The Orange County Musicians Foundation, launched earlier...

The Orange County Musicians Foundation, launched earlier this year to help local musicians who lack insurance pay emergency medical bills, has announced its first grant.

Greg Topper, the Foundation’s originator and president, said that a grant of $500 went to Joe Tatar, a veteran piano player who is facing surgery for a leg injury, as well as other family medical expenses.

“We never think when we’re younger that anything is going to happen to any of us,” said Tatar, 51, of Fullerton, who has been playing full time in Orange County since 1960. “It was just amazing, the help that this provided.”

Tatar said that his friends and associates in the musical community raised additional money for him at a benefit concert April 5 at the Cattleman’s Wharf in Anaheim, where he performs regularly.

The Musicians Foundation raised more than $12,000 for future grants at its inaugural fund-raising concert in February at the Righteous Brothers Hop. Topper said that the organization’s board is still formulating written guidelines for its grant procedures but that board members unanimously agreed that Tatar’s case qualified. Topper said plans are also being made for future fund-raising efforts, including approaches to corporate donors.