Where to Donate Musical Instruments
Do you have musical instruments lying around your house that no one in your family plays? Did you know there are numerous charitable organizations dedicated to providing access to musical instruments to those who would otherwise have none? Check out these resources for a peek at the many worthy options available to anyone wanting to donate musical instruments. 

​Organizations are listed in alphabetical order with no intentional prioritization intended. 

Where to Start

Many families prefer to rent an instrument for their child rather than buying one, especially if they child is new to the instrument.  Some schools have instruments available for students to rent, but often the demand exceeds the supply. Check with the music teacher at your local middle or high school to see if they have a need for your gently used musical instruments.  If not, he/she may know of a student who would love to have your instrument.

Donating Pianos
Most charities and band programs do not have the space available to accept the donation of a piano.  If you have one you would like to pass on, check with a local piano teacher to see if he/she has any students in need of a piano.  Another option is to ask at the local nursing home or other care center to see if they would be interested in  your piano.  ​
Band of Angels operates in the greater Kansas City, Kansas area. Working in conjunction with Fox4TV and Meyer Music, they collect, refurbish, and distribute musical instruments to children whose families could not otherwise afford to provide them. 
The Dreaming Zebra Foundation provides access to art and music supplies for thousands of children, schools, art therapy programs, and community organizations throughout the United States.  
If you live in the Portland, Oregon area, you can donate musical instruments at a drop-off location or arrange for pick up.  Otherwise you can mail your donation to the address on the website (see link above).  The Dreaming Zebra Foundation accepts donations of band instruments, keyboards, and guitars.
In addition to collecting musical instruments, ETM accepts donations of the following items: reams of paper, cardstock, markers, pens, pencils, tape, some children’s books (see website for details) and storage bins for instruments.   They operate specifically in Los Angeles and New York City schools.
This newly formed charity based in Blackshear, Georgia collects new, gently used, and broken marching band instruments. They work in partnership with a music company to perform any needed repairs. They then loan the instruments to 6th-12th grade students for as long as they remain in band. To donate a musical instrument to the program, click on the title above. 
Founded in 2015 out of concern for the growing lack of funding for music education , The Gift of Music Foundation, based in Marietta, Georgia, is "dedicated to democratizing music education by creating a greater accessibility to programs, instruments, music teachers and the overall benefits of music."
Hungry for Music provides instruments to under-served children who demonstrate a desire to learn music, or teachers who have willing pupils, but no instruments.  They accept all instruments (except pianos) in any condition.  ​
Music is a medium appreciated by all people, young and old, but obtaining an instrument can be very expensive.  You pass the gift of music on to someone else when you donate musical instruments.
This list is meant to serve as a resource. Readers are encouraged to look into organizations indicated here on their own for further information. The presence of an organization on this list does not constitute an endorsement on my part, nor do I represent any of the organizations identified here. To contact any of these charities, simply click on the title of the organization above to link to their website. 

​Page last updated December 27, 2021.
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