iHM Country Stations Raise $5.6M+ For St. Jude

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital partner iHeartMedia mobilized 26 radio stations across the nation and collectively raised more than $5.6 million during the annual Country Cares for St. Jude Kids national radiothon, December 7 – 8.

The fundraising event encouraged radio listeners to pledge $20 per month to become “Partners In Hope” with St. Jude. The event was supported across iHeartMedia markets in conjunction with The Bobby Bones Show – iHeartMedia’s nationally syndicated award-winning country morning show – and the $5.6 million raised in just two days this year marks iHeartMedia’s largest national campaign. 

Also, more than 80 country artists supported the St. Jude ‘This Shirt Saves Lives’ campaign in addition to the radiothon. The social media push and on-air promotion through Country Cares radio partner stations attracted thousands of new Partners in Hope and sustaining donors in support of the life-saving research and treatment being done at St. Jude. Artist and donor social posts can be viewed at www.thisshirtsaveslives.org.

St. Jude and iHeartMedia have enjoyed a longstanding partnership for more than 30 years, generating more than $90 million in the past decade to treat St. Jude patients by relying on the power of radio and the generosity of local listeners. Like this year’s successful radiothon, many times in past years iHeartMedia stations have come together to support St. Jude patients and families who never receive a bill from St. Jude for the cost of treatment, travel, housing or food. 

The Bobby Bones Show generated more than $1.7 million with the help of several artists including Lauren Alaina, Kelsea Ballerini and Cole Swindell. Additionally, throughout the year, The Bobby Bones Show supports many St. Jude programs such as the star-studded Bobby Bones & The Raging Idiots’ Million Dollar Show in January at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.

“The iHeartMedia radiothon program capitalizes on the power of storytelling and iHeartMedia’s unique role as a community medium to inspire and motivate listeners to action,” said Rod Phillips, iHeartMedia SVP of Programming. “We have a rich history of supporting St. Jude – which treats so many children living in the communities in which we serve – and we look forward to many more successful fundraising events in 2018.”

Participating iHeartMedia radio stations include: WMZQ Washington, DC; WAMZ Louisville; WGAR Cleveland; WKKT Charlotte; WBWL Boston; KTOM Salinas, CA; WSIX Nashville; KASE Austin; KWNR Las Vegas; WMIL Milwaukee; WNCB Raleigh; KTST Oklahoma City; WQIK Jacksonville; KODA Houston, among others. KEEY in Minneapolis, and San Antonio’s KAJA air this week.