WELCOME TO CHILDREN’S INSTRUMENT RECYCLE PROGRAM (CHIRP)
The Children’s Instrument Recycle Program (CHIRP), founded in 2012 by Dr. Mike Hess in Harrison County, West Virginia, is a program that recycles old instruments and gives them to children who can’t afford to purchase or rent one of their own.
These used instruments are repaired and then delivered to young students in tribute to Hess’s father, who loved playing piano.
Hess, who was in a band that he credits with changing his life for the better, realized the big need for instruments in the state of West Virginia for students who have an interest in music, but are unable to bear the expensive costs of a brand new, shiny instrument.
CHIRP, originally launched in Harrison County, now serves 11 of the 55 counties in West Virginia. Hess, and those who serve at CHIRP, hope to extend the program to all 55 West Virginia counties.
There are hundreds of instruments going unused in homes everywhere. They are hidden away in the back of a closet, up in the attic, under the bed, in the basement and even mounted on a wall as decoration. The folks from Chirp would love to take those instruments off your hands and into the hands of a student in need. Click here to learn how you can donate your instruments.
We are excited to launch our new website to share with the communities of West Virginia in hopes that parents, educators, band directors and others will find and support our initiative.
On this site, you’ll be able to find information about the program, information for parents and educators and an instrument scholarship request form. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!
With the launch of the site, comes an event calendar where you can stay up-to-date on upcoming fundraising events. A past fundraising event held in Bridgeport, WV was a wine and cheese event with live jazz and a silent auction. Keep a lookout on our news section of the website for other fun activities! Money raised goes towards the cost of parts for repairing instruments as well as delivery costs to schools.
Help us bring joy to young students through music!