FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Angela SullivanP: (708) 420.3817E-mail: alsullivan@mail.lipscomb.edu

Children’s outreach duo, “The Play Café” begins partnership with Chicago Public Schools

Public schools designating time to the appreciation of music, art and storytelling

Chicago, IL – (September 4, 2015) – The Play Café, a start-up that focuses on cultivating customized programs for private children’s parties, is partnering with Chicago Public Schools to promote the importance of creativity.

Parent-Teacher Associations at CPS schools decided to announce a fundraising initiative called “This is Our Now” at their citywide meeting last year. “This is Our Now” is intended to fund programs for children in various budget-neglected areas: theatre and drama, music, art, library reading programs and many others were discussed.

The Play Café’s partnership with CPS is one of the first projects fully funded by “This is Our Now.” The Play Café program integrates original music by the Dennisons (Creators of The Play Café) with open-ended questions and the opportunity for children to use their imagination to create a story. “The most influential element that we’re bringing to the table…is the recognition of creativity that is already instilled in kids,” Linda Dennison says, “and we design our program in order to draw that out.”

The Dennisons agreed that “This is Our Now” was the boost public schools needed to cultivate a well-rounded curriculum that would provide for each child’s needs at the one place they could always count on—school. The Play Café will be focusing on each school on a weekly basis; however, they will return to the schools at various points throughout the year to check on creative projects. “This is Our Now” executives are grateful to each school in the CPS districts for encouraging student innovation and displaying their support through assemblies and glass cases showcasing student work.

Linda Dennison, co-founder of The Play Café with her husband Brad Dennison, has been in the creative writing field for over ten years; Brad put out his first solo album, “Bad Starts and Broken Hearts,” in early 2013 and now performs all over Chicago with an up-and-coming blues band, Jack Butlers Jones. More information about The Play Café can be found at: theplaycafechicago.com or by calling (708) 408-7496.

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