WAMC HELPS THE ENVIRONMENT AND PEOPLE IN NEED

ALBANY, NY (02/06/2017) (readMedia)-- WAMC Northeast Public Radio's February Fund Drive mobilized listeners to aid in the reduction of carbon pollution, help provide shelter to the homeless and diapers to children.

WAMC ended its first Fund Drive of 2017 on 2/6/16 at 6:30 p.m., raising $1,051,724.87 in a single day and a Locked Box. Supporters also helped to raise money for The First Amendment Fund, established to protect the station in the event of a loss of federal funding.

The Adirondack Council partnered with WAMC and it's supporters to keep 200 tons of carbon pollution out of the atmosphere. The Drive also generated awareness about homelessness and poverty in our region.

"Everybody at WAMC is beyond shocked" said Dr. Alan Chartock, WAMC's President and CEO. "We always expect this will be a fast Fund Drive but from the time we sat down at 6:00 in the morning till the last moments of the program around 6:30 p.m. we couldn't believe what was happening. The skies opened up and every WAMC supporter was there. Everybody was incredibly kind and good. All we can say is thank you because we don't know what else to say!"

WAMC also partnered with The Seymour Fox Memorial Foundation to provide 1,080 nights of emergency shelter. Joseph's House & Shelter in Troy provides meals, access to personal care, medical and dental care, legal services and other support to keep the homeless off the streets. The Fox Foundation also helped to provide 780 babies in the region with a month's worth of diapers. The diapers will be distributed by The Food Pantries for the Capital District.

"Thanks of course to everyone who pledged and helped out and did this amazing, beautiful, and incredible thing" said Joe Donahue, Vice President of News and Programming. "Thanks to our partners at the Fox Foundation The Food Pantry for the Capital District as well as Joseph's house and the others. The love was amazing and it feels really really good."

WAMC Northeast Public Radio is a non-commercial, public radio station and nonprofit organization that presents award-winning news and cultural programming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. WAMC's listening area reaches parts of seven states, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire; as well as parts of Canada. With over 400,000 monthly listeners, WAMC ranks among the most-listened-to public radio stations in the United States. WAMC is a member of National Public Radio and an affiliate of Public Radio International. For more information on WAMC, please visit www.wamc.org or call 518.465.5233.

WAMC-FM 90.3 FM, Albany, NY; WAMC, 1400 AM, Albany, NY; WAMK 90.9 FM, Kingston, NY; WOSR, 91.7 FM, Middletown, NY; WCEL, 91.9 FM, Plattsburgh, NY; WCAN, 93.3 FM, Canajoharie, NY; WANC, 103.9 FM, Ticonderoga, NY; WRUN, 90.3 FM, Remsen-Utica, NY; WAMQ 105.1 FM, Great Barrington, MA; WWES 88.9 FM, Mt. Kisco, NY; WANZ 90.1 FM, Stamford, NY; WANR 88.5 FM, Brewster, NY; 103.9 FM, Beacon, NY; 97.3 FM, Cooperstown, NY; 106.3 FM Dover Plains, NY; 96.5 FM, Ellenville, NY; 102.1 FM, Highland, NY; 97.1 FM, Hudson, NY; 88.7 FM Lake Placid, NY; 106.3 FM, Middletown, NY; 90.9 FM, Milford, PA; 107.7 FM, Newburgh, NY; 90.1 FM Oneonta, NY; 99.3 FM Oneonta, NY; 95.9 FM Peekskill, NY; 93.1 FM, Rensselaer-Troy, NY; 92.9 FM Scotia, NY, 107.1 FM, Warwick, NY, and online at www.wamc.org, www.facebook.com/wamcradio, and www.twitter.com/wamcradio.

CONTACT: Ashleigh Kinsey, New Media Administrator 518-465-5233 ext. 163, akinsey@wamc.org