Non-Profit News

Tomorrow I will interview Anthony Fusaro, Director of Development for the Talbot House in Lakeland, FL. As you already know, I have been working alongside Fusaro for several weeks on this nonprofit’s biggest fundraise, the “Have a Heart for the Homeless” concert.

 Already familiar with some of Fusaro’s work, I am interested to see a more in-depth take on his nonprofit work: how does he ensure the Talbot House is funded, staffed, and above all, effective?

This just in: another nonprofit news site! It seems that Ashley is discovering some success secrets of her own.

 I’m excited to see where this nonprofit-teer goes!

 Check her out at: http://www.betweendreamsmag.com/nonprofits/

Working at the Talbot House today, I was reminded of another public relations necessity: a target audience.

 The Talbot House, while promoting its “Have a Heart for the Homeless” concert, is attempting to define their own target audience. They have already advertised to the community through newspaper coverage and community posters, but are now targeting specific subgroups in the community. Anthony Fusaro is heading up the efforts; targeting audiences for a musical variety concert being housed at a local church.

Some examples of our targeted subgroups: today I spent some time contacting retirement communities to let them in on this upcoming event. Fusaro has also spent significant time alerting area churches. I believe even in this case, where a broad audience must be appealed to, there are still specific ways to appeal to each audience.

Fusaro and the Talbot House team are trying to appeal to each audience in their own way: bulletin inserts for churches, posters and phone calls for retirement communities. A personal touch is necessary for these subgroups, so Fusaro’s influence in the community has become increasingly important in the promotion efforts.

With my background in public relations, I hope to define and advertise to target audiences for my organization with a high level of efficiency. I am also noting the importance of a community relationship in Fusaro’s promotions and hope to offer that to my organization as well.

 As part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Polk County chapter has done its fair share of emergency relief. From the 2004 hurricane season to recent house fires, this nonprofit organization is out to make a difference with its donated dollars. Phil Attinger, Director of Public Relations, attributes the chapter’s success to volunteers, frugality and not surprisingly, press releases. 

“The Red Cross, on its most basic level, is here to help people in their community with whatever disaster they experience.” Said Attinger, 37. He worked as a volunteer with the American Red Cross for several years, then joined as an employee in June of 2006.

Offering disaster relief, health and safety training, armed forces communication, and international social services, the American Red Cross has broad goals. But in the midst of its numerous programs, the Red Cross has certainly pinpointed its purpose.

“When volunteers created the American Red Cross, their intention was not to be a successful nonprofit organization. Their intention was just to be there. It’s our job to provide aid in a situation when people feel helpless.” said Attinger.

Disaster services in the American Red Cross provide immediate food, water, shelter, and clothing for victims. Health and safety services include classes in CPR, first aid, HIV-AIDS awareness, and other life-saving abilities. Through their links in the armed forces, the Red Cross is able to convey emergency messages to and from troops worldwide. Finally, as part of the International Red Cross Movement, the Red Cross is dedicated to protecting and aiding victims of war and violence worldwide.

As an individual chapter in the Red Cross network, Polk County has stayed busy. From July 2006-June 2007, the Polk County American Red Cross responded to 166 local disasters in Polk and Highlands County, including 154 house fires, according to their website. Their chapter also offered 1,350 lifesaving skills classes, as well as provided emergency contact for 386 families.

With such extensive programming and events, the American Red Cross is a commendable organization. And according to Attinger, their success is no accident.

Attinger emphasizes volunteer involvement as the most significant success factor in this nonprofit organization: the Red Cross in Polk County has approximately 630 volunteers. According to their website, this large volunteer core makes up 97% of their workforce.

“We are a volunteer organization. That’s the only way we can do what we do.” said Attinger.

In addition to volunteer involvement, Attinger lists media coverage as a step to non-profit success.

Finally, Attinger hints at frugality as a source for success for Polk County’s Red Cross. Rather than receive government funding, the American Red Cross is financed entirely through donations. Even the forty percent of funding received from United Way is sponsored through private donations, according to Attinger. However, even with community generosity, Attinger acknowledges that thriftiness is important for nonprofits.

“We pool all the resources we have, and then we stretch them. That’s one big thing that has made the Red Cross a success.” said Attinger.  

For more information on the American Red Cross Polk County Chapter, follow the link to polkcountyfl.redcross.org.

I will soon be posting my second feature, and my, how much I learned!

 The American Red Cross Polk County Chapter has certainly kept busy! They have been involved in various forms of disaster relief over the past year. I was very interested to learn how one individual chapter of such a large organization is funded, manned, and promoted.

Phil Attinger, Director of Public Relations at the Polk County Chapter, was just the man to tell me about it.

As I spent my first afternoon “generating community awareness” for the “Have a Heart for the Homeless” concert, I happened to meet a woman named Maria.

Around the age of 60, Maria is a beautiful, soft-spoken woman who lives on the streets of Lakeland. She asked me for change, and almost out of habit, I responded:

“Sorry, I don’t carry cash.”

Then, the weight of the poster I carried showed my own hypocrisy. How could I carry a poster titled “Have a Heart for the Homeless” if, in a hurry to help them from afar, I refused to spend a moment with an individual?

I stopped and turned to face Maria fully.

“I don’t carry cash, but if you’re hungry, I’d love to buy you lunch.”

So I did.  

As I begin my time with Talbot House, I am already experiencing Anthony Fusaro’s #1 rule: “Never pay for advertising.”

Talbot House is planning for one of its large fund raisers, a concert titled “Have a Heart for the Homeless.” Fusaro hopes that a local paper will do a feature on this upcoming event (March 8). He also plans on having local radio stations show their support.

My first job in helping implement the event will be generating some community awareness. AKA, I will be hanging up posters. Also, I will be soliciting support from community leaders who would like to advertise in the event’s brochure.

As I do my part to generate awareness, I want to note the response the name “Talbot House” evokes from the city of Lakeland. That might give me more clues as to their public image and their public impact. 

 The Kaiser Family Foundation released a new study today, showing that broadcast and cable stations do devote some air time to non-profit organizations offering public service announcements. This is incredibly helpful to organizations promoting health, safety, and well-being in the community.

The only problem is, the air time is virtually non-existent. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that 17 seconds of each hour are devoted to non-profit PSA’s. That would be only one-half of one percent of all TV air time. And to top it all, 60% of this air time was ran overnight. Only 13% of PSA’s make it to prime time, when the majority of Americans would actually be watching television.

For more info, check out: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/search.jsp?searchtype=full&option=headlines&criteriadisplay=show&resourceid=3650350

My first response to Talbot House is: Wow.

Their professionalism and organization of volunteers, clients, programs, events, and donations is impressive. My first project will be under Anthony Fusaro, the director of development. We will be making contacts, printing brochures, and gathering donations for the upcoming “Have a Heart for the Homeless” concert here in Lakeland, FL.

Mr. Fusaro taught me two lessons in our short time together:

(1) Never pay for advertising. (My PR undergraduate degree should come in handy here.)
(2) Non-profit events are nearly 100% legwork. Phone calls, e-mails, and personal visits are essential. (Again, I think my background in Public Relations will start me off on the right foot in non-profit organizations.)

Today I am taking another step to discover success in the non-profit sector:

 The Talbot House, a homeless shelter and rehabilitation home, is located in downtown Lakeland. I will be shadowing Anthony Fusaro in the Development Office, helping him put on a concert titled “Heart for the Homeless”. I am very interested in how Tony brings in enough funds to run the Talbot House.

There must be an extreme amount of cash intake for such a large organization.

 That brings me to the question: HOW do they do it?

 Hopefully, my time with Tony will give me some insight on this question.