Organizers from Scarborough Health Network (SHN) Foundation and Sing Tao A1 Chinese Radio were left in awe as donations poured in during an incredible 11-hour radiothon on Thursday, April 23, 2020. Thanks to this outpouring of support from more than 2,300 donors, the Sing Tao A1 Radiothon raised a record-breaking $470,000 for the COVID-19 Emergency Fund at the Scarborough Health Network (SHN) hospitals.

The initial amount was topped up thanks to a late gift of $30,000 by Ms. Katherine Li, a retired medical worker from Toronto General Hospital. This additional support enabled our Radiothon to surpass the $500,000 milestone.

This total is a record success for the annual SHN event and represents the most money ever raised in a single day for a Scarborough Chinese-language Radiothon. As well, the event helped drive SHN Foundation’s highest single day of online donations, totalling more than $191,000. Funds raised will help SHN address urgent equipment needs in the face of COVID-19, including items such as ventilators.

“Thank you to our community for supporting health care heroes at Scarborough Health Network through this year’s Radiothon, and to our partners at Sing Tao A1 Chinese Radio for making it a reality,” said Alicia Vandermeer, President & CEO, SHN Foundation. “The unmatched success of this event demonstrates the incredible impact that is possible when the community comes together for a good cause. Our immense gratitude goes out to the listeners who tuned in last week and who made a gift in support of doctors, nurses, and frontline hospital workers.”

Organized by SHN Foundation in partnership with Sing Tao A1 Chinese Radio for the first time, the Radiothon started in the early hours of Thursday at 7 am, with interviews from Alicia Vandermeer and Elizabeth Buller, President and CEO of Scarborough Health Network. These were followed by interviews with prominent community leaders and physicians. They shared stories and highlighted the importance of supporting the hospitals as the community fights through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve been doing this for the past 25 years, and I have never before seen this amount of money raised in a single day,” said Anson Wong, host of Yellow Cow College at Sing Tao A1 Chinese Radio, and who helped lead the afternoon show for the Radiothon. “We appreciate this amazing experience and thank the SHN Foundation team for the pleasure of working together to raise this exceptional amount for such an important cause.”

The Radiothon was broadcast live in both Cantonese and Mandarin as gifts were made by phone, online, and through mobile SMS. During the afternoon show, the Sing Tao A1 Chinese Radio hosts went live on Facebook and YouTube to inspire the community with magical acts and singing performances. The initial goal for the event had been set at $150,000, but the event ended with more than triple that amount.