Held last December at the Somerset Collection in Troy, the twelfth edition of the Radiothon raised more than $2 million, bringing the recurring event’s total fundraising impact to more than $14.5 million since its inception in 2012.

Hosted by SAY Detroit founder Mitch Albom and featuring SAY Detroit’s program leaders, the presentation and networking opportunity welcomed representatives from twenty-seven charities, including first-time recipients The DRE Project and Wings of Love Missionary Baptist Church.

“The generosity and kindness of Michiganders is unmatched. Our annual distribution ceremony embraces that spirit to help other like-minded nonprofits in our area that perform life-changing, and sometimes lifesaving, work,” Albom said. “Collaborating with these worthy partners to offer a hand up to those in need is essential. SAY Detroit is proud to lead the charge, beginning with one of the happiest, and most rewarding, days of the year.”

Broadcast live for 15 hours on WJR (760 AM) and https://mitchalbomradiothon.com, along with broadcast partner WDIV (https://clickondetroit.com), this year’s SAY Detroit Radiothon will be held on December 12, once again at the Somerset Collection in Troy.

Recipients today include:

Avalon Village: $5,000.00
Bing Youth Institute: $10,000.00
Boys Hope Girls Hope: $10,000.00
Building Better Men: $5,000.00
Cass Community Social Services: $25,000.00
COTS/Bright Beginnings: $12,500.00
D2N: $7,500.00
Detroit Hives: $5,000.00
Detroit Recovery Project: $5,000.00
Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries Behavioral Health Clinic: $25,000.00
The Dre Project: $10,000.00
Full Count Foundation: $10,000.00
Humble Design: $15,000.00
Jive Turkeys Detroit: $5,000.00
LA SED Inc.: $15,000.00
Michigan Veterans Foundation: $15,000.00
Mother Batie’s Kitchen/United Sisters of Charity: $10,000.00
Neigborhood Legal Services Michigan: $15,000.00
Notes for Notes: $10,000.00
Parker Village: $7,500.00
Peace Players Detroit: $10,000.00
SASHA Center: $15,000.00
TeMaTe Institute for Black Dance and Culture: $3,000.00
Urban Innovators: $5,000.00
Westside Cultural & Athletic Club: $12,000.00
College for Creative Studies/Detroit Dream Scholars: $50,000.00
Wings of Love Baptist

Emceed by SAY Detroit founder Mitch Albom, the presentation featured representatives from more than two dozen local partner charities, including first-time recipients Boys Hope Girls Hope, Full Count Foundation, Jive Turkeys Detroit, North Star Reach,  Peace Players Detroit, the TeMaTe Institute for Black Dance and Culture, Urban Innovators, Volleyball Elite, and Wayne County Neighborhood Legal Services, which runs a drone technology program at the SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park (SAY Play). SAY Detroit annually shares a percentage of donations from the Radiothon to partner organizations and charities that share the nonprofit’s mission to help Detroit’s neediest citizens by providing pathways to success. 

Leadership from SAY Detroit-run programs — including SAY Play, SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic, Better Together and Mi-Cycle — were present to accept distributed funding and introduce its local partners.

Having shifted to a virtual ceremony in 2020, this is the first time in three years that the annual event was held in person, allowing recipients to meet, network, and make plans to collaborate on programming. It was also the first time the event was moved to StartUp Nation Media Group, in Birmingham, Mich. The event was live streamed to SAY Detroit’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Read more about the event in the Detroit Free Press

“This is one of the best days each and every year,” 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.”

Broadcast live each December for over 15 hours on WJR (760 AM) and mitchalbomradiothon.com, along with broadcast partner WDIV/clickondetroit.com, the Radiothon has raised nearly $12 million since 2012. This year’s Radiothon is December 7, at Somerset Collection in Troy. EAT Detroit, the charity’s second largest fundraiser, will also return this year on June 27.

Sign up here for early access to EAT Detroit

2023 Radiothon Distribution Charity Recipients

(From funds raised at the 2022 SAY Detroit Radiothon)

• 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.

*denotes first-time recipient

Emceed by SAY Detroit founder Mitch Albom, the virtual presentation featured representatives from more than two dozen charities, including Mi-Cycle, the nonprofit’s newest initiative. Other first-time recipients include Arts & Scraps; Youth is the Truth; People’s Action; Detroit Outdoors; Hugs from Heaven and Citadel of Praise. SAY Detroit annually shares a percentage of donations from the Radiothon to partner organizations and charities that share the nonprofit’s mission to help Detroit’s neediest citizens.

