Founded in 2010 by guitarist/songwriter Damon Marks, the Traveling Guitar Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides FREE musical equipment and support for school systems across the United States that are struggling to finance their music education programs.

In the video right, Freehold Township Mayor Barbara McMorrow presenting Damon Marks Founder of The Traveling Guitar Foundation and Michael Palmisano founder of GuitarGate a proclamation from the Freehold Township on our giving back to the schools. The mayor also mentions that Saturday May 15th, 2016 was declared Damon Marks / Traveling Guitar Foundation day and Sunday May 16th, 2016 was declared Michael Palmisano / GuitarGate day in Freehold Township, NJ.

Damon Marks - Traveling Guitar Foundation
Michael Palmisano – GuitarGate
Barbara McMorrow – Mayor, Freehold Township, NJ
Lester Preston Jr. - Deputy Mayor, Freehold Township, NJ
David Salkin – Committeeman, Freehold Township, NJ

NJ guitarist donates instruments to local music programs
WPIX-TV, June 8, 2017, by Christie Duffy

MANALAPAN, N.J. — Students at Manalapan High School got the gift of five brand new Schecter guitars, amps, cables and drum sets. It was all donated to the school's music program today by the Traveling Guitar Foundation, which was founded in 2009 by a New Jersey guitarist.

"Music was always an outlet for me, a positive outlet for me," said Damon Marks, the organization's founder.

He hopes it will be a positive outlet for students.

When schools face budget cuts, music and arts programs are often the first to go. Marks' foundation has stepped in to donate instruments, perform or do music outreach at over 100 schools across the country and abroad.

"I think these new instruments will help bring more kids into the program that maybe are not so into the conventional instruments, like trumpet and trombone," said Jose Maunez, the music director at Manalapan H.S.

Dhilan Kotian, a junior at Manalapan High School, is one of those kids. He was invited up to play with Marks’ band, "Frontiers Ultimate Journey Tribute," during a Thursday afternoon performance at Manalapan for several hundred students.

"I was in jazz band freshman and sophomore," said Kotian. "But I just kind of stopped, just lost interest because I didn’t really like the kind of music."

Kotian picked up the guitar outside of school. But thanks to Marks and the Traveling Guitar Foundation, students who follow will have a chance to learn.

"By adding these instruments to Manalapan High School, I think its just a great way for kids to pick up the instrument," he said.