Washington, D.C. – (Monday, March 2, 2020) –  Thanks to more than $60k in donations, hundreds of Howard University students can now prepare to head to 22 destinations across the globe to render service to communities in crisis.  WHUR listeners dug deep into their pockets Sunday to make the donations to the station’s Helping Hands Radiothon, which annually works to raise money for Howard’s Alternative Spring Break (ASB).

ASB is a unique service learning experience that exposes Howard University students to concepts of social justice, interfaith exploration, and ethical leadership development.  WHUR listeners phoned in donations to the Suntrust now Truist phone bank, donated on-line at whur.com, and stopped by the WHUR studios to give to an effort that will ultimately have a global impact.

11-hundred Howard students signed up this year to participate in ASB, where they will go to places like Ghana, Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Flint, Baltimore, Memphis, DC, and more than a dozen other sites.  It’s all part of an initiative Howard began 26 years ago that gives students the opportunity to forgo a traditional Spring Break and instead provide invaluable volunteer hours to communities that could really use some help and hope.

The HU students will be providing tutoring and mentoring to at-risk youth, working to restore areas devastated by natural disasters, tackle homelessness and gentrification challenges, and so much more. “We are so proud of the amazing work that the Howard University students are doing to impact neighborhoods around the globe.  That’s why we are honored yearly to do our part to make sure we can help to raise enough money to get them to their destinations,” said WHUR General Manager Sean Plater.

This year, HU students will work with 150 community partners to perform over 100,000 hours of volunteer service.  “Our WHUR listeners are among some of the most generous people on the planet.  Whenever we issue a call to action, they respond with such kindness. We are thankful for and humbled by their giving spirit,” added Plater.

Through ASB, students are immersed in unique cultures that provide immediate assistance to those in need and enables the students to reflect on the challenges prevalent in distressed communities around the world.

Howard University students leave for their various volunteer areas later this month.  There is still time to get in on the giving.  Click the link to donate.  When you give, HU students can help.