Program aims to create spiritual journey through arts and music

Friday, Jun. 17, 2016

OGDEN — A new music program intended to create a spiritual journey for low-income adults in the Ogden area already has 20 participants.

The program was started at Give Me A Chance, a not-for-profit ministry of the Daughters of Charity that serves low-income women and children.

Give Me a Chance was founded in 2010 by Daughter of Charity Sister Maria Nguyen to teach low-income women sewing skills and the basic business practices necessary to establish micro-businesses to help them become self-sufficient. GMAC now has two locations: the original location on Washington Avenue, which is the GMAC Bridal & Formal Center; and the location on Grant Avenue adjacent to the Guadalupe Garden, which is the GMAC Learning Center. 

At the learning center adults can learn sewing skills, take classes in nutrition and parenting, obtain counseling and use the computer center. Also available are a day care and after-school tutoring for children, and now the new summer music and arts program.

Daughter of Charity Sister Lucia Lam-Nguyen “wanted to better use her talents to develop a program focusing in art and music,” Sr. Maria said.

Sr. Lucia has been teaching music and arts for more than 10 years.

The GMAC music and arts program is aimed at low-income adults, and so far 15 people are attending the sessions held on Mondays and Wednesdays, while five more take the piano and guitar lessons that are held on Saturdays.

“We want to build the people up with education and opportunities. … The wholeness of the person spiritually and in talents is very important,” said Sr. Maria.

The music and arts programs are free of charge and are supported by donations.

“People can find they can grow emotionally and spiritually through the art and music,” said Sr. Lucia, who teaches both classes, which are meant to “welcome people to an spiritual journey through arts.”

So far the program is in a month-long testing phase, but Sr. Lucia is hoping to make it permanent.

“Little by little people are signing up, and that’s wonderful,” she said.

Sr. Lucia also invites people to make donations; the program is in need of guitars, water color paper, canvases, paint brushes, acrylics and water color paints.

The Daughters of Charity is a religious order established in 1633 by St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac in France. It strove to serve the poor of its times and continued to respond and evolve to meet changing needs and requirements. In Utah, the Daughters of Charity sisters have served mostly as school teachers since the 1920s. 

To donate or for information,  call 801-627-2235 or email gmacutah@gmail.com.