Morgan Fenton, Head of CoMMunity Partnership
“Whether they knew it or not, every person in Hill Auditorium last Wednesday night contributed to something truly great and meaningful.”
If you didn’t already know, the MUSIC in MUSIC Matters is an acronym for “Michigan Undergraduates Serving in the Community.” This past year, MM decided to take the acronym one step further by teaming up with other undergrads at the University of Michigan in order to maximize our impact. The goal of this project, which came to be known as the CoMMunity Partnership, was to reach out to our own community here on campus, partner with another social impact organization, and, ultimately, serve the community in a new way.
MUSIC Matters may not be the first organization to support other student orgs on campus, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a need for funding opportunities like the CoMMunity Partnership. At a school like the University of Michigan where there are hundreds of orgs working tirelessly to help others, it’s imperative to recognize and support the incredible work that other students are doing. We received an overwhelming number of applications, and this past November, Books for a Benefit became MUSIC Matters’ first CoMMunity Partner.
From drafting the application and having a club-wide vote to determine the winner, to building a library from scratch and volunteering at Books for a Benefit’s (BFB) Literacy Days, it has been an absolute honor to help bring the CoMMunity Partnership to life. I may be biased, but I think it’s safe to say that this partnership was a success. With funding and volunteers provided by MUSIC Matters, we were able to help BFB build a beautiful library for the Flint community this past February: but the fun didn’t stop there!
During the day at SpringFest on April 4th, we showcased the partnership by asking festival-goers to write their favorite books on bookshelves, which will be used at BFB’s next library build in the fall. I was also thrilled that we decided to donate the proceeds from SpringFest 2018 to help expand the CoMMunity Partnership. Whether they knew it or not, every person in Hill Auditorium last Wednesday night contributed to something truly great and meaningful. Whatever form the CoMMunity Partnership takes next year, I can’t wait to see who MM decides to team up with next. Keep an eye out for more cool and impactful partnerships in the future!