Every Instrument Deserves a Second Song
Play It Forward is a student-led nonprofit organization on an impactful mission: rescue instruments that have lost their voice, and place them into the hands of children and youth with a desire to make music.
It started with noticing. In nearly every home there's an instrument tucked away — a trumpet in the attic, a guitar with a broken string, a flute that hasn't been played in years. And just around the corner, there's a child who dreams of learning music but whose family can't take on the cost of an instrument.
Play It Forward exists to bring those two together. We collect unused and broken instruments, restore them to playable condition with the help of donated funds, and give them — at no cost — to children who are ready to play.
What We Believe
- Music belongs to everyone. A family's budget should never decide whether a child gets to play.
- Nothing good should go to waste. A silent instrument is a song waiting to happen.
- Community makes it possible. Every donated instrument, dollar, and hour of repair time is someone choosing to play it forward.
Why I Started Play It Forward
My name is Liz Chacko, and I'm the 13-year-old founder of Play It Forward. Music has been a central part of my life since I began playing piano at the age of six. Today, I play the oboe, piano, and guitar, and I've recently started learning the tenor saxophone.
Through my own experience, I came to see how many children long to learn an instrument but are unable to afford one. I believe that every child willing to dedicate the time and effort deserves the opportunity to make music, regardless of their family's financial circumstances.
That belief is what inspired me to found Play It Forward. My hope is that this organization continues to grow — opening doors for children at no cost and helping their musical dreams become reality.
— Liz Chacko, Founder