“This event is one of the best days of the year,” Albom said. “Being able to help other nonprofits in our area each year who share SAY Detroit’s mission is not only heartwarming, but gratifying as well. The funds will enable them to help others in need.”

Broadcast live each December over 15-straight hours on WJR (760 AM) and mitchalbomradiothon.com, along with broadcast partner WDIV/clickondetroit.com, the Radiothon has raised over $10 million since 2012. This year’s Radiothon is Dec. 8 at Somerset Collection in Troy.

Radiothon Distribution Charity Recipients Announced Today:

(From funds raised at the 2021 SAY Detroit Radiothon)

• Better Together, $25,000
• Mi-Cycle, $25,000*
• SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic, $100,000
• SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park, $700,000
• SAY Detroit Tomorrow Fund, $350,000
• Working Homes/Working Families, $150,000
• A Hole in the Roof Foundation/Citadel of Praise, $5,000*
• Arts & Scraps, $5,000*
• Avalon Village, $7,500
• Bing Youth Institute, $5,000
• Building Better Men, $15,000
• Cass Community Social Services, $25,000
• College for Creative Studies/Detroit Dream Scholars, $45,000
• COTS/Bright Beginnings, $15,000
• D2N, $7,500
• Detroit Culture Youth Company, $7,500
• DRMM Genesis House II, $25,000
• Detroit Hives, $7,000
• Detroit Outdoors, $5,000*
• Detroit Recovery Project, $5,000
• Hugs from Heaven, $7,500*
• Humble Design, $13,500
• LA SED, Inc., $15,000
• Michigan Veterans Foundation, $15,000
• Mother Batie’s Kitchen/United Sisters of Charity, $10,000
• Notes for Notes, $10,000
• Parker Village (via Soulardarity), $10,000
• The People’s Action, $5,000*
• SASHA Center, $15,000
• Westside Cultural & Athletic Club, $12,000
• Youth is the Truth, $7,500*

* Denotes 1st-time recipient

But it almost didn’t happen. First discovering CCS Detroit through her own research after other college visits and in-school college fairs left her wanting for dedicated art programs and school, she applied and was accepted. But Columbia College Chicago, even if it meant an out-of-state school for the Detroit native, was more affordable. Just as she was working on finalizing her housing and finding roommates in the windy city, she received a call from CCS admissions, offering her Dream Scholars funding. The four-year, partial scholarship was “just what I needed,” and just at the right time. She’s now able to commute from home, and become more involved in the art scene in Detroit. 

Majoring in animation with a focus on digital art, Pier has enjoyed exploring other art forms in her fall course schedule, including stop motion animation, illustration, and storybook writing. With animation, “you can bring your art to life,” she told us. Her dream job is to start her own animation studio, rivaling Disney, where her characters can have multiple lives whether it’s in movies, shows, books and merchandizing. 

She’s been drawing for about 8 years, and came to it by chance. She was sitting in Spanish language class in middle school when a friend took out a blank sheet of paper and drew his favorite anime character. He then asked her to draw hers. And so she tried. She received compliments, particular on her shading technique, and the encouragement sparked a creative drive to try more. Soon, she was creating her own characters. 

You can see some of them on display in these two special images shared here, both composed on an iPad. SAY Detroit founder Mitch Albom was so impressed with them after seeing them at a virtual student reception in September that they were printed and now hang as inspiration at the Have Faith Haiti Mission & Orphanage, operated by SAY Detroit’s sister charity, A Hole in the Roof Foundation.

The first is a combination of two older art pieces, showing her skills progress. The second is inspired by her love of reading, which we may not appreciate enough. Reading can open up such a better and amazing world, Pier told us. “It brings light.”

And Pier is certainly bringing light to SAY Detroit. She’s already thinking about her community service requirement, and believes she’d like to offer mentorship in a school program, much like the one she attended that helped her develop the fundamental skills she needed. She may also host “Painting with Pier” parties, helping younger students completely new to the medium learn to paint a full picture in one session. 

Since 2011, more than $550,000 has been awarded to CCS students of limited financial resources through the Detroit Dream Scholarship Fund. Help support other talented young Detroiters at the 10th Annual SAY Detroit Radiothon on December 9th at mitchalbomradiothon.com — the site is already open to donations! 

APRIL 9, 2021/DETROIT – Funds totaling more than $1.5 million were distributed to Detroit area charities yesterday from donations received last December at Mitch Albom’s ninth annual SAY Detroit Radiothon.

