Reach the Largest Audience
Use your local newspapers, magazines, community guides, the web, radio stations and television and cable access channels to help spread the word about your school supply drive. The local press welcomes information about community events. Many radio and TV stations and news outlets offer online forms to simplify event promotion.
Publicizing the School Supply Drive - Before and After
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Use the Sample Promotional Flyer (http://createthegood.org/sites/default/files/PromoFlyer1-1.pdf) as a guide to create your own.
- Ask permission to display flyers, posters or postcards at coffee shops, local libraries, malls and local businesses. Invite local businesses to participate with you in the school supply drive.
- Ask local community members to promote the school supply drive through their local PTA, place of faith, book club, community groups, etc.
Contact the Media
- Ask volunteers to help develop a “media list” of local editors and reporters with their names, phone numbers and email addresses. Most newspapers and radio and television stations will list newsroom contact information on their websites. The reporters most interested in your announcement will be community editors.
- Email basic details of the drive, using plain text without any fancy graphics. The email should include:
- Name of event (School supply drive)
- Dates and times of the drop-offs as well as the presentation of supplies to the school
- Name of school or district being supported
- Your contact information
- Send a general announcement at least two weeks before the drop-off dates. For monthly magazines, notify them as far in advance as possible because they tend to go to press well before they appear on the street.
- Follow up with reporters several days after the event to announce that the supplies were presented to the school. If possible, provide information such as an approximate number of people donating supplies and/or an approximate amount of supplies donated and to which school(s).
