Cars 108 Roof Sit Raises $78,015 for Whaley Children’s Center

After 52 hours on the roof of McDonald’s on Saginaw Street in Grand Blanc, the 11th annual Cars 108 Roof Sit finally came to an end Friday morning at 10. That was the moment Cars 108’s Jeremy Fenech and Mindy Williams from Whaley Children’s Center could finally climb down from the roof, leave their makeshift living spaces behind and head home.

And while three days on a fast-food restaurant roof might sound like a pretty strange way to spend a week, there was a very important reason for it.

Cars 108 Roof Sit Supports Flint Children

We were doing it for the kids at Whaley. For three days, members of Cars 108 and Whaley Children’s Center camped out on the roof of the McDonald’s at Saginaw and Holly Roads in Grand Blanc, asking the community to help support vulnerable children.

These are kids as young as six years old, all the way through their teenage years, who have already been dealt a pretty terrible hand in life. And none of it is their fault.

What Have The Kids at Whaley Children's Center Been Through?

Some have experienced abuse or neglect. Others have had a parent incarcerated. Some have lost a parent entirely. Many of these children have been bounced from foster home to foster home, sometimes moving dozens of times before they even reach adulthood. Some have moved 50 or 60 times or more.

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Eventually, they find their way to Whaley Children’s Center, where they can finally have something every child deserves: stability, safety and a place to call home.

Genesee County Raises More Than $78,000 for Whaley

And once again, the people of Genesee County and beyond showed exactly what kind of community this is. Thanks to incredibly generous donations from listeners, along with the support of countless local businesses and organizations, the 11th annual Cars 108 Roof Sit raised $78,015.31 for Whaley Children’s Center.

That's more than $78,000 going directly toward helping vulnerable kids. It's easy to look at that number and see a dollar amount. But behind every dollar is a child who needs someone in their corner. It's a child who deserves a safe place to sleep. A child who deserves someone to believe in them. A child who deserves the opportunity to grow up knowing that what happened to them does not have to define who they become.

Cars 108 and Flint Show Their Heart

Cars 108 and TownSquare Media are incredibly proud to have once again been part of this effort. But the Roof Sit isn't really about the people who spent 52 hours sleeping on a roof. It's about every single person who donated, shared the fundraiser, stopped by, brought food, offered encouragement or simply helped spread the word.

It's about the businesses that stepped up. It's about the listeners who gave what they could. And most importantly, it's about the kids at Whaley. These children aren't just kids from Flint or Genesee County. Whaley serves vulnerable children from communities across Michigan, giving them the support and stability they need during some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable.

Cars 108 Roof Sit Wraps Up With Huge Donation for Whaley

So, after 52 hours, we finally got to climb down from that roof. We were tired. We were ready for a shower. And yes, sleeping in a real bed felt pretty darn amazing.But we also walked away knowing that $78,015.31 was raised to help kids who need us. And for 52 hours on a roof, that's a pretty incredible reason to stay put.

11th Annual Cars 108 Roof Sit (2026)

The Whaley Children's Center is celebrating 100 years, and with our 11th Annual Cars 108 Roof Sit, we raised more than $70,000 for vulnerable kids from all over Michigan.

Gallery Credit: Jeremy Fenech