Story by Lawson Martin. Photos provided by Melody of Hope.
Melody of Hope is a nonprofit organization in Frisco, Texas that partners with local nonprofits to become a voice and an advocate for each charity’s cause. The organization supports nonprofits by partnering local artists of all ages and all genres with North Texas nonprofits to eliminate the cost barrier for nonprofits for their events. They also provide a platform for local artists to share their music on another level.
Every January, Melody of Hope’s board votes on which local nonprofits they will support throughout the year. The organization’s priorities are based on the community’s needs, such as physically disabled adults, veterans, and children, arts and culture, at-risk women and children, veteran support services, and health and humanitarian aid.
They’ve supported various nonprofits, such as the Boys & Girls Club of Collin County, the National Breast Cancer Foundation, the Visual Arts Guild of Frisco, Frisco Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Frisco Young Life.
When Melody of Hope first began, they were scouting local artists on Instagram and Facebook to perform at nonprofit events. The nonprofit has been operating for 10 years, and leaders say they now find artists through word of mouth.
Charlie Wendell, founder and executive director of Melody of Hope, says it’s crucial now more than ever to support local musicians because many artists have seen a decline in paid performances they’ve been invited to during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“One of the benefits of Melody of Hope is that we write grants and have sponsorships so artists can make more money,” Charlie says.
According to Charlie, Melody of Hope pays artists higher than the market value per hour, so they can have a platform to share their music.
“We have about a hundred artists on our roster, and we give them opportunities to share their talents at these events,” Charlie says.
Melody of Hope also supports younger artists because Charlie says these artists may need help booking gigs since they often cannot play past their curfew or at bars.
“We provide them these corporate events and nonprofit events as a space where they can showcase their talents,” Charlie says. “We teach them how to be professional. We help them with social media.”
For Melody of Hope, supporting local artists is as important as supporting nonprofits in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Melody of Hope understands that every time a nonprofit hosts a significant event, the nonprofit will have to pay for entertainment, but Melody of Hope wants to subset that cost for nonprofits.
Melody of Hope also desires to spread a faith-based message while working with local artists and nonprofits.
“We want to serve the Lord, we want to serve people, and we want to serve the community,” Charlie says. “We do what we do because we want to give a helping hand to nonprofits and artists because of the faith foundation. Our artists share that faith foundation: to bring the love of Jesus, people, and music together at one time.”
Melody of Hope is hoping to reach all age groups, but especially the millennial age group.
“There is a major disconnect among local nonprofits, millennials, businesses, and churches. Much is said about tapping into the millennial age group, but few are able,” Melody of Hope states on its website.
They believe the solution to bridge that gap is through music.
“Our gospel-centered mission creates innovative ways to share the hope of Jesus with thousands of millennials each year. We connect millennials to local nonprofits, creating paths for them to become donors, volunteers, and advocates for causes they love,” according to Melody of Hope’s website. “We connect nonprofits to greater market reach and new millennial donors and volunteers who make huge, positive impacts in our communities. Finally, our partnering businesses trust Melody of Hope to connect them to the most impactful nonprofits and connect their brands with vital causes.”
Melody of Hope recently started a new project in Frisco called Music on Main Street, where they are sharing their live music programs at merchants in downtown Frisco.
“We would love to see that project grow into more merchants around the city because Frisco is our home base, and we’re trying to build up the arts community there,” Charlie says. “We want to incorporate our programs into more company and nonprofit events there.”
If you’re a local artist and want to share your talents through Melody of Hope, or you’re a nonprofit looking for free entertainment for your next event, you’re encouraged to contact Melody of Hope at info@melodyofhope.org. They want to partner with all different cultures, genres, and ethnic backgrounds.
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