LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Thanks to your generous donations, the WHAS Crusade for Children raised $5,700,525.71 during its 71st telethon.
Since 1954, the WHAS Crusade for Children has raised more than $216 million. One hundred percent of those donations have been returned to the community in the form of grants to schools, hospitals and agencies that make life better for children with special needs.
At the heart of this effort are the thousands of people who come together each year to make the Crusade a success. From individual donors who drop pocket change into boots at firefighter collection sites to children with lemonade stands to corporations that offer payroll deduction, it all comes together during this annual miracle on the first weekend in June.
The Leaders
Nearly 60% of donations are collected by nearly 200 fire departments in Kentucky and southern Indiana. Fire departments have been involved with the Crusade since 1956 when Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Chief Ernie Bohler brought $400 on the Memorial Auditorium stage in Louisville and challenged all fire departments to get involved.
2024 TOP DONORS
KENTUCKY
Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Protection District $241,715.65
Fern Creek Fire Department $185,489.00
St Matthews Fire Protection District $150,048.00
Jeffersontown Fire Protection District $106,298.63
Shelby County Fire Department $95,618.31
INDIANA
Jeffersonville Fire Dept. $126,716.15
Monroe Township Volunteer Fire Department $107,708.24
Highlander Fire Protection District $94,647.12
Charlestown Volunteer Fire Department $55,606.69
Elizabeth Volunteer Fire Department $31,529.59
ORGANIZATIONS
LG&E/KU Foundation and Employees $402,891.00
Archdiocese of Louisville $286,674.00
Norton Children’s Hospital $117,872.40
Jefferson County Public Schools $53,964.90
Bluegrass World of Wheels $24,259.00
------------
About the WHAS Crusade for Children
Our Mission: The WHAS Crusade for Children makes life better for children with special needs by inspiring generosity with our community partners.
Our Vision: Together we provide resources to impact all children with special needs.
- 100% of each donation to the WHAS Crusade for Children helps children with special needs.
- Through the Crusade we’ve changed the lives of millions of children in Kentucky and Indiana since 1954.
- Right now we’re funding 1 in 3 children who need the Crusade.
Change a child’s life, support the WHAS Crusade for Children.
To make a donation securely online, click here.
The WHAS Crusade for Children Endowment
In September, 2002, the WHAS Crusade for Children Board of Directors voted to create the new Crusade Endowment.
It guarantees that 100 percent of the Crusade’s annual telethon collections continue to go directly to agencies that help children with special needs. It ensures that millions more children will be helped for decades to come.
- 100% of each donation to the WHAS Crusade for Children helps children with special needs
- The Crusade Endowment Campaign fully funds our future.
- Beyond your annual contribution, we need your Crusade Endowment donation now.
Change a child’s life forever, support the WHAS Crusade Endowment.
To make an Endowment donation securely online, click here.
PHOTOS: Moments from the 71st WHAS Crusade for Children
How the Crusade works
The WHAS Crusade for Children, Inc. established in 1954 by WHAS-TV, raises money for agencies, schools and hospitals to better the lives of special needs children.
$211 million raised for special needs children
In its first 70 years, the Crusade has raised more than $211 million. Thanks to generous contributions of goods and services, the Crusade is able to return 100 percent of all donations to organizations that serve special needs children in all 120 Kentucky counties and more than 50 southern Indiana counties. Fire departments raise more than 50 percent of the money each year by staging road blocks and other events
An independent board decides
An independent board of interdenominational ministers known as the Crusade Advisory Panel decides how donations are distributed each year.
Agencies apply for grants
Representatives from agencies, schools and hospitals apply for grants and appear before the panel during grant hearings held each spring. Once the hearings are complete, the advisory panel determines which agencies receive Crusade donations.
Since agency grant requests far exceed donations to the Crusade each year, the panel has difficult decisions to make.
For a complete listing of grant application rules, click here.
The Crusade telethon airs in June
The annual Crusade Internet/radio/telethon is held each year on the first full weekend in June and is aired on News Radio 840 WHAS (AM 840), WHAS-TV (Channel 11.1) and worldwide on WHAS11.com. Portions of the broadcast are also seen and heard on a Kentucky statewide network.
Millions of children have been helped
Millions of children have been helped by the Crusade since 1954.
Donations are tax deductible
The WHAS Crusade for Children, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Gifts are tax deductible as permitted by law. The Crusade is the most successful and oldest local telethon in America.
To make a secure online donation, click here or call (502) 582-7706.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
RELATED VIDEO