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Become a member

What does your membership mean to Essential Public Radio?

90.5 FM WESA, Essential Public Radio is an independent public radio station. Our financial health is largely dependent on the community, whether through support from individual memberships or through corporate underwriting from local businesses. Essential Public Radio Members, people just like you, provide close to 50% of 90.5 FM's operating budget. Become a new member or renew your membership today and be a part of Essential Public Radio's future.

Why Join?

As a commercial free radio station, Essential Public Radio depends on our members, underwriting, and grants to allow us to bring you the news programs and specialty shows that make you tune to 90.5 FM in the first place. In order for us to continue to play a diverse selection of news, information, and music both on air and streamed live from the web through our 24 hour jazz stream, we ask you, the listener to help us by pledging your financial support to the station.

Matching Gifts: Make your gift go twice as far!

Many companies will match tax deductible charitable contributions made by their employees to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations like Essential Public Radio. Some companies match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses and match volunteer hours with cash. It's important to us and easy for you!

How it works:

  1. Make your pledge to Essential Public Radio.
  2. Obtain a matching gift form from your human resources office.
  3. Complete your portion of the form and mail it to us, you can even mail it with your contribution.
  4. We will complete our portion of the form and submit the request for matching funds to your employer.
  5. Enjoy the benefits of a station, and a community, made even stronger through your effort and your company's contribution.

Mail forms to:

Essential Public Radio
67 Bedford Square
Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Questions about matching gifts:

Laurie Harris
(412) 381-9131, x257
lharris@essentialpublicradio.org

Give an additional gift

Giving an additional gift over and above your annual membership is a great way to show your loyal support and further strengthen the station you love. A gift of $10 or $20 over your annual membership goes a long way.

Sustaining Members

Many Members choose to become Sustaining Members. You may use your debit/credit card or your bank account. The difference between a regular installment pledge and a Sustaining plan is that the Sustaining Membership doesn't expire each year; it automatically renews itself until you tell us to stop (rather than you receiving a renewal letter each year and instructing us to renew your membership).

If you'd like to turn your regular Membership or Installment plan into a Sustaining Membership, download the form.

Sustaining payments are processed on the first business day each month.

Donate Your Car

Thinking about selling your car, boat, motorcycle, truck, or other vehicle? Donate it to 90.5 FM Essential Public Radio instead!

The Essential Public Radio Car Donation Program is up and revving.

Installment Pledges

If you join Essential Public Radio online, over the phone, or via email, we will process your debit/credit card on the first business day of each month. If you're receiving reminders in the mail to send your monthly check, we mail those out during the last week of each month.

Acknowledgement of Membership/Thank-you Gifts

Your thank you letter, including your station sticker, will be mailed out approximately within the first two weeks after your first payment. Premiums may take up to 4–6 weeks to arrive. Thank you gifts are "OK'ed" by the database after Membership payment is received.

We try our best to send all premiums much sooner but we have to depend on our Volunteers' schedules. If you need a premium in a hurry, or you haven't received your selected gift within these time frames, please contact Membership Director Kathleen Radock or 412.381.9131 x212.

Thanks!

Thanks to all of the listeners who have stepped forward and become Members of Essential Public Radio. When you're a 90.5 FM member and you're listening to one of your favorite specialty programs, you know that you're making it possible. Thank you!

For any questions or to update your membership, please contact Membership Director Kathleen Radock or 412.381.9131 x212.

Event, Administrative and Receptionist Volunteers

Essential Public Radio currently needs volunteers to help with special events during weekday evenings and weekends. We are also looking for several energetic individuals to volunteer at the reception desk in the Community Broadcasting Center. The receptionist will be the point of contact for the CBC and be responsible for all incoming calls into WYEP and Essential Public Radio. They may also be asked to assist in some other office tasks such as assisting with outgoing mailings, sort and deliver incoming mail, greet guests and take membership pledges. This position requires that the individual must have wonderful communication and people skills. Volunteering Shifts are 9am-1 pm and 1pm-5 pm Monday through Friday. For more information on open shifts, or to volunteer, please contact Laurie Harris at 412-381-9131 x 257 or lharris@essentialpublicradio.org.