Resounding Joy Embarks on Year Two of $50,000 NEA Creative Forces Grant to Serve San Diego Military and Veterans
Local music therapy nonprofit addresses physical and emotional challenges facing military members and veterans through the healing power of music.
The Sounds of Service Band, comprised of veterans in Resounding Joy’s military music therapy program, will perform at San Diego International Airport Terminal 1 May 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
SAN DIEGO—May 19, 2026—Resounding Joy, a San Diego-based nonprofit providing music therapy services across the region, is embarking on year two of its $50,000 Creative Forces® Community Engagement grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance. Resounding Joy was one of just 48 organizations nationwide selected to receive the 2025 grant supporting creative arts therapies for military communities.
Last year, the Resounding Joy military music therapy program served more than 5,200 individuals through 229 music therapy and music wellness sessions. The NEA grant funding supports the nonprofit’s Sounds of Service program, which provides music therapy and music wellness services to active-duty military members, veterans and their families throughout San Diego County.
As year two of the grant begins, Resounding Joy plans to continue partnerships with the VA and several veteran-serving organizations, while also expanding services for individual veterans seeking support through music therapy.
“It is our honor to announce our plans for year two of this generous NEA grant during National Military Appreciation Month,” said Kerri Fox, Resounding Joy Executive Director and CEO. “May is a dedicated time to honor, remember and appreciate the service and sacrifices of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans and their families. We are proud to serve San Diego’s military community and grateful for the opportunity to continue expanding this important work.”
The music therapy nonprofit was one of three San Diego organizations awarded a 2025 Creative Forces® Community Engagement grant, alongside KPBS and San Diego Opera — both longtime community collaborators. Resounding Joy partnered with San Diego Opera through the opera’s own Creative Forces® grant-supported veteran programming, serving as the venue partner and assisting with veteran outreach and recruitment. The organization also regularly participates in KPBS’s Be My Neighbor Day, where the Sounds of Service Band performs as part of the event’s military and veteran programming.
Resounding Joy was also one of only eight organizations nationwide selected for a Creative Forces® Community Engagement site visit, highlighting the organization’s work with partners including Veterans Village of San Diego and VA San Diego Healthcare System programs, as well as services provided at its Music Wellness Center in Sorrento Valley.
Among those impacted by the program is Joel Hamlet, who served eight years in the U.S. Air Force and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant before being medically retired. Today, he participates in Resounding Joy’s military music therapy program, using songwriting and his guitar as tools for healing and self-expression.
“Music has given me a way to start talking about my experiences,” said Hamlet. “Writing songs, playing guitar and jamming with other veterans has helped me process anxiety, reconnect with people and turn some difficult experiences into something meaningful.”
Hamlet is just one of many military veterans throughout the U.S. whose lives have been transformed through music therapy, using music as a tool for healing, connection, emotional expression and renewed purpose.
Research has shown that music therapy can help veterans reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression and social isolation by providing healthy outlets for emotional expression, stress reduction and connection with others. Studies involving veterans have also found that songwriting and active music-making can improve emotional well-being, social functioning and overall quality of life for individuals processing trauma related to military service.
The Sounds of Service program strengthens resiliency and quality of life through music skills, collaboration, emotional wellness strategies and community connection. While many participants engage in one-on-one music therapy or structured workshops, others simply attend to play music, jam with fellow veterans and build a sense of belonging. Services, provided by credentialed, board-certified music therapists, are offered free of charge or at reduced cost through the support of donors, grants and foundations.
The Resounding Joy Sounds of Service Band — a community of veterans who come together through music to connect and heal — will perform at San Diego International Airport Terminal 1 baggage claim on Friday, May 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The band recently performed a private concert aboard the USS Midway Museum.
For more information about Resounding Joy and its Sounds of Service program, visit ResoundingJoyInc.org.
About Resounding Joy
Resounding Joy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004, serves diverse audiences through four core music therapy programs: Sounds of Legacy (seniors), Sounds of Service (military), Sounds of Healing (children and their families) and Sounds of Community (broad outreach to others in the community). In 2025, the organization brought the healing power of music to people of all ages, abilities and incomes—providing more than 1,200 sessions and reaching nearly 10,000 individuals across San Diego County. In every setting, from hospital rooms to community parks, music has offered connection, comfort and hope. For more information about Resounding Joy and its transformative work, please visit our website at https://resoundingjoyinc.org/.
