What is Instrumental Angels?

By: Renee Bordner
​NWE Music Studio Director

What is Instrumental Angels and how is it connected to Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio?

Over three years ago, my teen children decided to formally create a non-profit 501(c)3 called Instrumental Angels. Instrumental Angels upcycles used musical instruments for those in need.

The Instrumental Angels Co-Founders networked with volunteer professionals to create a logo and the legal paperwork as well as a photographer and website creator.  They even babysat for free for some of these professionals' children since they did not have a budget to pay for the services. They created verbal and video presentations to pitch their plan to professional music educators and repair technicians. Their idea was simple and it worked right from the start.  As the idea grew, more volunteers were recruited.  This idea has grown into more than any of us ever imagined. 

In my free time, I can be found volunteering for Instrumental Angels.  All of us can be found answering calls or emails from donors.  Driving instruments to and from repair shops as well as checking with instrument repair shops on the status of instruments is a role that I help with often.  We can be found networking with donors, repair experts, or programs that serve people in need.  This program has predominantly grown through word-of-mouth marketing.  Instruments truly are coming and going each day. Financial donations are primarily used for parts for the instruments.  There is always an instrument that needs to be sanitized or inventoried here.  Usually, Instrumental Angels has at least one or two volunteers working on some aspect of this seven days a week.

During the pandemic many people were cleaning and reorganizing their homes, therefore IA saw an increase in donations.  This was perfect timing, as many of the instrument repair shops saw a decrease in their business.  Instrumental Angels truly helped some repair technicians have work to do and allowed for some technicians to experiment with repair techniques.

Instrumental Angels also has an effect of protecting Mother Earth by keeping many used musical instruments out of landfills.

To date, Instrumental Angels has donated over 1,000 musical instruments and accessories to children in financial need, those with special needs, and American military veterans.  Instrumental Angels has assisted many children in the Massachusetts foster care system too.  Our instruments can be found in the Boston area but also as far away as Sierra Leone, West Africa.
To learn more about Instrumental Angels, please visit www.instrumentalangels.org or contact us at 978.443.0480.

Musically yours,
Renee