A man, a guitar and a mission for the benefit of St. Ann’s Center

St. Ann's Center recently received an awesome visit from Steven Cade, modern Country artist, Grammy nominee and founder of the Giving Guitars Foundation. Steven spent time with families, performed a selection of original songs, and shared from the heart about the music’s ability to bring hope, healing, and joy into our lives. 

Following the performance, Steven donated a brand-new, signed acoustic guitar to St. Ann’s Center, which will be available for women and their children to learn, play, and share. “My hope is that you will be able to learn guitar, write your own songs, and maybe even inspire someone else to write a song,” Steven said. Steven and the Cade family, thank you so much for visiting with our families and sharing your unique gifts with us. We can’t wait to share more highlights soon – and we sincerely hope you’ll visit again.

Read the full recap of this visit at the Catholic Standard!

A man, a guitar and a mission for the benefit of St. Ann’s

By Elizabeth Polo

Country music star Steven Cade hooked up his microphone stand as he set the stage. He strummed the chords of his guitar and practiced singing a few verses. The singer was no stranger to concerts, taking the stage with big names like Jason Aldean and Keith Urban, but on July 9 at St. Ann’s Center for Children, Youth and Families in Hyattsville, Maryland, his performance wasn’t quite like any other musical tour.

There was no roaring crowd. No crazy setlist. No pyrotechnics: just a dozen picnic tables, three songs, and an acoustic guitar slung over his shoulder. Yet for Cade, who has traveled from coast to coast, his music carried just as far at the intimate concert at St. Ann’s.

Young moms sat around the tables; their children running around excitedly.

“Are y’all ready to hear some music?” Cade asked.

For the past three and a half years, Cade and his family have toured across the country performing at shelters, foster homes and youth centers as part of his non-profit organization, the Giving Guitars Foundation. At each center Cade visits, he performs a few of his songs, meets with some of the residents, and donates a brand-new acoustic guitar for residents to check out and play.

The 10-time Grammy nominee said he wanted to use his gift to inspire those experiencing homelessness or facing other difficult situations. At St. Ann’s, services focus on helping young mothers and pregnant women overcome poverty.

“People start to focus on the things that are negative,” Cade said. “There’s got to be something that becomes a light in your life. Some people don’t know Jesus yet, but they do know a song. Healing doesn’t always come with money or even medicine. Sometimes it just comes with a melody.”

The performance started with the tap of his foot, then the pluck of a string, and then the bob of his head. Cade played his hit songs, "Big Picture Thinker," "Love Louder" and "Country Thing to Do."

Toddlers squealed joyfully as they bounced to the beat of the music. Mothers clapped their hands together. Bodies swayed to the twang of the voice of the country singer from Nashville...

Continue reading this story at the Catholic Standard: https://www.cathstan.org/local/a-man-a-guitar-and-a-mission-for-the-benefit-of-st-anns

Our Mission

St. Ann’s Center helps mothers and children overcome crisis and achieve lasting independence and stability by providing a safe and supportive home, child care, education and employment assistance, and clinical social work services within a Catholic community that welcomes all.