Happy 81st Birthday, UNCF!

Founded April 25, 1944, UNCF today celebrates more than eight decades of delivering scholarships and financial assistance to help students attending HBCUs to get to and through college

/EIN News/ -- Washington, DC, April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With a powerful mix of music, memories and mission, UNCF is celebrating its 81st anniversary with a special radiothon honoring the legendary Frankie Beverly to generate donations for scholarships to help our students attend HBCUs.

Today, UNCF and Omni-Channel Radio are hosting the Second Annual UNCF/Omni-Channel Radio Radiothon—a 12-hour live stream fundraiser aimed at supporting college scholarships for students attending HBCUs. This year’s event comes with a special tribute to the late soul legend Frankie Beverly, honoring his enduring musical legacy while raising funds for future generations.

Airing from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST, the Radiothon will showcase a who’s who of musical legends, community voices, and celebrity guests, all rallying behind one call to action: help students get to and through college. This year’s theme—“25 – $25 – 25”—calls for 1,000 listeners to each donate $25 on April 25, with the goal of raising $25,000 in a single day.

“A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in,” says the UNCF, echoing the organization’s iconic tagline.

Confirmed participants include:

• Maurice E. Jenkins, Jr., executive vice president and Chief Development Officer, UNCF
• Lisa Rollins, Regional Development Director, UNCF
• Rep. Maxine Waters
• Musical icons including Melba Moore, Howard Hewett, The Spinners, Keith Washington, Billy Brown, and Copeland Davis

• Tribute to Frankie Beverly featuring Roame Lowery (original Maze member) and Jubu Smith, Beverly’s lead guitarist

 Invited but not yet confirmed: Senator Cory Booker, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, comedian Luenell, and entertainers like Lenny Williams, Smokey Robinson, and NFL Super Bowl winning quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Listeners can tune in on the Omni-Channel Radio App or at www.OmniChannelRadio.com, where they can also donate.

When giving, supporters should click the UNCF tab and include “OMNI” in the “Honoring” line. All donations go directly to UNCF.

The event draws inspiration from the historic Lou Rawls Parade of Stars Telethon, reimagined for a digital age. Like its predecessor, this modern version promises a vibrant mix of culture, conversation and purpose.

For more information and ways to give, visit www.OmniChannelRadio.com.

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About UNCF
UNCF is one of the nation’s largest and most effective supporters of higher education and serves as a leading advocate for college-bound students. Since its founding in 1944, UNCF has raised more than $6 billion to support students' access to higher education, provide scholarships and strengthen historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Each year, UNCF supports more than 50,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities across the country including 37 UNCF-member HBCUs. Through its efforts, UNCF has helped generations of students to get to and through college. We believe college education plays a vital role in fortifying the pipeline of leaders and professionals who contribute to the advancement of our society. Our logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and our widely recognized trademark is, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”^® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Instagram.

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• Frankie Beverly

Roy Betts
                    UNCF
                    240.703.3384
                    roy.betts@uncf.org