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Strings Not Streets is a nonprofit that collects donated guitars and amps, restores them, and places them in the hands of at-risk youth—turning music into a safe, creative path away from the streets.
Strings Not Streets provides donated and restored musical instruments to children at no cost, using music education and creative engagement as a positive alternative that helps keep youth off the streets and supports healthy development.
Strings Not Streets provides donated and restored musical instruments to children at no cost, using music education and creative engagement as a positive alternative that helps keep youth off the streets and supports healthy development.
Strings Not Streets collects donated guitars, amplifiers, and instrument parts—working or not—and restores them through careful repair, refurbishment, and assembly so they can be placed quickly into the hands of children at no cost. By turning unused and broken equipment into playable instruments, the project provides immediate, constructive access to music as a positive alternative that keeps youth engaged and off the streets.
“Before I got the guitar, I was always in trouble and didn’t think anything mattered. Having something that was mine gave me a reason to go home after school instead of staying out.”
— Age 13
Donation Impact: Your unused guitar becomes a reason a kid goes home instead of back to the street.
“I used to get angry fast and didn’t know what to do with it. Playing music helps me calm down when I feel like I’m going to mess up again.”
— Age 15
Donation Impact: Your broken amp becomes a safe outlet for anger instead of another incident.
“Nobody ever gave me something just because they believed in me. Getting an instrument made me feel like someone cared if I stayed on the right path.”
— Age 14
Donation Impact: Your donated parts become proof that someone believes in a kid who’s used to being written off.
“Music gave me something better to focus on. When I’m practicing, I’m not fighting, skipping school, or hanging out where I shouldn’t be.”
— Age 16
Donation Impact: Your non-working guitar becomes time spent practicing instead of getting into trouble.
Most of the kids we serve don’t need another lecture—they need something to hold onto. A guitar, an amp, even a box of broken parts can become the one thing that pulls them inside, calms them down, and gives them a reason to choose something better. We take what’s been forgotten, broken, or left in closets and turn it into instruments that get into kids’ hands fast—before the streets take them back. When you donate, you’re not just giving gear. You’re giving time, focus, and a safer place for a kid to be tonight.
Strings Not Streets relies on community donations of guitars, amplifiers, and instrument components in any condition to rapidly place refurbished instruments into the hands of youth who need constructive alternatives. By converting unused and non-functioning equipment into playable instruments, the program provides immediate access to music as a stabilizing, engaging activity that supports positive behavior, emotional regulation, and safe use of after-school time. Donor contributions directly enable timely intervention, ensuring that financial barriers never prevent a child from accessing a positive and educational outlet.
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