Calvary Women’s Services

Situation
Summary background of the organization
Cavalry assists homeless women in the DC area by providing shelter, education, and basic services to empower them for independent living.

Obstacles
The communication challenges faced
The need to talk to potential donors and volunteers was great because of encroachment on their facility by development, necessitating a move in the near future—a funding challenge above and beyond any undertaken before. In addition to this, the organization is not recognized as being different from other groups, and is “lost in the shuffle.” Like many small nonprofits, Calvary was looking to improve its outreach on a more personal level and make that connection, particularly with more donors.

Design Response
The steps and solution taken by the CreateAThon design team
Working with the group, the designer built a special version of the logo for Calvary’s 25th anniversary. Harnessing the celebration of the anniversary, a brochure was developed that highlighted multiple calls to action, inviting potential donors and volunteers to make the effort to support the organization. While the designer was busy creating on paper, the consultants met with Calvary to tackle ways that they could expand upon their donor base. The idea of partnering with a well-seated private school to form a partnership was discussed…they learn about important community issues, Calvary benefits from new, potential donors and supporters. The supermarket entering the neighborhood was also discussed as a potential source for finding support. Lastly, the team brainstormed online ways to use video to spread their message via email, tell-a-friend, and other online features.

A note from our client
“We love it. The designs are consistent with our existing materials. We’ll be able to use these for years. Mediastudio was great to work with.” ---Kristine Thompson, Executive Director, Calvary Women’s Services.