The very idea of Music4Life™ seems elegantly simple: Provide ready-to-play musical instruments to at-risk students who need them. So starting a new Music4Life Chapter should be easy, too. Not so. But that’s not a reason to avoid trying. We have the fundamentals in-place: Existing non-profit status with the IRS; state registration; bookkeeping systems to track the productivity of every Chapter; the legal framework; marketing systems. In-process is the revision of our “guidebook” for establishing a new Chapter.
We know that each existing Music4Life Chapter is a great gift, and our intention is to continue to expand to other school districts. Does your public school district want to help students in-need who want to participate in instrumental music activities? If so, please contact Music4Life Co-Founder David Endicott here to discuss expectations and get assistance.
Presuming that your school district values instrumental music, the Music4Life Governing Board has three expectations before establishing a new school district-based Music4Life Chapter:
- A dedicated group of local community leaders (as few as three or four up to a dozen or more) willing to commit to establishing and maintaining a new school district-based Music4Life Chapter. Such people often come from local Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis or similar community service clubs, though it is not necessary to be a member of the new Chapter);
- Commitment of start-up funds so we can begin repairing musical instruments as soon as they start coming in. (Our experience is that instrument donations begin as soon as we announce the new Music4Life program. Funds are deposited in the Music4Life bank account and tracked separately by our bookkeeper so the students in your school district get all the benefits to which they are entitled); and
- A letter of endorsement of Music4Life by the Superintendent on his/her letterhead (we’ll be glad to supply a draft letter).
Once these are in-place, the Music4Life Governing Board will decide whether to authorize the formation of a Music4Life Chapter serving your public school district.
We look forward to working with you to assure that all your students get the full educational benefits guaranteed to them by the Washington State Constitution as we help open the wonderful world of instrumental music to them for the rest of their lives. Music4Life!
