Band Together Launches Initiative to Honor First Responders at 25th Anniversary Mighty Giveback Concert
Community invited to donate concert tickets in recognition of the heroes who inspired the organization's founding
As Band Together celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026, the organization is returning to the very moment that inspired its creation.
Before Band Together became one of North Carolina's most impactful music-driven nonprofits, it was a response to tragedy.
In the days following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, community leaders in Raleigh came together with a simple idea: use the power of music to help people heal and support those affected. There was no nonprofit, no staff, and no roadmap. There was only a belief that community and compassion could make a difference.
Twenty-five years later, that belief has grown into an organization that has raised more than $15 million for more than 160 nonprofit partners across the Triangle. Yet the spirit that sparked Band Together's founding remains unchanged.
"Band Together exists because ordinary people choose to respond when their community needs them," said Thorne Daubenspeck, Executive Director. "Our organization was born from the example set by first responders on September 11. As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we have an opportunity to come full circle and thank the heroes who inspired our beginning."
To honor that legacy, Band Together is inviting the community to donate tickets that will allow first responders and their guests to attend the 25th Anniversary Mighty Giveback Concert on Saturday, October 10, 2026, featuring JJ Grey & Mofro and The 502s.
The initiative aims to fill the concert crowd with firefighters, police officers, EMTs, paramedics, and other first responders.
Community members can make a contribution by visiting www.bandtogethernc.org/donate and selecting "First Responder Tickets" as the campaign designation.
"This isn't just about celebrating our past," said Thorne Daubenspeck. "It's about expressing gratitude to the people who run toward danger, who show up on our hardest days, and whose example taught us what it means to serve a community."