The distribution ceremony was moved from its traditional press conference at the Fisher Building to a virtual event for the second year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. More than two dozen area charity recipients joined the afternoon virtual conference, and its recording is now available for viewing at saydetroit.org. 

An annual event since the Radiothon’s inception, the distribution ceremony included first-time recipient Detroit Culture Youth Company, a free dance program founded and run by Detroit Police Officer India Washington, now embedded at the SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park. Washington and SAY Detroit were introduced at one of the first community barbecues hosted by Better Together, an initiative launched last year by SAY Detroit to bridge divides between at-risk citizens and law enforcement, one meal and one neighborhood at a time. 

“Connecting committed Detroiters and their efforts to revitalize this city – like the Detroit Culture Youth Company, Better Together, and SAY Play – is what this distribution ceremony is all about” said Albom, who founded SAY Detroit in 2006. “We work together to match those in need with the life-saving and life-changing programs offered by SAY Detroit and its partners. The spirit of collaboration continues, even in our virtual times.” 

The distribution announcement featured a closing blessing by Revered Barry Randolph, pastor at the Church of the Messiah and a recipient of funding through A Hole in the Roof Foundation to repair the roof of its historic building. Located on Detroit’s east side, the Episcopal church not only offers housing, food distribution and mentorship programs, it serves as a business “incubation center” for its entrepreneurial members. Funds were also distributed to the programs of SAY Detroit which serves thousands of Detroiters each year, including the SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park, SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic, and the new Better Together program.

Broadcast live each December over 15 straight hours on WJR (760 AM) and mitchalbomradiothon.com, along with broadcast partner WDIV/clickondetroit.com, the Radiothon has raised over $8.5 million since 2012 to help Detroit’s neediest citizens. This year’s Radiothon is December 9th at the Somerset Collection in Troy. To learn more about SAY Detroit, please go to saydetroit.org.

2021 Radiothon Distribution Charity Recipients

(From funds raised at the 2020 SAY Detroit Radiothon)
 

Avalon Village, $7,500; *Better Together, $25,000; Bing Youth Institute, $7,500; Building Better Men, $15,000; Cass Community Social Services, $25,000; *Church of the Messiah/A Hole in the Roof Foundation, $5,000; Detroit Dream Scholars fund at the College for Creative Studies, $40,000; COTS Detroit’s Bright Beginnings, $12,500; D2N: Detroit2Nepal Foundation, $7,500; *Detroit Culture Youth Company, $7,500; Detroit Hives, $6,000; *Detroit Kitchen Terminal, $5,000;*Detroit Recovery Project, $5,000; Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries Women and Children Treatment Program, $25,000; *Diversified Community Services, $5,000; *Living and Learning Enrichment Center’s Exceptional Academy, $15,000; Humble Design, $12,500; LA SED, Inc., $12,500; Michigan Veterans Foundation, $12,500; Mother Batie’s Kitchen/United Sisters of Charity, $8,000; Notes for Notes, $10,000; SASHA Center, $12,500; SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic, $100,000; SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park, $650,000; SAY Detroit Tomorrow Fund, $300,000; Westside Cultural & Athletic Club, $11,000; Working Homes/Working Families, $150,000

* Denotes first-time recipient

Click below to view more about each program!

The distribution ceremony, originally scheduled for March 18 at the Fisher Building but postponed to this morning due to the coronavirus pandemic, premiered on Facebook with nearly two dozen area charity recipients and hundreds of others expected to tune in.

“As the economy tightens, we worry that nonprofits will see their funding evaporate, which makes our annual distribution from the SAY Detroit Radiothon more vital than ever,’’ said Albom, who founded SAY Detroit in 2006. “We are proud this year to support so many worthwhile agencies and individual groups. We know they will continue to make a huge difference in the lives of our city’s neediest citizens, who, especially now, must be protected and kept in our hearts.”

Today’s distribution announcement featured a tribute to Tyrone Chatman, the Michigan Veterans Foundation’s longtime CEO who died in February. More than 20 nonprofits and programs which partner with SAY Detroit received donations, including first-time recipients Detroit Hives and the St. Patrick Senior Center, which was awarded funding to repair a hole in the roof of its building that services the homeless and needy. Funds were also distributed to the programs of SAY Detroit which serves thousands of Detroiters each year, including the SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park and the SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic.

