AUSTIN (KXAN) — A program in Austin, Texas, says the therapeutic and community-building benefits of playing music are helping people who’ve transitioned out of homelessness.

Home Street Music holds regular jams at the Community First Village, a 51-acre neighborhood for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness.

The non-profit was first founded in 2017 and has worked with hundreds of people in the time since.

Founder Vanessa Lively said she drew inspiration from a program called Art From the Streets.

“I wanted a similar program that offered a safe space to create music, write songs, be musically creative and playful, and for folks to build community and camaraderie and confidence through the program,” she said.

Each music circle is made up of 10 to 15 people, who in many cases have never played before.

Johann Wagner helps them learn, and said he’s seen it make a real difference in how people carry themselves.

“It gives them something to do creatively and musically, which is really kind of beautiful, because it brings out something within you that you didn’t know that you had,” Wagner said.

Next month Home Street Music is hosting a community awareness event, where the organizations musicians will be the headliners for the first time.

The event is free and open to the public, but advanced tickets are recommended as the venue has limited capacity.

The event is set to take place on Saturday, May 18, from 5-7 p.m. at St. Martin’s Church in downtown Austin.

“It’s going to really give people a great idea, and they’ll feel what it feels like to be in our music program, in our music circle, even just for an hour,” Lively said.