Help a Young Person Feel Seen. Find Their Voice. See a Future.

Every young person deserves someone in their corner—someone who recognizes their potential, celebrates their gifts, and helps them see possibilities beyond their current circumstances.

At Marching Against The Darkness, Inc. (MATD), that belief drives our mission: “To provide a performing arts platform that challenges disconnected youth to achieve excellence both during the competition and in life.”

Based in Waterloo, Iowa, we bring young people together through performing arts, education, and opportunities to explore their futures. Your gift helps make those opportunities possible.

The impact behind your gift

Our Annual Drill Team Competition has historically brought together 400–500 young performers, ages 11–18, from across eight states. Their time on the floor represents hours of practice, teamwork, discipline, and commitment. It is an opportunity to be recognized for their talent, take pride in their effort, and experience a community showing up to applaud them.

Our 2025 Excellence Expo served 108 students and brought together 23 vendors, connecting young people with college and career possibilities. For 2026, our goal is to reach 300 high school students with college and career exploration, performing arts workshops, and skills seminars focused on leadership, financial knowledge, confidence, and career readiness.

We are working to make participation accessible through free student admission, a free meal, and free bus transportation from Waterloo high schools—because getting there and being able to afford the experience should not stand between a student and an opportunity.

Behind every number is a young person with a future still unfolding.

A conversation can introduce a career a student has never considered. A workshop can give them a chance to discover a strength. A performance can help them experience the pride of following through on something difficult.

These are the opportunities your generosity helps create: places to belong, reasons to keep trying, and practical connections that can help young people take their next step.

Our first goal: $6,000 in 2026.

We are launching our individual giving campaign with a goal of raising $6,000 this year, then increasing our annual goal by $6,000 each year over the next five years. We want to build a dependable community of donors who help sustain this work and expand what is possible.

Your unrestricted donation supports the people, planning, spaces, supplies, and program expenses needed to bring our mission to life—including youth programming, outreach, meals, and transportation.

We know budgets are stretched. We know giving requires a choice, and sometimes a sacrifice. We will never take that choice lightly. A gift of any size joins with others to help create opportunities that young people deserve.

Please give an amount that is meaningful and manageable for you. If you can, choose a monthly donation to provide steady support throughout the year.

Help us build a community where young people hear—and experience—“You matter. Your talent matters. Your future is worth investing in.”

Give today. Help us march toward that future together.

P.S. This platform we are using does not require an additional processing fee. You can change the amount of the "processing fee" and "tip" to zero.

2026 Individual Donors Campaign