At Poetica Marketing, we believe in the importance of giving back to the community. That’s why we donate 10 hours of our services every month to deserving nonprofits in the Pittsburgh region. Through 2024, we’ve offered support and guidance to Fostering Music, an incredible organization that helps kids who are in—or who have been through—the foster care system access instruments and music lessons. To learn more about our nonprofit work in the past, read our recaps for 2022 and 2023.

When I first learned about Fostering Music a few years ago, I was enamored. I’ve found enormous comfort in music over the years, and the idea of giving instruments and music lessons to foster kids—a population with a high incident rate of mental health struggles—struck me as a powerful pathway to self-expression. 

At the time, I ran a music blog called Monster Riff, where I had a captive audience of fellow music lovers I was certain would appreciate Fostering Music’s just as much as I did. 

So, I reached out to Fostering Music through Facebook and asked how I could help. 

That simple Facebook messenger conversation turned into a fundraiser to purchase a drum kit for a foster child—and we successfully raised $400 in less than 24 hours. 

Our kickoff video: 

Our thank-you video recorded the next day:

That was just the beginning of a long, fruitful relationship. 

Since February of 2022, Regina and I have been monthly donors to Fostering Music, Poetica Marketing and Monster Riff have been sponsors of the annual Fostering Music Summer Shindig, and we’ve helped another young child raise money for a bass guitar and amplifier through another independent fundraiser. 

And at the end of 2023, we decided to make our biggest contribution yet: We made Fostering Music our sponsored nonprofit of 2024. 

Working With Fostering Music In 2024

One of the biggest opportunities we identified in Fostering Music’s marketing was storytelling; they were doing phenomenal work to help underserved children express themselves, but they weren’t always highlighting that work. 

So, we began interviewing the children, parents, and teachers connected to Fostering Music and its mission, and we began telling their incredible stories. 

A few examples: 

• Alana Griffin’s foster child, Dimitri, has learned how to play the drums (Read the full story)
• Caley Pham, a blind adoptee, has become a multi-talented musician and singer (Read the full story)
• Craig Zinger, a piano teacher, has partnered with Fostering Music to give lessons (Read the full story)
• Mike Smail, the owner of Smail’s Custom Drum Shop, is a long-time partner of Fostering Music (Read the full story)
• Brooke Stemmerick, a former student at School of Rock, was able to stay in the program thanks to Fostering Music’s financial support (Read the full story)
• A brother and sister have become music lovers and musicians thanks to Fostering Music (Read the full story)

With those stories told, we switched our focus to Giving Tuesday, a major fundraising opportunity for nonprofits everywhere. 

Using a few well-timed emails and social media posts, we helped Fostering Music raise more than $2,000—a new Giving Tuesday record for the nonprofit. 

We then concluded a wonderful year by receiving a gift from Fostering Music: They organized the music for the Poetica Marketing holiday party!

It wound up being quite serendipitous; Fostering Music received a few more donations from our guests because of their involvement that night!

Looking Ahead to 2025 And Beyond

We’re proud supporters of Fostering Music, and we’re honored to once again name them as our chosen nonprofit organization for 2025!

If you’d like to learn more about our charitable giving or how your organization can benefit from our efforts at Poetica Marketing, contact us!