Late last month, SAY Detroit announced it had donated $55,000 in funding from last year’s Radiothon to assist three community-based organizations with deploying resources to those most-affected by the COVID-19 outbreak: the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, the Detroit Area Agency on Aging and the Hospital Mask Task Force!

Broadcast live each December over 15 straight hours on WJR (760 AM) and mitchalbomradiothon.com, along with broadcast partner WDIV/clickondetroit.com, the Radiothon has raised over $7 million since 2012 to help Detroit’s neediest citizens. This year’s Radiothon is Dec. 10 at the Somerset Collection in Troy. To learn more about SAY Detroit, please go to saydetroit.org.

2020 Radiothon Distribution Charity Recipients Announced Today:

(From funds raised at the 2019 Mitch Albom SAY Detroit Radiothon)

• Avalon Village, $5,000
• Bing Youth Institute, $11,500
• Buckets of Rain, $6,000
• Building Better Men, $10,000
• Cass Community Social Services, $27,500
• College for Creative Studies/Detroit Dream Scholars, $35,000
• COTS/Bright Beginnings, $11,000
• D2N/EVO Detroit, $7,500
• *Detroit Hives, $5,000
• Humble Design, $10,000
• LA SED, Inc., $10,000
• Michigan Veterans Foundation, $12,500
• Mother Batie’s Kitchen/United Sisters of Charity, $8,000
• Notes for Notes, $10,000
• *St. Patrick Senior Center/A Hole in the Roof Foundation, $6,825
• SASHA Center, $12,500
• SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic, $100,000
• SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park, $600,000
• SAY Detroit Tomorrow Fund, $250,000
• Westside Cultural & Athletic Club, $10,000
• Working Homes/Working Families, $150,000

* Denotes 1^st-time recipient

The distribution ceremony at the Fisher Building, an annual event since the Radiothon’s inception, included several first-time recipients, including Avalon Village, FoodLab Detroit, Yad Ezra, A Beautiful Me, and Building Better Men.

Mitch Albom, who founded SAY Detroit in 2006, presented the checks with Dr. Chad Audi, president of Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, as well as representatives from several major donor organizations. Members of SAY Detroit’s Board of Directors also participated in celebrating the efforts of various local charitable organizations.

“Today we share the generosity of the wonderful people and companies in Metro Detroit,” Albom said. “Thanks to them, we broke our previous Radiothon record. This enables us to operate our numerous SAY Detroit initiatives. And, as per our tradition, we share a chunk of this generosity with other organizations, large and small, who, like us, are dedicated to helping Detroit’s neediest.”

Since its first broadcast in 2012, the annual Radiothon has raised over $5.7 million to help the poor, the homeless, families without houses, children and mothers without medical care, students hoping to reach the college of their dreams, and veterans who have hit hard times.

The 2019 SAY Detroit Radiothon will be held Dec. 12th at The Somerset Collection mall in Troy.

2018 RADIOTHON CHARITY DISTRIBUTION:

• Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries Women and Children’s Shelter, $50,000
• College for Creative Studies/Detroit Dream Scholars, $30,000
• Cass Community Social Services, $25,000
• SASHA Center, $12,500
• Bing Youth Institute, $10,000
• DRMM Genesis House II, $10,000
• Humble Design, $10,000
• Westside Cultural & Athletic Club, $10,000
• COTS / Bright Beginnings Day Care Program, $10,000
• Michigan Veterans Foundation, $10,000
• LA SED INC, $10,000
• Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries Teen Day Care, $10,000
• Notes for Notes, $7,500
• Mother Batie’s Kitchen/United Sisters of Charity, $7,500
• D2N/EVO Detroit, $5,000
• Buckets of Rain, $5,000
• *St. Luke AME / A Hole in the Roof Foundation, $5,000
• *Avalon Village, $5,000
• *Food Lab, $5,000
• *A Beautiful Me, $5,000
• *Yad Ezra, $5,000
• *Building Better Men, $5,000

SAY DETROIT INITIATIVES:

• SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park, $600,000
• SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic, $100,000
• Working Homes / Working Families, $130,000
• SAY Detroit Tomorrow Fund (endowment) $200,000

* Denotes 1st time recipient

The ceremony at the Fisher Building, which included six first-time recipients, has become S.A.Y. Detroit’s favorite day of the year, said Albom, who distributed the funds to the benefitting charities with Dr. Chad Audi and representatives from major sponsor organizations, and supporters. Audi is president of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, which is S.A.Y. Detroit’s operating partner.

