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Award-winning nonprofit launches project using music, movement, and nature to foster connection, joy, and dignity for people living with dementia.
— Felipe Benítez, Corazón Latino CEO
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, August 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Corazón Latino has been awarded a 2026 Innovation Grant from the I’m Still Here Foundation (ISHF) to launch Raíces en Movimiento, a program designed to engage people living with dementia through music, movement, and nature.
Corazón Latino is one of seven organizations selected nationwide for ISHF’s 2026–2027 Innovation Grant cycle, chosen from a competitive national pool of applicants. Each grantee receives seed funding and mentorship to bring their project to life, incorporating the “I’m Still Here” philosophy—the conviction that people can live well with dementia—into their program.
Raíces en Movimiento is an innovative community program that brings together people living with dementia, their care partners, and intergenerational participants through live music, movement, and nature experiences in parks and community green spaces across the Washington, D.C., and Orlando, FL regions. Rooted in Latino culture and designed to foster joy, belonging, and authentic engagement, the program creates opportunities for participants to connect with one another, reduce social isolation, and experience the healing power of arts and nature together. This program will enable participants to experience connection, dignity, and the opportunity to remain active, creative, and engaged.
“This grant allows us to bring the healing power of nature and joy to people living with dementia and their caregivers,” said Felipe Benítez, Executive Director & Founder of Corazón Latino. “We are thrilled to test this model, learn from the communities we serve, and explore how we can bring it to communities around the world.”
In addition to providing seed funding, ISHF partners with grantees by providing mentorship, guidance, and sharing research-backed best practices. By helping innovative ideas grow and disseminating successful approaches to the community, ISHF works to ensure that all people living with dementia can experience connection, purpose, dignity, and hope.
“Hope in Action is more than a slogan—it is the guiding principle behind everything we do,” said Sharon Johnson, Executive Director of the I’m Still Here Foundation. “Organizations like Corazón Latino demonstrate what is possible when we focus on strengths, abilities, and opportunities rather than limitations. Their work reminds us that people living with dementia can continue to experience purpose, connection, growth, and joy throughout their dementia journey.”
About Corazón Latino:
Corazón Latino is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting underserved communities with nature, conservation, and culture through educational, environmental, and artistic initiatives. By integrating the arts with environmental stewardship and community engagement, Corazón Latino empowers people of all ages to build healthier communities while fostering a deeper connection to the natural world. Learn more at linktr.ee/coralatino.
About the I’m Still Here Foundation:
Founded in 1995 by Dr. John Zeisel, the I’m Still Here Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps communities and organizations implement research-informed, non-pharmacologic engagement programs that enable people living with dementia to continue to experience connection, dignity, and hope. ISHF works in close partnership with Hopeful Aging LLC, a National Institutes of Health-funded leader in non-pharmacologic dementia research, also founded by Dr. John Zeisel. Learn more at imstillhere.org.
Olivia Tyndall
Corazón Latino
+1 407-484-1197
olivia@corazonlatino.us
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