SB Education Foundation donates 150 instruments, $16k to local music teachers ahead of school year

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Music teachers within the Santa Barbara Unified School District are excited to kick off the coming school year with new instruments after a year of silence due to the pandemic.

Seeing a need in the school system, the Santa Barbara Education Foundation asked local community members to dig deep into their closets and garages for any instruments they were willing to let go of.

In the end, the foundation collected more than 150 quality instruments which were assessed and distributed to local music teachers last week.

"These instruments go directly into the hands of local students after a quick check for needed maintenance and repairs," said SBEF Program Manager Katie Szopa.

In addition, $16,000 in funds were also gifted to the teachers to purchase classroom materials and maintain their new instruments.

The instruments and funds are part of an ongoing fundraising effort by the Santa Barbara Education Foundation with help from community partners such as the Johnson Ohana Foundation, Irene F. Anderson Foundation, Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation, Pacific Premier Bank, and proceeds from the annual Keep the Beat Radiothon on 99.9 KTYD.

"Hands-on learning with music is just what our students need right now," said Szopa. "We are just so thankful that our community came together to support music education during what's been a very challenging time in our local schools."

The Education Foundation has been raising funds to support music programs in local schools since 2003.

If you are interested in contributing an instrument, the SBEF runs a year-round instrument drive for Santa Barbara Unified schools. For more information, visit sbefoundation.org.