WASHINGTON – Howard University’s WHUR-FM radio station secured their fifth Crystal Award for “Outstanding Community Service” from the National Association of Broadcasters, solidifying their status as a multi-award winning radio station.

“While we are humbled to be recognized by our peers, we are honored to serve the community, especially during times of crisis. Using our motto, ‘In Truth and Service,’ we strive daily to provide meaningful engagement and assistance to those most in need,” said WHUR General Manager Sean Plater.

WHUR has continued to build on their commitment to the community by providing more than 6,000 public service announcements to their audience network since the pandemic began. In January 2019, WHUR provided food and resources for over 2,000 furloughed workers during the federal shutdown. They also provided complimentary lunch and dinner to 85 active duty military couples in February and May of last year.

WHUR continued to touch hearts by sparking a movement of kindness for hundreds of fifth graders while challenging hundreds of adults to pay it forward with random acts of kindness from May to July. They proudly usher their listeners through difficult topics such as the opioid crisis and sexual assault with special town hall meetings and roundtable discussions. When racial tensions were rising in Washington, D.C., they hosted a three-part discussion on gentrification and mending the racial divide.

During their “Season of Giving” in October to December, WHUR provided food, clothing and other services to 3,000 homeless people, plus 13,000 Thanksgiving meals, 1,100 toys and 425 new coats for low- income youth. The station’s staffers volunteered for 2,499 hours in their communities and WHUR provided non-profits 4,750 minutes in free PSAs valued at $1,185,000. Year round, WHUR partners with the Howard University Cathy Hughes School of Communications and other institutions to offer students tours, internships, and mentoring opportunities.

For more information about WHUR, visit www.WHUR.com.

# # #

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 70 Fulbright Scholars. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu

Media Contact: Imani Pope-Johns, Imani.popejohns@howard.edu