The Harvest VISTA worked alongside the Senior Program and Education Manager to create a schedule of monthly work parties that will take place at any of the 14 parks City Fruit stewards. Depending on the season, tasks can range from digging tree circles and mulching…
Written by Jordyn Egbert, Fundraising and Development Specialist VISTA. Updated by Vera-Camille Ingressa, Fundraising and Development Specialist VISTA. Every year, City Fruit harvests fruit from hundreds of privately owned fruit trees throughout Seattle. Each spring, the Harvest Team contacts all tree owners registered in City…
Written by Jordyn Egbert, Fundraising and Development Specialist VISTA. Updated by Vera-Camille Ingressa, Fundraising and Development Specialist VISTA. To effectively establish and showcase your organization, it’s important to be intentional about your outreach efforts. City Fruit uses the following strategies to engage with the public:…
Written by Jordyn Egbert, Fundraising and Development Specialist VISTA. Updated by Vera-Camille Ingressa, Fundraising and Development Specialist VISTA. Volunteer relations are managed by City Fruit’s Education and Volunteer Programs Manager. Volunteers sign-up through City Fruit’s website, which directs them to TimeCounts, where all volunteer hours…
Downtown Walla Walla Farmers Market In 2013, Walla Walla’s farmers market was split into two different markets. The two markets overlapped on Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM, and while the Downtown Farmers’ Market had 26 produce vendors, the Valley Farmers Market had only 1-2 produce…
Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC) has provided social services for low-income people in Walla Walla since 1966. The BMAC Food Bank serves food insecure people in 4 counties through 24 partner agencies across SE WA state. The Food Bank distributes over 10,000 meals each day to…
Walla Walla is a small, tight-knit community. Word of mouth and general visibility at events are the best marketing tools. BMAC has been most successful at conducting outreach at the farmers’ market and making direct calls. Prioritizing a booth at the market every weekend is a…
Donations are key in supporting the Blue Mountain Action Council Food Bank. BMAC receives support in a multitude of ways. BMAC receives in-kind resources including food, especially produce as well as monetary donations. Individual donors, including backyard gardeners and community gardens, consistently donate small amounts…
Plain Language is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Plain language is NOT dumbing down, but rather a method to simplify understanding and reduce the number of emails and calls from your audience asking for clarification. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 has made this method a standard practice among public agencies as they serve the broader, diverse community, as well as organizations that serve a specific audience with low English proficiency.
Written by Lorie Bonham, Strategic Programming and Expansion Manager VISTA. The key to developing a realistic and achievable communications plan is starting with an honest discussion about why communication matters to the organization. What works for one organization may not work for another, and what…