Music + You = Community

16 years ago, I joined the board of MFE to advocate for my fellow local musicians in our community. I had been in bands since early high school, and music had become the creative outlet and connective tissue I really needed- an experience I could share with my bandmates and with audiences, connecting us in ways that I wasn't finding in most other environments in my life. Creating music helped me feel that my voice could matter, and that sharing it could help me and maybe even others as we walked through the complicated thing that is life in your 20's 🫣.  I saw MFE as an organization that could help bands like mine find great avenues for exposure and opportunities to support community-building efforts. I worked alongside a very grassroots bunch of folks, raising money and awareness and launching programs to cultivate the power of music to build community and support music education. 

Now, MFE's impact has multiplied- leveraging our brand, our team and our dedicated supporters to drive our efforts in investing in the community in so many ways: 

-we underwrite the painting of murals across Lancaster City - which is so cool! 

-our annual Grant Program that has placed almost 15,000 instruments into schools and supports our Music Educators as well as our students. 

-the annual Instrument Repair Program that tends to the full life cycle of the instruments in our schools, keeping our investment sound and sustainable.

-the MFE in the Schools program that enhances 1:1 music instruction for 350+ kids in the School District of Lancaster.

-Camp MFE - fully underwritten summer camps where kids discover and deepen their connection to making music with others. 

-and so many more! Check our Musicforeveryone.net for more details

We have an important mission, because no matter what you believe in or how you vote or where you come from - I imaging we can all agree that our community needs creative solutions to meet the challenges of the future. And research shows that music is the single most effective tool we have in our educational and community toolkit to develop and foster the creative thinking we will continue to need. 

I hope you'll join me and my family in supporting MFE with a donation during the ExtraGive!

Peace,

Joey

Bonus: for any individual gift of $300 or more, I'll come play a live set of songs for you in your living room - send me your receipt at joeymcmonagle@gmail.com. Let's make it happen!