Home Street Music is a nonprofit that empowers people who have experienced homelessness by building community, restoring confidence, and reclaiming dignity through the healing power of song.
Our Mission
About us
Home Street Music (HSM) was founded in 2017 by musician Vanessa Lively, who had a mission to work closely and creatively with people who have endured living on the streets. That year, Lively received the “Artist Activist Award” from Music to Life, a nonprofit founded by Elizabeth Stookey Sunde and Noel Paul Stookey (of folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary). She used the grant to fund the first HSM circles at Community First! Village in East Austin. Since then, HSM has organized their weekly music circles into an annual program of four 8-week seasons. Even during the pandemic, HSM continued to connect people virtually. HSM also hosts two public events annually, where circle participants perform alongside professional musicians at well-known venues. To date, HSM has hosted 188 music circles with over 100 participants and 25 professional musicians who help facilitate the music circles, with a team of 2 key staff and 4 board members, 6 mental healthcare providers and over 50 volunteers.
From jam sessions to songwriting exercises, the experiences we offer attract people of all musical abilities, and all walks of life. Folks arrive eager to jump into song and share what they are working on. The group has a life of its own now and a community that is thriving. These music circles turn people’s days around. We even hear how the circles have turned their lives around.
Our entire program runs on individual donations and a few small grants, so every donation counts tremendously!
Your support of Home Street Music enables us to:
- Hire local Austin musicians at a fair wage to lead musical gatherings
- Lead weekly music circles for people coming off the streets
- Pay annual fees for insurance, accounting, bookkeeping, storage and more
- Conduct critical administrative work to keep the organization on track
Your donations keep Home Street Music alive & well! If you would like to make a donation to Home Street, all donations are tax-deductible, and you can donate online, text HOMESTREET to 44321, or Venmo us at @homestreetmusic.