PRSA-NCC

For Immediate Release: January 14, 2004

Contacts:
Sandra Hannon
IPRA pro bono committee co-chair
301-839-2744

Rita Mhley
IPRA pro bono committee co-chair
301-840-1454

Center for Child Protection and Family Support to Receive Year-Long Pro Bono Communications Services

Washington, DC – January 14, 2004 – The Independent Public Relations Alliance (IPRA), a committee of the National Capital Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America consisting of a network of 75 public relations executives who own or operate independent practices in the DC metro area, today launched a new pro bono program and announced the selection of the Center for Child Protection and Family Support (CCPFS) as its first community service client. CCPFS, an accredited non-profit social services agency that is a local and national leader in the field of childhood victimization, signed an agreement today to receive free public relations services for one year.

“As senior PR professionals, IPRA members feel a strong commitment to giving back to their community, especially in these tough economic times,” explained Mary-Jane Atwater, president of Atwater Communications and IPRA’s chair. “By devoting their time and talents, our members will help bring greater public attention to the Center’s important work with child crime and its prevention not just here in the nation’s capital but around the country.”

Center President and Co-Founder, Joyce N. Thomas, RN, MPH, said “We believe there should be no greater mission than the protection and safety of children and their families. We’re very excited to be working with IPRA to bring greater attention to the needs of children who are victims of crime. IPRA will help us bring that attention and highlight what people can do to help.” Serving the Washington area since 1987, CCPFS has implemented over 50 major prevention and intervention programs, as well as 10 public awareness campaigns, research projects and numerous publications that focus on the protection and safety of children and youth.

A team of IPRA members will develop a strategic communications plan for the Center to promote a special child welfare report and promote a one-day forum on childhood victimization, the impact, consequences and strategies for prevention, as part of National Crime Victims' Rights Week.

The Center was selected after a three month long search for a pro bono client headed by pro bono committee co-chairs Sandra Wills Hannon, Ph.D., principal of The Hannon Group, and Rita Mhley, president of Mhley/Davis and Associates. Last October, Hannon and Mhley - initiated discussions with other professional associations across the country that have provided pro bono services to non-profit organizations. Based on the research, IPRA developed criteria and a Request for Proposal that were publicized in the media and distributed to non-profit organizations through umbrella organizations, such as Greater DC Cares. An IPRA selection team reviewed 16 proposals and selected the Center.

A top selection criterion in the RFP process was the extent to which a project demonstrated a need for public relations services. The winning project also demonstrated value and impact in the Washington Metropolitan Area. “It was critical to our members, all of whom live and work in the metro area, that the non-profit we selected serve local residents,” Hannon said.

“It’s so important to our members to give back to the community,” said Mhley. “This new community service program provides a nice structure for everyone to contribute their skills and talents to a worthy cause.”

The IPRA network www.ipralliance.com is a committee of the National Capital Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and consists of senior-level public relations and marketing executives who own or operate their own practices, have three or fewer employees and belong to the world’s largest professional organization for PR practitioners, PRSA. A majority of members have been in business for three or more years, average 18 years of experience and together provide specialized services across 36 industry sectors to clients as diverse as “Fortune 500” companies, small businesses, associations, nonprofits and government agencies. PRSA’s local National Capital Chapter www.prsa-ncc.org, is the country’s largest with nearly 1,100 members.

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