From its recent "Do They Know It's Christmas" cover to the organizations the stars support, a look at what the Fox series does to give back.



When Fox announced this month that 100 percent of the net proceeds from Glee’s cover of 1984’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas” would go to The Band Aid Trust and support the same organization the track benefited more than 20 years ago, it was just the latest positive note in the show’s history.

In its three years, Glee – and its growing cast – has supported a plethora of charities, most recently providing $1 million in donations to support music education through its Glee Give A Note campaign, which saw schools in Ohio, New York and Alabama each receive $50,000 in grand prize cash.

reated by the network, Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy and the National Association of Music Education, the Give A Note campaign uses funds raised through the show’s DVD and Blu-ray sales to support struggling arts education programs across the country and, through its Web site, encourages fans of the series to do the same.

“Many of the actors on the show are the direct result of arts education programs, and speaking for myself, I would not be where I am today without these programs,” says Matthew Morrison, who plays New Directions coach Will Schuester.

In addition to the show’s efforts, several of its cast members have devoted time and energy to charities outside of the show – including Morrison, who’s involved with the Grammy Foundation, which works to promote the importance and impact of music and arts education and music preservation.

“The Grammy Foundation’s programs in schools across the country are so important because with budget cuts these days, arts programs are often the first ones to be axed,” he says. “These programs are critical for children’s education and development, and that’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about this charity.”

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And while the show’s fandom has helped support the individual charities the cast holds dear, it’s the show’s arts education message that ultimately benefits the most.

“Glee has brought a renewed focus on music education in the schools and overall arts education,” Morrison says. “Glee clubs have literally sprouted up across the country, and as parents and communities have seen the joy it brings to students, this has encouraged support for these programs and helped prevent funding cuts.”

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