ForMomentum is honored to help Paralyzed Veterans of America create the #ShowYourColors workplace giving campaign, a strategy for securing corporate support around Veterans Day, November 11th. Paralyzed Veterans of America, a congressionally chartered veterans service organization founded in 1946, has developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues affecting the special needs of veterans of the armed forces who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction.
The ForMomentum team conducted outreach and helped secure corporate partners on behalf of Paralyzed Veterans. Corporate prospects were invited to support the organization by engaging their employee base during the week leading up to Veterans Day, asking employees to each donate $11 (for 11.11) and to have some fun during the week honoring our heroes through various activities. To learn more about the #ShowYourColors campaign and how it was implemented, we are excited to bring you an interview with Colette Odom, Associate Director of Corporate and Venture Philanthropy. Colette gives us insight into the planning and execution of the campaign:
What prompted Paralyzed Veterans of America to choose a workplace giving campaign to bring awareness to the organization and Veteran’s Day? Paralyzed Veterans of America decided to implement a workplace giving campaign to meet the voice of our partners and wanted to provide them with an opportunity to engage their employees. Often times when meeting with our corporate supporters, they are looking for ways to engage their employees beyond just corporate sponsorship. This campaign provides an avenue for companies to leverage one of their greatest assets- their people. By inviting their employees to make a donation through the “Show Your Colors” campaign, companies can now make an even greater impact for our veterans. However, this is more than just a fundraising campaign, this is also an opportunity for companies to recognize the veterans they work side by side with everyday. What better time to bring awareness and attention to the men and women who sacrificed so much for our freedoms than Veterans Day?
Who are the partners that you are coordinating with for the #ShowYourColors Campaign and how are they supporting Paralyzed Veterans? This is the first annual Show Your Colors campaign that kicks off the week leading into Veterans Day. This year we are excited to announce that we have over ten companies that have signed on: Ahold, Chevy, LTi Printing, Mountain Hardwear, Permobil, Richard Petty Motorsports, Ricoh, Team Penske and Vision Group Holdings. Each company will be running a 5 day campaign starting on November 6th running through Veterans Day, November 11th. During the course of the campaign employees have the opportunity to donate $11 to support Paralyzed Veterans of America. Every donor will receive a mini flag that they can write in the veteran they are honoring this Veterans Day, making it very personal and meaningful for each employee. In addition, companies and employees have the opportunity to raise additional awareness and support of the campaign by participating in various activities throughout the week: Tacky Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday, Thank You Thursday and a campaign celebration party.
How is Paralyzed Veterans using technology and social media to amplify the campaign? When a company joins the Show Your Colors campaign, they receive an activation guide created exclusively for us by ForMomentum that has all the tools they need to implement a successful campaign, including suggested social media posts, inspirational videos and more. The activation guide also provides suggested activities to really make the campaign fun and engaging for employees such as a Tacky Tuesday, where employees are invited to dress up in red, white and blue, etc. Throughout the week long campaign, companies are encouraged to post on their social channels using the hash tags #ShowYourColors and #VeteransDay to engage their following as well.
What is your hope for the general public to learn at the end of the #ShowYourColors campaign? Our hope for this campaign is to not only provide a greater awareness of Paralyzed Veterans of America and the programs and services we offer to all veterans and their families, free of charge, but to also shed light on all of the brave men and women who’ve fought for our country. Veterans Day is a time to pay respect to those who’ve served and who are currently serving in the armed forces and we want to provide a way for our partners, supporters and the general public to honor our veterans!
How are you ensuring that the awareness effort and momentum of this workplace giving initiative continues past Veteran’s Day? We are offering another employee giving opportunity in February called #LoveOurVeterans which would mirror the Show Your Colors campaign. We are also excited to announce that companies have the opportunity to implement the Show Your Colors campaign at other patriotic times of the year such as the Memorial Day or Independence Day holidays.
Thank you to Colette and the Paralyzed Veterans of America team for your time and partnership! If you would like to learn more about the Show Your Colors campaign, visit their page here or watch the video below:
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