Our Story

“Papa Carl’s Jam for Life Foundation” is a group of people who love music and the arts and for one reason or another have an interest in organ and tissue donation, the transplant experience and share a desire to help others and promote a good cause. While “Papa Carl” may be a real person, he more importantly represents an idea of how a person can use a second chance to experience life in an entirely new way. Dreams can come true. People can come together and we can build community. Music and the arts do just that. Both mediums touch the human spirit and generate emotion that can bring people together and accomplish things that could never be done without the group and the community sharing involved. When people realize that they can spread the word about organ and tissue donation and the miracle of transplantation, raise money to support related organizations, encourage people to become donors—and create a responsive community by doing the very things they live to do and love to do, something magical happens.

People from all walks of life who love music will come together to hear good live performances. Art lovers will go to a show. These individuals may have never heard about transplant, organ donation and may not be registered to become an organ donor, but they do get involved in the Jam community when they come to these events. It is in this process that people are drawn to a greater understanding of the transplant experience. They are touched emotionally by the music or art and that in turn brings creates a positive experience. Many have come forward to let Foundation members know that they had become organ and tissue donors after attending one of the Jam for Life Events, talking about it, and making the decision.

There is no better way to understand how absolutely incredible the miracle of transplant is than to see people living that second chance. A big part of Papa Carl’s Jam for Life Foundation is possibly one of the youngest friends of the Foundation. Mike Snyder is a seven year old young man who recently started the last Jam by taking the stage and announcing, “Let’s get this party started.” Mike received a great round of applause, and then he went to his ringside seat to enjoy the music and play air guitar with his brother. Mike is a miracle. Mike recently celebrated his first anniversary of a second kidney transplant. It is impossible to see this child, enjoying life, and loving life and not understand what this is all about. (You can see Mike up above at last summer’s Transplant Games, at the ‘ 07 Jam we helped raise some of the funds for Mike to get there)

Our community consists of those who have received the Gift of Life, those family members who have given that Gift in their time of grief, those who are waiting for the Gift of Life, and those fantastic family members and others who just want to be part of this great movement. We are musicians who share our talents and time to help others. We are artists who create our work to share this experience with others, and we are anyone who wants to be part of a community that cares. Please consider joining us.

THE GIFT OF LIFE IS A GIFT OF LOVE~
WHAT BETTER WAY IS THERE TO EXPRESS THAT
THAN WITH MUSIC AND ART?