This is an amazing story about one paddle boarder’s quest to raise money for breast cancer awareness, and how an unlikely visitor showed up to guide her. With a little help from “Larry the Whale,” this woman has successfully raised more than $100,000 for her cause. For me, this story is a heart-felt reminder: when we set a clear intention born out of love and a genuine desire to do good in the world, anything is possible. Even magic. Even a whale.
”When our food is at risk we are all at risk.”
There are few things more personal than the food we put into our bodies. With less than 10 corporations controlling more than half the food on grocery store shelves, we are all eating food that comes with a bigger price than what we pay out-of-pocket. Soil destruction, genetically modified seeds, polluted water, loss of family farmers, inhumane treatment of animals, and a number of health epidemics, including diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer…these are but some of the consequences of our current food system.
Today–Monday February 27, 2012–tens of thousands of people — including farmers and food workers, parents and students, urban gardeners and chefs — are participating in a Global Day of Action to Occupy our Food Supply, founded by Rainforest Action Network. The event is bringing together over 60 Occupy groups from across the country, as well as sustainable farming, food justice, buy local, slow food, and environmental groups, healthy food leaders and advocates.
Want to know more? Here’s my roundup of some good resources on the web:
Part Two in a two-part series: Communicating in Times of Crisis.
As we’ve seen how Komen for the Cure botched its recent announcement to stop funding Planned Parenthood, it only takes one poorly handled public relations crisis to threaten an organization’s reputation and lose valuable supporters. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with their decision or rationale, it’s still somewhat devastating to watch a well-known and loved organization lose so many supporters—overnight.
The point here is this: Every organization—whether a foundation, a charity or a for-profit company—needs a crisis communications strategy in place. If you wait for a crisis to come, it’s too late.
Not sure where to start? Here are 7 steps to developing a Crisis Communications Plan for your organization:
1) Appoint a crisis spokesperson and team
Your internal crisis “team” might include representatives from the board, the CEO, grant programs, public relations or legal counsel. Identify one person to serve as the primary spokesperson—such as the board chair, marketing/communications director or even a credible volunteer. Make sure this person is trained in communicating with reporters as well as on social media platforms. Emphasize to your staff, board and volunteers that no one besides the spokesperson should be talking to the media.
2) Identify potential crises in advance
Think through all possible problem areas in advance. Some crises you simply won’t be able to foresee–a scandal involving one of your grantees or clients, for example. However you can always identify potential weak spots and prepare in advance. For example, Komen for the Cure jumped into a highly controversial area of public and political debate. They could have anticipated that there might be some public outcry and prepared to respond immediately. Or better yet, proactively reached out to the media and public first–before the story broke.
3) Gather information about the crisis
Gather as much information as you can, as soon as you can. This will help prepare your spokesperson to answer questions and develop your own angle. Follow closely what others are saying about your organization on Twitter, Facebook, the news media and leading blogs in your field. Respond to these posts directly, but not defensively.
4) Develop key messages and talking points
In times of fire, you want to arm yourselves with your organization’s most powerful messages and fact sheets. Use these messages early and often–from the moment you smell a crisis coming on. As part of your messaging, remind your audience what you do well as an organization and, as appropriate, stand by your actions and decisions. Acknowledge the crisis and anyone suffering as a result of it, and if needed, take responsibility for any part your organization played. Finally, make a bold commitment to those you serve, and thank your supporters for standing by you.
5) Deliver your message
Depending on the nature of the crisi, you may want to send out a news release and/or hold a press conference. Remember: it’s always better for the news to come from you than your critics. Make the media’s job as easy for them as possible. This gives you more of a shot in controlling the message.
In addition, you need to use social media platforms to get your message out. Blogs, Facebook updates and Twitter micro-blogs are immediate and in real time. They allow you to respond quickly to evolving public concerns, and correct misrepresentations in the meda. If you can, include video and photos as part of your blog or updates. This will put a human face on your organization in its time of crisis.
6) Implement your response
When a crisis goes down, it’s important to act fast. Brief your spokesperson on all facets of the issue. Present the spokesperson to the media as the source of information as early as possible. Keep the media and public well-informed with facts–not opinions or conjecture. Don’t keep them waiting for information; update them early and often.
7) Clean up
Once the crisis dies down, your job isn’t over. Continue to monitor the situation and public discourse, and update key audiences for several months afterward. You may even want to go public with an organization self-assessment–giving the community proof that you take the crisis and their feedback seriously. Show your supporters that you are putting safeguards in place so the situation won’t happen again.
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No one likes to plan for a crisis–it sounds so doom and gloom. Yet, if you don’t take the time for it now, it could mean real trouble later. While a plan may not help you avoid a crisis, it will give you the roadmap you need you manage it quickly and gracefully. Good luck!
