Gibson Gives, the philanthropic arm of Gibson, has raised more than $2.5 million worldwide, to benefit musicians, youth-focused and wellness initiatives. The foundation, which recently committed to donating 1,000 guitars in 1000 days to non-profits, surpassed its initial goal by donating more than 2,800 guitars in 700 days.
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“When we announced we would donate 1000 guitars in 1000 days, I thought it was a lofty goal,” said Dendy Jarrett, executive director, Gibson Gives, in a statement. “We could have never predicted all the hurdles this past year presented in the music community and beyond. It’s been a humbling experience and an honor to work with so many worthy music and health programs in need, directly supporting and impacting individual people, as well as non-profits.”
Additionally, Gibson Gives recently launched TEMPO (Training and Empowering Musicians to Prevent Overdose), a collaborative program with MusiCares, Harbor Path and several other non-profits to help prevent further deaths, following the increase in opioid overdoses throughout the past year following the onset of COVID-19. Part of the TEMPO program provides the life-saving training for using opioid overdose preventative drug naloxone (Narcan, Naloxone Auto-Injector).
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To expand it’s messaging and reach worldwide, Gibson Gives also formed an Influencers and Artist Advisory Council. The Gibson Gives Artist Advisory Council members include Lzzy Hale, Celisse, Alex Lifeson, Matt Heafy, Joe Bonamassa, Billy F. Gibbons, Slash, and Captain Kirk Douglas, while the Influencers group is comprised of a community of leaders across the Nashville music community, sports, youth, education, and more.
The main objectives of Gibson Gives moving ahead include working closely with musician-oriented charities like MusiCares, Keeping the Blues Alive, NIVA, NITO, Apollo Theater, the Save the Music Foundation to help artists worldwide; expanding The Play It Forward program, to help the music community continue to rebuild following the recent Nashville Tornado and bombing in the city.
Education is also a core of the Gibson Gives initiative, and the organization is working to extend music programs for students, which were affected by budget cuts in local community schools, music programs, and educational foundations worldwide—including Playing for Change, Manos Escuela de Guitarra in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Maplewood High School in Nashville, Gallatin High School in Bozeman, Montana, and schools across Europe, Africa, Spain, South America, Canada, and more—in addition to developing more programs focused on physical and mental health.
