Broadcastathon a huge success

What an incredible weekend for Foundation Beyond Belief!

Last Saturday at 1 pm CST, secular radio program Dogma Debate began broadcasting the 24-Hour Broadcastathon for Foundation Beyond Belief. Initially, host David Smalley had hoped to raise $5,000, but a call two days before the event from FBB Executive Director Dale McGowan doubled that goal to $10,000. 

Once the dust had settled, and thanks to an incredibly generous gift from Todd Stiefel, founder of the Stiefel Freethought Foundation, and matching donations from other guests during their hours, the final amount raised from nearly 300 donors was $31,454. Thanks to this amazing event, FBB was able to hit (and surpass!) the $20,000 goal that triggered a matching grant from the Foundation 50 Giving Circle.

Smalley and his co-hosts, John Karpf, Donovan Baker, and David Michael, reached over 10,000 live listeners and featured more than 30 guests and on-air talent.

Dale McGowan, executive director of Foundation Beyond Belief, called in to the radio program to express his gratitude on behalf of the organization. “We are blown away by the tremendous support of the secular community, and by the hard work put in by the entire staff of Dogma Debate. This fundraiser has made history, and is record breaking on so many levels. This is going to help us do amazing things in 2015. We are forever grateful to everyone who contributed, volunteered, listened, and shared to make this happen.”

It wasn’t just the staff of FBB who were overcome by the generosity of the freethought community — the host of the radio program, and CEO of Dogma Debate’s parent company, Secular Media Group, LLC, David Smalley, released this statement several hours after the 24-hour broadcast ended:

“I am amazed at what has happened today. In the three years of broadcasting this show, I have never once shed a tear on air. After today, I can no longer say that. The financial support for Foundation Beyond Belief was overwhelming enough, but the support from our volunteers, and comments from listeners on how this movement, our show, and Foundation Beyond Belief has changed their lives, really got to me. We’re really doing it. We’re changing the world; even if it’s only 3 listeners at a time.”