HONOR & MEMORIAL GIVING
A donation to Save The Music Foundation is a meaningful way to celebrate someone special or carry on the legacy of a loved one. Whether you’re marking a birthday, anniversary or holiday, or making a donation in memory of someone whose life was touched by music, a tribute gift to Save The Music goes directly toward restoring music education for kids who need it most.
To make your gift a tribute, check the box on the donation form for “Dedicate my donation in honor or in memory of someone.”
How Tribute Giving Works
Making a donation in honor of someone through Save The Music is simple. Select your gift amount on the donation form, check the box to dedicate your donation in honor or in memory of someone, and complete your gift. You’ll receive a confirmation and tax receipt at the email address you provide.
Donations in honor of someone are a thoughtful gift for any occasion – birthdays, weddings, graduations, holidays, or a simple “thank you.” Memorial gifts offer a lasting way to recognize a loved one’s memory while supporting a cause that keeps music alive for future generations.
For questions about tribute gifts or to let us know more about who you’re honoring, contact our donor services team at [email protected] or 212-977-0176.
Karen’s Story
Karen has been donating to Save The Music in memory of her father for over 19 years to honor his love of jazz. She wrote to us to share her story.
“I started donating to Save The Music Foundation in 1998, just a year after your formation, in memory of my father’s passing. I didn’t have much to give, but did so through our company’s payroll deduction and matching gift program. Then once my mother joined my dad in 2013, I upped the amount slightly. I’ll be retiring within the next three years. I had planned on continuing this tradition until my 65th birthday. Unfortunately, our community recently got hit hard with the Thomas Fire, and then the Montecito mudslide disasters. Those funds I had set aside in memory of my parents, I’m putting toward direct relief to helping friends in my community who lost everything. Hopefully, I’ll be able to make a couple of larger one-time contributions in the future, as I wholeheartedly believe in your work, and knowing I’ve helped in an ever-so-slightly-small way has been a comfort to me.”
Music saved my father from the LA gangs of the 30’s, and from combat in the Korean War.
The quote that is etched in the glass were Dad’s final words. At the time of dad’s death, we donated most of his sheet music to the Apple Valley College Music Dept., and some to his best friend, JD. I was racking my brain, thinking, “No way did I give all of it away – I must have kept at least one piece,” which I have been hunting for years since. Voila! I found one, in his own hand: Cole Porter. This is what I did with it…
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the gift recipient see how much I donated?
No. When you make a gift in honor or memory of someone, you will have the option to provide contact information for the gift recipient, whether the honoree or a family member of the deceased. Once you make the tribute gift, the recipient will receive a notification that a donation was made by you, along with a personal message if you chose to include one. The notification will not include the donation amount.
Is a donation in honor of someone tax deductible?
Yes. Save The Music Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The tax receipt goes to you as the donor, even when the gift is made in someone else’s name. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
What’s the difference between donating “in honor of” and “in memory of” someone?
A gift in honor of someone is typically made for a person who is living – to celebrate them or recognize a special occasion. A donation in memory of someone recognizes a loved one who has passed. Both are tribute gifts, and both are welcome at Save The Music.
Can I donate to charity in someone’s name for any occasion?
Absolutely. Tribute gifts are a fitting choice for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, retirements, or any moment worth marking. Many donors also choose to donate in memory of a loved one in lieu of flowers.
What happens to my donation?
Your gift supports Save The Music’s work bringing music education back to public schools across the country – funding instruments, programs, and the teachers who make it possible. Every tribute gift is a contribution to a legacy that outlasts the occasion.