FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 2, 2014
The Mockingbird Foundation, an all-volunteer nonprofit founded and run entirely by Phish fans, has announced fourteen (14) new grants totaling $57,612 in support of music education for children. The grants come from the Mockingbird’s 17th round of competitive grant-making, and bring the Foundation’s total disbursements to over $800,000.
These newest grants support the following programs at schools, camps, centers, and non-profit organizations in eleven states:
- $5,000 for instruments at Allentown Symphony Association (Allentown, PA)
- $5,000 for equipment at The Bridge Teen Center (Orland Park, IL)
- $5,000 for various expenses at Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (Ventura, CA)
- $5,000 for scholarships at Flathead Lake Music Camp (Alexandria Bay, NY)
- $2,500 for scholarships at Marywood University (Scranton, PA)
- $5,000 for staffing at Orchestrating Diversity (Saint Louis, MO)
- $500 for instruments at Pacifica Libraries (Pacifica, CA)
- $5,000 for instruments at Parrott Creek Child And Family Services (Oregon City, OR)
- $5,000 for equipment at Redmond Proficiency Academy (Redmond, OR)
- $4,200 for various expenses at Songbird Sings Inc. (Shelburne Falls, MA)
- $3,795 for instruments at Taylorsville Elementary School (Indianapolis, IN)
- $2,617 for instruments at Walker West Music Academy (St. Paul, MN)
- $5,000 for staffing at Whole Children (Hadley, MA)
- $4,000 for instruments at Zillah High School (Yakima, WA)
Significant portions of these grants were funded due to the generosity of fans, including a user-driven effort on the Phish.net forum which raised more than $7,500 during December 2013 alone, as well as through several events held to benefit the Foundation, including the third Phamily Poker Classic, a Saratoga poster show held by Mothership Art Collective, a fundraiser at Rock Bottom Brewery, and continuing auctions, art sales, and related events by Phanart.
These fourteen grantees were selected from among 832 initial applicants who requested a total of more than $3.9 million. Due to such high demand, the Foundation’s two-tiered online application process remains one of the most competitive in the nation. Please consider making a fully tax-deductible donation through the Foundation’s website at www.mbird.org so that we can continue to increase the percentage of applicants whom we are ultimately able to fund.
The Mockingbird Foundation, run entirely by volunteers, supports music education for children by fundraising through Phish-related projects. The Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, was organized by Phish fans in 1996, formally incorporated in 1997, and has since then distributed over $800,000 through 260 grants in 43 states.
The Foundation is also the leading provider of historical information about Phish and its music, having cultivated intellectual property through www.phish.net since 1994 and having published two editions of the popular trade paperback books The Phish Companion: A Guide to the Band and Their Music. The third edition of The Phish Companion will be completed this year. The Foundation is able to disburse more than 98% of the funds raised to important and innovative programs serving diverse populations.
Phish is a rock band that started in 1983 and grew to become one of the highest-grossing live acts in the nation. The band ended 2013 with four sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden, including a rousing rendition of “Fly Famous Mockingbird.” Phish donates a portion of proceeds from LivePhish downloads to the Mockingbird Foundation. For more information about Phish, please visit phish.com and phish.net.
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