Andy’s dream is to give every child who wants to learn to play music an opportunity to do so.
The Andy Mackie Foundation provides Free Instruments, Free Lessons and Scholarships to any child who wants to learn. He has helped more than 1000 children learn to play stringed instruments which he builds in his shop, taught more than 12,000 children to play harmonica and given over 75 scholarships to graduating seniors.
"if you stop playing your instrument pass it along to somebody else who wants to play it.""Andy Mackie
Andy gives children an opportunity to play on stage by organizing a number of concerts and benefits where they can perform their new skills. All donations go directly into more instruments, lessons and scholarships.
Andy has been building instruments for 10 years and donating them to public school music classes. He builds 50 instruments at a time in his shop, and is now teaching high school students in Shop Class to build their own instruments. Demand for Andy’s instruments has increased beyond the number that he can build himself.
Every November, Andy switches from building instruments to building reindeer from wood he collects himself. He sells the reindeer at Christmas and Holiday fairs along with his instruments. All profits from the sale of reindeer go towards the materials needed to build more instruments.
