Big blue checks and grateful smiles filled the room at StartupNation Media Group in Birmingham, Mich, as donations form the 11th annual SAY Detroit Radiothon were disbursed. Funds totaling more than $1.83 million were raised last December and after months of anticipation community partners and SAY Detroit initiatives were awarded from $5,000 to $800,000. SAY Detroit Founder Mitch Albom led the presentation that awarded over two dozen partners and community organizations.
Every year, SAY Detroit donates a portion of its Radiothon contributions to partner organizations and charities that align with its objective of providing underprivileged citizens in Detroit with opportunities for success. Since 2012, the Radiothon has accumulated a total of almost $12 million in donations. Albom said the goal is for the Radiothon to get larger every year and bring in bigger donations than the last.
In December of last year, Albom served as the emcee for a 15-hour radiothon held at the Somerset Collection in Troy. Community leaders and celebrities garnered attention for the radiothon by generously donating to the cause. Donations from notable figures such as Barry Sanders, Hugh Jackman and Tim Allen, among others, were received. Tom Gores, the founder of Platinum Equity and owner of the Detroit Pistons, pledged a sum of $350,000, which will be used to establish a new media center and production studio at the SAY Play Center.
Located in Detroit, Mich., the SAY Play Center is a community-based organization that offers after-school programs and activities for children in the area. The organization’s acronym, SAY, represents its focus on Sports, Academics and Youth, which are the fundamental values it strives to impart to the children it serves. The SAY Play Center provides a diverse range of services such as tutoring, mentorship, athletics and performing arts programs, which facilitate the development of children’s skills and interests in a secure and nurturing environment.
Albom said, “Helping other like-minded nonprofits in our region who help others is very meaningful and we know the money will be put to good use in their respective operations.”
SAY Detroit saw an increase in new recipients this year, signifying the expansion of the SAY Detroit family. Some of the new programs included Boys Hope Girls Hope, Full Count Foundation, the TeMaTe Institute for Black Dance and Culture, Urban Innovators and Volleyball Elite. SAY Detroit intends to continue to increase its reach and grow further.
After transitioning to a virtual ceremony in 2020, this year’s event marked the first occasion in three years where the annual ceremony was held in person. This provided an opportunity for recipients to meet, network and potentially collaborate on programming.
2023 Radiothon Distribution Charity Recipients
The Avalon Village, $5,000
Better Together, $50,000
Bing Youth Institute, $5,000
Boys Hope Girls Hope of Detroit, $7,500
Building Better Men, $15,000
Cass Community Social Services, $25,000
Detroit Dream Scholars fund at the College for Creative Studies, $45,000
COTS Detroit’s Bright Beginnings, $12,500
D2N, $7,500
Detroit Culture Youth Company, $5,000
Detroit Hives, $7,000
Detroit Recovery Project, $5,000
Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries Genesis House II, $25,000
Faith Tabernacle Choir/A Hole in the Roof Foundation, $5,000
Full Count Foundation, $10,000
Humble Design, $15,000
Hugs from Heaven, $15,000
Jive Turkeys Detroit, $5,000
LA SED, Inc., $15,000
Michigan Veterans Foundation, $15,000
Mi-Cycle, $50,000
Mother Batie’s Kitchen/United Sisters of Charity, $10,000
North Star Reach, $5,000
Notes for Notes, $10,000
Parker Village, $7,500
Peace Players Detroit, $5,000
SASHA Center, $15,000
SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic, $100,000
SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park, $800,000
SAY Detroit Tomorrow Fund, $355,000
TeMaTe Institute for Black Dance and Culture, $2,500
Urban Innovators, $5,000
Volleyball Elite, $10,000
Wayne County Neighborhood Legal Services, $10,000
Westside Cultural & Athletic Club, $12,000
Working Homes/Working Families, $150,000
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