Posted by By Allie Rui and Candice Xu
BETHESDA, Md. – Music and Love, a Washington metropolitan area student-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has announced its second annual fundraising concert benefiting The Children’s Inn at NIH. The concert will take place on Sunday, November 15, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at North Bethesda United Methodist Church. Julie Yang and Miss Historic Maryland Ashley Torkornoo will attend in support of the organization’s mission of sharing music and kindness with the community.
All proceeds and direct contributions raised through this annual signature event will go toward supporting The Children’s Inn at NIH and its mission to provide a welcoming, supportive home for children participating in groundbreaking medical research and their families. Through this event, Music and Love hopes to help bring comfort, hope, and meaningful support to families navigating serious medical challenges.
A Growing Partnership with The Children’s Inn at NIH
Music and Love’s partnership with The Children’s Inn at NIH began in 2024 with an initial charitable contribution and has since grown into an annual fundraising initiative.
2024 Initial Milestone: Music and Love raised and donated $1,063 directly to support children receiving treatment at NIH.
2025 Inaugural Concert: The organization expanded its reach, raising $2,231 through its 1st Annual Fundraising Concert.
On May 2, 2026, young musicians Allie Rui and Benjamina Bolger were invited to perform live at The Children’s Inn at NIH “An Evening for Hope” Gala at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C. The gala brought together national leaders and philanthropists and raised over $1.7 million. The students’ performance highlighted their musical artistry and commitment to youth service.
The November 15 concert will feature special guest Miss Historic Maryland Ashley Torkornoo and performances including violin, viola, cello, flute, piano, and vocal ensembles.
Adding a personal touch to the event, the concert will feature an Interactive Caring Card Corner, where student musicians and audience members can come together to create heartfelt holiday messages and hand-drawn encouragement cards for children staying at The Children’s Inn at NIH. Through this meaningful activity,
Music and Love hopes to share joy, comfort, and personal encouragement with young patients and their families, extending the spirit of giving beyond financial contributions. Through this meaningful activity, Music and Love hopes to share joy, comfort, and personal encouragement with young patients and their families, extending the spirit of giving beyond financial contributions.
Music and Love operates under a structured, student-led governance model established in 2026, comprising three dedicated branches: the Student Board, the Student Officer Team, and the Student Press Team. This three-tier framework empowers youth leaders to manage event logistics, stage setup, media relations, and graphic design.
The organization has also received recognition for its transparency, community service, and youth leadership. Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency: In March 2026, Music and Love earned the 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (formerly GuideStar), the highest level of Candid’s transparency recognition.
Official Congressional and Local Recognitions: The organization received a Certificate of Recognition from Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (February 13, 2026) and a Special Congressional Recognition from U.S. Congressman Jamie Raskin (April 6, 2026) in honor of its exemplary community service and youth leadership.
Youth Mentorship and Entrepreneurship
Beyond musical performance, Music and Love supports youth leadership through peer mentorship, academic workshops, and entrepreneurship.
Since 2024, Music and Love has hosted student-led academic and skill-building workshops. High school mentors from regional schools—including Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology,Winston Churchill High School, Montgomery Blair High School, and Chantilly High School—instruct younger peers in public speaking, entrepreneurship, competition mathematics, engineering CAD, and other subjects.
Music and Love students have participated in local Children’s Business Fairs, gaining hands-on experience in the full entrepreneurial process, from product development and pricing to marketing, sales pitches, and customer engagement. Their dedication and creativity earned notable recognition, including Second Place in Best Presentation and the Best Sales Pitch Award. Beyond their entrepreneurial achievements, the students demonstrated a strong commitment to community service by donating 100% of their business fair profits directly to The Children’s Inn at NIH, turning their business experience into a meaningful act of giving.
Four Years of Community Service
According to Music and Love, since its founding in 2022, the organization has built an international network uniting over 800 young musicians and 400 volunteers across 319 live performances, serving more than 10,000 community audience members.
The organization regularly performs at more than 28 senior living communities and hospitals across the Washington metropolitan area. Its China chapter also supports inclusive care and cultural education.
Global Outreach and Inclusive Care
Support for Children with Special Needs: The China chapter extends Music and Love’s mission of compassion through summer charity concerts and interactive arts activities designed for children with Down syndrome and autism. By sharing music, creativity, and meaningful companionship, these programs create joyful and inclusive experiences that foster connection, encourage self-expression, and bring warmth to children and their families.
Cultural Heritage Experiences: During traditional festivals such as Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year, student volunteers organize cultural programs at historical landmarks, including the Shenyang Imperial Palace, and at local museums. During an 8,000-year sericulture heritage exhibition, youth volunteers served as bilingual student docents, sharing traditional culture with public audiences.
Global Educational Outreach (GEO): Launched in October 2026 under the leadership of 12th-grade student leader Avery, the GEO initiative connects U.S. student mentors with youth and orphans in China through interactive virtual English sessions and cross-cultural dialogue.
Community Support and Concert Information
Music and Love thanked its sponsors, partner organizations, volunteer families, and community supporters.
Contributions of funding, gift cards, media coverage, and venue support make its youth-led initiatives possible.
