Rosie’s House Receives $250,000 Grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation.

General operating support helps expand access to free music education while strengthening early childhood programs

The unrestricted gift allows Rosie’s House to invest where it is needed most while continuing to expand programs that inspire creativity, build confidence, and create opportunities through music. By 2027, Rosie’s House will serve upwards of 1,000 students annually, thanks to philanthropic support it receives from the community.

“We are deeply grateful to The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation for their continued investment in Rosie’s House,” said Becky Bell Ballard, CEO of Rosie’s House. “Flexible operating support allows us to meet the evolving needs of our students and families while continuing to grow programs that have a lasting impact on children’s lives.”

A shared priority between the Foundation and Rosie’s House is early childhood education. Research shows that 90% of a child’s brain develops before age five, making early exposure to music a powerful tool for language development, memory, physical coordination, and school readiness.

“Watching children light up through music is a powerful reminder that learning happens in so many different ways,” said Renee Parsons, Co-Founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “Rosie’s House creates opportunities for children to build confidence, express themselves, and discover talents they may never have known they had.”

The Foundation’s support also complements an ongoing partnership between Rosie’s House and Child Crisis Arizona, another Parsons Foundation grantee. Through this collaboration, Rosie’s House brings bilingual early childhood music classes to children and caregivers both at its downtown Phoenix campus and at Child Crisis Arizona’s East Valley campus, helping families experience the developmental benefits of music in a welcoming, community-based setting.

For more than 30 years, Rosie’s House has used music as a catalyst for opportunity, providing free music education that helps young people build confidence, develop leadership skills, and discover their full potential. In addition to music instruction, students receive mentoring, performance opportunities, and college and career guidance that prepare them for success beyond the classroom. Today, 96% of Rosie’s House graduates continue to pursue their college and career goals.

“Renee and I want programs like these to be available to all kids, especially those whose families can least afford them,” said Bob Parsons, Co-Founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “Learning to play an instrument goes beyond simply playing music.  Kids learn discipline and persistence—lessons that last a lifetime.”

To learn more about Rosie’s House, visit RosiesHouse.org.