The original Guitars for Kids was founded in Waterloo, Ontario in 2014 by local musicians Dan Walsh (formerly of the Fred Eaglesmith band) and Bob Egan (formerly of Blue Rodeo) with one mission: collect, refurbish, and regift used instruments to disadvantaged kids in the region.

Since Bob’s departure in 2015, Dan and his team have put smiles on the faces and callouses on the fingers of over a thousand kids in their community. They have also helped support “chapters” in Toronto, Ontario and Red Deer, Alberta.

In the spring of 2025, fate connected Waterloo Dan with Thunder Bay Brooke, and after many phone calls and online chats, a new chapter was born!