Public relations concepts and applications

PR Efforts

Public relations is recognized for the publicity and awareness support it brings to businesses and corporations in their marketing efforts. It can be just as effective for nonprofit organizations. This is what the Center for Child Protection and Family Support in Washington, D.C., has found through its PR activities. The center is a nonprofit 501(c)3, community-based organization that addresses the harmful long-term effects of child abuse by providing innovative school-based and parent education programming in the Washington D.C. urban area in addition to training and consulting for local professionals. The center's three main themes are: Child abuse and neglect are serious, complex health and social problems with long-term consequences; the center is a trusted resource on child abuse issues; and every child deserves a childhood that is free from abuse and neglect.

The center has to have an ongoing PR plan to continually confirm its credibility as the regional and national leader in addressing child abuse issues. In addition, it needs to regularly raise overall awareness about the high incidence and results of child abuse, position the center as a resource for the media and peer organizations, and help broaden the center's base for funding. To do so, it regularly targets the media, potential funders, allied organizations and professionals dealing with child maltreatment, as well as the public, especially clients/families who could benefit from the center's services.

Recently, the organization conducted a survey of 1,000 adults and 500 teens in the U.S.: "Do you personally know anyone who was the victim of sexual abuse as a child or teenager?" The results demonstrated that one third of adults in the U.S. And nearly one fourth of U.S. teens know someone who was abused as a child or teen. Once the information was compiled and the conclusions drawn, a press kit along with informational report was sent to all local and regional media as well as major national outlets. The organization pitched top area and national journalists and editors and assembled 50 press kits for the press conference and forum, which was held on this topic at the same time. The forum was noted as "the First Regional Conference on Child Victimization," drawing attendees from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, and speakers from throughout the nation. The center also wrote a letter to the editor from its president and arranged for center youth to participate in a focus group discussion on self-esteem with an award-winning Washington Post reporter. The forum was attended by 100 child-welfare professionals, government officials, child advocates, policymakers and abuse victims.