Reverb.com, the leading online marketplace dedicated to buying and selling new and used musical instruments, recently announced that it has donated more than $250,000-worth of musical instruments to youth music education programs across the U.S. and globally. Since launching its Reverb Gives initiative in 2018, the music gear marketplace has helped put musical instruments into the hands of students at more than 70 youth music education organizations. Reverb’s goal is to donate $500,000-worth of musical instruments by the end of 2019.
“Reverb’s mission is to make the world more musical by making it easy and affordable for anyone to buy and sell musical instruments. Our Reverb Gives initiative is a direct extension of that goal, enabling us to put instruments into the hands of students all over the world,” said David Kalt, Founder & CEO at Reverb. “Behind nearly every musician who uses the site and every employee at Reverb is a music instrument, teacher, or program that made a positive impact on their life. We’re grateful for the opportunity to play a part in the musical journeys of students across dozens of incredible programs through Reverb Gives.”
A portion of every sale made on Reverb goes to Reverb Gives, benefiting organizations such as:
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Notes for Notes—a national nonprofit that designs, equips and staffs after-school recording studios inside Boys & Girls Clubs and youth centers across the U.S., enabling youth to explore, create, and record music for free. “Thanks to Reverb Gives, two of our newest studios—Brooklyn and Denver—are now fully equipped with near field and stage monitors, synths, and drum machines,” said CEO and Co-Founder Phillip Gilley.
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Blue Star Connection—a program of the Grand County Blues Society in Colorado dedicated to providing access and ownership of musical instruments to children and young adults with cancer and other serious life challenges. “Thanks to Reverb Gives, Blue Star Connection is able to provide music instruments to an additional 30-40 children and young adults fighting cancer and other life-changing situations. We are honored to partner with a company that understands that music heals,” said David Brandt, Membership & Events Director at Grand County Blues Society.
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Bluegrass Ambassadors—the nonprofit arm of bluegrass band Henhouse Prowlers—which used its grant to bring nearly a dozen string instruments to the Czech Republic. The group used the instruments during three on-the-ground bluegrass workshops before ultimately donating the gear to local nonprofit learning center, Blue Owl, which will help students continue their music education through future workshops and Skype lessons with Bluegrass Ambassadors.
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Arts+—a Charlotte-based nonprofit that provides arts education in the form of private lessons, summer camps, community outreach programs, and more to students of all ages, skill levels, and socioeconomic backgrounds. With the help of Reverb Gives, Arts+ purchased 30 ukuleles, which have already been put to good use at two free community events and group classes.
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Girls Rock! Melbourne—the Australia-based nonprofit that empowers young female, trans, and gender-diverse people aged 10-17 through music education and mentorship. The organization has been using its donation to build up its newly launched Girls Rock! Lending Library, which makes instruments available to young people in the community that might not have had access to gear otherwise. The new gear is also used for the nonprofits’ week-long music camps and other events throughout the year.
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The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic—a 60-member jazz symphonic orchestra which also helps to establish music programs in under-resourced schools through its “Jazz Alive” program. The nonprofit will use the donation from Reverb Gives to purchase keyboards, band instruments, and a full rhythm section for Armour Elementary’s program, which serves approximately 150 students in grades K-5 in weekly music instruction.
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Class Act Detroit—a free after-school program that provides opportunities for children in Detroit to receive music, drama, dance, and academic support. With the support of Reverb Gives, Class Act Detroit will purchase additional pianos, drums, guitars, DJ equipment and more for its Hip-Hop Society program, which is designed to reach inner-city youth ages 7-17 by teaching music in an engaging and contemporary way.
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Women’s Audio Mission—a San Francisco/Oakland-based nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of women in digital media/music production, performance, and the recording arts through free training, mentoring, and career counseling. The organization, which works with 2,000+ underserved Bay Area girls and women each year in the only professional recording studios in the world built and run entirely by women, will use its Reverb Gives donation to purchase microphones, a drum kit, and more for its new location in Oakland.
To learn more about Reverb Gives, including how the program works, what organizations the initiative has supported, or how to apply for a grant, visit: www.reverbgives.com.
