About Songs of Love

The Songs of Love Foundation is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that creates free, personalized, original songs to uplift children and teens currently facing tough medical, physical or emotional challenges. Each CD is professionally produced with lyrics containing the child's name and references to all of his or her favorite activities, things, people, and pets. Songs are written and performed in any language in the musical style that the child likes best (pop, R&B, rap, rock, alternative, etc.), by a variety of talented professionals.

As each child is unique, so is every 'song of love' composition. Since 1996 the Songs of Love Foundation has reached out to over 22,500 children in over 500 hospitals and health care facilities in all 50 states. The songs have often been played to alleviate pain and trauma during painful and scary hospital treatments. The song recipients have played their "songs of love" in all kinds of situations and settings such as car trips to the hospital, show and tell at school, for family and friends in person or on the phone, and even for the doctors and nurses. The children have their "songs of love" always available to them whenever they are feeling down.

The Songs of Love History

Walking down the street in early 1996, an idea suddenly came to John Beltzer that would deeply touch many lives. As a way of providing sick children with a source of inspiration, joy, and possibly even healing, he set out to create personalized one-of-a-kind songs for them.

The very first 'song of love' was for 5-year-old cancer patient Brittany, a patient at St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. After receiving her song, her mother put her on the phone, and with the cutest little voice she simply said, "Thank you for my song." After that defining moment, there was no turning back!

John quickly got busy gathering a team of songwriters and performers from across the country to compose and record the unique songs. The Songs of Love Foundation was founded soon thereafter, the only organization of its kind.

To date, Songs of Love has written more then 22,500 songs for children in more than 500 hospitals across the country and throughout the world. The pool of artists has grown to more then 350 songwriters, lyricists, instrumentalists and vocalists who have experienced the excitement of being able to give back with the talents they were given. When you take into account that hundreds of schools, companies and charitable groups have lent their voices to children's songs as well, the symphony includes many thousands of people.

Songs of Love is dedicated to the memory of John's twin brother Julio who wrote and recorded the composition 'Songs of Love' just two months before he died on April 12, 1984. This was his gift to all of us.

FAQ

Q. Who qualifies to receive a 'song of love?'

A. Songs of Love writes songs for children between the ages of one and twenty-one (21) who are currently facing life-threatening or life-limiting physical, mental or emotional challenges. Feel free to contact us if you have questions regarding your child's condition.

Q. How long does it take to complete a 'song of love?'

A. From the time that we receive the profile, it takes approximately 4 to 8 weeks before the song is delivered to the child. We work our hardest to keep it as close to 4 weeks as possible, but the process may be held up in certain cases. In the event that a song is taking longer than normal to complete, someone from our office will contact you to let you know. We can rush songs in special situations.

Q. How can I request a song?

A. You can fill out a profile online or by hand and submit by mail or fax. Click here for more information or call 1-800-960-7664.

Q. Who writes the songs?

A. Songs are written by independent singer-songwriters who write, perform and record music in all different styles and languages, including but not limited to pop, country, hip-hop and children's music.

Q. Can I be a songwriter?

A. Songs of Love works with professional songwriters in all genres and languages. We are ideally looking for someone who can write the lyrics and music, perform and produce their own. This helps us streamline our operation, and ensure that every song is of a similar quality and delivered in a timely fashion.

Q. How much does it cost to have a song written for my child?

A. There is never a cost to the immediate families or medical facilities. Any efforts on the part of the family members to make contributions and/or help with fundraising is purely voluntary as part of our Music Messenger/Song Sponsor Program™.

Q. Can Songs of Love write a song for an ill child's siblings, or for a child who has already passed away?

A. Songs of Love's mission is to create free songs for children who are struggling with medical challenges at the time they request the song, and is unfortunately unable to do free songs for the siblings or for children who pass away before requesting a song. Our Gift of Song program allows these songs to be written for a donation. For more information, please contact our office.

Q. How can I get involved?

A. You can find out about the many ways to support the Songs of Love Foundation here.

The Board of Directors
John Beltzer • CEO & Founder - Songs of Love Foundation
Jeff Baltimore • President - XL Graphics
Richard Berardi • Vice President - MRB Records/reachHigher.org
Tony Carrion • Founder - Market-Harmonics.org
Scott Curran • President - The Curran Group

