Meals On Wheels Public Relations Plan Essay

, Research Paper

I. Background of Organization

A. History of Organization

Today.s elderly nutrition programs in the United States trace their roots back to Great Britain during World War II. When German planes bombarded English soil, many people in Britain lost their homes and subsequently their ability to cook meals for themselves. The Women.s Volunteer Service for Civil Defense responded to this emergency by preparing and delivering meals to their disadvantaged neighbors. The women also brought refreshments in canteens to servicemen during World War II. The canteens came to be known as .Meals-on-Wheels..

B. Background

Meals-on-Wheels is truly a volunteer-driven agency. Caring individuals go out each day and deliver a nutritious lunch and dinner to needy seniors. Giving of their time to serve others is what makes our volunteers special. They bring our clients not only food, but important personal social contact that improves the quality of life for homebound seniors. The meals are delivered 7 days a week with two meals being delivered during lunch hour: a hot dinner for immediate consumption and a cold .sack. supper for later.

Today, Meals-on-Wheels is preparing for a dramatic increase in clients. The fastest growing population are people over 85 years of age. Serving the needs of this population will be challenging. Meals-on-Wheels is ready to grow with the changing needs of the community. Increasing our volunteers will be a priority.

The IRS considers donations of cash, securities, and property as charitable deductions for income tax purposes. Sometimes people are surprised to learn that only two percent of funding for Meals-on-Wheels comes from government sources. That is why Meals-on-Wheels relies so heavily on charitable contributions.

II. Research

A. Identify internal publics

Our internal publics are our administration and volunteers which include the people who assist in preparing, packaging and delivering meals, as well as the dieticians and chefs. Also people are needed for fundraising. These volunteers could be made up of students, churches, families, the AARP and many others. The internal publics might include civic groups such as Civitan or Rotoract. Involving the participation of church groups and specifically the Southern Baptist Convention, Meals-on-Wheels can lay a foundation of volunteers.

B. Identify external publics

Our external publics include two groups. There are those who are not able to prepare meals and have a need for food, usually 6o and over, at any income level, living on their own, but unable to prepare meals. Younger, disabled adults may also be eligible if they are homebound, and there are openings on the route. There is no minimum or maximum income level for eligibility. I thought this was interesting because this need transcends social class, race, or income level. Meals-on-Wheels continues to deliver to anyone that has a need: white, black, rich, or poor. The other group of external publics might be the general public, specifically those who may not be willing to volunteer but willing to make a donation. It is important that Meals-on-Wheels maintain a positive image to this certain publics.

C. Survey

A survey was administered to gather information about volunteering and fundraising ideas. If the administration knows the underlying motives for volunteering, perhaps they can get a better grasp on how to increase their volunteer work force. It was decided a questionnaire about volunteering was needed. We will assume the sample size of the survey was adequate and representative of the population. I have picked out certain questions that reveal certain aspects about volunteering. By no means is this survey all-inclusive, but we hope it will let us get a better grasp on motivating factors.

D. Survey Analysis:

· It was found that 32% volunteer at a hospital/hospice or clinic, 24% don.t volunteer, 16% with some other type of volunteering, 8% with children, and 8% with elderly programs such as Meals-on-Wheels.

· Of those that don.t volunteer, it is not surprising to find almost 70% are male.

· Females comprise the majority of the volunteer positions.

· 40% spent 1-7 days a year volunteering as opposed to only 8% spending two months or more.

· When polled about interest in fundraising events, there was a close tie for an outdoor concert and banquet fundraiser. Less than 15% showed an interest in a 5k Charity Run.

· It was decided a combination approach of the outdoor concert and banquet might serve as an idea for a fund raising approach.

· One of the main reasons people volunteer is to know they made a real difference in someone.s life. Religion did not seem to be a predominant reason.

· Getting out to meet new people (social motivator) is another major motivating factor in volunteering.

· The majority of people agreed or strongly agreed with a willingness to volunteer for Meals-on-Wheels. But saying one thing in a survey and actually volunteering are two entirely separate things. This survey tried to focus on the motivating factors of volunteering.

Attached is a copy of the survey and charts showing certain trends in the data.

III. Define Strategy

The strategy of Meals-on-Wheels is consistent with its m

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