"Sweet Relief made getting assistance painless and simple. I couldn’t be more grateful. The application is quick. So was the response. Their genuine desire to help the art community is apparent. Asking for help can be hard, Sweet Relief makes it easy." - Matt Rieger | Musician, Sweet Relief Grant Recipient

Micah Bournes Musician, Sweet Relief Grant Recipient “Sweet Relief had a simple application process and responded faster than any grant or financial aid opportunity I've ever applied to. As a chronically-ill full-time artist with expensive health care needs, I often feel like I have to choose between making my art and maintaining my physical well being. I was grateful for Sweet Relief's assistance so I can do both.”

Abbe Lewis Singer-Songwriter, Sweet Relief Grant Recipient "Sweet Relief helped me and my family in a time of great need... As a mother of 2.5 kids and the main breadwinner for my family, I was not sure how saving for maternity leave would be a possibility or how my family will financially survive my leave. Thanks to Sweet Relief, we are a huge step closer to our goal! I will be forever grateful for their help and beautiful hearts to support musicians with needs like mine. Thank you Sweet Relief!"

Rob ​Musician, Sweet Relief Grant Recipient "Sweet Relief was there to help when I had a new disability that affected my ability to work. They funded some medical care and other bills. Brittani was very attentive, helpful and quick. She made the process easy and I am very grateful to her and Sweet Relief. They walk the walk in helping artists. Thank you"

Sheldon Gomberg – Musician/Producer www.sheldongomberg.com
​Sweet Relief Musicians Fund is a great organization I am proud to be associated with. They’ve helped so many career musicians faced with serious medical problems, (which of course, will usually lead to astronomical bills that most artists, often lacking insurance, are not equipped to deal with), and at times when every one else has turned their backs. I know first hand, as they’ve helped me, as well as a number of my friends and cohorts, including its founder, Victoria Williams. Please, Support The Arts. Support Sweet Relief. No Donation Is Too Small!!

Paul Barrere – Musician www.littlefeat.net – www.paulandfred.net
​I can’t say enough about sweet relief… the assistance they gave to my band mate and brother Richie Hayward was monumental … and given the state of health care these days, forgetting that it was tragic that such a great drummer like Richie had no coverage, Sweet Relief was there to assist in that murky financial whirlwind that donations can create for the patient, we will be forever indebted to Rob Max and his fine staff for all sweet relief they brought to us and his family…
“fighting the good fight”

Sweet Relief Grant Recipient
I cannot thank you enough for all your kindness and help.  I called my medical provider this week to see where I stood with them and was assured that Sweet Relief had paid my bill in full.  That is indeed a BIG relief for me.  Things are beginning to get better for me now.  My professional piano days are over, but my life is not.  Again, thanks for all your help and best wishes to all connected with Sweet Relief. (Grant Recipient; classical and jazz pianist diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.)

​Michael, Sweet Relief Grant Recipient
After more than 30 years of finding success in the music, entertainment, fashion, and brand building spaces; a relentless series of hardships completely dismantled my life. By early 2022, I was 54 and living in a homeless shelter. I was unemployed, partially disabled, and experiencing a severe mental health crisis. Moreover, as a result of the aforementioned hardships, I had no one to turn to for help and zero resources (fiscal or otherwise).

After receiving an affordable housing opportunity that would finally allow me to start "the rebuild" in earnest, I was in a frantic scramble to find the money to cover the extremely modest amount required to move in. And I was losing hope quickly as a deadline loomed.

Then out of nowhere I received an email from the funding coordinator at The Actors Fund referring me to Sweet Relief. I knew of only Musicares for music industry assistance, so I saw a glimmer of hope, as the Musicares ethos is more mitigation based. I had nothing left to mitigate and needed funding to subsidize phase ONE of my complete REBUILD.

I immediately submitted the application and in an act of redundancy, emailed the Sweet Relief west coast office. The glimmer of hope morphed to a ray of light after receiving an email from Program Director Brittani Escobedo requesting additional information. And it must be said that the email was not boilerplate and had a positive tone. It didn't contain false hope, but it didn't keep me at arms length either. Ms. Escobedo was direct and professional while expressing genuine concern. And that alone can make a crisis seem less overwhelming.

And then I received an email within 24 hours with the first six words being "We are happy to inform you...". A grant had indeed been approved. But what made this email positively unique is that this same email immediately went from informing to inquiring. As to where we should send the money. And to be crudely honest, that is what a person in dire straits actually wants to hear.

I will spare you the color commentary, and simply say that Ms. Escobedo and Sweet Relief did not waste any time waiting for my adulation or singing any self supporting praises. It was straight into action mode. They funded immediately and thankfully went above and beyond. As this is what my situation required.

Unfortunately, I found engaging with the hardship "assistance" industry to be another hardship. Often encountering protocols and processes seemingly designed to eliminate qualification for aid rather than probing for ways that the requirements to provide help can be met. The only exception was Sweet Relief. They were professional, communicative, efficient, expeditious, and focused on providing RELIEF from the word go.

They have my sincerest gratitude and appreciation. Additionally, they have my pledge to pay it forward.