Electric Moon has a guiding light
Van Nuys man's foundation helps kids at Inglewood shelter find artistic outlet
By Marianne Love CORRESPONDENT
No one in Rashad Neal's family plays an instrument, despite loving many genres of music. But that didn't stop the 10-yearold from pickingupaguitar while living in an Inglewood shelter following the death of his father last year.
Because of that tragedy, his family participated in the shelter's HomeLight Family Living, a program of l','[.idnight l',1.ission that provides housing and support services for homeless families, helping them to rebuild their lives. The program offers art and music for the children,run by Van Nuys resident Brent Nuffer, executive director of the Electric Moon Foundation.
Over the past year and a halt Rashad not only learned to strum the guitar while living at the Inglewood shelter, he also picked up the trumpet at his elementary school.
"I love the guitar, Iloveplaying it
MOON
From Pagel
the drums. I'm very grateful for the program and thankful for Brent, too. (The program) has made me happier:•
Nuffer founded the nonprofit Electric Moon Foundation in 2023, focusing mostly on children in shelters, guiding them to express themselves through music and art
"I had a rough upbringing as a kid," growing up in Michigan, Nuffer said, a songwriter and singer in a Pearl Jam cover band. "I was confused at the time, and I was feeling kind of abandoned, and I was very, verymuch bulliedandl waskindoflookingforaplace where I fit in and where I had a voice. And I found music and rock 'n' roll and art, and I instantly felt I was home, where I was safe and it gave me refuge, and it felt like a family within the bands. I just felt seen and heard for the first time."
Today, Nuffer receives financial grants from various funders, including the Seattle-based rock band Pearl Jam, enabling him to donate musical instruments, including guitars, to sheltered children. Nuffer is currently working with 10 children at the Inglewood shelter. He also works with other organizations, including the nonprofit Alexandria House in Los Angeles, a transitional home that provides safe and supportive housing for women and children experiencing homelessness.
Rashad, his mom, and his 18-year-old sister reached that goal a few weeks ago and moved into an independent living space again.
"Rashad's dad was killed about a year ago and the family became homeless as a result,'' said Ricardo Rosales, director of the Inglewood-based HomeLight Family Living program. "I've always told people we're not in the homeless business; we're in the self-esteem business!'
Rosales agrees music helps children with their emotional well-being, giving them an outlet to express their feelings. "I've seen where it's also helping them build their social skills:' he added about Nuffer's work with the organization's sheltered children.
Naika Neal, Rashad's mother, said he was always interested in playing an instrument and he has changed since hooking up with Nuffer and other musical children at the shelter.
"He is more studious now;' Naika Neal said. "He enjoys going to the instruction classes. He really, really enjoys it very much. He's always geared to go. Brent has beensuchablessingtous.He has been so nice and kind!'
A group effort is underway by Nuffer and the children to writeasongcalled the "Wild Zone" about a female elephant who lives on a planet full of war, destruction and pollution. The elephant and a friend travel to a healthier planet to find seeds to plant on their destroyed planet with hopes of restoring it
"It'saslowsong lik:eyou're telling a story" said Rashad, a story about friends who support and help each other.
For more infonnation about Electric Moon, visit electricmoonfoundation.org.
Uplifting Marginalized Youth: Electric Moon founder to appear on the Kelly Clarkson Show
The Electric Moon Foundation serves youth in underserved areas of Los Angeles through its music programs and mentoring.
Electric Moon Foundation/Submitted
Brent Nuffer has spent years using music and art to reach kids in marginalized neighborhoods. Now the Electric Moon Foundation founder will share that work on a national stage during the Kelly Clarkson Show’s holiday special and “Rad Human” segment.
Nuffer is a musician and artist who grew up much like the kids he now serves, kids in underserved communities with limited access to music and the arts.
“Music and art gave me refuge, a safe place where I could go, and I had a voice; all of a sudden, I felt seen and heard,” Nuffer said. “We try to work with kids that might be hurting and confused and give them a guiding light through music and art.”
Through the Electric Moon Foundation, Nuffer provides music and art programs, instruments, mentoring, trauma-related therapies, anti-bullying programs and performance opportunities. The nonprofit partners with groups that include The Midnight Mission, Alexandria House and Union Rescue Mission to support its work.
Classes are often held at a transitional housing facility run by The Midnight Mission. Kids learn to process their feelings through music, from learning how to play instruments to writing and composing songs.
“I think music and art are needed more than ever, and I think it’s just a resource that these kids can learn young,” Nuffer said. “It’s more than just the music, but what’s in between the notes and about life and how to be kind to one another and how to collaborate.”
Since launching in 2022, the nonprofit has served hundreds of kids and has collaborated with well-known bands like Pearl Jam and The Killers. In fact, Electric Moon was recently named the November recipient of the Vitalogy Foundation’s Future Days Fund, which comes with a $2,500 award and a shoutout on Pearl Jam’s social media accounts.
Despite its impact, the foundation continues to face funding challenges, Nuffer said. Electric Moon does accept donations on its website to help offset the cost of programs, including the purchase of instruments, art supplies and support for live performances.
A donation of $25 can cover learning materials. One $100 donation pays for a music lesson. A contribution of $250 supports a classroom session, and $380 provides a monthlong scholarship for online classes. The Electric Moon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
Nuffer hopes to expand the foundation’s reach and eventually bring programs to Detroit, where he lived and worked earlier in his career. “That’s a major goal … it’s my life’s work … we just want to continue to grow and get bigger and bring music and the arts to as many vulnerable youth as we can,” he said.
Nuffer said he is excited for the chance to highlight Electric Moon’s mission on national television. “We’ve got a lot of heart and passion behind it,” he said. “We’re just looking forward to meeting Kelly and chatting with her.”
He and a youth participant will attend the taping on Monday, Dec. 8, and the episode is scheduled to air on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
Along with the Kelly Clarkson Show appearance, Electric Moon is preparing a holiday program that features skits and songs written by the kids, titled “Mr. Bumbo & The Small Seeds.”
The story follows an alien robot who comes to Earth without emotions. The kids teach Mr. Bumbo how to be happy, feel loved and manage anxiety. He returns to his home planet, which has been damaged by war and pollution, and shares what he learned on Earth.
The performance is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 11, at the HomeLight Shelter, a living program offered by The Midnight Mission.
The Electric Moon Foundation will also host its third annual holiday benefit featuring songwriters Lauren Vahdani, Chase Miller, Stephanie Wittmer and Nuffer, whose artist name is Arthur Autumn.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m. at Universal Bar in North Hollywood. It will include giveaways, raffles, silent auction items and Nuffer will perform songs he wrote with kids from Electric Moon’s arts and music programs.