Kelly Clarkson Introduces Nashville Beneficiaries For 2016 Miracle On Broadway

Pictured (L-R): Michael Shmerling, Kent Oliver, Kelly Clarkson, Jonah Rabinowitz, Jaynee Day. Photo: Eric T. Parker

During a press conference at Nashville’s Starstruck Entertainment earlier today (Dec. 9), 2017 Grammy Awards nominee Kelly Clarkson introduced beneficiaries of her second Miracle on Broadway Christmas show next week (Dec. 16) at the Bridgestone Arena.

“What I found interesting with all the organizations we happened to pick this year is [they] are all intertwined somehow,” remarked Clarkson. “W.O. Smith kids have come to sing for Abe’s Garden. And when we were at [Abe’s Garden] they were raising money, I feel like it was for Second Harvest. Y’all are all intertwined, which I thought was really beautiful and organic.”

Also benefited this year will be the Nashville Public Library Fund.

Though the Facebook Live feed had technical difficulties and did not air, Clarkson— a Texas-native—encouraged everyone to give back in their own communities.

“I love Nashville,” Clarkson went on to say. “I’ve been here for a decade now and I feel like this is my community as well. [Giving back is] an important thing for everyone to do. Even if [a charity] doesn’t affect you on your daily, it will down the line—it’s the Domino effect. It’s really important for us to support each other. That’s more relevant now, than ever.”

Tickets are still available for the 2016 Miracle on Broadway, including various VIP experiences, at ticketmaster.com. The star lineup already includes Reba, Ronnie Dunn, Kelsea Ballerini, RaeLynn, The Steeldrivers, and Nashville’s Chip Esten.

Pictured (L-R): Jonah Rabinowitz, Michael Shmerling, Kelly Clarkson, Kent Oliver, Jaynee Day. Photo: Natalie Moorhead

Leaders of the four local charities she will be supporting with proceeds from the event offered remarks during the conference, including Jaynee Day, Pres./CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Second Harvest serves 46 counties—half the state of Tennessee.

“One in seven Tennesseans, and one in five children in Tennessee does not know where there next meal will be coming from,” noted Day. “Healthy/nutritious food is a critical component for all of our success and the success of our communities in being healthy and being able to read and play instruments.”

Day’s charity is the only returning charity from 2014, when $400,000 was raised. “For every dollar that we received, we can provide four meals,” noted Day. “So over 400,000 meals were provided by Kelly, her team, and the community [two years ago].”

Jonah Rabinowitz, Executive Director of the W.O. Smith Music School, touted the 100 percent high school graduation rate for the past 18 years his students have had who learned a musical instruction in his programs.

“All except three have gone on to either a two-, or four-year college, and the other three went in to the military,” noted Rabinowitz. “We provide music instruction to students qualifying for reduced/free lunch programs. They get their instruction for 50 cents, we provide students with their instrument and music if they don’t have those things available.

“It’s taking a child with great need and putting them in a lesson where they learn something about the craft of making music, but what they’re really doing is having this personal relationship [with their instructor] that makes a huge difference in a child’s life—it’s steady and their efforts are going to be appreciated.”

Founder and Chairman of Abe’s Garden, Michael Shmerling, named the charity after his father Abe, who declined with early onset of Alzheimer’s. Shmerling’s experience with care facilities led to a 12-year development process, after which Abe’s Garden opened last year, disseminating free information throughout the country and housing 42 beds. 35,000 Nashville residents have the disease.

“You think, oh that’s a memory care facility, that’s amazing because people are obviously in need because of the statistics,” noted Clarkson. “But the actual architecture and gardening and classes, and how they’re all productive.”

Kent Oliver, Director of the Nashville Public Library, was representing its foundation, which raises private dollars to promote library services, which include education with computers, robotics, 3D printer, film making, puppet shows for literacy, etc.

“Metro government does a great job at supporting us, but over the course of its lifetime, the foundation has raised $43 million for these value-added programs,” noted Oliver. “Without the foundation, we would not have the opportunity to make this difference.”