At its largest event to date, on Saturday night Band Together NC Executive Director Matt Strickland and Co-Founder Danny Rosin announced proceeds from the evening would top $600,000. The concert – attended by more than 4,000 music fans – will push fundraising closer to the final goal of raising $1 million for the 2014 partnership with Communities In Schools of Wake County and Communities In Schools of Durham (CIS). A final fundraising total will be announced at a press event in the next two months.

Under the leadership of Strickland and Rosin, Band Together NC, a Triangle-based organization that uses live music as a platform for social change, has become the largest charitable music event in the Southeast since its inception in 2001 following the tragic events of 9/11. Including fundraising totals to date, the organization has raised more than $3.5 million for the Triangle community to date.

Legendary duo and newly-inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Daryl Hall and John Oates performed as headlining artists for the 2014 concert, accompanied by Robert Randolph and the Family Band, DJ Logic and NC southern-indie band Jack the Radio – who earned a slot after winning Band Together’s 2014 Last Band Standing contest. Due to the growing community support, Band Together moved its concert to Walnut Creek Amphitheatre – its biggest venue to date – to accommodate the more than 4,000 attendees.

“We set lofty goals for this year’s event,” said Strickland. “Two partners, a bigger venue, bigger event and larger musical acts. But we knew we could accomplish it with the help of our dedicated support system of sponsors, volunteers and Triangle music fans. As we get closer to reaching our fundraising goal, we’re confident about the impact we’ll leave with CIS of Wake County and Durham in helping students in our community reach optimal success.”

Total funds raised this year are anticipated to surpass the $860,000 that Band Together raised in 2013 for its nonprofit partner, Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities. Funds were raised through sponsorships, ticket sales, silent auctions, a wine grab, the Last Band Standing concert, live artist paintings and a raffle at the concert event. Proceeds raised for CIS will go towards hiring a minimum of six graduation coaches and mentors who will directly serve more than 600 students while indirectly serving 6,000 more students in the Triangle.

“We were so fortunate to be able to work with Band Together this year,” said Travis Mitchell, executive director of CIS Wake. “We are honored to have been chosen as a nonprofit partner, and are excited to see lives change with these funds. Our goal is to empower Wake County’s youth and provide them with mentorship they need to not only be successful students, but contributing community members.”

“CIS of Durham is so proud to be part of such a powerful initiative,” said Beverly Hardin, Executive Director of CIS of Durham. “Thank you for giving us this chance to ‘Raise Funds, Raise Awareness and Raise the Bar’ for CIS of Durham – and empower even more Durham students to succeed, in school and in life.”

Band Together would not be able to raise substantial funds or host events of this scale without the generous support of corporate partners in the community. Included among the hundreds of sponsors are: Presenting Sponsor S&A Cherokee; Platinum Sponsors PNC Bank and Walmart; and Gold Sponsors Apple Gold, AT&T, Cargill, Insight Advocacy & Communications, KIX 102.9, Radio 96.1, Republic Wireless, TriMark Solutions, media partner WNCN, and WRAL/Out & About.

Band Together will partner with StepUp Ministry for its 2015 partnership. Proceeds raised will be used to maintain StepUp Raleigh; open a parent organization, StepUp North Carolina; and open a seed organization, StepUp Durham.

To learn more about Band Together’s previous nonprofit partners, visit http://www.bandtogethernc.org/our-nonprofit-partners/for-nonprofits or email matt@bandtogethernc.org to be advised on when applications for 2016 nonprofit partnership will be available.

For more information about Band Together, visit www.bandtogethernc.org, become a fan on Facebook, join their LinkedIn group or follow @bandtogethernc on Twitter.