UM Charity Spotlight : : Project 143
Project 143 is dedicated to providing unique music-related experiences for teenagers and young adults who are battling cancer (via Facebook). Jaime Shultz sat down with Jared Stossel to talk about what inspired him to start Project 143, favorite success story and much more!
Jaime Shultz: How did you come up with the idea to start a non-profit? Jared Stossel: I came up with the idea to start a non-profit after a very gradual process of trial and error. I originally wanted Project 143 to start as an annual benefit concert. After seeing what organizations like Skate 4 Cancer and To Write Love On Her Arms were doing, I really thought that I could help make an impact by starting an organization.
JS: How did you come up with the name Project 143? Jared S: The name Project 143 comes from two different music related references. “Project” comes from the Linkin Park tour, called Projekt Revolution (spelled exactly that way) that I saw in the summer that I was going into high school. That show was a huge deal for me because not only was Linkin Park playing, but one of my all time favorite bands, My Chemical Romance, was playing the show.
The name “143” came from a song title that was released from a band that, coincidentally, is rising to great prominence now. They’re called Set It Off. At the time, the band had a VERY small following, and I had discovered them through a YouTube video. They had a song called “143” that I loved. A buddy of mine told me that 143 was actually a texting phrase that stood for “I Love You”. One letter in I, four letters in love, three letters in you.
At one point, the charity was unofficially titled “Music 4 Life”. Due to a licensing conflict, I had to change the name. After thinking for a very long time, I came up with the idea to name it Project 143. It was very organic, and it just worked.
JS: What is the main goal for Project 143? Jared S: The mission statement for Project 143 is to provide unique, music-related experiences for teenagers and young adults battling cancer, in addition to raising money for various pediatric cancer hospitals throughout the hospital.
JS: What’s your favorite story of success involving the company? Jared S: There are several stories, but I always have one that comes to mind. I cited earlier that one of my favorite artists of all time is My Chemical Romance. One of my other all time favorites is Green Day. Green Day were slated to come to Shoreline Amphitheatre in September of my senior year of high school. I wanted to do something really special for this show.
I reached out to both the band’s management and the heads of oncology at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. The hospital told me that they had a patient who wanted to attend the show with her family, as well as a survivor who wanted to attend with her best friend. The band heard this, and arranged for them to receive box seat concert tickets for the show, as well as pre-show sound check passes. I was so excited that day. I got to work with one of my favorite bands on something where we could both help make someone feel happy through music. There isn’t any feeling like it in the world. I remember escorting the girl and her family into the venue. The girl that was the patient was in the wheelchair. They were in a lower seating level then I was, but I remember looking over at them and she had this smile on her face the entire time. It was the best feeling in the world that I was able to help someone feel happy, leave behind their problems for just a few hours, and enjoy some great music.
JS: Who inspired you to start a non-profit dedicated to connecting people with music? Jared S: When I was a little kid, my grandfather passed away from lung cancer when I was six. When I was in middle school, a neighbour of mine who had lived across the street from me for nearly my entire night had passed away after a long battle with bladder cancer. It devastated me.
The biggest hit though actually came during a period of time that I didn’t expect, and oddly enough, had nothing to do with cancer. When I was in high school, I went to class one morning, during my sophomore year, and learned that my friend had died. Not only was she my friend, but she was my next-door neighbour. I had walked by her house that morning to get to the car, completely oblivious as to why there were so many cars in my street. She died in some weird freak accident with a go-kart. Very random, and it shocked me. She was my age. I had no words. All I could do was cry.
Later that day, one of my friends told me they were going to come over to comfort me. I laid down in my room and started looking up at the ceiling and the posters on my wall. I was physically exhausted from crying. A song suddenly came into my head. There’s a band that I really enjoy called All Time Low, and I’ve actually had the pleasure of working with them through this charity in the past. They have a really old song (at the time it wasn’t so old) called “Lullabies”. Their singer, Alex Gaskarth, had written about his brother who had committed suicide. One of the lines in the song went “sing me to sleep/I’ll see you in my dreams”. I picked up a guitar and just sang that verse over and over again. My friend hadn’t committed suicide, but the line just made sense to me, for whatever reason. I was singing it to her. For a moment, this indescribable feeling came over me. Despite everything horrible that had just happened, I felt like everything was going to be okay.
