Radio and television broadcasters constantly serve local communities. Stations air lifeline emergency information; support our military; raise millions for hospitals and cancer research; collect food, clothes and toys; devote free air time to election coverage; and promote education.

Submit your station's public service to Suzie Raven.

WMMR-FM Collects 1.6 Million Pounds of Food

Beasley’s WMMR-FM Philadelphia media personalities celebrated their 20th year of the "Preston & Steve Camp Out for Hunger." Preston and Steve lived in the parking lot of Xfinity Live! Philadelphia from November 27 to December 1 to solicit food donations from listeners and businesses in the greater Philadelphia area. This year’s efforts yielded over 839 tons of food – that’s 1,679,823 pounds. Combined with $272,683 in monetary donations, this campaign provided over 2.2 million meals for individuals facing hunger insecurity.

WTOC-TV Collects 6,700 Pounds of Food

Raycom Media, Inc.’s CBS affiliate WTOC-TV Savannah held its “WTOC’s Day of Giving” food drive on November 16. The event secured donations totaling 6,792 pounds of food, exceeding last year’s total by more than one ton. All of the donations served America’s Second Harvest Food Bank of Coastal Georgia and were used to create Thanksgiving baskets for local families in need.

WXYZ-TV’s ‘Together We Can’ Collects 16,800 Pounds of Food

Scripps Television Station Group’s ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV Detroit held its 9th annual “Together We Can” food drive benefitting the Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan. The 25-day event ran from October 24 through November 17, collecting more than 16,800 pounds of nonperishable food items. With these donations, Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan was able to reach more than 500 soup kitchens, shelters and pantries in the local community. “One in six people in Michigan struggle with hunger, so it’s more important than ever that we help those in need throughout our community, especially during the holiday season,” said WXYZ and WMYD Vice President Mike Murri.

KRWM-FM and KING-TV Feed Five Million

Hubbard Radio Group’s KRWM-FM Seattle partnered with TEGNA’s NBC affiliate KING-TV for their 17th annual “Home Team Harvest” campaign benefitting Northwest Harvest. With four live broadcasts on December 2, day one of the campaign generated enough food for 4,156,321 meals. Home Team Harvest will continue to collect donations through the end of December in order to reach their goal of providing five million meals to community members in need.

Beasley Charlotte Stations Collect 8,000 Meals for Children

Beasley Media Group’s WSOC-FM, WNKS-FM, WPEG-FM, WBAV-FM, WBCN-AM and WSPK-FM Charlotte partnered with Hendrick Automotive Group and Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina to fill 1,000 backpacks with eight nutritious, easy to prepare and ready to eat non-perishable meals to benefit local children in need. The groups gathered on November 4 at Coyote Joe’s in Charlotte. Nashville Big Machine Artist Brett Young performed at the event.

WMGK-FM Collects 12,800 Turkeys

Beasley Media Group’s WMGK-FM Philadelphia held its annual "John DeBella Turkey Drop" on November 21, collecting over 12,800 turkeys and donations for area families in need, exceeding the amount raised in previous years by a wide margin. The event is the largest one-day food gathering event of its kind in Philadelphia. Proceeds from the John DeBella Turkey Drop benefit Cityteam Philadelphia, a nonprofit organization that works to provide year-round food and support services to less fortunate individuals, families, shelters and agencies in the local community.

WBBO-FM Collects Food for Families

Press Communication’s WBBO-FM Atlanta radio personalities Tad and Drex led a “Stuff the Truck” food drive on November 16 to provide Thanksgiving dinners to food-insecure families in support of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. The Atlanta metro area community faces one of the highest levels of food insecurity in the nation, where one in four children go to bed at night not knowing when they’ll have their next meal. Broadcasting live, WBBO-FM was able to collect 4,800 pounds of food, including 2,792 pounds of turkey, 1,522 pounds of canned goods and 486 pounds of produce. “Our listeners are great! When we ask them to give, they always come through and help worthy causes like the Atlanta Community Food Bank,” said Chris Eagan, Director of Branding and Programming. “Giving back to the communities we serve is exactly what local radio does best.”

