Thursday, March 6, 2025

MARCH 4, 2025 - NEW 8 WEEK SESSIONS BEGIIN AT THE SAN PABLO LIBRARY - 21 STUDENTS!

Photos courtesy of Michael J. Padilla

Guitars not Guns had our first 8 week session at the San Pablo Library! Wonderful class and a big group of kids! 21 kids to be exact! We had a nice pool of wonderful volunteer guitar instructors who made this all possible!

OUR AWESOME VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTORS:

FROM LEFT: DAVID FINGER, BOB LINDFORS, STEPHAN AVANOZIAN, DEBORAH MCKIM

SHAWN DORING, JAY KIRKLAND, MARTY MCVEIGH, PHILIP GALLAGHER, JOHN SWANSON, BARBARA GORIN, STEVE KENNEDY, BRUCE JOHNSON

GUITARS NOT GUNS FIRST CLASS - 21 STUDENTS!

CBS Bay Area News (KPIX) Sharon Chin was there to interview Contra Costa County Chapter Director Barbara Gorin for her honor of being selected to receive the CBS Bay Area News ICON Award!

ALL PHOTOS HERE:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/pbcnuihjw3pknuqtod4gx/AH35XkulTBgoJ9061OhR1C4?rlkey=eae5vkzdszyf3i48e6bq04eq7&st=uzoai0mm&dl=0

Thursday, December 19, 2024

LOOKING BACK OVER THE YEARS - NOT ALL CLASSES PRIOR TO 2008 WERE PHOTOGRAPHED

A note from Contra Costa County California,
Director, and Executive Board Member Barbara Gorin

Looking back over the past many many years, with all of the wonderful volunteers and classes and happy kids! This is just a glimpse of how wonderful this program is and the impact that we have made on deserving children's lives through the gift of music!
Looking forward to 2025 and making it bigger and better, with the help of our community, funds raised and donated and volunteers, together we can make it happen!

WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY HOLIDAY AND A SAFE AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

December 11, 2008 - Guitars not Guns Graduation

Bay Area Rock Festival (BARF) Benefit Fundraiser

May 15, 2007 San Francisco

April 13, 2010 Pittsburg Boys and Girls Club Graduation

May 26, 2011 El Sobrante Boys and Girls Club Graduation

Delta Blues Festival 2014
Delta Blues Festival 2007
Delta Blues Festival 2009

July 2, 2009 Lakeside Apartments - Concord, CA
GRADUATION
2011 EL SOBRANTE GRADUATION

2012 YEAR END CLASSES

2013 YEAR END CLASSES

2014 YEAR END CLASSES

2015 YEAR END CLASSES

2016 YEAR END CLASSES

2017 YEAR END CLASSES

2018 YEAR END CLASSES

2019 YEAR END CLASSES

COVID SHUT US DOWN 2020-2022

2023 YEAR END CLASSES

2024 YEAR END CLASSES

Monday, December 9, 2024

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2025 WILL BE A GREAT NEW YEAR!

Sunday, December 8, 2024

November 30, 2024 Fundraiser a Success! THANK YOU!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS AND VOLUNTEERS FOR HELPING US MAKE OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER A SUCCESS!

How You Can Help

Guitars Not Guns, Inc. in California is entirely a volunteer organization. It has no employees so all donations are used to fulfill Our Mission to provide free guitars and lessons to foster kids, at risk youth and other deserving children ages 8 to 18 years old.

We need volunteer guitar instructors, classroom assistants, grant writers, bookkeepers, fundraisers and program leaders. You do not have to know how to play guitar to be a volunteer.

To volunteer go the "Volunteer" page and follow the instructions. We and the kids can always use your help.

How The Program Works

We "loan" guitars and guitar accessories to our students that they are to use to practice and carefully maintain for eight (8) weeks of one hour per week classes. The students and their guardians sign a lease contract for the equipment and most care for the guitars. The guitar may be the only personal item the student has ever possessed since foster children may move multiple times each year from guardian to guardian or facility to facility.. The object of the contract is to teach the students to take care of possessions. The students are not told this but, upon successful completion of the first level of classes, the guitars and accessories will be given to them to keep at no cost. The final class is a party to celebrate completion of the eight week program. The students play and we bring in accomplished musicians, some that are their age, to motivate them to further study with us and independently. For some, it is the first time they have been exposed to live music.