A donation has been made in your honor this Mother’s Day to help Bay Area mothers living in poverty provide for their families. We are touched by this generosity and hope you are, too. On behalf of the community we serve, thank you and Happy Mother’s Day.

These are the words your mom will see this Mother’s Day, if you visit United Way of the Bay Area’s Web site (San Francisco, California) and purchase a card for a small donation of only $5 for an e-card or $15 for a printed card. For just $5, you can honor your mom and support other moms in the Bay Area.

When you arrive on United Way of the Bay Area’s Web site, the Mother’s Day cards are the first thing you see. At the top of the homepage, a list of moms being honored is scrolling across the page. You are invited to choose a card for your mom and personalize it by including a message inside. Then, you select whether you would like United Way of the Bay Area to e-mail or mail the card to your mom.

I think this is a great idea and I love that it is tied to United Way of the Bay Area’s issue and bold goal, which is to cut Bay Area poverty in half by 2020.

United Way of the Bay Area is also promoting these Mother’s Day cards on social media. The posts explain that you can buy a Mother’s Day card for your mom, while also helping out other moms. My favorite post is the Facebook post (above right) that shares the story of a woman who was homeless five years ago and is now living in a home, working, and will be attending college – all with the help of United Way of the Bay Area. I love that this post shares a story of someone who was helped and communicates the impact that contributions have in the community.

By promoting these Mother’s Day cards on the homepage of their Web site and on social media, United Way of the Bay Area’s community members will see that their United Way is working on addressing the issue of poverty. In addition, the moms who receive the cards, as well as their friends and family, will also be aware of the issue. Therefore, United Way of the Bay Area will not only receive donations for these Mother’s Day cards to use toward meeting their bold goal and supporting moms living in poverty, but they will increase awareness among donors and community members for the issue they are addressing in the community.

It is essential to inform your donors and community members of a specific issue your United Way is addressing, as they want to know the impact of their contributions and how your United Way is making a difference.

United Way of the Bay Area’s Mother’s Day card idea is a simple way to inform and engage your donors and community members, while also making an impact on the issue you are addressing. Consider doing something similar at your United Way next Mother’s Day or the next holiday – but first, you must be focused on a specific issue.

We have helped United Ways across the country to take their community impact to the next level by adopting an issue focus. Learn more about an issue focus and our Introduction to an Issue Focus Board Retreat by visiting our Web site. Shoot me an e-mail or give me a call at (269) 657-5400 to find out how we can help your United Way maximize your impact, resources, and communication by adopting an issue focus.