Public Relations Plan: Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County

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Major Assingment #2 -Develop a Public Relations Campaign- Addison Peterson, Rylie Jenkins,.

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Public Relations Plan

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County

I. Overview

1. History & Situation Analysis

Public Relations Problem/Opportunity Statement: Our problem is that elementary-age kids are not engaging in our events. We have the opportunity to include this age group in local Anderson, South Carolina, Habitat for Humanity events and fundraisers moving forward.

2. S.W.O.T. Analysis

Strengths: Habitat for Humanity does an excellent job strongly explaining its mission and vision. The website uses strong organization and direction throughout to guide viewers to the different sections and parts of the company. The organization has several different outlets for volunteers to get plugged into, including their physical ReStore and on the worksite. 

Weaknesses: With there being a plethora of information on the organization's website, there is a lack of opportunities for users to engage. The events listed on the website are outdated, there is no variety of existing events, and the organization appears to have a limited target audience. 

Opportunities: Habitat for Humanity has the opportunity to expand its audience to younger ages with the hopes of generating more organizational awareness. If the organization were to open up opportunities for children and young teens, it would have the opportunity to reach a broader public. 

Threats: Other well-established charities in Anderson, SC, are fighting for volunteers and donations. 

II. Target Audiences

Our primary target audience is elementary school students in Anderson County School District Five. 

Our secondary target audience is the families of these students. When you reach 

elementary age students, you also reach their families, making a greater number of

people aware of the organization and the cause. 

III. Research

1. Preliminary/Secondary Research 

   1. McCants Middle School Sleep in Heavenly Peace event

      1. Students worked together to build beds for children in need. Their recent study of the great depression conjured awareness in the students for those in need, and the school worked together to build 20 beds for children and adults in need of a place to sleep. 

      2. Sleep in Heavenly Peace

   2. Midway Elementary School “Chalks a Square” event

      1. Elementary school students worked together with Joy Comes and AIM to share words of encouragement in a tangible way around Downtown Anderson. The students were also taken to AIM and were able to serve by organizing the food pantry. 

      2. Joy Comes

      3. AIM Charity

   3. Housing statistics in Anderson County

      1. Families are spending more money on housing than ever before. In the state of SC 1 in 8 families spend over half their monthly paycheck on their housing

      2. Low-quality housing has a direct impact on children’s performance in school

         1. Lower test scores, lower attention capacity, heightened emotional and behavioral issues

      3. Habitat for Humanity is working to provide high-quality housing solutions for these low-income families, one foundation at a time

      4. Impact of Housing

   4. Youth volunteer opportunities through Habitat for Humanity

      1. Snack and drink drive at school

      2. Collecting donations for housing projects 

      3. Housewarming gifts 

      4. Build a-stat stencils, paper houses, and community walks for funds

2. Primary Research

   1. Obtain lists of elementary schools in Anderson County District 5

   2. Obtain a record of active elementary school students in Anderson County District 5

   3. Obtain contact information for 11 elementary schools in Anderson County District 5

   4. All of the data collected from the schools will be compiled into a spreadsheet and evaluated by volunteers to determine donation expectations.

   5. Each classroom within each school will total up the amount of donations. Those numbers will then be compiled and compared with the competing schools. 

IV. Key Messages

1. For elementary school-aged children

2. We need to give back to our community.

3. We need to help those who are less fortunate.

4. Raise awareness for Habitat for Humanity.

5. For the broader community

6. The kids are stepping up in their community -> everyone else needs to as well.

7. Raise awareness for Habitat for Humanity.

8. For parents and teachers

9. We need to help our kids understand the importance of giving.

10. We need to help our kids understand what Habitat for Humanity does, why their organization is important, and the importance of the work that they do.

11. Raise awareness for Habitat for Humanity.

V. Implementation Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics

Goal: Develop partnerships with 75% of the public elementary schools in the Anderson County SC area.

1. Objective 1: Get 75% of elementary school classrooms in Anderson County School District 5 involved in donations for the Habitat for Humanity Restore by the end of the school year (2024-2025).

Strategy: Create a donation competition for Anderson County School District 5 to participate in. School classrooms will compete with their school and against other schools to see who can contribute the largest amount of donations to the Anderson County ReStore. The winning classroom will receive Habitat for Humanity shirts, as well as a boxed lunch on the lawn, extended recess, and Kona Ice for the whole elementary school.

Tactic 1.1: Design flyers and posters to be sent home with students and displayed around the school.

Tactic 1.2: Use social media to keep track of the leaderboard of each school and feature the top 10 classes listed in order on a separate post that will be updated daily. 

Tactic 1.3: Reach out to catering companies for the boxed lunch, and to Kona Ice for rental information.

Tactic 1.4: Provide each classroom with a “Donation” box that they can fill with their own items

2. Objective 2: Inform students, teachers, and school administration of Habitat for Humanity’s mission, vision, and needs by sending volunteers to 90% of Anderson County elementary schools by 2025. 

Strategy: H.F.H. representatives will go to schools and talk to the students directly in a presentation or guest-teacher setting. Volunteers will visit the elementary schools during their Library hour or during an assembly to talk about Habitat for Humanity. 

Tactic 2.1: The representatives can show a video clip of H.F.H.'s process when constructing homes and dealing with people.

Tactic 2.2: Use testimonial speakers who have been directly impacted by Habitat for Humanity, i.e., a new homeowner. 

Tactic 2.3: Volunteers will promote volunteer ideas to the students and the faculty with the hopes of generating interest. 

3. Objective 3: Get elementary students involved in decorating the construction sites of 100% of the new houses built in the 2024-2025 school year. 

Strategy: H.F.H. will select classrooms to come and “decorate” the new house foundations. Before drywall goes up on the new house structures, Habitat for Humanity will invite an elementary school classroom to come and decorate the baseboards and wall studs with Sharpie markers. Students can draw pictures, sign their names, and write encouraging messages for the new homeowners. 

Tactic 3.1: Students in the selected classrooms will use markers and Sharpies to draw all over the new foundation before installing the drywall.

Tactic 3.2: Schools can promote this on social media if their class is selected, or to get their class selected. 

VI. Budget: $1,000

All amounts are subject to change depending on demand and availability. All remaining funds will be distributed between participating schools for promotional purposes (flyers, posters, banners, etc.) Promotional images and graphics will be provided to all participating schools free of charge via email to the school administration. 

• Kona Ice Truck  $300 for one hour

• Organization T-shirts $88.50

• Presentation Materials $50.00 

  • Flipside Foam Project Board 

• Arts Supplies   $120.00 

  • TOTAL: $558.50

VII. Evaluation Plan

A successful campaign includes:

• Goal 1: Total of 2,800 snack donations for on-site volunteers, or 1 donation per 2 children. Donations include individually packaged snacks, plastic water bottles, Gatorade, etc. Perishable items will not be accepted. 

• Goal 2: Total of 2,800 lightly used toys for children ages infant to teenager, or 1 donation per 2 kids. Donations can include board games, infant toys, books, figurines, balls/sports equipment, etc. Electronic donations will not be accepted. 

• Goal 3: Partnerships formed with at least 8 Anderson County District 5 schools. Partnership includes participation in donation competitions and hosting Habitat for Humanity volunteer lecture seminars once a year for all elementary classrooms in the school.