Charity and Humanitarian Efforts

Melinda’s music touches people’s hearts and Melinda’s heart touches people’s lives…

Melinda Doolittle doesn’t just inspire a multitude of people with her beautiful singing voice, but also with her genuine heart, her kind spirit, and her very real desire to make this world a better place. Since appearing on American Idol in 2007, Melinda has used her fame to bring about change and to bring attention to charities and endeavors that will help a countless number of people. Her hard work and efforts have inspired her Backups to do just as she has, to devote their time and efforts to working with the charities that Melinda herself supports in order to bring about change and to positively impact the lives of thousands of people. Melinda’s Backups™ support a myriad of charities, a list of which can be found at the bottom of this page. As a group, however, we have focused our attention on two specific and very worthwhile causes: Malaria No More and the Melinda Doolittle Music Scholarship.

Malaria No More is an organization that works to end deaths caused by malaria. Founded in 2006, the group works in conjunction with several other charitable foundations, including the United Way, the American Red Cross, and UNICEF. Melinda at Health Center in Zambia Through monetary donations, the organization purchases anti-malarial drugs and insecticide-treated bed nets, both of which are used to protect against the often deadly, but preventable and treatable, disease. The foundation is also committed to educating people about the disease and ways to both prevent and treat it. To learn more about the organization and to find out how you can help, please visit www.malarianomore.org.

First introduced to the organization through the Idol Gives Back charity show in April of 2007, Melinda has continued to demonstrate her lasting support of the foundation and its work. She travelled to Africa with First Lady Laura Bush in the summer of 2007, helping to personally distribute the insecticide-treated bed nets purchased through donations from Idol’s charity show. While overseas, she also had the opportunity to visit health clinics in Africa and to discuss with Zambian children the effects of the disease. Additionally, she had the chance to meet with local community health volunteers and to join with a group of Zambian children to perform a stunning rendition of “Amazing Grace” for the First Ladies of both the United States and Zambia. Since returning from her trip, Melinda has remained committed to the organization, helping to raise awareness of the charity and the most important work that it does.Melinda choosing an African Dress with some children To learn more about Melinda’s trip to Africa, please visit http://www.melindasbackups.com/static/Africa.htm.

Melinda’s dedication has inspired her Backups to do just as she does … to dream big and to work hard to make those dreams come true. One of those Backups is Alexis Patterson, a student at Union Endicott High School in New York. The ambitious teenager is not only following Melinda’s “dream big” motto, but is also working hard to raise awareness about the Malaria No More organization and the work that it does. Alexis is planning and coordinating a Stayin’ Alive dance at her high school, all the proceeds of which will be donated to Malaria No More to purchase both bed nets and anti-malarial drugs. Through her hard work and dedication, Alexis will directly influence the lives of a multitude of people. To learn more about Alexis’ efforts and the Stayin’ Alive dance at Union-Endicott High School, please visit http://www.melindasbackups.com/static/UnionEndicott.htm.

The Backups are also getting involved with Malaria No More in another way, by participating in the Country Music Marathon, held in Nashville, Tennessee in April of 2008. “Our Melinda has inspired me to look beyond my own nose and outside of my community, and I see many needs. Knowing that $10.00 for Malaria No More saves a life for five years has made me realize that the size of the donation is not what matters, it is the cause, hope and faith for a better world for ALL!” — Sally Two of Melinda’s Backups, Sara and Maria, have organized a team of runners and walkers who will be participating in the marathon this spring. Through donations and sponsorships, the Backups team hopes to raise funds for the organization, as well as increase awareness of the work it does and the disease itself. Several of the Backups have signed on to help, either committing themselves to run in the marathon or offering to act as a sponsor for one of the Backups who will be taking part in the race. Sara explains that although the physical demands of the marathon may prove challenging, the outcome will be both satisfying and worthwhile.

“The satisfaction you feel when crossing the finish line is even more intense when you know your efforts have benefited others,” she said. This focus on benefitting others is something about which all of Melinda’s Backups™ feel strongly. It has been an honor for us to support a charity to which Melinda has already dedicated so much of her own time and effort.

“This charity requires so little in terms of effort but its impact is tremendous because it addresses the most basic of people’s needs.  It’s simple to comprehend its impact and easy to get your arms around it,” said Maria. To learn more about the Backups’ participation in the marathon and to find out how to join our team or send a donation, please visit http://www.melindasbackups.com/static/marathon.htm.

Inspired by Melinda and her charitable endeavors, the Backups have also recently begun a new endeavor of our own: creating the Melinda Doolittle Music Scholarship at the singer’s alma mater, Belmont University in Tennessee. Melinda has remained active in contributing to the activities of her alma mater, making clear her support for the university and its students. Hosting the nationally broadcast Christmas at Belmont in 2007, Melinda not only extolled the praises of the university but reminded everyone who was watching just how much can be accomplished by dreaming big, working hard, and having a lot of heart. The talented singer is an example of just that, and now her Backups are working hard to make the dreams of another Belmont-affiliated vocalist come true.

“This scholarship is the Backups’ contribution to [Melinda’s] ongoing support for Belmont University,” said Cristina, chair of the Backups’ Scholarship Committee. “Belmont University has a wonderful school of music. There are many talented, aspiring young vocalists who cannot afford to pursue a college education there, but contributors to this scholarship will help alleviate at least part of the financial burden for a deserving student.  Every year, the Melinda Doolittle Music Scholarship will make a difference in the life of one of these gifted students.”

Belmont UniversityTo that end, members of the Scholarship Committee have already met with members of the university’s Development Office and have opened an account for the endowed fund. They are in the process of creating promotional materials that will be used in an upcoming fundraising campaign, projected to begin in late January 2008. Always dreaming big, the Backups have set a goal of raising $25,000 by the end of 2008 and a long range goal of raising $100,000 by the end of 2009. The Scholarship Committee plans to have various levels of strategies to raise funds for the scholarship, ranging from individual donations to an online fundraising campaign to an outreach campaign that will reach institutions and potential donors. The annually awarded scholarship will support an undergraduate student who is enrolled in the college’s Commercial Music Program and who has demonstrated financial difficulties. The recipient will be chosen by a committee that includes two representatives of Belmont University, two representatives from Melinda’s Backups™, and Melinda herself. For more information on the scholarship and how to donate, please visit http://www.melindasbackups.com/static/Scholarship.htm.

It has been an honor for the Backups to support Melinda not only in her musical aspirations, but also in her charitable endeavors. “Melinda has inspired me to be a better person by her actions, her words, and the spirit she has.” — Holly She has inspired us to help to make this world a better place and to bring about the positive change that she herself works to bring into so many people’s lives. Melinda’s music touches people’s hearts and Melinda’s heart touches people’s lives.

“In an age when many of us live for ourselves, I find Melinda to be a uniquely selfless person. While her amazing voice moves, uplifts and inspires me, I find it is the quality of her character that draws me to her and the causes she cares about,” said Sara. Maria agrees.

“Melinda is so inspiring because she is using her celebrity for a cause larger than herself.  Very few celebrities can be so generous or unselfish.  In addition, you see the joy Melinda has in doing this,” she explained.

As Melinda embarks on the next step of her journey in what is sure to be a long and successful career, she continues to inspire her Backups to bring about positive change. Her Backups take her “dream big” message to heart and look forward to continuing to change the world for the better, just as Melinda does.

“Remember,” Cristina said. “If we dream big, we will reach our goals!”

Charities that Melinda’s Backups support:

And many others …