Moose FM is hostingĀ a two day radiothon tomorrow and Friday to support our local chapter of the United Way. The two day fundraiser is part of a bigger national plan to raise $1 million dollars in one week for local charities across Canada.
Executive Director for the Cochrane-Temiskaming United Way, Jean Warren, says events like the radiothon are hugely important. She says they have little opportunities to get information out there, and they have a limited audience. When they do things like this radiothon, it helps to hook people in, especially when they can start listening and asking questions about the programs.
Warren says all of the money raised over the next two days goes into three main focus areas. Those are poverty, health, and kids. Their biggest focus right now is the homelessness issue, and all of the pieces thatĀ goes along with it. Warren says the United Way was very happy to be able to help the Yo Mobile buy a trailer recently to hand out supplies to the homeless. They are also involved with the Speak Easy Warming Station, andĀ are part of a committee for the resource centre as a long-term solution for homelessness.
The news that Timmins and North Bay have the highest poverty and homeless rates in the country recently came out, making the work the United Way does that much more critical.
The United Way has a process to give donated dollars to different community groups. It starts with an application, and then a group of volunteers within the donor base makes the decision on where the dollars go. The groups that end up with the funds then have to report back on where the moneyĀ went, how it helped, and what issues may come up for the next year.
The radiothon kicks off Thursday morning at 6:00am, and runs until 6:00pm. The same hours will run on Friday. To donate, call (705) 267 6070 or stop by the studio at 49 Cedar Street South.
For information on the extreme poverty and homeless rates in Timmins, visit a previous story:Ā NDP Critic asking for solution on extreme poverty and homeless rates in Timmins