the most compelling win-win experience one could create.

And it all starts with Bread & Roses—their mission, leadership, and totally dependable efforts make a deep impact on the lives of some wonderful people. And given that all the musicians are volunteers, each dollar the organization spends is leveraged probably tenfold. That is a deep testament to what is possible when truly good people do truly good work.

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The Rippers from Marin Ventures perform at The Cedars of Marin, 2016. Photo by Peter Merts.