Heroes’ Voices has been touching the lives of veterans for the last nine years. Over that time, we have brought the healing power of music to thousands of veterans. We initially focused on in-person programming in the San Francisco Bay area, but soon expanded our outreach north providing veteran’s music programming through Humboldt State University. We established a collaboration with George Mason University, near Washington D.C., co-sponsoring our National Veterans Poetry Contest.
Heroes’ Voices has brought light to veterans in dark places including San Quentin, the San Francisco County Jail, and the psychiatric Intensive Care Unit at the San Francisco VA. When the Covid pandemic halted our expanding programs, we did not shut down. We went online with one of our outreach programs, Guitar Corps.
For the last seven years we have been providing free guitars and guitar lessons to veterans. With the generous support of Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto, as well as donations from supportive individuals around the country, we have provided hundreds of free guitars to vets.
For over two years we have offered online guitar lessons twice a week on Zoom and on a VA video conference platform. Going online has provided us with the opportunity to reach veterans all over the country. Veterans can participate in our classes because we send them free guitars.
While we still hand deliver guitars to vets in the Bay area, we make sure any veteran that needs a guitar gets one. Sometimes we ship guitars to vets, but shipping costs are very high. Recently we have had veterans in other states go to local guitar stores and select new guitars that we buy for them. Over the past few months, we have provided more than a dozen guitars to veterans. We’ve provided free guitars to veterans in Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, North Carolina and Florida.
One of our veteran participants named Jesse has been a great resource since joining Guitar Corps last year. Jesse has had a lifetime of experience as a guitarist and used to play in bands while in the service. Often in our classes he shares his inspiring musical “war stories”, and Jesse has also given at least five of our guitars to some of his local veteran colleagues.
Very recently, a widow donated her husband’s instruments to Heroes’ Voices. Her donation, like many others, has helped us to continue to support veterans. However, the needs of veterans are significant, and they need your help.
While many Covid restrictions have been relaxed, we are still unable to meet in person with our vets in restricted environments like prisons or VA facilities. While we anxiously await to the opportunity to resume our in-person programs, we will continue, and hope to expand, our national Guitar Corps outreach.
Purchasing new guitars for veterans is expensive. With your generous support Heroes’ Voices can continue to bring the healing power of music to the lives of veterans. Please help us provide guitars to more heroes.
Donate NowIf you prefer, send your check to:
Heroes’ Voices
135 Terra Vista Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94115