I’m sure you won’t find it in a nonprofit administration textbook, but my 45 years of nonprofit experience shows me that besides passion and good programming, a successful nonprofit needs two things: someone who can raise buckets of money and a good graphic designer.
Great graphic designs allow nonprofits to visualize its mission and more productively reach volunteers, communicate with stakeholders, advertise events, document outcomes, increase membership and the all important — raise money.
Design Pickle, a creative services and graphic design platform is offering this valuable service to selected nonprofits through its program, “Random Acts of Design.” The pro bono program provides nonprofits with design and marketing resources.
“With Design Pickle’s help, organizations can produce flyers, logos, infographics, pitch decks, and countless other promotional items most nonprofits simply can’t afford,” says Jess Guffey, who is in charge of Design Pickle’s brand partnerships.
Recently, You Night, a Louisiana-based organization that empowers more than 700 cancer survivors, was selected to be one of Design Pickle’s recipients. The Arizona based company will provide the local nonprofit with three free months of their graphic design services, as well as one-on-one leadership training with their founder and CEO, Russ Perry, and three months of marketing consultation.
You Night is a year-round sisterhood of support for women who have had cancer. The You Night team is made up of more than 50 individuals, most of whom have survived cancer and whose desire is to pay it forward to help women embrace life beyond cancer. The organization holds three huge events each year. However, this year, because of the pandemic, all its major events were cancelled.
“Yet the need for our emotional support programs skyrocketed because of the stress of cancer, and now the stress of the pandemic,” says Lisa McKenzie, founder/ executive producer of You Night Empowerment Events. “We came up with an exciting pivot and are beyond blessed that the timing of this award will allow us to creatively get the word out about our three-day, live-streaming event in November.”
The campaign will feature stories about the women who have participated in You Night programming and their testimonials about what the You Night sisterhood means to them.
The desire to give back to the community runs deep in Design Pickle’s DNA.
“I was fortunate enough to grow up with parents who always preached the importance of giving back,” says Guffey. “Whether it was making an extra lunch for a classmate who was struggling or providing access to “luxuries” like baseball lessons for kids in the community, both of them quietly made routine contributions to our community throughout my entire childhood. Because of this, I saw the difference a small gesture of kindness or one meal can make in someone’s life from a young age and have sought to replicate that throughout my professional career.”
Last night the women of You Night met for the first time in person since the stay-at-home order was issued.
“And it was awesome,” says McKenzie. “Many are stage four yet strong, joyous, living life to the fullest. There were tears but such strength in that room.”
The joining of the business Design Pickle with the charitable organization, You Night is a joyous thing to be celebrated during these sad and harrowing times.