“It’s really the generosity of the people who gave to our Radiothon — some even $5 or $10 contributions, all the way up to large corporate gifts — that we are sharing with worthy charities around Detroit,” said Albom, who founded the S.A.Y. Detroit nonprofit in 2006. “It’s our honor and pleasure to do so each year.”

Funds were distributed to the following charities:

• S.A.Y Detroit Play Center, $565,000
• S.A.Y. Detroit Family Health Clinic, $300,000;
• Working Homes Working Families, $100,000;
• S.A.Y. Detroit Tomorrow Fund (endowment), $100,000;
• College for Creative Studies/Detroit Dream Scholars, $30,000;
• Cass Community Social Services, $25,000;
• Bing Youth Institute, $10,000;
• Humble Design, $10,000;
• Westside Cultural & Athletic Club, $10,000;
• COTS/Bright Beginnings, $10,000;
• SASHA Center, $10,000;
• Michigan Veterans Foundation, $10,000;
• LA SED INC., $10,000;
• *Notes for Notes, $7,500;
• Real Life My Music, $7,500;
• *D2N/EVO Detroit, $7,500;
• United Sisters of Charity/Mother Batie’s Kitchen, $6,000;
• Hole in the Roof Foundation/*Grace Episcopal, $5,000;
• Veterans Matter, $5,000;
• *Art Road, $5,000;
• *Friendship Circle/Farber Soul Center, $5,000;
• JVS, $5,000;
• *Buckets of Rain, $3,000.

(* Denotes 1st-time recipient).

Albom also announced the expansion of S.A.Y. Detroit’s Board of Directors. The 11 members are: Dennis Archer, Cynthia Ford, Carmen Harlan, Judge Damon Keith, Rob Orley, Al Papa, David Provost, Charles Rothstein, Arn Tellem, Albom and Audi. A new advisory board will be announced soon.

“We’re so pleased to form the expanded board of S.A.Y. Detroit, which reflects a wide range of backgrounds, expertise and history,” Albom said. “I’m proud to be working with them and have great confidence that they will help steer S.A.Y. Detroit into the future and even greater level of effectiveness to help the needy in our city.’’

The 2018 Radiothon is Dec. 6 at the Somerset Collection in Troy.

The ceremony at the Fisher Building included several first-time beneficiaries, including the Bing Youth Institute — a mentoring program for urban youth created by former Detroit Mayor and NBA legend Dave Bing.

Albom, who founded SAY Detroit in 2006, presented the checks to the benefiting charities with Dr. Chad Audi, president of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, along with representatives of several major donor organizations.

“This is our happiest day of the year, when we can share funding with our hard-working charitable initiatives as well as many worthwhile outside agencies that are doing incredible work to help Detroit’s neediest,” Albom said. “The Radiothon is a gathering of generosity. Today is a spreading of that generosity. On behalf of the 20 charities that will benefit, I deeply thank the people of Michigan who helped us reach this milestone last December. Your kind and generous hearts are what being human is all about.”

Checks were distributed to the following area charities:

• Humble Design: $10,000
• Vista Maria: $5,000
• Jewish Vocational Services: $10,000
• Latin Americans for Social & Economic Development (LA SED Inc.): $10,000
• COTS Bright Beginnings Child Development Center: $10,000
• United Sisters of Charity/Mother Batie’s Kitchen: $7,500
• College for Creative Studies/Detroit Dream Scholars: $30,000
• Westside Cultural & Athletic Club: $10,000
• Veterans Matter: $5,000
• Michigan Veterans Foundation: $10,000
• Cass Community Social Services: $25,000
• Real Life My Music: $7,500
• Working Homes Working Families: $125,000
• DRMM Dignity Project: $10,000
• SASHA Center: $10,000
• Cathedral of St. Anthony: $5,000
• SAY Detroit Family Health Clinic: $300,000
• SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park: $425,000
• Bing Youth Institute: $10,000
• The Salvation Army Monroe Harbor Light-VA: $5,000

Albom on Tuesday also announced the creation of the SAY Detroit Tomorrow Fund, an endowment fund established to help preserve SAY Detroit’s legacy and be a catalyst for new growth. The fund was launched with a $50,000 donation.

Broadcast live over 15 hours on WJR (760AM), the sixth annual Mitch Albom SAY Detroit Radiothon will be held Dec. 7 at the Somerset Collection in Troy.

For more on Belle Isle’s competition, click here.

To learn more about the Detroit Dream Scholars, click here.