Drum corps and music education supporters have leveraged their social media prowess to win $860,000 for different organizations through the J.P. Morgan Chase Community Giving Project on Facebook.
The online contest invites not-for-profit organizations to submit their “Big Ideas,” and then Facebook members vote for their favorites.
Youth Education in the Arts (parent organization of The Cadets and the U.S. Scholastic Band Association) earned the most—$225,000. Its “Big Idea” involved the creation of March 4 Music, a series of benefit charity walks and rallies to raise money for the benefit of high school music programs.
“We’re really proud and thankful to The Cadets, our office staff, volunteers and alumni,” says George Hopkins, CEO of YEA!. “We had tons of people that worked many hours on the phone, on Facebook and sending emails to get people interested.”
Also a finalist, Drum Corps International (DCI) won $125,000. The Blue Devils, the Glassmen and Santa Clara Vanguard won $45,000 each while WGI Sport of the Arts, Music for All and MENC: The National Association for Music Education each earned $25,000.
“The effort that went into this was extraordinary, quite a payoff for the activity without question,” says Dan Acheson, CEO of DCI. “We are incredibly grateful to all those engaged in what we do to help make those kinds of things happens.”
This is the third time that Chase has sponsored this contest, which was open only to organizations with operating budgets of $1 to $10 million. The grand-prize winner, ieladeinu, received $525,000 to advance its efforts to rescue at-risk children in Argentina.
An earlier edition of the Chase giveaway in July 2010 awarded $20,000 to 10 other corps: Alliance, an all-age group, Bluecoats, Blue Stars, Boston Crusaders, Jersey Surf, Madison Scouts, Music City Legend, Pacific Crest, Spirit of Atlanta and Troopers. In January 2010, The Cavaliers, the Colts, Carolina Crown and Phantom Regiment each received $25,000.
