S-F Radio: Cumulus Partners With Businesses To Help Fire Victims

(Left to Right) Donating gift cards for Cumulus Media's North Bay Fire Relief effort on Sunday, Oct. 15, at San Francisco's Stonestown Galleria are: Arthur (KFOG Morning Show); KFOG listener, Stephanie from Martinez, CA; Stephanie’s son; Dayna (KFOG Talent); and Stephanie’s daughter.

Cumulus Media-San Francisco announces that it has engaged listeners of its six popular radio stations - KFOG, KGO, KNBR, KSAN, KSFO, and KTCT – to raise over $250,000 for the Bay Area Fire Relief Fund since Friday, October 13, 2017, bringing much-needed relief to victims of the massive Northern California wildfires.

The wildfires destroyed homes displacing thousands of Northern Californians and scorched areas including Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties, with 42 people reported to have perished in the fires, and more than 58 people still missing. Cumulus Media’s San Francisco radio stations have partnered with local businesses to launch a major two-week relief drive, where businesses match up to $10,000 per day in cash donations raised by the stations’ listeners, driving big momentum for the fundraising effort. 100% of funds raised by the drive will go to local North Bay fire relief. Cumulus San Francisco has already disbursed $150,000 between the Northern California Chapter of the Red Cross and to the United Way Bay Area.

Cumulus Media-San Francisco has established a PayPal account exclusively for donations. Those wishing to donate to the Bay Area Fire Relief Fund with a credit card, debit card or PayPal account will text one of the following keywords to 77948 to make a secure donation: “KNBR”, “KGO810”, “KFOG”, “BONE” or “KSFO”. Relief agencies are requesting cash donations over hard goods at this time. Those preferring to donate via check, should make their checks payable to the Red Cross or United Way while indicating Bay Area Fire Relief Fund in the memo line.

Chilton Auto Body kicked off the fundraising on Friday, October 13, by matching $25,000 in listener donations, while Cumulus Media transported critical supplies donated by listeners to affected areas multiple times throughout last weekend.

Over the next two weeks, other business leaders matching funds raised by Cumulus Media-San Francisco include: Handlery Hotel; Dolan Law; Hanson Bridgett; Ooma; Cal Bank of Commerce; Bay to Breakers; RW Garcia; and The Home Consignment Center. Additionally Mike Lindell, founder of MyPillow and his team in Chaska, Minnesota, donated 3,000 pillows to support the Northern California families who were victims of the wildfires. Cumulus Media-San Francisco and its partners have held collection events since the fundraiser’s launch.

Justin Wittmayer, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Media-San Francisco, said: “We are doing everything we can to raise awareness and donations for the North Bay fire victims. We activated a text-to-donate line last week that has driven over $250,000 in donations with a goal of raising $500,000. We’d like to thank our incredible employees for leading the charge, our advertising partners who’ve offered to match daily listener donations, and our truly generous and big-hearted listeners. This compounding effect has really engaged our audience to get involved and continues to build momentum for much-needed donations. We have a long road ahead of us and plan to stay involved to positively impact those affected as long as we are needed.” 

Following the initial two-week relief drive, KGO 810 will host a benefit Holiday Comedy Show & Toy Drive in early December. The station will collect new and unwrapped toys for children who lost all of their toys in the North Bay Fires. Further details on the Holiday Comedy Show & Toy Drive are forthcoming from Cumulus Media-San Francisco.