This week our Charity Spotlight shines on The Warrick Dunn Foundation.  Warrick Dunn - NFL Superstar, Philanthropic Leader and Seminole Alumnus - has set the bar on how to kick butt when it comes to garnering support and awareness for his foundation. The non-profit is supported by diligent and caring employees who tweet, blog, Facebook and write grants, all while aiding single parents in obtaining home ownership.  Read about how the Foundation’s Executive Director, Jennifer Maxwell, has utilized social media, and other tools to do fundraising and outreach, so that they can provide those that are less fortunate with opportunities of a lifetime.

Please tell us a little bit about the Warrick Dunn foundation and how you have been able to help.

The Warrick Dunn Foundation is dedicated to providing opportunities for economically disadvantaged single parents and their children who have demonstrated a commitment to achieve financial independence and stability. The founder, Warrick Dunn, is the son of Betty Smothers, a hard-working police officer and single mom who was killed in the line of duty when Warrick was a senior in high school. Sadly, she was never able to realize the American dream of owning her own home. That dream has become the mission of the Warrick Dunn Foundation, and every family we help honors the unbreakable spirit of Mrs. Smothers while achieving the stability that comes with homeownership.
To date, we have assisted 86 single parents and 233 children and dependents in four cities Warrick has a personal connection to: Tampa and Tallahassee, Fla., Baton Rouge, La., and Atlanta, Ga.

What is your most memorable story about someone that the Warrick Dunn Foundation has helped?

Right before I took over as Executive Director, I participated in our most recent home giveaway to the family of Shawn Palic, a single mother of three beautiful children, two of which she adopted when their need for a loving home was brought to her. She took them in, even though the family lived in a trailer at the end of a dirt road. She kept working and kept pushing on, which is exactly what the Warrick Dunn Foundation is all about: financial independence earned through hard work. It stands out in my memory, not only because of the compelling story, but because I was able to participate hands-on and see the fruits of my labor on Shawn’s face when she opened the door to her new life.

What social media networks has the WDF used, and what has been most effective? Who are you hoping to connect with?

We use Twitter and Facebook the most. Twitter is probably better for connecting with the fans of our founder, Warrick Dunn, whereas Facebook brings in a lot of people who are simply moved by his story and what the foundation does. Through these outlets, we hope to connect with a different kind of audience than what our usual outreach has been able to do in the past.

Has the celebrity of Warrick Dunn changed how people connect with your organization online?

Warrick’s name has definitely helped the Foundation kind of reel in his fans and give them a sense of involvement in what he’s doing and a sense of engagement in their own communities. Because he has programs in four cities—all of which he has personal ties to—it lends a certain accessibility to his celebrity that resonates with his fans and converts them to foundation followers.

How are you currently keeping in touch with those that have been helped? What tools might help you to do so more easily or effectively?

In order to track the progress of our families, as well as make improvements for future programs, we commissioned a survey in 2006, which helped us reconnect with who we’ve helped over the years. In addition, every home we give away is furnished with a computer from Aaron’s Sales & Lease, which we see as a valuable tool for the families to reach back to our foundation and out to other organizations.  We are also interested in the possibility of creating a way for our recipients to contact each other and share tips on everything from how to manage money to how to bake a casserole for four kids.

In a short time, the Warrick Dunn Foundation went from being nominated to a contender for our Top Ten. How were you able to mobilize so many of your supporters?

We reached out to our contact base through e-mail (ConstantContact), newsletters and social media. I think it was embraced by so many people because it’s a way for them to help our foundation even if they don’t have the time to volunteer or the money to donate. Numerous Twitter breaks during our workday probably contributed, too. And voting is so easy!

Are there any new social media tools you have recently discovered? What network or facet of social media are you most interested in learning about to help the foundation?

We only just jumped on the Twitter bandwagon about two months ago, and our most recent endeavor, which seems so obvious now, is Facebook Causes. The potential for donations is the draw for Facebook. Our traditional methods of fundraising are not quite as effective in this economy, so we’re having to diversify. We are still learning a lot about Twitter, and we are looking into blogs as a more in-depth way to share the stories of our program recipients and expand our reach into the blogosphere, which is hopefully a welcoming place. 

Do you have any advice to share with other charities that are learning to use online media to communicate with their constituents?

There are so many options, so it’s important to centralize your communications to one focus. Use Twitter and Facebook to reach out and pull people into your network of supporters, instead of just isolating each social media outlet to its own entity until it becomes more of a distraction. Social media is a fun, interactive, engaging and unpredictable way to get your message out there, but remember it doesn’t happen overnight. You have to build it and maintain it.

In 140 characters or less, tell us what excites you most about CommuniCause.
@CommuniCause encourages nonprofits to branch out by tapping into the dynamic world of social media, gaining support one tweet at a time.

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Thank you for taking the time to talk with us Jennifer! It’s been a pleasure to learn about your organization, and I’m sure that your insight will help to guide our readers in their quest.

Don’t forget to visit the Warrick Dunn Foundation on their Website, follow them on Twitter and add them to your network.

We’re down to just over a week left for voting. If you’ve got an ace up your sleeve, it’s time to use it! We’re excited to feature a handful of charities in our final week, but wish we could feature all of you. As always, contact me if I can answer any questions!

Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Twitter:
 @At1MP
Phone: 407.756.1377

 

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