KUHF Houston Public Radio raised $846,822 during its spring 2008 on-air fundraising campaign, which ended April 4. The total represents direct donations from 1,867 new members and 3,172 renewing members, and includes individual and corporate challenge grants used during the course of the campaign.

About 87 percent of the radio station’s annual revenue comes from the local community through individual gifts and business program underwriting. The remainder comes from a federal Community Service Grant, miscellaneous services and interest on the station’s fund balance. KUHF receives no direct funding from either the state of Texas or the University of Houston.

During two days of the campaign, contributors had an opportunity to not only support public radio, but also help Houston’s elderly in need through Interfaith Ministries. Contributors had the option to decline their KUHF thank-you gifts, allowing the station to provide more than 14,000 meals for Meals on Wheels.

“Our new partnership with Houston Interfaith Ministries’ Meals on Wheels program worked very well for both organizations,” said John Proffitt, KUHF CEO and general manager. “I offer a special word of thanks to Interfaith Ministries’ CEO Elliott Gershenson for his participation with the campaign. We look forward to working with him and his organization again.”
 
As with each Houston Public Radio fundraiser, this was a community event with more than 200 volunteers answering phones starting at 6 a.m. each day, and 12 local restaurants donating food and beverages to sustain the staff and volunteers.

Community leaders serving as guest hosts during the campaign included: Matthew VanBesien, Houston Symphony; David White, Moores School of Music director; Dean Gladden, Alley Theatre managing director; Anthony Freud, Houston Grand Opera general director; and UH Professor John Lienhard. Companies that offered challenge grants included Air Liquide, James E. Bashaw & Co., Chamberlain Hrdlicka, Mayer Brown LLP and Tara Energy, among others.

KUHF is licensed to the UH System Board of Regents and is operated in the public interest as a community outreach of UH.

Emily Binetti
emilyb@kuhf.org