Two Thousand Too Many: Capstrat to Help Triangle's Homeless

Numbers don’t lie, but they do uncover pressing problems. Approximately 2,000 men, women and children in the Triangle go without a home each night. To help remedy that tragedy Capstrat’s Boomerang Society recently selected the Women’s Center of Wake County, as a sponsor of the Ten-Year Action Plan to End and Prevent Homelessness as its 2007 pro bono client.

The Boomerang Society is Capstrat’s community involvement program driven and managed by junior level employees. This year, the group will aid the selected organization by providing the organization with 150 hours of donated employee time. Employees assigned to this account will focus strongly on design and development of collateral pieces, which will be used to create awareness and motivate community members to take action toward decreasing homelessness in the Triangle. Capstrat’s goal for the organization is to help bring light to the reality and extent of poverty and homelessness in the community.

“Homelessness and poverty are bigger problems in the Triangle than people realize,” said Jean Williams, Ph.D., executive director of the Women’s Center. “Over the past decade, homelessness and poverty have increased while affordable housing decreases daily. Our organization needs to enhance awareness of the problem and let the community know that we have a solution. Capstrat is key to accomplishing this goal.”

The Raleigh/Wake County Ten-Year Action Plan to End and Prevent Homelessnessis in its second year of existence, and by the year 2015, the organization is working to eradicate homelessness through implementation of its strategic tactics. Affordable housing support, job readiness and training, support circles and mental health and substance abuse services are a few ways the group plans to tackle this community issue.

“Capstrat takes a firm stand on giving back to the community, and we believe that supporting organizations like the Women’s Center is the right thing to do,” said Kira Peoples, account executive and co-chair of the Boomerang Society. “We are honored to assist this organization with its communication needs and be part of the group’s effort to better the lives of those in our own back yard.”

Since 2001, Capstrat has donated more than $50,000 to nonprofit organizations through the Boomerang Society. Capstrat’s previous pro bono clients include Lucy Daniels, The Autism Society of North Carolina, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern North Carolina, The Healing Place and most recently, Passage Home.

The Ten-Year Action Plan to End and Prevent Homelessness is the result of an ongoing partnership among the City of Raleigh, Wake County, the Triangle United Way and the Wake Continuum of Care, which includes the Women’s Center of Wake County. This community-wide effort involves collaboration with Raleigh and Wake County citizens, businesses, faith groups and community organizations.

About Capstrat
Capstrat is a strategic communications firm with offices in Raleigh, N.C. and Washington, D.C. The company’s services include marketing communications, public relations, public affairs and Interactive communications. For more information about Capstrat, visit www.capstrat.com.

About the Boomerang Society
The Boomerang Society is Capstrat’s community involvement program driven and managed by employees. Staffers at all levels are empowered to determine how to spend the company’s $10,000 cash earmarked for philanthropy. The group chooses a pro bono client every year, creates volunteer days, encourages employee volunteerism and oversees a matching gift program that donates $250 for every 50 hours volunteered by an employee. Boomerang projects create leadership opportunities for junior staffers to build their skills in strategic planning and client relationship management.

The Holmes Report consistently ranks The Boomerang Society as one of the top 25 PR Agency Community Service Programs in the nation.