Housing Families First

Challenge: Homelessness is a complex and challenging issue. There are many contributing factors that push people into homelessness. Serving those experiencing homelessness is difficult work and made even harder but persistent and inaccurate stereotypes about individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Many homeless services agencies wrestle with how to tell compelling and concise stories about their programs and impact. Housing Families First, a Richmond, VA nonprofit that serves families with children experiencing housing instability and homelessness, wanted to build greater awareness and support for its work.

Solution: Housing Families First partnered with Gray Ryan Communications to develop a strategic communications campaign that advanced its mission by better connecting with its key audiences as a way to drive greater engagement and support. Gray Ryan created and implemented a multi-pronged strategy that emphasized proactive communications. The team helped Housing Families First identify compelling stories and share them in a meaningful way. Among the tactics leveraged included strategic messages and talking points, media relations, mission cards, fact sheets, FAQ documents, award nominations, and more.

Bottom Line: Housing Families First has been featured in over 50 media placements in less than two years, including two front-page profiles in the Richmond Times-Dispatch within six weeks of each other. The organization, its team members, and clients also have been featured in multiple TV segments, such as CBS 6’s “Heroes Among Us.” The nonprofit’s people, programs, impact, and events have been showcased across a variety of communications channels. Notably, both visibility and donations have risen since the launch of the strategic communications initiative.