Objective
The Portland Corps of The Salvation Army was in need of a unique, annual, signature fundraising event that would stand out from the usual charity golf days and auctions, to attract the attention of the business community and the media. VPR Media & Marketing was contracted to devise and implement such an event.
Strategy
VPR Media & Marketing surveyed The Salvation Army’s key stakeholders, including its Advisory Board, major donors, and the media, to determine what kind of an event they would find of interest and would support. It became clear the majority wanted an event from which the proceeds would benefit youth and one that was not commonplace for Portland. VPR devised the Annual ‘Champions For Kids’ Benefit, an evening event featuring an internationally renowned speaker, with all proceeds devoted to supporting underprivileged youth and their families in the Greater Portland area.
The event includes ‘meet and greets’ with the speaker – one for sponsors, and one for sponsor invited high school students; a reception for ticket holders attended by the speaker; a dinner and speaker presentation. The evening concludes with a book signing by the speaker. Speakers have included Captain Eugene Cernan, the last man on the moon; controversial journalist and author Juan Williams, and because of the popularity of the space travel theme spurred by Captain Cernan, Dr. Marcello Coradini, the European Space Agency’s man in the USA and one of the world’s leading authorities on space exploration.
Result
The Salvation Army has an annual signature event which is looked forward to, and supported by the Greater Portland business community, and which benefits underprivileged children with, among other things, summer camp experiences, food and clothing, and school supplies.