Guitars Not Guns graduates first class since 2020

“When I was a full-time working musician, every time they had a guitar around the foster kids, the kids were really interested in learning to play.”

For the Quintana brothers, it took them a little while longer than some to get interested in learning to play.

“In the beginning, we were not so much (interested in the class),” Eduardo said. “By the fourth lesson, we were excited (to play). We were just shy.”

“The kids see that all the hard work that they’ve put into these last eight weeks, having everybody come together and everybody appreciating what we’ve taught them that they really get an understanding,” Gorin said. “And we don’t tell them that they get to keep the guitars; we want them to earn it.”

The program is much more than just a basic, beginning-level music class for kids. 

“This program is all kinds of things,” Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis said. “It’s an outlet for kids to learn music, which could mean just having positive interactions with other people. It could be learning something that’s a hobby for the rest of their life, or could just be an understanding of the science (of music) or different arts.

“It’s a different outlet for each kid.”

Burgis has been a longtime supporter of the nonprofit, and her late husband, Richard Clayton, was also a volunteer teacher and supporter.

Allowing the kids to keep the guitars adds another level to the program as well. Guitars can cost from $100 to more than $100,000, and that $100 could mean the difference between rent and food for the next month, or, in this case, a guitar.

“Just having access to a guitar, being able to touch it, feel it, and then maybe developing a little bit of confidence and knowledge might be enough to bring them to the next level,” Burgis said.

Guitars Not Guns are still looking for volunteers and help going forward. Those interested are encouraged to reach out to Gorin at barbara.gorin@guitarsnotguns.org.