Music Matters for Caleb (MMFC) was founded by Minnie and David Clayton in September 2021 in honor of their son’s life, his love for performing arts, and his creative passions.

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Caleb James Clayton was a loving, kind, and sensitive young man, revered for his creative genius, gentle nature, and love of all artistic platforms. He spent his entire life attached to the arts. As a patron, a performer, and a student, he continuously studied and developed his passion for music, theatre, and drama.

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Caleb was a junior Vocal Performance Music major at Dillard University in New Orleans when he was killed by a drunk driver. If you met him you knew him, loved him, and remembered him. His smile, his laugh, the encouragement he offered with words or even without. He had a grand personality and dreams to match.

 

This foundation was established because of who Caleb was at his core, because of the desire Caleb had to help others; to bring joy to this world through the arts, and to create opportunities for other young people in the community that shares his love and passion for the arts. This foundation is here to provide education, guidance, and inspiration in the areas of performing arts to underserved, economically disadvantaged, and foster care youth and teens. To cultivate a love and knowledge of the performing arts so that young people can discover their unique gifts, develop their character, and imagine new possibilities for their lives.

 

MMFC provides resources for youth to apply for scholarships, workshops for time and money management, and obtain life and career skills development training through our P.A.C.E. program. At MMFC, qualified youth are able to participate in the Instrument Lending Program (ILP) to obtain instruments to be used for school bands and orchestras because of donations to our Instruments in the Attic donation (IIA) program.

 

There’s not a day that goes by we are not thinking of Caleb or having a fond memory of him. MMFC was birthed because we chose to not let those memories of him be for nothing, we chose to change the world by giving the world a glimpse into Caleb’s bigger-than-life love for the arts. His dreams and goals are alive through MMFC and what a life it is to behold.