HOW TO ENGAGE LOCAL POLICYMAKERS/CELEBRITIES
Receiving the support/involvement of local opinion leaders can be very fruitful for your program and for Blessings in a Backpack as a whole. Support from these individuals can help raise awareness of Blessings in a Backpack, draw additional donations, attract volunteers and new program coordinators, and ultimately feed more children.
Your mayor, city council membersand local television personalities are great examples of people to notify about your work with Blessings in a Backpack. In order to do so, we’ve drafted a letter for youto personalize and send, whether by mail or email, to the contacts you feel are most appropriate.
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Dear XXX,
I’m writing to notify you about a new program I am starting/have started at Insert Name of Schoolin Insert Name of Town/City. Blessings in a Backpack is a nonprofit that works with volunteers across the country to collect and package backpacks full of food, distributing them on Fridays to children who qualify for the federally-funded National School Lunch Program, providing free or reduced priced lunches during the school year. I am the lead volunteer organizing our efforts at Insert Name of School to feed Insert Number of children over the weekend.
As lead volunteer, I am responsible for raising funds, facilitating a partnership with a local grocer (Include name of grocer if partnership is already established) and packing backpacks full of food for 38 weekends throughout the school year.
As Insert Person’s Title, I thought you would like to know about this program, and perhaps learn more about it as it can be implemented at any school with students in need. If you would like to witness first hand what we do, you are welcome to attend any of our weekly backpacking events held Insert LocationatInsert Time (if available).
To learn more, please visit Blessings in a Backpack’s website at and call or email me with any questions.
Thanks,
Name
Phone
HOW TO NOTIFY LOCAL MEDIA
Another great way to spread awareness of Blessings in a Backpack to a wide audience is through the media. In the event that a local policymaker or celebrity has interest in becoming involved with your program, even if that means attending a backpacking event, his/her attendance is a great “media hook” that you should utilize.
You can do so by sending a media advisory to local TV, radio and newspapers news desks, features or education reporters two-to-three days before the event, following up with a phone call. Be sure to take pictures at your event with the local person of interest and provide these to any newspaper outlets afterwards as well. On the next page is an outline of a media advisory for your use.
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MEDIA ADVISORYContact:
Month XX, 2013Name
Phone
<INSERT POLICYMAKER/CELEBRITY NAMEJOINS VOLUNTEERS TO STUFF BACKPACKS FOR LOCAL YOUTH
Through Blessings in a Backpack, Volunteers Provide Food for Youth at Insert School Name 38 Weekends Throughout the School Year
WHAT:Volunteers from the Blessings in a Backpack program at Insert School Name will be joined by Insert Policymaker/Celebrity Name to pull together ### backpacks full of food for hungry students this week. Blessings in a Backpack is a nonprofit that works with volunteers across the country to collect and package backpacks full of food, distributing them on Fridays to children who qualify for the federally-funded National School Lunch Program to take home on the weekends.
WHEN:Thursday, September XX, 2013
Start time – End Time
WHERE:Location
Address
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About Blessings in a Backpack: Hunger has both short- and long-term negative effects on children’s health and ability to succeed in school. Blessings in a Backpack is a results-oriented 501(c)(3) program dedicated to ensuring that impoverished American elementary school children are fed over weekends. Blessings in a Backpack currently feeds more than 60,000 children across 43 states in over 500 schools. For more information visit .
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