2026 Children Helping Children Performathon

Benefit for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC®)

COORDINATORS: RENAE BLOCK , SUZANNE LEHRER & BETTY STOLOFF (njmtaperformathon@gmail.com)

Dear Performathon Families, Teachers, and Students,
The total amount raised for the 2025 NJMTA Children Helping Children Performathon was $13,260.00!
Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,
The NJMTA Performathon Committee
Suzanne Lehrer, Betty Stoloff, and Renae Block

Benefit for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC®) The NJMTA Children Helping Children Performathon (CHCP) is an opportunity for students of all levels and ages to perform for both artistic enrichment and community service.

Join us as we celebrate the 20th year of the NJMTA Performathon!

This year, we are raising funds for the three Ronald McDonald Houses in New Jersey. For those of you who may not be familiar with Ronald McDonald Houses, they are houses that are attached to a local children’s hospital. They provide a “home away from home” for countless families in need of a place to eat and sleep while a child is undergoing intensive treatment at the local hospital.

The NJMTA 2026 Performathon: On February 28 and March 1, there will be as many as 15 separate 1-hour concerts devoted to raising money for the Ronald McDonald Houses. Before the concerts, the performers will collect donations for the Ronald McDonald Houses. Additionally, new this year, recitals will be held at Cunningham Piano Company in Cherry Hill on Saturday March 7th and Sunday March 8th.

To date, the NJMTA Children Helping Children Performathon has raised over $200,000! Recitals are free and open to the public.

REGISTRATION PERIOD: Monday, January 1, 2026 through Monday, February 1, 2026

DATES and LOCATIONS:

Saturday and Sunday February 28 & March 1, 2026

Steinway & Sons, Route 1 S, Princeton
The Arts Council of Princeton, Witherspoon St., Princeton

Saturday and Sunday, March 7th & March 8th, 2026

Cunningham Piano Company, Cherry Hill

HOW to ENTER: Sign Up Genius will be available during the registration period.

RECITAL FORMAT: All recitals will be about 1 hour, with 45 minutes of music and 15 minutes of set-up, awards and photos.

FEE: There is no Registration fee. Students collect donations for the Ronald McDonald Houses of New Jersey. As last year, the donations can be submitted directly online to the Ronald McDonald House of Central New Jersey.

SUGGESTED MINIMUM COLLECTION: $70 PER STUDENT

Teachers, we need your help. Please plan to help out at the recitals.

TO DONATE: please select “NJMTA Performathon” on the drop down menu

DONATE

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC®), a non-profit, 501 ©(3), creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. RMHC fulfills its mission by creating programs that address targeted needs, and by supporting these programs through its global network of local Chapters in 51 countries and regions. RMHC Chapters are run by boards comprised of members of the local medical community, business and civic leaders, parents/volunteers, and McDonald’s representatives.

By participating in any NJMTA event, parents give permission to the New Jersey Music Teachers Association(NJMTA) to use photographs or videos of your child taken by NJMTA representative, with appropriate captions, in NJMTA publications, on the NJMTA website, social media and/or in the local newspapers. If you do not wish NJMTA to use your child’s photos/videos in any way, kindly notify the chairperson of the event in which your child is participating.

We want to thank all the student musicians, artists and their parents whose time and efforts made the 2024 NJMTA Children Helping Children Performathon (CHCP) a huge success again this year!

For six years in a row, the New Jersey Music Teachers Association has sponsored this event — raising money for HomeFront's children's program, “Joy, Hopes & Dreams,” which provides after-school, weekend and summer activities and experiences for low-income and homeless children, from tutoring for school work to experiences with music, art, theater and sports.

“Thank you for helping local children in need!
Your amazing work with the students who performed in the NJMTA “Performathon” recital resulted in many wonderful donations that will go directly to HomeFront’s Joy, Hopes and Dreams program.
These thoughtful donations will help fund programming that provides over 400 kids with weekly tutoring, field trips, sports, fitness programs, art classes, life skills training and leadership coaching. As you know, great futures become possible when our youth are allowed to thrive in a supportive situation.
Our congratulations to you for what I am sure was a difficult task teaching the students in such a difficult environment. We know your efforts not only enriched your students’ lives, but will also help so many of the children we serve every day.

With my sincere gratitude,
Connie, HomeFront
(At least 90% of every donated dollar goes directly to client services.)”