The Guitar Center Music Foundation (GCMF), a non-profit organization focused on granting instruments and equipment to music education and music therapy programs, has received more than $500,000 via a series of Guitar Center’s in-store and online fundraising initiatives known as the “Round Up Your Change” program. The company will use funds to help keep music education programs alive.
During fundraising drives, Guitar Center gave customers the option of donating by rounding up their purchase to the nearest dollar. This gave customers an easy way to support music education during the challenging times of the current pandemic crisis.
Between July 5 – Aug. 1 and Sept. 7 – Dec. 31, 2020, the “Round Up Your Change” programs saw 52 percent of Guitar Center customers opting to donate. There were a total of 829,320 transactions at an average donation of 61 cents. With these donations, 28 music programs across the country received grants so far, with more planned for 2021. Among the music programs that benefited from the “Round Up” donations were Upperman High School in Baxter, TN; Newton County Middle School in Decatur, MS; Jordan High School in Los Angeles, CA; Norfolk Middle School in Norfolk, NE; and others.
Thoughts on the Guitar Center Music Foundation Fundraisers
“This past year has been devastating, with natural disasters, the pandemic, and personal tragedy framing these months with heaviness and grief. But we know music is a healer, so there was no choice, but to keep at it,” said Emily Phillips, choir director and commercial music instructor at Upperman High School. “You can tell from the students’ demeanor how stressful this year has been, with funerals in our community being a regular occurrence and quarantines due to pandemic exposure making any sort of routine a non-reality. But then the truck from the Guitar Center Music Foundation showed up literally a week before the one-year anniversary of the major tornado, and it provided not only instruments and excitement, but also just the perfect distraction at the right moment for us. I don’t have the words to express my gratitude to all who contributed.”
“I am delighted that the ‘Round Up’ program has been so well received by the customers of Guitar Center,” David Helfant, chairman of the board of the Guitar Center Music Foundation, added. “Despite the financial and personal challenges in this country due to the pandemic, people are still reaching into their pockets to help support music education and music therapy. It is a real testament to the kindness and compassionate of the public for music, music education and our foundation.”
The next Guitar Center “Round Up Your Change” initiative began on February 28 and will continue through March 27. Donations can be made in-store and online via Guitar Center’s e-commerce channels.
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