Songs for Sound Charity Tours through Washington bringing the Gift of Sound

    SEATTLE, WA, September 07, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Do you find it difficult to keep up with conversation in noisy restaurants? Do you blast the volume on the television? Do you listen to music with ear-buds? Most of us, or someone we know, answers yes to at least one of these questions. Millions of Americans struggle with hearing loss and most do nothing about it. Songs for Sound, a Nashville-based nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of people living with hearing loss, is here to help. Their Hear the Music project is traveling through Washington all of September offering free hearing health services to encourage people to do something about hearing loss.

In two short years, The Hear the Music Project has brought their mobile hearing health exhibit to over 600 community sites throughout the nation, providing free hearing tests, hearing protection, and resources to connect you with today's hearing solutions. You can find an audiologist, book an appointment and demo hearing aids and cochlear implants in just minutes aboard the clinic. Presented by Cochlear Americas, the leader in implantable hearing technology, Songs for Sound's mission is AWARENESS, ACCESS & ACTION. Even if a participant passes the exam, SFS wants everyone to visit an Audiologist annually for regular ear check ups.

Songs for Sound has been helping people with hearing loss access sound since 2010. Jaime Vernon founded the charity after her daughter, Lexi, was born deaf and received the life-changing ability to hear through cochlear implants at 19-months old.

"After years of raising awareness and helping families navigate what can be a frustrating and cost-prohibitive hearing health system, we realized we need to do more to reach the people who need our help," says Vernon. "We created the Hear the Music Project to target populations where hearing loss is common of often goes undetected – among veterans, senior citizens, and underserved children."

During 2.5 years of targeted outreach spanning Aug 2015-present, the Hear the Music Project:
gave over 18,000 free hearing screenings;
gave over 30,000 pairs of hearing protection;
identified risks of hearing loss in 58% of visitors overall.

"This is designed to educate everyday Americans on the importance of healthy hearing. First, guests are greeted with warmth and love, because we're a charity. Then, they take a hearing screening on an iPad with calibrated headsets to Otohub's incredible screening technology, Otokiosk. Results are emailed and printed along with packets of information depending on results. Demo products by Cochlear Americas and Phonak on the latest hearing technology are also available. Even if you receive normal results, we encourage everyone to see an Audiologist for a hearing test annually. Hearing is fuel to our brain and it must be kept healthy." says Vernon.

If interested in volunteering, Audiologists, college students or anyone interested in serving, please visit HERE.

The Hear the Music Project will serve the following community sites in Washington over the next month:

September 4
SEATTLE, WA
Greenwood Senior Center
9am-3pm

September 5
SEATTLE, WA
Central Area Senior Center
10:30-2:30

September 6
RENTON, WA
Renton Senior Center
9am-2pm

September 7
MUKILTEO, WA
2018 Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival
4pm-7pm

September 8
MUKILTEO, WA
2018 Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival
11am-7pm

September 9
MUKILTEO, WA
2018 Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival
11am-5pm

September 12
SEATAC, WA
Matt Griffin YMCA
7am-12pm

September 13
SEATTLE, WA
Southeast Seattle Senior Center
9am-3pm

September 14
BELLEVUE, WA
Spiritwood Manor Boys and Girls Club
3:30-6:30
*not open to the public

September 15
SEATTLE, WA
Ser Mar-Fiestas Patrias 2018
9am-5pm

September 16
SEATTLE, WA
Ser Mar-Fiestas Patrias 2018
9am-5pm

September 19
SNOQUALMIE, WA
Snoqualmie Valley YMCA
9am-3pm

September 20
BELLEVUE, WA
Eastside Terrace Boys and Girls Club
3pm-6:30pm
*not open to the public

September 21
BELLEVUE, WA
North Bellevue Community Center- Senior Program
9am-1pm

September 21
BELLEVUE, WA
Hidden Village Boys and Girls Club
4pm-6:30pm
*not open to the public

Songs for Sound is a Nashville-based nonprofit organization that believes all people have the right to choose how they hear and communicate. The organization serves as a voice for children and adults with hearing loss, provides education on hearing loss solutions, raises funds for individuals and families with hearing loss, and lobbies for legislation that makes solutions more affordable and accessible.

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