WXIN Fox59 raises $236K for tornado relief

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WXIN FOX 59In the wake of tornado devastation in Southern Indiana, Tribune Broadcasting’s WXIN-TV “Fox59” partnered with the Salvation Army to raise money to help the victims. The “Fox59 Day of Dedication: Tornado Relief” raised $236,598 for the victims and communities hard hit by the tornado damage.


Phone lines were up and running Monday (3/5) from 4:30 am until 11:00 pm. Donations also came online at fox59.com/help and via text messages.

“What was most unbelievable in our minds was 85% of the donations – about $200,000 – came from individual viewers and donations,” said WXIN News Director Lee Rosenthal.  “We had a few sizable corporate and business donations, but the vast majority were literally thousands and thousands and thousands of individual donations that mounted.”

Governor Mitch Daniels joined the Fox59 Day of Dedication live at 6:00 pm Monday, thanking the station, viewers and Salvation Army for all of their efforts.

“There’s an awful lot going on in the state, but I don’t know anybody that’s done any more or more quickly than you guys have,” said Governor Daniels. “If you picked the Salvation Army, you couldn’t have done better – year in, year out, they have the lowest administrative cost of any such organization.”

The Salvation Army will take the $236,598 and put it toward food and water, supplies and other support for the communities and victims of the Southern Indiana tornadoes.  100% of the money raised during the 18 ½ hour drive on Fox59 is going directly to those in need in Southern Indiana.