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Part one in a two-part series: Communicating in Times of Crisis. Be sure to read tomorrow’s post on Developing a Crisis Communications Plan.
Bummer for breast cancer screening.
I’m sure you’ve read the news (or at least the tweets) by now. Yesterday afternoon, the AP reported that Komen for the Cure has decided to halt grants to Planned Parenthood, which were used for breast cancer screening for low-income women. According to the reports, Komen made this decision back in December based on a new policy that prohibits them from granting money to organizations under investigation. Because Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-FL, is investigating whether government money was improperly spent on abortions, Komen said its decision to stop the funding was final.
The controversial news spread crazy fast over traditional news and social media platforms. In the meantime, Komen for the Cure remained curiously quiet for nearly a day. In doing so, they missed an opportunity to strategically respond to the public discourse–or at the very least, save face.
In her blog post today titled The Accidental Rebranding of Komen for the Cure, Kivi Leroux Miller said: “I believe we are witnessing the accidental rebranding of what is surely one of America’s biggest and most well-known, and even well-loved, nonprofit brands. Komen for the Cure, it seems, is no longer a breast cancer charity, but a pro-life breast cancer charity.”
This is a brand they may not have chosen, but one that is now choosing them.
Regardless of where you stand on the issue of Life or Choice, there is a good lesson in this for all organizations. Every foundation and nonprofit needs a crisis communications plan–period. Not sure what a crisis communications plan includes? Find out in tomorrow’s post: Developing a Crisis Communications Plan.
Your opinion please! What do you think Komen for the Cure could have done differently to prevent this communications debacle? I’d love to hear your comments.
Fortune Cookie Tells It Like It Is
Here’s an inspiring clip of a 6 year old sharing her concept of a community she will create when she grows up–one that is based on a giving economy. Unstaged, unprepared, just straight from the heart…enjoy and Happy 2012.
Something about the holidays makes me go chocolate crazy. I want it…all the time. I had about three months in early pregnancy where I couldn’t stand the thought of anything dark, milky or bittersweet, but now I’m back, baby. I’m back. Luckily, chocolate doesn’t have to be entirely self-indulgent. There are a few companies out there giving consumers the chance to be more conscious–and even charitable–in the way they do chocolate.
Here are my Top 4 Picks for Charitable Chocolate this season. Enjoy!
1. In
the market for straight-up chocolate bars? Buy fair-trade chocolate from companies that make sure small-scale farmers receive higher and more stable prices for their cocoa. My favorites include Equal 
Exchange (try the Organic Chocolate Caramel Crunch with Sea Salt – pure love) and Alter Eco Fair Trade (Organic Dark Quinoa Chocolate – can you say superfood?)
2. Need a last-minute holiday treat for your friends or clients? Baking for Good sells gourmet cookies and brownies, delivered all over the country. Here’s the kicker: 15% of the net proceeds from every purchase supports a charity you choose. That’s right. So not only are you able to sample from rich chocolate brownies, oatmeal or chai sandwich cookies or (say it with me…) WHOOPIE PIES, you can do so for cause close to your heart. The company partners with a number of nonprofits serving the environment, the arts, kids, health, human rights, hunger – you name it. (Speaking of hunger…they also offer vegan and gluten-free cookies as well – citrus, granola, peanut butter…mmm.)
3. There’s nothing like home sweet home, especially when it involves cookies. Dancing Deer Baking Compan
y launched the Sweet Home Project – their way of helping to end family homelessness. Buy a Sweet Home gift or goodies, and the company (in partnership with One Family, Inc.) will donate 35% of the retail price directly to scholarships to homeless parents and their children, helping them find education, jobs and move into houses of their own. I like the “Sweet Home Pick,” which includes a Dark Chocolate House Cookie, Deep Dark Gingerbread Cake (serves 6-8) and 16 Molasses Clove Cookies ($39.95). Yum!
4. Everyday choices really make a difference, including what we 
choose to snack on. Instead of grabbing any old energy bar, you can now go for one that feeds your hunger as well as others’. For every Two Degrees bar you buy, the company donates a meal to a hungry child. Their mission is to empower consumers to help feed 200 million children through just two degrees of separation. (Wonder what Kevin Bacon would say about this…?) I love these bars – they come in Chocolate Peanut, Cherry Almond and Apple Pecan, are chock full of real fruits, nuts and whole grains. You can buy a box of 9 for $19.95, or buy them individually at stores like Whole Foods.
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Am I missing any cool, conscious companies that give people one more reason to eat chocolate? (…as if you need another reason.) Let me hear from you! I look forward to your comments.
Happy holidays everyone – and happy chocolate.
