How Can We Help?
Written by Jordyn Egbert, Fundraising and Development Specialist VISTA. Updated by Vera-Camille Ingressa and Jeanie Neumann, 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:
Social Media
City Fruit maintains a presence on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. On the platforms receiving high levels of engagement (for City Fruit this is Instagram and Facebook), City Fruit posts consistently, creating posts showcasing program highlights, harvested fruit, events, and tree care workshops. City Fruit attempts to post at least three times a week. On Instagram, City Fruit highlights the work of partner organizations. As City Fruit works closely with many organizations, the organization tries to uplift their partners and help them receive the resources they need. City Fruit also makes sure to respond to comments and tag partners in posts when applicable.
Brand Recognition
T-shirts: Every harvester is given a City Fruit t-shirt, to help the community identify the organization. Many folks walking by a harvest are often intrigued, and ask questions. Visible branding helps increase organization recognition.
City Fruit harvest vehicle logo:
For the harvesters not driving the City Fruit harvest van, there are large magnetic signs with City Fruit’s logo that the team can display on their personal vehicles when gleaning. Similarly to the T-shirts, this visibility helps community members identify City Fruit. Volunteers have told City Fruit staff they first learned of the organization from these signs.
Stickers: City Fruit offers community members stickers with City Fruit’s logo at outreach events, to help spread awareness for the organization (and supporters love them!).
Door tags: To spread awareness for City Fruit’s Harvest Program, the team distributes door tags to households with visible fruit trees. The door tag describes City Fruit’s Harvest Program and provides contact information.
Brochures: City Fruit provides brochures to community members at outreach events, informing folks of City Fruit’s programs and contact information.
Newsletter: Each month, City Fruit sends out an e-newsletter to all supporters who sign-up. The newsletter provides updates for the month’s successes and upcoming projects. The newsletter is a great way to highlight upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.
Each of these marketing strategies helps to increase awareness of City Fruit’s program and services to the Seattle community.
