Chicago Sports Radio Host Broadcasts for 24-Hours Straight, Raising $660,000 to Build Nonprofit Supermarket

Thanks to the generosity of more than 4,000 donors and an incredibly dedicated sports radio host, Chicago’s West Side is getting a much needed, new brick-and-mortar grocery store.

AM 670 The Score’s Danny Parkins just completed his “What About Chicago?” radiothon, where the host who typically broadcasts weekday afternoons from 2 – 6pm, instead stayed on-air for 24-hours straight. Parkins came up with the “What About Chicago?” name to push back on a question that is often thrown out during political arguments across the country.

.@DannyParkins in the final minutes of #WhatABOUTChicago
Radiothon: "You did it, we did it … Scoreheads came through."

We raised more than $660,000 for the Austin Harvest food mart.https://t.co/BJhS5RjQGt pic.twitter.com/caP2CAiHou

— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) June 24, 2021

The sports radio host’s goal was to raise enough money to fill a void and build a grocery store on Chicago’s West Side, providing the community with a place to buy fresh and healthy food at reasonable prices.

Parkins teamed up with former Chicago Bears linebacker Sam Acho, who noticed that the Austin neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago had 17 liquor stores, but offered only two locations to buy groceries within a half-mile radius. Acho raised $500,000 to buy one of the liquor stores that was looted during a George Floyd protest last summer, and turned it into a pop-up grocery store.

We did it!! I am blown away!!! Over $655,000 raised by over 4,600 individuals!! Thank you!! @DannyParkins – thank you for hosting for 24 hours STRAIGHT!! Everyone who gave to @AthletesJustice!! Thank you for giving!! We did it!!! A permanent facility on the West Side of Chicago! pic.twitter.com/o3w5lyg8e6

— Sam Acho (@TheSamAcho) June 24, 2021

Now with an additional $660,000 of funding from Parkins’ radiothon, a permanent location for Austin Harvest grocery can be built on the same site as their pop-up. The new building will allow Austin Harvest to operate seven days a week, regardless of weather, while an afterschool program will help employ the neighborhood’s youth.

“You guys crushed it,” Parkins said at the close of his 24-hour radiothon while thanking all contributors and donors, “We closed the food desert, we employed some kids and we built a permanent grocery store on the West Side of Chicago.”