Philanthrocapitalism_ How Giving Can Save the World - Matthew Bishop [27]
WHEN HURRICANE KATRINA devastated New Orleans, thousands of musicians lost their instruments. For many, that meant losing their livelihood as well. To replace the instruments, Gibson Guitar Corporation partnered with The Edge of U2, MusiCares, Conn-Selmer, VH1, MTV, and others to establish Music Rising. Gibson donated time and timber from Katrina states to make guitars, then produced a second set of Music Rising Guitars featuring The Edge’s artwork. The money raised from selling the second set of guitars was used to help buy instruments for 2,200 Gulf Coast musicians. Music Rising has also helped rebuild music programs in churches and schools affecting an additional twenty thousand Gulf Coast residents.
The shortage of musical instruments in America goes far beyond the reach of Katrina’s wreckage. Over the past several years, many schools have eliminated or sharply curtailed their instrumental music programs under budgetary pressures brought on by record enrollments, resistance to property-tax increases, and increased emphasis on and testing in reading and math. Ironically, the music cutbacks have undermined students’ progress in other areas. Several scientific studies have demonstrated that children who learn to play a musical instrument have increased success in reading and math, improved self-esteem, better ability to work in teams, higher school-attendance rates, and a greater likelihood of graduating from high school and going on to college. For most kids, the public schools offer the only opportunity to learn to play an instrument, since their parents can’t afford to buy them instruments or pay for lessons.
The VH1 Save the Music Foundation is determined to give the gift of music back to America’s children, regardless of their financial situation. Sponsored by the popular music channel VH1 and its partners, Save the Music provides new instruments to school music programs in return for a school district’s commitment to fund music teachers’ salaries, necessary supplies, and maintenance, and to schedule music classes during the school day. Over the last decade, Save the Music has given more than $30 million worth of new instruments to more than one thousand public schools in eighty cities, helping more than 700,000 students know the joy of playing a horn, a string instrument, a keyboard, or a drum. The instruments are purchased locally, at discount rates.
At the urging of my friend John Sykes, then president of VH1, I got involved with Save the Music during my second term in the White House, donating a saxophone and attending events to publicize the effort. Although Save the Music only gives new instruments, most older horns can be restored to fine playing condition. I own a 1915 soprano saxophone, a 1935 Selmer tenor, a 1955 Buffet alto, and a tenor sax made by Adolph Sax himself in 1861. The only limitations on the music they can make are mine. So if you have an older horn you’ll never play again, you should consider donating it to a school music program that needs it, after making sure it’s in good working order. You might be changing a life.
Even if you can’t make guitars or paint them, chances are you have things people need. Clothes you no longer want will be put to good use by Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or your local homeless shelter, which probably also needs new toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, and shampoo. Coats, sweaters, and sweatshirts are important gifts when it gets cold. If you have business clothes you’re willing to part with, you can leverage your donation by making it to Dress for Success, which supports economic independence for disadvantaged women, or its counterpart for men, Career Gear.
Dress for Success celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2007. It serves more than forty thousand women each year in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. Women come to the program from homeless and domestic violence shelters, immigration services, educational institutions, and job-training programs. Each woman gets a suit, and accessories if