Friends and family will mark the one-year anniversary of Jay Bennett’s passing with the creation of The Jay Bennett Foundation. The foundation is spearheaded by Jay’s brother, Jeff Bennett, and Jay’s mother, Jan. The former Wilco member passed away on May 24, 2009.

The Jay Bennett Foundation will launch on May 24 on JayBennett.org . On July 10, the Foundation will also help distribute the album Bennett was completing at the time of his death, Kicking at the Perfumed Air. The album will be available for purchase as a CD and as a free download to benefit the foundation or one of its partner charities.

“Those of us who loved Jay lost a son, a brother, a collaborator and a loyal friend. The world lost a gifted musician, thoughtful song-writer and uniquely creative force in the studio who was always working to make music better,” Jeff Bennett said in a statement. “This album is part of a larger effort to honor Jay’s memory and enhance his legacy by exposing more people to his music and by supporting charitable efforts to make the world a better place.”