Impact on a Shoe String Budget
When the Super Committee began work on budget cuts in 2010, the Children's Health Fund (CHF) wanted to do more send another letter to the committee. Knowing we didn't have a budget, I proposed we let the Super Committee hear from our pediatricians and Co-Founder Paul Simon in the form of a video.
I worked with the Communications Team and Advocacy teams to create a video that allowed CHF's Pediatricians across the country to address the Super Committee in their own words. We scheduled and recorded phone interviews with the doctors which I edited and used in the video. Originally the video was meant for the Super Committee only, but once it was complete CHF decided to release it publicly. Because we used doctors across the the national network, some of the doctors featured in the video were interviewed by local press and we were able to get local coverage around the country. Thus, bringing the conversation into the homes of millions of supporters and potential donors.
The video was so well received that actress Julianne Moore agreed to lend her voice to a follow up video.
Engaging Donors in Meaningful Ways
Joan Baez generously gave CHF permission to release footage of her performance at the 2010 Annual Benefit. Working with the Communications Team I proposed that we release one of her songs as a "Thank You" to CHF's donors just after the Thanksgiving Holiday and then to the public as a lead into Year End Giving. We selected 'Forever Young' and I put together this video. It was very well received especially by donors who could not travel to New York to see Joan Baez perform.
Thinking Outside The Box
CHF's Medical Director, Dr. Arturo Brito, traveled to Haiti after the earthquake of 2010. At that time I had been using a Flip video camera (the size of a cell phone) to record footage of CHF's South Bronx Programs. The Communications Team asked Dr. Brito to take the small camera with him to Haiti in hopes that he might record his experience for CHF. When Dr. Brito returned, I went through the footage and photos he brought back and put this appeals video together for CHF's Development Team.
