Sarah Arrington is a fraud analyst with Bank of America. She’s also a passionate supporter of the GSO. Find out how she multiplies the impact of her giving through matching grants.
“I learned of the GSO Chorus years ago when they advertised that they were looking for singers. I’ve always enjoyed singing, so I came in for an audition. I was so excited to join and be a part of the chorus. It’s very rewarding. Music is one of those arts that transcends. It’s been something that helps me with managing stress…it brings emotional calmness and warms my soul.
That’s why our company, Bank of America, recognizes the arts as one of the areas they support. They know that the arts have a profound place in our society. Music is very important..it brings people together and they want to encourage that.
Bank of America has two programs: a volunteer grant and a matching grant. For every 50 hours that I volunteer, they give me the opportunity to direct a $500 grant to the charity of my choice. They also have a matching grant for employee donations. My chorus dues count as a donation, so my company matches that dollar for dollar.
I would encourage people to look into how their company supports philanthropy.
A lot of companies do this and it’s so easy to take advantage of.
Just a couple of clicks and it’s done. It’s a great way to multiply your impact.
I chose the GSO as the recipient of my grants largely because of my son. As a mother of a child with special needs, the Sensory Friendly concerts really spoke to me. To see him come and experience the music without limitations. In that environment, he can feel the power of the full orchestra and you can see how it opens up and unlocks different parts of his brain. It’s an extreme sensory gift that he is immersed in.
To see the smile on his face when he gets to put his hands on the instruments in the Instrument Petting Zoo…where else can kids put their hands all over real instruments?! But they had a real cello so kids could run the bow over the strings and feel it. My son put his cheek on the body of the cello to feel the vibrations. It was like a magical experience for him.
Both the chorus and the Sensory Friendly concerts are why I wanted to put all of my money toward the GSO. These programs mean a lot to our community. We come together to make and experience music. It’s an opportunity to participate in something beautiful. It would be devastating if the GSO didn’t exist. We’ve got to keep it going. “
Why your support matters
For over 72 years, the GSO has been dedicated to serving our community through musical enrichment and education. From scholarships for students in our youth orchestra, to providing sensory friendly concerts and outreach into underrepresented populations, we responsibly steward your donations to have the greatest impact across all of our programs.
