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Human service and advocacy agencies create an immeasurable amount of impact through their work each day. This is the case for Endless Highway, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access and opportunities for youth and young adults with disabilities to participate in adaptive and inclusive sports, recreation, and arts. By the time Endless Highway and The Cause Collaborative partnered up, the organization had been sponsoring disabled athletes, purchasing adaptive equipment, and developing programming in the Rochester area since 2011. There were stories to be told.
As Endless Highway's founder, Rob — the organization's only staff at the time — was personally transitioning to a full-time focus on the nonprofit, we worked together on an aggressive public relations strategy to build community awareness and name recognition for Endless Highway. From disability resources, to inclusive social and family programs, to custom equipment and fundraising opportunities, the objective was to position Endless Highway as a leader in inclusion.
The short-term tactics leaned on several upcoming events that Endless Highway was hosting. A community event call-to-action helped to quickly get Endless Highway onto the TV screen several times. My long haul strategy focused on more complex story pitches looking at the history of the organization, Rob's personal experience with spinal cord injury, and showcasing some of the recent custom equipment donations and programs created for the community. Through thoughtful outreach and can-do coordination, I secured space for Endless Highway on the front page of the Rochester Business Journal's print and digital editions, an in-person interview and segment production with Rochester First's "Extraordinary People" series, and a table interview with b-roll pre-production on WXXI's half hour "Need to Know" program.
The coverage led to outreach, phone calls to the organization, and a heightened awareness of the work being done for disability inclusion in the region. Re-sharing the coverage on social media drove up engagement and multiplied recognition.
My close work with Rob and the Endless Highway mission developed through story planning, on-location media opportunities, and frequent field trips to Endless Highway-sponsored programs or partnership development meetings to ensure that I was always up-to-date on the latest storytelling opportunities for the organization. With this level of knowledge, I began to assume the role of micro-event manager and speech writer.
Strategy, vendor communications, and marketing for small community events that engaged specific target audiences joined the ranks of my collaboration capabilities. In 2019, after several calls, emails, and in-person meetings with Rob and representatives of the Strong National Museum of Play we successfully negotiated a partnership that would allow Endless Highway to sponsor a discounted admission of all families, programs, or groups with children with physical disabilities visiting the Strong. A short application process via Endless Highway was created and is marketed by both entities.
To celebrate the partnership expanding access to free inclusive play for all age levels, we hosted a micro-event at the Strong. Using Eventbrite, Facebook events, Mailchimp, and email marketing to promote the event to families with children with disabilities, Adaptive Day of Play at the Strong Museum welcomed over 90 participants. Families from neighboring cities such as Buffalo, NY and Syracuse, NY also drove in for an afternoon of free, inclusive, and catered family play.
Events like Adaptive Day of Play, dinner fundraisers, adaptive yogathons, and large signature fundraisers are in-person opportunities to motivate your audience. Like in media interviews, there are talking points and calls-to-action to hit. Since 2019, I've continuously served as the talking points and speech writer for Endless Highway's small to large speaking functions.
In the summer of 2019, Disabled Sports USA (now Move United) brought its annual Leadership Conference on Adaptive Sports to Rochester, NY. Rob was invited to be the closing keynote speaker. Together, we identified his theme, constructed the speech, developed a slide deck, practiced, revised, and hit the conference floor with a closing keynote that segued into questions and inquiries about Endless Highway, collaboration, and leads on future partnerships.
My work with Endless Highway remains active today through social media management, public relations, and content development across owned media platforms. On collaborating, Rob shared:
"I have had the extreme pleasure of working very closely with Claire. She is passionate, thorough, and immediately grasps the mission and vision of the project at hand."
Live on The Brother Wease Show | Radio 95.1, Radio & Social Media
Recap of iHeart Radio & The Brother Wease Show | Facebook
'80s-themed fundraiser benefits Endless Highway | Fox Rochester, TV & Digital
Adaptive yoga fundraiser open to all abilities | Daily Messenger
'Yoga for Every Ability' fundraiser | Fox Rochester, TV & Digital
Rochester in Focus: Cruisin' Through the Crossroads event | News10 WHEC, TV & Digital
Opening Yoga for Everyone - B-Roll Production | Facebook
RBJ Coverage Announcement | Facebook
Rochester youth basketball team welcomes kids of all abilities | 13WHAM, TV & Digital
An all-abilities youth wheelchair basketball team comes to Rochester | WXXI, Digital
Endless Highway partnering with Strong Museum | The Monroe County Post, Digital
Rob Tortorella and Shea Kulp take the runway at Fashion Week of Rochester | Facebook
Content, public relations, and experiential marketing strategist telling stories for brands, leaders, and causes.
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