The Heat and Warmth Fund and CBS Radio Detroit Schedule Eighth Annual WWJ Newsradio 950 Winter Survival Radiothon for THAW

DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CBS Radio Detroit and The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) today announced that the Eighth Annual WWJ Newsradio 950 Winter Survival Radiothon for THAW will take place on January 28-29, 2011.

“Literally hundreds of homes in Metro Detroit will stay safe and warm thanks to the support of our community during the Winter Survival Radiothon.”

WWJ Newsradio 950 will broadcast live beginning at 5 a.m. Friday, Jan. 28 and ending at noon on Saturday, Jan. 29 from the Detroit Science Center to help raise much-needed funds for THAW. Volunteers from local businesses, schools and community organizations will man the phones and local government, business, sports and community leaders will drop in to encourage donors to support THAW’s work in local communities.

Each year since 2004, the Winter Survival Radiothon has been one of THAW’s primary sources of community support, enabling THAW to provide emergency assistance to Southeastern Michigan households facing a home energy crisis. This year’s donation goal is $600,000, which would provide assistance to hundreds of Metro Detroit families during difficult times.

In addition to traditional called-in donations, the Winter Survival Radiothon has become the center of a number of related initiatives and campaigns that work with schools, businesses and service organizations to support THAW and take its “Safe and Warm” message out into the community.

DTE Energy is the Presenting Sponsor of the Winter Survival Radiothon, and as in past years will be matching donations made during the Radiothon on a 1:1 or greater basis.

“The WWJ Newsradio 950 Winter Survival Radiothon for THAW is a tremendous partnership between THAW, CBS Radio Detroit, DTE Energy and all of the other sponsors and supporters who come together to support THAW’s mission during the depths of a cold Michigan winter,” said THAW CEO Susan Sherer. “Literally hundreds of homes in Metro Detroit will stay safe and warm thanks to the support of our community during the Winter Survival Radiothon.”

About WWJ Newsradio 950:

WWJ 950 AM, “Newsradio 950″ is Detroit, Michigan’s only 24-hour all-news radio station. Broadcasting at 950 kHz, the station is owned and operated by CBS Corporation subsidiary CBS Radio. WWJ first went on the air on August 20, 1920 with the call sign 8MK. It is believed to be the first station to broadcast news reports regularly as well as the first regularly scheduled religious broadcast and play-by-play sports broadcast.

About THAW:

The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) is an independent non-profit agency that provides low-income individuals and families throughout Michigan with emergency energy assistance and advocates for long-term solutions to energy issues. Since its inception in 1985, Detroit-based THAW has provided $83 million in assistance to more than 135,000 Michigan households, including elderly, unemployed, underemployed and disabled individuals who found themselves in temporary crisis. During the 2009-2010 heating season, THAW distributed more than $7.4 million in energy assistance to more than 8,700 households. THAW has been awarded a Four Star Charity Rating (the highest) by Charity Navigator for the past seven years. For more information, visit www.thawfund.org.