Thursday's Larry Stewart Memorial Radiothon to benefit Salvation Army Children's Shelter

News release:

The Salvation Army and 610 Sports Radio are teaming up again to help kids in need in Kansas City!

The annual Larry Stewart Memorial Radiothon will be held Thursday, August 23 at Crown Center from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Salvation Army Children’s Shelter, which cares for children birth to age 17 who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, abandonment or neglect.

The 2012 Larry Stewart Memorial Radiothon will feature appearances from local sports and media celebrities including Sporting KC’s Jimmy Nielsen. There will also be hourly prize giveaways including signed sports memorabilia, tickets to sporting events and much more!

The public may donate to the Radiothon by calling 816-842-KIDS (5437) on August 23 between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., stopping by Crown Center during the event or going online anytime at www.saradiothon.org.

The Radiothon is named in honor of Larry Stewart, Kansas City’s “Secret Santa”, who died in 2007. Stewart, who gave away more than $1 million anonymously over his lifetime, co-hosted the Salvation Army’s Radio Day event for many years and was devoted to the Army’s mission of helping people in need. This is the seventh year The Salvation Army and 610 Sports Radio have partnered together on the Radiothon. Since 2006, the event has raised more than $500,000 for the Children’s Shelter!

The Salvation Army Children’s Shelter is the largest emergency children’s shelter in the Kansas City area. Many of the children come to the Shelter after being placed into state custody due to a hotline line. The children remain at the Shelter until authorities determine the home environment is safe for the child to return, or until another suitable placement is found.

Children may also be placed at the Shelter voluntarily by their parents during a time of crisis, such as homelessness, hospitalization or incarceration.  This care is free for families and requires the parents work with social work staff on the issues that brought them to the point of crisis. Since opening in 1981, the Children’s Shelter has cared for more than 6,700 children in crisis!