CASE STUDY
MEDIA RELATIONS & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: UNITED WAY OF NYC AND GREATER NEWARK
The Challenge
United Way of New York City (UWNYC), along with several other major United Way chapters, partnered with the nation’s leading Black clergy in 14 major U.S. cities during the height of the pandemic to address low vaccination rates in communities of color. The initiative was a public awareness campaign aimed at increasing COVID-19 testing, vaccine awareness and preventative health education, operating in over 200 churches.
The United Way of Greater Newark launched a campaign focused on health inequities and upward economic mobility through the ALICE program. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed and refers to families who are working but still can’t afford necessities such as food, housing, health care and transportation. United For ALICE calculated the cost of household essentials for each county in New Jersey. These costs are outlined in the ALICE Household Survival Budget, and include housing, childcare, food, transportation, health care, and technology, plus taxes and a 10% miscellaneous category.
The Challenge
United Way of New York City (UWNYC), along with several other major United Way chapters, partnered with the nation’s leading Black clergy in 14 major U.S. cities during the height of the pandemic to address low vaccination rates in communities of color. The initiative was a public awareness campaign aimed at increasing COVID-19 testing, vaccine awareness and preventative health education, operating in over 200 churches.
The United Way of Greater Newark launched a campaign focused on health inequities and upward economic mobility through the ALICE program. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed and refers to families who are working but still can’t afford necessities such as food, housing, health care and transportation. United For ALICE calculated the cost of household essentials for each county in New Jersey. These costs are outlined in the ALICE Household Survival Budget, and include housing, childcare, food, transportation, health care, and technology, plus taxes and a 10% miscellaneous category.
The Strategy
The TASC Group was retained in both campaigns to develop and launch strategic communications plans. TASC crafted messaging to effectively communicate the scope and impact of both initiatives, developed multiple press releases and press statements, as well as placed op-eds for United Way leaders in major local and national outlets. TASC used local grassroots media to mobilize communities to take action and participate in programmatic efforts. TASC generated national media attention to attract new funding sources and establish both United Ways’ subject matter expertise and thought leadership. The team also focused on multicultural media to reach the target audiences of both campaigns.
The Results
For the vaccination campaign, TASC secured coverage that garnered over 100 million media impressions, including hits in CNN, The New York Times, the Associated Press, MSNBC, TheGrio and ABC News, as well as an op-ed in New York Daily News. TASC’s work resulted in CNN live-streaming the initiative with White House officials and more than 100 Black clergy members nationwide. Ministers got vaccinated live on MSNBC. The campaign provided over 75,000 people with vaccinations and won three Big Apple Awards from the Public Relations Society of America.
The ALICE campaign achieved both local and national media attention, including coverage in Newsweek and The New York Times, as well as generated subject matter expertise opportunities for CEO Catherine Wilson. TASC generated dozens of local media hits that drew attention to the programmatic services provided to ALICE families, enabling New Jersey residents to file over 5,500 tax returns, reclaiming $5.2 million in federal and state tax refunds and generating $35 million of economic activity through the state of New Jersey.
MEDIA COVERAGE
