Good Samaritan Foundation
Cause Consultants Mike Rupert and Son Tran worked with the Good Samaritan Foundation to strengthen the organizations communication strategies.
Good Samaritans’ Background
The Good Samaritan Foundation (GSF) is a nonprofit after-school program that works with students from high schools in impoverished neighborhoods in the District of Columbia. The organization provides training and resources to develop skills and leadership qualities, allowing participants to compete successfully in today’s society.
The organization’s mission focuses on the Student Training Opportunity Program (STOP), which was designed to provide inner-city youth with summer internships. It recruits a small number of students and provides them with job-related skill workshops during the year in preparation for their eight-week summer jobs. On average, 65 percent to 70 percent of participants stay in the program until graduation, and the vast majority of Good Samaritan students go to four-year colleges.
Good Concerns
One of the GSF’s greatest challenges was reaching out to the public, as it lacked a comprehensive internal and/or external communications plan or strategy. Without regularly scheduled external communications and data regarding donors or event participants, GSF was unable to effectively communicate their marketing and fundraising efforts to key constituents.
Grand Solutions
With the counsel of Mike Rupert and Son Tran GSF was able to:
- Create a media kit, to help employees quickly prepare for and respond to fundraising and public speaking events
- Provide technical training so that materials could be professionally updated as necessary
- Develop a bi-annual newsletter to promote awareness of the GSF’s accomplishments and provide contact information to partner with the GSF in their future endeavors
The Good Samaritan Foundation is now equipped with material that enable them to clearly define their mission and highlight past accomplishments. This allows them to leave a lasting impression with its public , proving that the GSF is a premiere youth development nonprofit organization.
Mike Rupert is a graduate of Western Michigan University has an extensive journalism background and currently serves as Director of Communications for the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. He chose the Georgetown MPS program to obtain a strong grasp of current trends and tools being used in the public relations industry.
Son Tran received his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University and a Master's degree from American University. He joined the MPS program to blend communications strategy with emerging technologies to help nonprofits make the best use of online distribution channels.