The next day, a record called “Homesick” by a band called A Day To Remember was released. I had gotten it and listened to it, and I was just starting to learn the songs. A week later, I went to her memorial service, which was really intense. It was the first time I ever saw someone in a casket, and the fact that it was someone I was so close to just messed with me so much. On that drive home, it started raining. A song called “If It Means A Lot To You” from the album “Homesick” came on. I know that the song is about a break-up, not a death. But I cried hard on that drive home, listening to that song, while the rain poured. It helped me. It gave me closure. It allowed me to personally say good-bye to someone who meant a lot to me during my childhood.
I know that was a very long response to your question, but I feel that the exposition was important for this reason: music is such a powerful thing. It helps people through so many horrible times in life. I can honestly say that bands like Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, and more have helped me through shitty times. I was an outcast in high school. I was teased and made fun of because I liked music that wasn’t “cool”. But I just kept playing music every day. I listened to records every day. I went to concerts every single weekend. It was the thing that made me feel safe. It still does to this day. It makes me feel that, for the length of a song, a record, a concert, everything is going to be okay. Just for a little while. With music, you can leave everything for just a short period of time and lose yourself in the sound.
It was so important for me to start a non-profit that was about connecting people with music because music is, in essence, an emotional medicine. It can help soothe the pain in its own special way. I believe Bob Marley once said, to paraphrase, that the best thing about music is that when it hits you, you feel no pain.
JS: What do you hope for from kids at festivals that stop by your tent? Jared S: I hope that kids who stop by our tent at festivals like the Vans Warped Tour and Mayhem Festival are able to see what it is that Project 143 is trying to do. We’re trying to help out patients that are faced with life-threatening illnesses and connect them with music. We send out a lot of care packages with both our merchandise and autographed band merchandise. We recently just had rock band Skillet send out some autographed stuff to a patient that’s currently undergoing treatment for cancer, so I’m really excited for him to receive these gifts!
I hope that they can see that we’re trying to help and make things just a little better for those that are less fortunate and facing a really intense battle.
JS: When did you start this non-profit? Jared S: I started this charity in July 2007. I came up with the idea at that time, worked with it, and officially set up a table at our first show in January 2009.
JS: Do you have a company motto? Jared S: I’ve actually never been asked this question! But no. No company motto that I can recall.
JS: Apart from Warped Tour and Mayhem how else to do spread the word about Project 143? Jared S: I spread the word about Project 143 through a lot of social networking. We just installed a brand new website which looks AMAZING, so I’m thrilled that people can go up there to learn about us at www.project143.org. You can add us on Facebook and Twitter. www.facebook.com/project143, @Project143. I’m currently in the middle of re-working some volunteer opportunities and programs, which will be posted to our social media pages once we’re ready to announce.
JS: Why is it so important to work with music festivals, and how does the crowd help out? Jared S: It’s incredibly important to work with music festivals, because they are a central hub for not only dedicated fans of the bands, but it’s also a place where a LOT of people that don’t always go to shows come to see live music. The festival scene is an experience. I know that some artists like Deadmau5 have said that it’s really hurting the music scene, but I actually think it’s doing the opposite. It’s bringing MORE people in, allowing for bigger and better things to be done with the festival setups and lineups, and creating a massive experience.
It’s very important for us to be part of the festival scene because it allows us to meet all of those people. Warped Tour has somewhere close 20,000 people attend each date. That is a massive audience for us to reach out to. Mayhem Fest is the same thing in terms of crowd size. The more people we can have come together to be involved with Project 143, the better.
I think another very important aspect of the festival scene is diversity. Nowadays, you will see metalcore bands on the same bill as pop, punk, EDM, and hip-hop artists. I think this is a great thing because it brings in so much diversity, and it allows us to reach out to fans and supporters that are interested in multiple genres of music. That can lead to involvement with other genres of music that we’ve never reached out to before, and I’m all for it.
JS: What would you say to anyone wanting to start a non-profit, or work with one? Jared S: Find what you’re passionate about. Don’t rush it. Don’t be afraid to ask, and don’t be afraid of the answer “no.” You face rejection with anything that you do, and a LOT of it, so don’t be afraid of it. It’s all part of the process. It’s a lot of work so be willing to put in the hours when putting together your own non-profit. You’ll be investing your own money, so be prepared for that. Do your research. Definitely don’t forget to enjoy what you’re doing. Have fun!
Check out Project 143 on the following websites: http://www.project143.org/ https://www.facebook.com/project143 http://www.twitter.com/project143