Movement That Changes Lives!

Dear Friends, 

Despite our world being forever changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which we have dealt with since early 2020, Allegro Foundation has been continuing to make strides in the lives of children living with disabilities. We have never stopped furthering our mission and we are proud that throughout this new normal, Allegro has evolved and become even stronger. We have our generous Friends and Supporters to thank for all that we have achieved. With Spring upon us, it is an exciting time for new beginnings and fresh perspective. 

A new friend recently mentioned a new way of thinking about Allegro students that resonated with me and I wanted to share it with you… 

Imagine being in a classroom where the instruction is given in a completely different language than the one you regularly speak. How frustrating would that be? How lonely? How difficult to stay on task? This is how it can feel for students with disabilities in a traditional classroom setting. Enter Allegro Foundation. Allegro developed a unique curriculum based on years of research that uses movement to reinforce learning concepts, allowing students to feel what is being learned and commit it to muscle memory. 

How does this look in a classroom? If, for example, students are learning to count, a traditional approach would be to count 1, 2, 3, 4 and then have the students mirror that back. The concept of numbers may not be readily grasped by students of differing abilities and they may be hearing or interpreting something like 2, 5, 6, 10. An Allegro lesson might have the students march in place and use their bodies and the beat of the music to drum out the numbers. 

Allegro Foundation is committed to helping preschool and elementary age children, regardless of their disability, learn in an often very new way. The results we are seeing are extraordinary. What seemed like a “radical” idea for teaching twenty-eight years ago has been tested over time and has become a highly accepted modality. 

Allegro runs FREE Movement Education programs in numerous Charlotte Schools, including Huntersville and the University areas, as well as Fort Mill and Rock Hill Schools, working with students during the school day on a weekly basis. We also run after school programs at Sardis Presbyterian Church and Saint Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church in Matthews. We are eager for more parents to know about Allegro’s entirely FREE programming and would like to serve as many children as possible. 

If you know of a student who could benefit from an Allegro after school program, please reach out to us. In the summertime, Allegro also facilitates programming through numerous summer camps.

How Can You Help? Allegro most definitely needs your financial support! As you may know we do not receive any government support or help from the United Way. Allegro exist on private donations and grants to help over 800 children living with disabilities each week. There are more than 18,000 eligible children living in Charlotte, including Huntersville and the University areas, and in Fort Mill and Rock Hill who would be candidates for Allegro programs. We want to reach as many children as we can. We do not discriminate against any type of disability - we are open to all! Your donations can help us reach these families! 

Also, at the top of Allegro's current WISH List are five new computers and printers to keep our office and programs running efficiently. 

If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, we have a large demand for volunteers needed to help with the Free Movement Education Classes, as well as in the Allegro Office and with our special events. 

Sincerely,

Pat Farmer

Founder & President