Our Mission
Healing Through Music
Curatus Per Musica:
Healing Through Music
Our Mission is to improve the lives of injured Veterans, First Responders and their families by uniting a diverse group of creative people and mobilizing them to use their talents to raise money and perform outreach to improve the lives of those who have sacrificed so much for us.
Wonderful things happen when you help us!
5
Countries have hosted Jams worldwide, including Iraq and Afghanistan, with our flagship event held annually in Chapel Hill, NC.
$600,000+
Raised so far in support of veterans, first responders, and their families.
19
Years in support of the NC Fisher Houses.
90+
Iron Pickers who play through all 12 hours of the Marathon Jam. Help us reach 100 this year!
The Charities We Support
The Fisher House at Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune help hundreds of families every year at two of the largest military bases in the country. In the past 10 years alone, Marathon Jam has donated over $120,000 to these Fisher Houses to provide warm beds, hot meals and safe spaces for families of injured soldiers and veterans so they can focus on the most important thing: healing.
Camp Corral provides free week-long summer camp programs and experiences to help transform the lives of children of wounded, ill and fallen military heroes. Their aim is to empower America’s military children to live their best lives possible. Marathon Jam has been providing annual contribution to help bring our “healing through music” mission to these children since 2019.
The North Carolina First Responder Peer Support Team’s mission is to provide a confidential, safe, and non-judgmental environment for fire, law enforcement, and EMS personnel to engage in healing conversations. It aims to support staff dealing with high-stress, traumatic, or cumulative job-related stress by fostering peer-to-peer connections and mental health advocacy.
The Veterans Restoration Quarters of Asheville’s mission is to create a principle-based environment and a comprehensive residential program that addresses every area of restoration in the life of a Veteran experiencing homelessness. They provide a 250-bed facility inclusive of on-going residential and emergency service capabilities.
Join Our Mission
“Quite simply, the mission of Marathon Jam is to make life better for Injured Soldiers, First Responders and their families. We use music to help and to heal. It is the core of who we are and what we do.”
— John Santa, Marathon Jam Founder
More About Marathon Jam
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Iron Pickers
At the end of every Marathon Jam, we bestow the coveted black T-shirt and title of “Iron Picker” on the musicians who play and sing the entire 12 hours of the Jam. The logo/motto “curatus per musica”, healing through music, is on the front of the shirt over the heart and shows the care and the spirit of what they do.
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Quilts of Honor
One of the most emotionally powerful things we do at the annual Marathon Jam is to wrap deserving Veterans, First Responders and their families. We have wrapped soldiers in wheel chairs, soldiers with PTSD, and people from all branches of service, from the Coast Guard to 911 Operators.
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The POW/MIA Guitar
Made by Veterans at the CF Martin shop in honor of the POW and MIA soldiers of the United States military, the POW/MIA guitar is awarded to a deserving musician each year who’s given a special assignment.
Gold Certified on Guidestar
Guidestar is a charity rating organization. We’re proud to be rated gold, one of the highest levels of financial transparency.
It shows how much Marathon Jam is committed to doing things for veterans, 1st responders, and their families with complete openness and getting a high level of donations to them in meaningful ways.
