Welcome to a new feature of my blog that will focus on a charity or organization each week that I think everyone should take a look at. These organizations can be chosen for any reason, from causes I feel that should be supported to organizations that just make me feel they are doing it the right way. I will highlight the organization, provide some history and an overview of their mission, and then recommend what you can do to support it.

The first organization I chose is Playing for Change. Their mission is to promote peace and change in the world through music. I have always believed in the power of music- its power to affect my feelings and moods is second to none and I do believe that one thing that can connect people of all races, backgrounds, and religions is music. Here is a quote from them, which rings so true.

As we made our way around the world we encountered love, hate, rich and poor, black and white, and many different religious groups and ideologies. It became very clear that as a human race we need to transcend from the darkness to the light and music is our weapon of the future.

Watch this video of a cover of Stand by Me and try to tell me you don’t agree:

Wow…just wow. I found out about this organization from just watching that video. They basically went around the world and recorded performers singing the song and mixed it all together to get this masterpiece. In essence performers hundreds, thousands, of miles away collaborate to create music that transcends all borders. Here are some other examples:

Cover of Bob Marley’s One Love

Cover of Bob Marley’s War

How can you support this cause? Well, you could purchase the CD, or you could make a donation to their foundation. I bought the CD because it is some great covers of Bob Marley classics and I love the collaborative aspect of these songs.

Another thing I noticed when watching these videos is that I am obsessed with Granpa Elliot, the blind man in the Stand by Me video. He is an absolute amazing harmonica player and singer and I have embedded some of his videos below.

Amazing Grace

Fannie Mae

On The Boardwalk and Stand by Me

I can only hope some day I can go to New Orleans to watch him in person. Wow.