Winston-Salem, NC—88.5 WFDD, the Piedmont Triad’s public radio station, is spending this summer building a house for Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County. The station signed on several months ago to be the labor sponsor for a house, and will use the resource of its airwaves to raise volunteer support. Staff members will assist with the build as well.

88.5 WFDD is excited about getting involved in this kind of community project. General Manager Jay Banks commented, “We are routinely overwhelmed by the enormous community support we receive as a station, and getting involved in a project like a Habitat build by helping recruit volunteers is a wonderful way for us to give back.”

He also stated that WFDD’s involvement in raising volunteer support for the build gives individuals who may never have had an opportunity to participate in a build a chance to get involved. “This kind of community engagement, which allows face-to-face participation between the station and its listeners, is a relatively new concept for public radio stations,” said Banks.

Each Habitat for Humanity house is constructed with the assistance of a labor sponsor and a financial sponsor. In addition to WFDD's labor assistance, financial support for this build will be provided by the CP3 Foundation, the non-profit organization created by former Wake Forest University basketball star and 2005-06 NBA Rookie of the Year Chris Paul and his family. Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County is the primary beneficiary of the CP3 Foundation's annual fundraising initiative "Chris Paul's Winston-Salem Weekend" which will take place September 14-16, 2007.

WFDD listeners and community members can sign up to volunteer for the build by visiting the station’s website at www.wfdd.org or by calling the station at 336-758-8850. The first build date is scheduled for June 9th, which will take place at Habitat’s facility on Witt Street in Winston-Salem. Potential volunteers will be able to choose specific dates that work with their schedules when signing up at the website. They will be contacted by a volunteer coordinator to confirm.

88.5 WFDD, the NPR® news and Triad Arts station broadcasting from Wake Forest University, is the only public radio station of its kind located in the Piedmont Triad. It broadcasts news, information, and public affairs programming covering the arts, people, and institutions in the area from both its Winston-Salem and Greensboro studios. The state’s charter NPR® member, 88.5 WFDD is the longest continuously broadcasting public radio station in North Carolina. It is a member of the North Carolina Public Radio Association.