Franco has proudly served Arbor Hospice since 2008, enhancing visibility for the nonprofit’s palliative and end-of-life care throughout Washtenaw County and the surrounding communities. We added Hospice of Michigan in 2016 when the two organizations affiliated (with Franco spearheading communication with the media and the community) and now represent both agencies, headquartered in Ann Arbor. Recently, Franco helped Hospice of Michigan promote fundraising screening of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle as it made its statewide Michigan movie debut.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Fundraising
We helped bring the jungle to Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theater and Grand Rapids’ Celebration! Cinema North for a VIP reception, appearance by Jumani author Chris Van Allsburg and a showing of the Sony Pictures movie the evening before its nationwide release.
Franco led the promotional charge in attracting more than 900 guests to the dual-city fundraising events, which generated more than $250,000 for the Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Programs for Children at Hospice of Michigan and Arbor Hospice. The only statewide pediatric hospice and supportive care program, Anchors offers a full continuum of pediatric services to support families and youngsters facing life-limiting illness.
From sitting on the planning committee for the Michigan Theater event, to scripting the statewide premiere announcement on WJR’s Mitch Albom Show, facilitating dual market advance and day-of media coverage and spearheading a robust social media effort, Franco is proud of the role our partnership with Hospice of Michigan and Arbor Hospice played in creating a tremendous evening for an equally tremendous cause.
Franco’s targeted media relations in southeast Michigan and the Grand Rapids area generated 64 print, broadcast and online placements – in just six weeks – highlighting the premiere’s elements, the important work of Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Programs for Children and the creativity of HOM and Arbor’s philanthropic friend, Chris Van Allsburg, and his equally altruistic wife, Lisa.
Our organic and relatively small paid social media strategy, directed to geo-targeted audiences on Facebook and Twitter, generated 139,000 impressions and 1,800 engagements across both channels.
