creating a purpose
I believe brands can give more of themselves to support and make a difference in the communities they serve through volunteerism and donating goods/services. Following are a few examples where I connected Greyhound to causes that helped those in need.
HELPING HOUNd volunteer program
Through volunteerism, employees develop a sense of purpose and have pride in their company who supports their causes. At Greyhound, employees didn’t have an outlet to volunteer in their local communities, and Greyhound only supported a few national organizations with a financial contribution. I saw an opportunity and thus created the Helping Hound employee volunteer program. From collection drives and organizing 10K fundraising teams, to hurricane clean-up efforts and reading to children, Helping Hound gave employees the opportunity to support many causes that were meaningful to them, and today more than 6,000 volunteer hours are donated every year across the country.
driving awareness for runaway youth
It’s believed that up to 2.8 million runaway youth are on the streets every year, and resources like the National Runaway Safeline* (NRS) provide them with the support they need. Greyhound has been a long-time partner of the NRS via its Home Free program, transporting approximately 1,300 runaway youth home annually. However, we identified there was a need to bring more awareness to this program. I worked with the NRS to create an awareness campaign, which included in-terminal displays and a television public service announcement (PSA), featuring Ludacris, whose foundation was a huge supporter of the NRS, and he had just released his single “Runaway Love.” The television PSA ran in 2009, but the awareness campaign in Greyhound terminals, community centers and online continues to this day.
*The National Runaway Safeline changed its name from the National Runaway Switchboard in 2013.
“Kim’s creativity and strategic planning were instrumental in promoting the long-time partnership between Greyhound and the National Runaway Safeline and Home Free. She implemented an inspiring campaign featuring celebrity Ludacris to bring increased awareness to homeless and runaway youth to help them get home safe and off the streets. Kim was a joy to work with, always responsive and caring about and engaged with our mission.”
Supporting our nation’s military
Every year, thousands of military service members travel Greyhound. I felt it was a natural fit for the company to support a variety of organizations that not only help service members, but also their families. I formed a partnership with American Airlines to support organizations like the Airpower Foundation (Sky Ball, Salute to the Troops) and Snowball Express, and established Greyhound as the primary ground transportation provider for their events.