WPIX Gives $10,000 To ‘Fuel a School’

Tribune’s CW affiliate WPIX-TV New York City gave $10,000 to a school for supplies and technology through its “Fuel My School” initiative. Thorne Middle School in Port Monmouth, N.J., was named the winner on November 13.

Alpha Media Louisville Raises $130,000 for Children’s Hospital

Alpha Media’s WXMA-FM, WDJZ-FM, WGZB-FM, WMJM-FM and WGHL-FM Louisville, Ky., raised $131,000 during a radiothon for Norton Children’s Hospital November 16 – 17. The radiothon helps the hospital purchase equipment, expand care and develop life-saving research for more than 170,000 children yearly. “Norton Children’s Hospital is an integral part of this community and we are proud to partner with them,” said Market Manager Bill Gentry. “The entire Alpha Media staff once again went above and beyond all expectations and helped deliver some outstanding results.”

Radiothon Raises $103,000 for Kids

Community Broadcasters’ WBDR-FM and WOTT-FM Watertown, N.Y., raised $103,000 in a radiothon for Children’s Miracle Network, held November 1 - 2. The funds stay local, supporting services at pediatric and neonatal intensive care units. Since 2001, the stations have raised nearly $2 million. Jim Leven, Community President and CEO, said, “I’m so proud of Lance Hale and Johnny Spezzano, who have been hosting the CMN Radiothon for nearly 20 years, for their tireless help. The north country audience is amazingly generous and help us to fulfill our mission as Community Broadcasters.”

KPLX-FM Dallas Collects $230,000 for St. Jude

Cumulus’s KPLX-FM Dallas raised $230,477 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during a series of events, November 30 - December 3. The station raised $215,000 during the annual “99.5 The Wolf’s Hunt for a Cure, Country Cares for St. Jude Kids® Broadcast,” held November 30 - December 1. On-air personalities shared heart-warming stories about the children and families assisted by St. Jude. KPLX raised an additional $15,000 on December 3, when 10 of today’s biggest country artists participated in the annual “10 Man Jam” acoustic guitar event.

Pittsburgh’s KISS Stuffs Buses with Toys

iHeartMedia’s WKST-FM Pittsburgh collected enough toys to fill 59 buses during the 14th annual “Stuff A Bus” drive, surpassing last year’s total of 57 buses. The new and unwrapped toys will benefit the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program. KISS’ The Morning Freak Show’s on-air personalities Mikey and Bob, along with Tall Cathy and Scottro, broadcast live. Stuff A Bus received toys from individual listeners and their families, as well as local schools, public safety departments, and neighboring businesses.

WJRZ-FM Fills 50 Foot Semi-Truck with Donations

Beasley Media Group’s WJRZ-FM Tom’s River, N.J., held its “Share the Joy” collection drive and live radio broadcast November 18-19. The station collected $1,832 in cash and checks; $275 in gift cards; 13 pallets of food; 20 turkeys; 13 pallets of clothing; and 375 toys to benefit Ocean County Hunger Relief and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean City. “Year after year, 100.1 WJRZ's listeners come through for local families in need during the holidays during our 'Share the Joy' broadcasts, and 2017 was no exception,” said Program Director Matt Knight. “100.1 WJRZ's listeners are dedicated to ensuring that people are able to enjoy the holidays a little bit more than they would have.”

WPBB-FM Collects Thousands of Toys for Kids

Beasley Media Group’s WPBB-FM Tampa morning personalities Chadd & Kristi held their 17th annual "Toys for Tots Toy Drive" on December 1. The all-day live broadcast encouraged donations, collecting tens of thousands of toys to benefit less fortunate families throughout the Tampa Bay community. “We are so excited to be doing our 17th annual marathon Toys for Tots Toy Drive because it is such an amazing day, knowing that through our listeners’ and partners’ help, we are putting smiles on thousands of kids’ faces right here in Tampa Bay,” said Morning Show Host and Program Director Chadd Thomas.

