Campaign updates!

Our team has hit the ground running with ideas and initiatives for a campaign to help Meals & Wheels Waco improve its PR efforts. After meeting with Libby Bellinger, Associate Director at Meals & Wheels, we shifted our focus to Baylor students as the target audience.

As noted in my previous post, few students realize the opportunity and impact they can have serving this organization. Elderly in Waco have a great need for support, and with drastic cuts in government funding approaching in March, there is no time like the present to help this organization!

I'll be contributing to the group by writing a feature story about Meals & Wheels volunteers. Taking advantage of April being National Volunteer month, our group decided to promote Meals & Wheels' volunteer appreciation event on April 23rd. To raise awareness about the event, I'll be writing the feature story about student volunteers and sending pitch letters to local publications.

With the platform of national volunteer month, I believe the event can get coverage in both print and social media outlets. I've contacted several Meals & Wheels student volunteers for interviews before writing the feature story, which I've set a goal to complete by February 28th. I'm looking forward to interviewing volunteers and crafting a unique feature story to contribute to this campaign!

Here's a great video by NobleHour celebrating National Volunteer Month and offering tips for first-time volunteers!

Effective Nonprofit PR Efforts

Serving elderly in Waco

While Waco's homeless population is well-covered by media and served by a number of different nonprofits, few realize the vast amount of elderly citizens of Waco in need of a helping hand.

That's where Meals & Wheels comes in. The nonprofit has been operating in Central Texas for decades. With humble beginnings in a local church, Meals & Wheels has since expanded to its own location, serving senior citizens Monday through Friday year round.

Meals & Wheels website homepage

With a well-established reputation and impressive history, Meals & Wheels has an impressive public relations foundation in place. It's mission statement is appropriately concise and informative:

"Meals & Wheels nourishes the bodies, minds, and spirits of older adults in the Heart of Texas through meals, transportation, activities, and volunteer support."
Interested patrons know exactly where their donations to the organization are going and how they are helping the senior citizens they serve. Clearly and concisely stating who it serves, what it provides, and how it carries out its mission helps Meals & Wheels establish trust with the community and those investing in the organization.

Meals & Wheels' attractive webpage helps visitors navigate the site easily

Meals & Wheels accepts a wide range of donations, opening a door of opportunity for volunteers at every age, income level, and even location. People wanting to contribute to Meals & Wheels can volunteer their time, monetary support, food, or necessities like clothing and home supplies. Clearly listing its phone number, address, and main contacts helps website visitors easily reach out to lend a helping hand to Meals & Wheels.

Contact information listed on webpage

In addition to having an effective, informative website, Meals & Wheels' social media efforts further promote its image to the Central Texas community. Maintaining both a Twitter and Facebook page ensures that members of its wide target audience are reached. Social media efforts also helps build Meals & Wheels' image as a relatable and involved presence in the Waco community.

Although operating a nonprofit organization is challenging, Meals & Wheels has done its part to reach out to its target audience through public relations efforts. My recommendation to increase both volunteers and donations is to build upon its fantastic online presence by printing newsletters, flyers, and other print materials to reach an older audience that might not be utilizing social media.

In addition, tweaking the message Meals & Wheels communicates to emphasize the great need for serving elderly citizens in Waco would build upon its current PR efforts. While many Wacoans are aware of the high numbers of homelessness and poverty in the city, few may know just how many elderly citizens are in need. Meals & Wheels operates an outstanding ministry for senior citizens and with a little more public relations help, I believe it can continue to increase its influence!

For more information about Meals & Wheels visit www.mealsandwheelswaco.org or www.seniorministry.org.