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Shawn Mendes is making a difference in his hometown community. On Thursday, September 15th Mendes announced that he is launching Wonder of Music, a music therapy program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto.
According to People, the singer made a $1 million commitment from the Shawn Mendes Foundation that will be used to support various music therapy activities like songwriting, music education, and the creation of original music set to the sounds of a patient's heartbeat.
"SickKids is a very special place to me and my hometown of Toronto, and I'm so honoured to support such an important program," Mendes said in a statement per People. "Music has made such a profound impact in my life and is no doubt a form of therapy to me. I can only hope the Wonder of Music Program will help SickKids patients, families, and staff benefit from its power as well."
In honor of the announcement, the singer also launched a line of Martin guitars which went on sale on Thursday. Martin Guitar also made a contribution to Wonder of Music as part of the launch.
In July, Mendes announced that he would be canceling the remaining dates on his Wonder World Tour to prioritize his mental and physical health. "This doesn't mean I won't be making new music, and I can't wait to see you on tour in the future," he assured fans. "I know you all have been waiting so long to see these shows, and it breaks my heart to tell you this but I promise I will be back as soon as I've taken the right time to heal. I love you all and thank you all so much for supporting me and sticking by me on this journey."