About our 501(c)(3) Status

To our Fans, Friends, and Families of Jam Pak

Jam Pak was born in our front yard in April of 1994. For all these years, we have supported ourselves on personal income and gifts and donations from gigs. Then in 2012 when our beloved Debi Stone died, her family set up The Debi Stone Memorial Fund to be managed by the Arizona Bluegrass Association for the benefit of youth in bluegrass music. Over the past four years Jam Pak has been the only group to use the donations which were made to that fund. Because of the generosity of Debi's family and friends we were able to keep our large band afloat. And to honor the life and memory of Debi with our music.

Recently, the Debi Stone Memorial Fund was closed until further notice by the ABA board. We are grateful with all our hearts for the contributions over the past four years, but it was deemed essential that Jam Pak embrace a new path that would make us sustainable. For now and the future of Jam Pak, we determined that we needed to become a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

We started the process with the help of SCORE, a free mentoring service from the Small Business Administration, at the end of November. With unprecedented speed, we have been awarded the Letter of Determination for Non-profit 501(c)(3) effective December 21, 2016. Our bylaws and business plan are in place and the systems set up to operate our band with fiscal responsibility and to be excellent stewards of your generosity.

The goal of Jam Pak will always be to make others and ourselves happy with our music. We expect for the band and the generations to come to keep this goal central. Our Music CommUNITY is a joyful place of refuge and learning that goes far beyond making music and yet the music is central to who we are.

If you wish to donate at any time, all donations are tax deductible. We will send a letter recognizing your donation for tax purposes within a week. Checks should be made out to Jam Pak Band. The website www.jampak.org has a Donate button and is easy to use for credit cards or PayPal donations. Cash donations are still welcome!

Jam Pak is making a difference in the bluegrass music scene of Arizona. We are grateful for the years of support that each of you have given. We are excited for this new (big) step to ensure Jam Pak continues to make others and ourselves happy with our music. Thank you always for your encouragement and belief in our mission.

Signed,

Anni Beach Band Leader Jam Pak Band