In Memorium
Geri Fessler

Honorary Chairpersons
In Memorium
Moshe & Ester Beltzer

The Advisory Board
Joseph Acierno -- Joseph's Classic Market
Patricia Aresty
Tony Asher
Laura Avers -- MT-BC, Board Certified Music Therapist
Sid Bernstein
Donna Britton -- President, Shadow Mountain Publishing, L.L.C.
Marcel Cocit -- Celebrity Chef
Ezra M. Cohen -- Rabbi, Educator, Speaker
Marie Cook -- Past President, American Legion Auxiliary, Dept. of New York
Matt Cusson
Ken Dashow -- Q104 FM
Matthew Ferri
Emanuel Gold -- Esq.
Barbara Hesser -- Director Music Therapy Program, New York University
Lynn Hoffman -- Lynn Hoffman Entertainment/Host, Private Sessions, VH1 Classic
Meghan D. Kelly, MS, CCLS -- Director, Child Life Program & Carl Sagan Discovery Program The Children's Hospital at Montefiore
Eddie Kilgallon -- Band Leader, Montgomery Gentry
Alan Krinsky
Joyce Krinsky
Will Lee -- David Letterman Band & The Fab Faux
Jonah Lipsky -- Bridging the Music
Joanne Loewy, PhD -- Director Pediatric Music Therapy Program, Beth Israel Medical Center
Richard Louis
Susan Markham
Gloria Mattera, M.Ed., CCLS -- President, Child Life of Greater New York
Bob McGrath -- Sesame Street
Ben Mevorach
Karen Nisenson -- MM Juilliard School, MA New York University, Music Therapy
Larry Perfetti, Ed.D. -- Kier's Kidz
Gary R. Rosen
Mike Rosenman
Bruce Rothbard
Dara Sedaka
Richard Shore, MD -- Director of Pediatric Oncology, Toledo Children's Hospital
Mitch Siegal, D.C. -- Siegal Chiropractic Clinic
Geoff Smith
Ed Sirlin
Mark Jude Tramo, MD., PhD -- Harvard Medical School
Nick Vallelonga
Frank Vallelonga

Hospital Staff Advisory Board

Marion Kalbacker SW -- Duke University Med. Ctr. Susan Trout, CSW -- Duke University Med. Ctr. Kristen Johnson, CLS -- Johns Hopkins Children Ctr. Kristie Opiola, CLS -- Cook Children's Medical Ctr. Stacey Carroll, CLS -- Cook Children's Medical Ctr. Cathy Harrison, CLS -- Children's Hospital & Regional Med. Ctr. Laura (Avers) Duda, MT -- Children's Hospital of Michigan Meghan Kelly, CLS -- Montefiore Medical Center Talia Haviv, CLS -- Montefiore Medical Center Amanda Hoskins, CCLS -- Montefiore Medical Center Kim Serraro, CCLS -- Montefiore Medical Center Kristal Neal, CLC -- Saint Peter's University Hospial Melony Xynidis, CL -- Wolfson Children's Hospital Tina Ulanowski, CLS -- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Carrie Schmid, SW -- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Surani Guneratne, MSW -- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Elizabeth Miller, SW -- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Stephanie Fooks-Parker, SW -- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Merry Oswalt, CLS -- University of MS / Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children Lori McCullough, MSW -- Children's Hospital of Columbus Marcia Shapiro, LSW -- Children's Hospital of Columbus Susan Sherwood, CLS -- Doernbecher Children's Hospital Julie Holowell, CLS -- Vanderbilt Children's Hospital Katie Gentry, CLS -- Vanderbilt Children's Hospital Deborah Roberts, CLS -- Kaiser Permanente Hospital Marilyn Cassidy, RN -- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Alison Heffer, CLS -- New York Presbyterian Hospital Kasey Massa, CLS -- Specialty Care Center of Children's Hospital of Phil. Sally Cress, RN -- Children's Rehabilitative Services Jennifer Brown, CTRS, CCLS -- Pitt Memorial Hospital Ann Fogel CCLS -- Hackensack University Medical Center Jennifer Redfern CCLS -- MUSC Children's Hospital Meagan Fonseca CTRS -- Florida Children's Hospital Nancy Winters LSW -- Pediatric Specialty Center, Lehigh Valley Hospital Kim Sherman, SW -- Kaiser Permanente of Oakland Laura Hagerty, SW -- University Medical Center of Arizona Emily Buchanan CCLS -- Sutter Memorial Hospital Shirley Mason LCSW -- Doernbecher Children's Hospital Ellen Collins CCLS -- Essential Care Hospice Regina Burdett CCLS -- Texas Children's Hospital Lynn Hardesty SW -- Children's National Medical Center Lynn Davis CCLS -- Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital Eileen Kenna LSW -- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Elena Nazario SW -- Children's National Medical Center Becki Moss CCLS -- St. Louis Children's Hospital Jana Westlake SW -- St. Francis Hospital Penny Degoosh OSW -- Vermont Children's Hospital Areum Min CCLS -- Lutheran General Children's Hospital Laura Worsham RN, MACW -- Christus Santa Rosa Children's Hospital Michelle Miller PSW -- Hospice of the Western Reserve Kelli McManus SW -- St. Mary's (MAYO) Holly Potoeski, CTRS -- St. Mary's Hospital for Children Jessica Wiederholt CCLS -- Kosair Children's Hospitalr Roberta Johnson CCLS -- Arkansas Children's Hospital Sarah Durbin MSW -- Kentucky Clinic Linda Peck C.A. Therapist -- New Alternatives for Children Caley Nelson LMSW -- Phoenix Children's Hospital Stacey Koleszar LCSW -- Riley Children's Hospital Stacey Downing LCSW -- Riley Children's Hospital Judy Edens, CL -- Montreal Children's Hospital Robyn Howard-Anderson MSW -- Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Beverly Lowe MSW -- Children's Hospital of Oakland Gwen Robinson LCSW -- Shands Hospital Ashley Williams CCLS -- T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital Marinda McConnell CCLS -- Niswonger Children's Hospital Laura McCullough CCLS -- Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Miriam Burkett, MSW -- Mission Hospitals, Asheville, NC June McAtee, MSW -- Children’s Hosptial of Omaha, NE Nikki Wilke, CCLS -- Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, Greenvile, SC

