It’s Giving Tuesday, a special day dedicated to supporting nonprofits everywhere. WSLS is excited to partner with the team behind “BUZZ,” a public television series that highlights nonprofit organizations across Southwest Virginia.
Michael Hemphill, the creator, host, and producer of BUZZ, stopped by the WSLS morning show to chat about the series. He started BUZZ five years ago to not only shine a light on important nonprofits but also to tell the stories of the people who work hard to get the word out about their causes.
“We started BUZZ in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, and now we’ve produced about 78 different episodes, featuring nonprofit organizations across Southwest Virginia, just trying to highlight and help them not only showcase their mission but also provide them with some pro-bono marketing resources through our friends with the American Advertisement Federation of Roanoke, who donate their time and talent through websites, rebranding, and social media campaigns to give them more buzz,” Hemphill explained.
We asked Hemphill, who is a former Roanoke reporter, about the different episodes people can stream.
“What I love about nonprofits is that they literally do everything. So the episodes that we have in production right now that are coming up—one this week and then others in the coming months—are Angels of Assisi, an animal welfare rescue program. We are working on an episode right now on the Harrison Museum of African American Culture as they are moving back into the Melrose Plaza. We’re working on an episode on the Franklin County NAACP that is working to highlight the 70 African Americans from Franklin County who fought for the Union during the Civil War. We’re also working on an episode on our own of the Roanoke Valley, which provides mental health services year-round for people struggling with some challenges.”
Since it’s Giving Tuesday, Hemphill encouraged everyone to get involved. “Every organization is accepting donations year-round. I love Giving Tuesday because it provides an opportunity, a reminder during this very busy season of gift buying, that hey, we should maybe look for some gifts for the people who are serving our community,” he said.
You can catch Buzz streaming on WSLS.com after 10 News at 7 p.m., starting Thursday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. New episodes will be available every Thursday night at that time.