As the largest local television company in the United States, we have a responsibility to deliver more than high-quality journalism, local programming, and a commitment to working with our advertising and marketing partners in the 117 markets in which we operate. Our broadcasting and digital media businesses must be woven into the fabric of the local community. That means our employees should be regularly engaged in public service and helping others.
Since the company’s founding in 1996, our journalists have witnessed the impact that local non-profit organizations and public service agencies have on the community—in times of crisis, these organizations mobilize quickly to help those most in need, often making a critical difference in the lives of millions of people every day. But they can’t do it alone. They need help—and that’s where we come in.
In 2016, Nexstar’s Founder, Chairman and CEO, Perry Sook, established the company’s “Founder’s Day of Caring.” Every year, during the third week of June, employees in each of Nexstar’s 117 television markets are given paid time-off to do volunteer work with non-profit organizations and public service agencies in their local community. The idea is to enable our employees to make a personal commitment to make the community a better place for everyone.
The 2024 Founder’s Day of Caring will be held on Friday, June 14.
You can see a list of some of the non-profit and public service organizations we’ve helped below; the list is long and we’re proud of it. The mission is to give back and give help where it is needed most. And we ask our television stations to cover our efforts in the hopes of inspiring our viewers, partners and advertisers to help, too.
KIAH in Houston, TX, volunteered at the Houston Food Bank boxing up 49 pallets of food. This equaled 33,599 pounds of food, which meant this created 27,999 meals.
WTRF in Wheeling, WV, hosted a “No One Walks Alone” veteran suicide awareness walk to benefit Helping Heroes, a non-profit that helps veterans in need. More than 150 people came out to walk raising more than $3,000 for the organization.
KREX/KFQX in Grand Junction, CO, repaired six picknick tables, trimmed 300 feet of shrubbery, cleared 1/2 acre of trash and weeds. KREX staff also worked with the Strive clients (adults with disabilities) throughout the day.
WJHL in Johnson City, TN, partnered with Girls Inc., a local non-profit organization which encourages girls to be “Strong, Smart, and Bold” through direct service and advocacy. Also helped with many “honey do” tasks like painting several picnic tables and doing some much-needed landscaping in and around the premises.
WTAJ in Altoona, PA, volunteered at Bedford County Humane Society
and painted trim and walls in four rooms and three hallways, cleaned 15 HVAC vents and filters, scrubbed 3 office hallways, pressure washed 36 indoor dog kennels, rebuilt five outdoor kennels, tarped five outdoor large dog runs, painted two picnic tables, pressure washed 24 memorial bricks and built a memorial garden, raked shale into five outdoor kennels, organized an outdoor shed with over a dozen dog crates to be broken down, walked 24 dogs, bathed 10 dogs, pressure washed 10 dog houses, donated 30 items (dog/cat food, supplies).
KTVX-KUCW in Salt Lake City volunteered at:
- Utah Food Bank/Feeding America: 50 volunteers packaged 500 Summer Kids Meals, Packaged 4,600 lbs. of food + donated $1,250 in food + $1,100 in cash.
- Volunteers of America Utah Women’s Resource Center: 15 employees served 225 meals to homeless women.
- Salt Lake City Public Lands: 17 employees picked up trash along a mile stretch of road near the station, collected 12 large bags of trash, approximately 200 lbs. of trash.
Full listings of our 2023 Partners is here.
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- Nexstar’s Corporate team after preparing 160 food supply bags for families in Irving, TX.
