The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) celebrated its 80th anniversary by partnering with FM Omni-Channel Radio Station™ to host the first UNCF Omni-Channel Radio-thon. This event aimed to raise funds for college scholarships, ensuring more students have the opportunity to pursue higher education. The Radio-Thon donation link will remain active through June 30, coinciding with the end of Black Music Month, allowing people to contribute at www.OmniChannelRadio.com or www.UNCF.org/Chicago.
Lisa Rollins, UNCF Regional Development Director, noted, "Many donors are giving in denominations of eight for the UNCF 80th anniversary. We've received donations of $8, $80, $800 and up. Any gift will go a long way in helping a deserving student attend college."
Adding a unique twist to the event, fashion designer Barbara Bates donated a custom, one-of-a-kind women's leather jacket valued at $2,000. Each dollar donated gives contributors a chance to win the jacket, with a $25 donation providing 25 chances. The winner will be announced at the end of the program in June.
The event adapted the format of the historical United Negro College Fund Telethon, previously known as the Lou Rawls Parade of Stars Telethon for UNCF. The 24-hour livestream featured a "parade" of celebrities from music, media, sports, and entertainment, who either called into the station or sent recorded messages of support for UNCF.
Music legends such as Grammy Award-winner Ray Parker, Jr., who wrote the original "Ghostbusters" theme song; Dennis Edwards of the Grammy Award-winning Temptations; and Evelyn "Champagne" King, known for her hit singles "Shame" and "Love Come Down," were among those who encouraged listeners to donate. Other notable participants included Gerald Alston (The Manhattans), Marshall Thompson (The Chi-Lites), Billy Brown (Ray, Goodman & Brown), Russell Thompkins, Jr. (The Stylistics), Ron Isley (The Isley Brothers), Antonio Fargas (Huggy Bear), Heatwave, Enchantment, Willie Clayton, Keith Washington, Copeland Davis, Deitra Farr, Next Movement, Loretta Holloway, Melanie Moore, Howard Hewitt, Darcus Gates, Linda Woodson, Theo Huff, Gene Chandler, The Whispers, LEON, and Claudette Robinson.
Local media celebrities such as Tonya Francisco of WGN and Hermene Hartman of N'Digo also took part in the festivities.
From 2022 to 2023, UNCF awarded 541 scholarships to students in Illinois. The organization's motto, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in™," underscores the importance of their mission.
UNCF is the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization, supporting students through scholarships and other programs, while strengthening its 37 member colleges and universities. Today, UNCF supports over 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities nationwide. To learn more about their impactful work, visit UNCF.org.
