More Than 85 Nonprofit Organizations in the U.S. and Canada Receive Free Marketing Services During National Pro Bono Week
October 24, 2013COLUMBIA, SC – October 24, 2013 – Fifteen marketing organizations in the U.S. and Canada provided free marketing services to more than 75 nonprofit organizations through CreateAthon, one of the marketing industry’s leading pro bono programs, during National Pro Bono Week. Pro Bono Week, which took place October 20-26, is the first ever global celebration of skills-based volunteerism and the impact it can have on the social sector.
CreateAthon was founded by Riggs Partners in Columbia, South Carolina in 1998. As CreateAthon partners, marketing agencies, universities, corporations and professional clubs donate their time and talent by holding 24-hour marathons during which professionals and students develop marketing strategies and creative materials that can help nonprofit organizations meet specific marketing objectives. Deliverables take the form of branding initiatives; marketing, public relations and fundraising plans; creative materials in print, digital, and broadcast formats; and more.
Since its founding, CreateAthon has grown from a single-market event to a 501 (c) (3) organization that has attracted more than 85 marketing agencies, universities, corporations and professional clubs as official CreateAthon partners. Cumulatively, CreateAthon has helped more than 1,500 nonprofit organizations in North America by delivering approximately 3,200 pro bono marketing projects valued at $16.1 million.
After an application process, CreateAthon partners select their own local clients in their market. The nonprofit clients selected nationwide this year include:
· Dickerson Center for Children
· District Five Foundation for Educational Excellence
· Ronald McDonald House Charities of Columbia
Columbia, SC – CreateAthon on Campus at University of South Carolina
· Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands
· Edgefield County Theatre Company
· Helen Hill Media Education Center at the Nickelodeon Theatre
Austin, Texas –Build-A-Sign/Austin AIGA
Greenville, South Carolina – DNA Creative Communications
· Greenville County Youth Orchestras
· Volunteers of America Northern California
· Kids Rock Free School of Music
· Red Circle Foundation (San Diego)
Toronto, ON – FleishmanHillard
Hudson, NC – Paragon Design Group
· James C. Harper School of Performing Arts
· Caldwell County Heritage Museum
· Granite Falls Womens Enrichment Association
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bsp; Access Care – HOOOT Fund (Helping Others Overcome Oncology Treatments)
· The Edwardsville Children Museum
· Riverbend Down Syndrome Association
· Madison County Historical Society
Kitchener, ON – Two Blonde Chicks
· Brain Injury Association of Waterloo Wellington
· Carizon Family & Community Service
· Hospice of Waterloo Region
· Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region
· Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
· KW Access-Ability
· ROOF
· Waterloo Region Family Network.
· National Museum of Animals & Society
Greensboro, NC – The Sales Factory
Nashville, TN – redpepper
· The Tennessee Respite Coalition
Williamsburg, VA – Proximo Marketing Strategies
· Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
· Housing Development Corporation
· The Arc of Greater Williamsburg
Wilkes-Barre, PA – Dawe Consulting Group
· Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Luzerne County
· LGBT Community Center of Northeastern PA
· Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic
Other CreateAthon partners holding their events throughout 2013 and the spring of 2014 include:
Altria, Richmond, VA
J Fitzgerald Group, Lockport, NY
Orchid Communications, St. Helier, Jersey
Red Thinking, South Riding, VA
Trio Solutions, Charleston, SC
Waggener Edstrom, Portland, OR
White Space Creative, Akron, OH
Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
For more information on the program, please visit www.createathon.org.