Furnish Green’s Furniture Drive for a Cause
Furnish Green is collaborating with Rhythm Break Cares (RBC) in a vintage furniture drive! RBC is a non profit devoted to a form of dance therapy for individuals with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. Furnish Green will be accepting donated pieces** of furniture starting on February 24th, and the proceeds from the donated pieces will go to the RB Cares “Dance with Dementia Programs.”
Why Rhythm Break Cares? Furnish Green’s owner Nathan Hescock is not solely a vintage furniture enthusiast. He started RBC in 2007 and has since worked to demonstrate the benefits of music, movement and touch through this form of dance therapy.
Nathan’s story:
My first encounter with the dementia population was when I was volunteering at an adult day center in the West Village of Manhattan about 15 years ago. At first, everyone sat in a circle silently, without interacting, but as I played Frank Sinatra and classics from their generation, this group of older people started moving in their seats and wheelchairs, tapping their feet or swaying to the waltz rhythm of Que Sera Sera. My ability to touch them, support their weight if they had physical disabilities, and get them to move awakened the group. Soon, everyone in the room was doing some form of dance, holding hands. Out of that eventually came the idea of Rhythm Break Cares, which brings the world of dance, healthcare, and neuroscience together.
More about Rhythm Break Cares:
Rhythm Break Cares (RBC) takes a unique and highly effective approach to address the widespread and immediate needs of individuals with Alzheimer’s, associated dementias, and their caregivers, by engaging them in partner dance as a means to improve their quality of life. Since 2009, RBC has successfully offered this interesting form of dance therapy, which capitalizes on the demonstrated benefits of music, movement and touch. Their sessions provide a rare opportunity for patients and their caregivers to escape some of the burdens associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia, in a stress-free environment where they can observe, participate and be entertained. Their dance artists are professionally trained Ballroom and Modern dancers that have undergone specific training to work with the Alzheimer’s, dementia, and elderly communities. They hold sessions in a variety of ways offering social functions at their midtown location, on-site sessions at dementia centers, private lessons, and instruction for caregivers and caregiver group classes. Some of the current on site locations and centers include: New York Memory Center, 80th St Residence, Hearthstone, The Esplanade, and The National Alzheimer’s Association.
** If you would like to donate a piece of vintage furniture for the cause, please send an email with images of the piece to furnishgreen@gmail.com ASAP. Please note: we will not be accepting all furniture as we have a limited amount of space. Pieces must be in fair condition needing minimal repairs and must fit with Furnish Green’s aesthetic.
While the donations will not be tax deductible, your contribution will help to grow a future 501c3 non profit, so that they can continue to support the Alzheimer’s community through dance therapy. Watch a video of their work HERE.