The community is invited to attend the following event:
Event: Music and Love 2026 2nd Annual Fundraising Concert for the Children’s Inn at NIH
Date & Time: Sunday, November 15, 2026, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location: North Bethesda United Methodist Church (10100 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814)
Admission: Free Admission (Donations Welcome & Appreciated)
Official Website: http://www.musicandlove.org
Contact Email: musicandloveorg@gmail.com
【马里兰州贝塞斯达讯】华盛顿都会区由学生主导的501(c)(3)非营利组织Music and Love 将于2026年11月15日（星期日）下午2时至5时，在北贝塞斯达联合卫理公会教堂举办第二届年度筹款音乐会，为美国国立卫生研究院（NIH）儿童之家（The Children’s Inn at NIH）筹款。Julie Yang及Miss Historic Maryland头衔获得者Ashley Torkornoo将作为特别嘉宾出席活动，支持该组织通过音乐向社区传递关爱。
本次音乐会的全部收益及直接捐款，将用于支持NIH儿童之家，为参与前沿医学研究的儿童及其家庭提供温馨、友善的住宿与支持。Music and Love希望通过这场活动，为面临重大医疗挑战的家庭带来慰藉、希望和切实帮助。
与NIH儿童之家的合作持续深化
Music and Love与NIH儿童之家的合作始于2024年。从最初的一笔公益捐款出发，这项合作逐步发展为年度筹款活动。
2024年，Music and Love筹集并捐赠了1,063美元，直接支持在NIH接受治疗的儿童。
2025年，该组织举办首届年度筹款音乐会，筹得2,231美元，进一步扩大了公益支持。
2026年5月2日，青年音乐家Allie Rui和Benjamina Bolger受邀在华盛顿特区JW万豪酒店举行的NIH儿童之家“希望之夜”（An Evening for Hope）慈善晚宴上现场演出。晚宴汇聚了国家领导人士和慈善界代表，筹款总额超过170万美元。两位学生的演出展现了她们的音乐才华及投身青少年公益服务的热忱。
11月15日的音乐会将呈现小提琴、中提琴、大提琴、长笛、钢琴及声乐组合等多种形式的表演。
现场还将设置“爱心贺卡互动角”（Interactive Caring Card Corner）。学生音乐家与观众可共同制作节日祝福卡和手绘鼓励卡，送给入住NIH儿童之家的孩子们。Music and Love希望通过这项活动，在筹款之外，为小患者及其家人送上欢乐、慰藉与真挚的鼓励。
学生领导机制与社区荣誉
Music and Love于2026年建立了由学生主导的组织管理架构，包括学生理事会、学生领导团队和学生新闻团队。三个团队共同承担活动统筹、舞台布置、媒体联络和平面设计等工作，让青少年在实际服务中锻炼领导力与组织能力。
该组织也因其透明度、社区服务及青少年领导力获得多项认可。
2026年3月，Music and Love获得Candid（前身为GuideStar）颁发的“2026年铂金透明度认证”（2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency），这是Candid透明度认证体系中的最高等级。
此外，该组织于2026年2月13日获得蒙哥马利郡郡长Marc Elrich颁发的表彰证书，并于2026年4月6日获得美国联邦众议员Jamie Raskin颁发的国会特别表彰，以肯定其社区服务和青少年领导力方面的贡献。
通过同伴辅导与创业实践培养青少年
除音乐演出外，Music and Love还通过同伴辅导、学术工作坊和创业实践，支持青少年全面发展。
自2024年以来，该组织持续举办由学生主导的学术及技能工作坊。来自托马斯·杰斐逊科技高中、温斯顿·丘吉尔高中、蒙哥马利·布莱尔高中和尚蒂伊高中等地区学校的高中生担任导师，向年幼学生教授公众演讲、创业、数学竞赛及工程计算机辅助设计（CAD）等内容。
Music and Love的学生还参加当地儿童商业集市，在实践中学习从产品开发、定价，到市场推广、销售推介及客户沟通的完整创业流程。他们凭借投入与创意，获得了“最佳展示第二名”和“最佳销售推介奖”等荣誉。
学生们将商业集市所得利润的100%捐给NIH儿童之家，把创业学习转化为支持社区的实际行动。
四年来的社区服务成果
据Music and Love介绍，自2022年成立以来，该组织已建立起一个连接800多名青年音乐家和400名志愿者的国际网络，累计举办319场现场演出，服务社区观众超过10,000人。
该组织定期在华盛顿都会区28家以上的养老社区及医院演出。与此同时，其中国分部也通过公益音乐活动、文化体验和教育交流，推动包容性关怀与跨文化沟通。
全球公益与特殊需要儿童关怀
Music and Love中国分部通过暑期公益音乐会及互动艺术活动，为唐氏综合征和自闭症儿童提供关怀。音乐、创意活动与真诚陪伴，为孩子们创造了欢乐、包容的参与体验，鼓励他们表达自我、与他人建立联系，也为其家庭带来温暖。
在中秋节、农历新年等传统节日期间，学生志愿者还在沈阳故宫等历史文化地标及当地博物馆组织文化活动。在一次展现八千年蚕桑文化传承的展览中，青少年志愿者担任双语学生讲解员，向公众介绍传统文化。
2026年10月，由十二年级学生领袖Avery带领的“全球教育拓展计划”（Global Educational Outreach，简称GEO）正式启动。该计划通过线上互动英语课程和跨文化对话，将美国学生导师与中国的青少年及孤儿连接起来，促进语言学习与文化交流。
感谢社区支持 公益音乐会诚邀公众参与
Music and Love向赞助商、合作机构、志愿者家庭及社区支持者表示感谢。他们的支持使这些由青少年主导的公益项目得以持续开展。
该组织诚邀社区公众参加本届音乐会，共同支持音乐、青少年成长与公益服务。
活动名称： Music and Love 2026年第二届NIH儿童之家年度筹款音乐会
活动时间： 2026年11月15日（星期日），下午2时至5时
活动地点： 北贝塞斯达联合卫理公会教堂
North Bethesda United Methodist Church
10100 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814
入场方式： 免费入场，欢迎并感谢自愿捐款
官方网站： www.musicandlove.org