Jennifer Brown, CTRS, CCLS -- Pitt Memorial Hospital Robin Capecci, MSW -- St. Christopher's Hospital for Children Alistair Robertson, CSW -- Children's Hospital of California Traci Aoki, CLS -- Kaiser Medical Center Sacramento Cammie Woodward, CLS -- Kaiser Medical Center Sacramento Denise Morrissey, CCLS -- Lutheran General Children's Hospital Emily Gotha, CLS -- Lutheran General Children's Hospital Linda Bensing, CLS -- Lutheran General Children's Hospital Flora Wu, CLS -- Carolinas Medical Center Susan Goode, CLD -- Carolinas Medical Center Meghan Sealy, CLS -- Sacred Heart Children's Hospital Rhys VanDemark, CLS -- DeVos Children's Hospital Erica Turner, CLS -- University of Chicago Children's Hospital Heather Kinney, CLS -- Virginia Commonwealth University Health Sys. Stacy Sedlack, CCLS -- St. Louis Children's Hospital Lisa Johnson CCLS -- Children's National Medical Center Katie Johnson SW -- Duke University Medical Center Laura Starsoneck, CL -- T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital Hillyard, CCLS -- Children's Memorial Hospital Wendy Shama, SW -- Hospital for Sick Children (Ontario) Priscilla Manisto, SW -- SMDC - Duluth Clinic Joli Craver, CL -- Nemours Children's Clinic Alice Burrowes, C L Assist. -- Barbara Bush Children's Hospital @ MMC Kathleen Nicosia, MT -- Neurohealth Cathy Cerruti, CLS -- Goryeb Children's Hospital Amy Rapport, CCLS -- NYU Hassenfeld Children's Center Margaret Warden RN -- Children's London Health Sciences Centre Karel O'Brien SW -- Children's Hospital of Michigan Joyce Kilgore-Carlin SW -- Univ. of Wisconsin American Family Health Ctr. Jen Usinger CLS -- Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital Jennifer Hudgins CLSS -- St. Joseph's Chlldren's Hospital Colleen Ducke CCLSS -- St. Vincent's Hospital Cinda McDonald CCLS -- Community Hospice of Texas Kristen Brown CLS -- Carolinas Medical Center Yelena Zatulovsky LCAT, MA, MT-BC, GC-C, CCLS -- Roosevelt Hospital Leah Forster, LCSW -- Primary Children's Medical Center Kimberly Schafer LISW -- Akron Children's Hospital Bryan Gish LCSW -- Doernbecher Children's Hospital Carrie Kindopp CLM -- Sanford Children's Hospital Debbie Conklin CCLS -- Nebraska Medical Center Christine Neugebauer MT -- Shriner's Burn Hospital for Children Jan Stouffer MT -- Penn State Hershey Therapy Services Rebecca Bratcher CCLS -- Sutter Memorial Hospital Rebecca Rice CCLS -- Children's Hospital of Oakland Rita Aery CCLS -- Shriner's Hospital for Children, Northern CA Pam Byer SW -- Children's Medical Center, Dayton Ohio Christina Gornati CCLS -- St. Louis Children's Hospital Garry Werner LCSW -- St. Mary's Children's Hospital Home Care Program Jennifer Johnson CCLS -- Sutter Memorial Hospital Kristie Opiola CCLS -- Cook Children's Medical Center Bernadette Brunetti SW -- Broward General Medical Center Jodi Bauers CCLS -- DeVos Children's Hospital Lisa Mottola SW -- St. Louis Children's Hospital Erica Smith CCLS -- Children's Medical Center, Dallas, TX Laurie Park MT -- Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at WMC Sheila Dodds SW -- Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Paula Erck CCLS -- Sanford Children's Hospital Justine Tobin CCLS -- Sanford Children's Hospital Kimberlee Sheppard MT -- Hope Hospice and Community Services Ellen Goldring CCLS -- Hackensack University Medical Center Betty Welsh CCLS -- Pediatria Healthcare for Kids Kelly Olson MSW -- St. Louis Children's Hospital Kirsten Nelson MT -- University of Iowa Children's Hospital Wendy Jensen CCLS -- Sanford Children's Specialty Clinic Heather Hernandez CCLS -- Woodhull Medical & Mental Health Center Debie Binder CCLS -- The Children's Hospital Cindy Barshay, CCLS -- Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Portland, OR Lori Novitski, CCLS -- Christus Santa Rosa Children’s Hosp., San Antonio, TX