10 musician-backed causes to support this Giving Tuesday

Now that we have all (safely) celebrated Thanksgiving with friends or family and shopped all the best Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday deals, Giving Tuesday is upon us. Giving Tuesday first started in 2012 and soon became a global movement. It encourages people to do good and give back to the people or places they care about most after stocking up on Christmas items for loved ones.

“It’s a simple idea: Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts, and everyone has something to give,” the organization shares.

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Below are 10 causes and organizations by musicians and music fans that you can donate to. Proceeds feed right back into arts communities.

Save Our Stages

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) wants to #SaveOurStages, and they need music fans’ help. According to their research, “90% of independent music venues are on the verge of closing forever.” You can donate to help independent venues stay alive during the pandemic, where they can’t hold live shows. And your contributions can save communities, performers, business owners and, of course, you. If you don’t have the cash to spare, you can also contact your local Congress representative and urge them to pass the Save Our Stages Act. For more info and donation links, visit here.

Thirty Seconds To Mars for MusiCares

Thirty Seconds To Mars are giving back to the community by donating all proceeds from their Requiem For A Dream-themed shirt to MusiCares. Lead singer Jared Leto, who said that the movie changed his life, is modeling the shirt, now available on the band’s merch store. The Recording Academy formed the charity to provide a “safety net” for musicians, crew members and industry professionals during hard times. If you’re interested, you can donate directly to the nonprofit here.

All Within My Hands

Metallica are donating ticket sales from a virtual concert to All Within My Hands. The band created the nonprofit to invest in communities in need. According to the charity, they are “dedicated to creating sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger and other critical local services.” You can donate to AWMH directly or grab a $15 ticket to the Helping Hands 2020 show through Tuesday.

FEVER 333, Walking In My Shoes Foundation

FEVER 333 have always been dedicated to helping underserved and marginalized communities in need. On Nov. 27, the group will be restocking their merch store and donating the proceeds of certain items to the United American Indians of New England. Additionally, the band created the Walking In My Shoes Foundation to give money to organizations that align with their values.

“Through a combination of ticket add-ons, limited edition merchandise, special events and percentages of other sales, FEVER 333 will be raising money and awareness to benefit organizations that generate empathy, understanding and change in the communities they serve,” Jason Aalon Butler shared. Click here to donate and stay up to date on which merch items benefit the foundation.

Plain White T’s performance

Plain White T’s frontman Tom Higgenson will be performing on Levitt Pavilion‘s Giving Tuesday Virtual Music Marathon at 7 p.m. Dec. 1. You can tune in for free here to see the show and a special Q&A session. You will also have the opportunity to donate to this independent concert venue. If you feel inspired to do so, donate to your favorite local concert hall or performance venue.

This Slipknot Tee for MusiCares

Slipknot are offering a special limited-edition T-shirt in their merch store, commemorating their virtual Knotfest Pulse Of The Maggots Festival. A portion of the proceeds from this shirt design will go directly to MusiCares. Grab yours here!

Sweet Relief merch store

Singer-songwriter Victoria Williams first started Sweet Relief in 1993 when she had to drop out of her tour with Neil Young due to medical issues. She created the fund to help those in the music industry who can’t make ends meet due to health or personal issues. You can support this cause by purchasing merch from their web store.

Proceeds from shirts, sweaters, totes and more will be directed to their COVID-19 Relief fund. You can also make donations here. Sweet Relief also presents the option to have your donation benefit a specific genre of music, region in the country or type of relief.

The Grateful Dead’s Rex Foundation

The Grateful Dead‘s charity the Rex Foundation will be hosting the “Ain’t No Time To Hate” virtual benefit concert. The show will contain never-before-seen performances and VIP options and the foundation will announce a full lineup soon.

Make sure to keep your eyes on their site to grab tickets for the Dec. 12 show ahead of time. It benefits this great charity that supports underserved communities and creative arts. Additionally, you can donate directly to the nonprofit and help them by purchasing guitar string bracelets, music downloads and shopping on AmazonSmile.

Stream the All-American Rejects for MusiCares

If you don’t have the means to pick up merch or donate to a charity, fear not! The All-American Rejects released a new song entitled “Me Vs. The World,” and all of the money from their streams will directly go to MusiCares. And all proceeds will help musicians and crew members affected by the pandemic and live entertainment shutdowns. Be sure to play this track on loop all day!

Contact your local venues

Above all else, nothing means more to music fans than the venues they grew up with. Some venues are accepting donations directly, selling virtual tickets for local act streams or selling merch to stay afloat. Check out their social media pages and see how you can give back to the place that feels like home to you. The Grog Shop suggests Cleveland music fans head to their site or Bid Rust Belt to help Ohio venues during this great time of need.

Who are you giving back to Tuesday? Let us know or give us suggestions for organizations in the comments below!