Company attends workshop to connect with nonprofits and provide them with the counsel they need to effectively communicate their missions.

PR Gives Back is a semi-annual event that brings together nonprofits from the Seattle community with various PR, marketing, and communications professionals for a two-hour workshop. On February 24, 2016, twenty local nonprofits seeking advice around topics such as branding strategies, pitching local media, social media management, newsletter distribution, event planning, internal communications, and much more attended this event. These nonprofits included schools, historical societies, health care organizations, and many in between. The program consisted of a keynote presentation and breakout consulting sessions, allowing the communications professionals to meet with nonprofit representatives and share their advice and expertise.

Three Lighthouse employees with communications, marketing, and PR backgrounds participated in this valuable nonprofit community event. Attendance surpassed the organizers' projections and even spilled over onto a wait list of eager nonprofit organizations. Upon arrival, the Lighthouse team decided to split up to share their knowledge and ideas with as many of the organizations as possible.

After the keynote, each nonprofit was encouraged to air their specific business concerns and dive into the communication and outreach issues keeping them up at night. The rotating breakout format allowed for an open and collaborative discussion between the nonprofit professionals and communications specialists.

"The PRSA workshop was a wonderful opportunity to connect with local professionals with expertise in public relations and marketing," said Damara Jacobs, Development and Communications Manager of the Angels for Angels. "Being so immersed in the nonprofit sector, there are a lot of valuable resources out there that I didn't know about that the professionals were able to connect us with. Thank you to everyone who participated and volunteered their time to nonprofits; it makes a difference."

The free workshop has proven to be effective over the years and this year has grown from an annual event to a semi-annual event, with several organizations on the waiting list for fall 2016. The three Lighthouse employees who attended were not only able to give back, but also learn from the nonprofit organizations and strengthen Lighthouse's awareness of the local community needs.

A continuous commitment to the communities in which we operate is an essential part of our company's culture. We strive to get involved, make an impact, and give back when we can.