Over $380,000 raised at WSFA’s 2023 ‘Day of Dreams’ telethon

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - WSFA 12 News held its third annual “Day of Dreams” telethon Tuesday. The event is designed to support Montgomery’s Mercy House ministry, MAP, and the MAP Center in west Montgomery.

Generous viewers and callers donated more than $380,000.

WSFA 12 News partnered with Mercy House Executive Director Ken Austin. Austin founded Mercy House in 2020 when he accepted the TV station’s former facilities at 12 East Delano Avenue as a donation.

WSFA Vice President and General Manager Mark Bunting told Austin, “By acquiring this building, you are now part of the WSFA family.” Every year since then, WSFA 12 News has focused a day supporting the MAP Center’s success.

Austin, the pastor of New Walk of Life Church, founded Mercy House in a small home off Day Street, a daytime shelter for the homeless, a stopping point for young people in the neighborhood, and a place to get a warm meal and clothing.

MAP, which stands for Ministry About People, has been serving the people of Montgomery through community programs since 2004, providing meals, clothing, shelter, job training, family services, and hope to thousands in our community.

In 2021, its inaugural year, the “Day of Dreams” telethon raised $277,000, but organizers later confirmed donations continued pouring in afterward, climbing to more than $500,000! In 2022, generous contributions totaled more than $350,000. In 2023, we’re doing it again.

According to the MAP Center website, residents of Washington Park/Gibbs Village community have an average lower than 99% of the neighborhoods across the U.S. More than 85% of the children in the neighborhood live in poverty. The MAP Center and Mercy House work to combat these statistics by connecting the community to resources. The hope is to create a pathway of opportunities for those in the neighborhood to redirect and rebuild their lives and the community.

Below is a list of the resources and programs the donations will help to continue to provide:

• Care Coordination
• Children and Youth Programs
• Food Programs
• Clothing and Hygiene Programs
• Career and Education

Donations may still be made online.

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