Radio Hosts Collect 10,000 Toys

Hubbard Radio’s WIL-FM St. Louis exceeded their goal of collecting 10,000 toys in the “Bikes, Balls and Barbies” drive for the local Salvation Army. The 36-hour toy drive, held December 1 - 2, was broadcast live and on Facebook Live. The entire WIL-FM on-air staff participated and welcomed special guests, including Kim Hudson of Tribune’s Fox affiliate KTVI-TV.

“Hubbard Broadcasting continues to be the platinum standard for live, local talent with an unfaltering dedication to our community,” said Program Director Scott Roddy. “Bud and Broadway and the entire New Country 92.3 Home Team worked tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most: kids! I continue to be humbled by our community’s response and so grateful for our generous followers who made this happen.”

WNBC I-Team Investigations Get Results

NBC-owned WNBC-TV New York City gets results through investigative journalism. Its special edition of “The I-Team Reports” on November 10 spotlighted positive changes from several stories. “High Rise” showed that construction workers on a high-rise project smoked what looked and smelled like marijuana during work. “Security Risks” at JFK Airport uncovered a culture of harassment affecting female employees. The city ramped up enforcement efforts following “Black Market Bogus Safety Cards,” an investigation produced jointly with Telemundo’s WNJU-TV that exposed a connection between fake safety training cards and dozens of construction-related deaths. “Mayor Arrested” tracked the story of a New Jersey mayor who pled guilty to corruption charges after ordering city construction teams to work on a relative’s business. “Taxpayer Triumph” showed how a WNBC investigation prompted the Administration for Children’s Services to significantly reduce its fees, saving taxpayers millions. The New York State Attorney General’s office continues to monitor companies posting fake reviews of local businesses, following WNBC’s “Phony Online Reviews.”

WWL Exposes Failures During New Orleans Flood

TEGNA’s CBS affiliate WWL-TV New Orleans aired an investigation into the city's sewer and water board on November 15. The hour-long primetime special, “Down the Drain,” was inspired by a failure of the city’s pumping and drainage system during a typical rain storm on August 5. WWL spent months investigating why it failed and how many millions of dollars are wasted in maintaining the century-old system with more than 1,200 miles of underground drainage pipes, some that go nowhere. WWL also launched a Facebook group for residents to discuss concerns.

“We are working to continue to hold officials accountable, both elected and otherwise, as the problems with this utility continue to plague residents in the metro New Orleans area,” said Investigative Reporter Katie Moore. “It has been hugely successful for both our reporting and for people to have a place to commiserate and to feel like their voices are being heard, because they seem to feel like their concerns are falling on deaf ears with the Sewerage & Water Board.”

WRKO-AM Raises Money for Local Veterans

Entercom’s WRKO-AM Boston raised $90,000 on Veterans Day for the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). On-air personalities shared inspirational stories from veterans of all ages. The funds support DAV’s transportation program that helps veterans keep their medical appointments.

KSAS-TV and KMTW Support Child Literacy

Sinclair’s Fox affiliate KSAS-TV and MyNetwork TV affiliate KMTW-TV Wichita supported Child Start’s “The Polar Express” event on November 18. The stations distributed crayons, coloring sheets and brochures promoting Sinclair’s "Kids Click Cartoon" lineup. At the event, dozens of books were collected and nearly $5,000 was raised through a live auction (compared to $2,100 last year).

TEGNA to Award 270 Community Grants

The TEGNA Foundation announced its second round of community grants for 2017 will provide funding to 270 nonprofit organizations across TEGNA’s 38 markets. Most grants are between $4,000 - $7,000. The grants foster education, economic development, youth programs, environmental conservation and cultural enrichment. They also support programs that promote and celebrate diversity. “These grants empower and help well-deserving nonprofit organizations address critical hardships in our local communities, assist those in need and help make a difference in many people’s lives,” said TEGNA President and CEO Dave Lougee. “We are proud to support these organizations and, alongside our stations, look forward to working with them to serve the greater good of our communities.”

Two Weeks Left to Air NAB’s 2017 Congressional PSAs

NAB’s Congressional PSA campaign ends December 31. Broadcast-quality radio and TV spots on topics such as support for veterans, prescription drug abuse and support for small business can be accessed via your station’s Extreme Reach inbox and ran until December 31. For additional information, e-mail Suzie Raven.