This internship at Family Promise of Greater Nashua at Anne-Marie House provided marketing and communications experience. AMH is a nonprofit that provides transitional housing and support services to families experiencing homelessness. The intern created social media posts, event promotions, and updated marketing materials to raise awareness of AMH's mission and engage the community. Through these communications activities, the intern gained hands-on experience applying classroom knowledge to a real-world nonprofit setting.

1. A Marketing & Communications Internship Experience at
Intern: Michelle Blake
Rivier University
Instructor: Dr. Amir Toosi
April 30, 2015

2. Who is Family Promise of Greater Nashua at Anne-Marie House (AMH)?
501(c) 3 non-profit charitable organization located in Hudson, NH
Celebrating their 10th year of operation as a static model
Affiliate of Family Promise® a national four-star rated Charity Navigator organization in New Jersey
AMH Mission:
“To support the needs of children and
families experiencing homelessness as
they work to achieve sustainable
income and housing. [This is
accomplished] by providing families safe
and secure transitional housing,
wholesome meals, continuing
education, and other support services,
such as parenting and financial literacy
programs.” (Anne-Marie House, 2015).
AMH Vision: Ending Homelessness, One Family at a Time!

3. • Family = many configurations.
• 17,000 Square foot building with 26 dormitory-style bedrooms,
family common areas, laundry facility, and well stocked pantry.
• Multi-denominational sanctuary and chapel on-site
• No rent charged to families – action plans in place to reach goals.
• Family Services and Case Management: weekly
• 24 month maximum length of stay
• Staffed 24/7 to meet any family needs as they arise
Transitional housing with market differentiation:
Keeping families together is of utmost importance to ensure
families achieve successful and sustainable lifestyles together!
!! REALITY !!
HOMELESSNESS
KNOWS NO
BOUNDARIES –
ANYONE CAN FALL
VICTIM!

4. MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK: VOLUNTEERISM and COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Collaborative Efforts
• Dedicated Staff, Board of Trustees, and Volunteer Special Events and
Marketing Communications Staff
• 20+ Faith Communities and Clergy
• Social Service Agencies
• Local Welfare Departments
• School Counselors
• 300+ Trained Volunteers
Volunteers and
Community Partners
are the lifeblood to
AMH. Volunteer hours
totaled just over 18,000
hours in 2014 alone!

5. $$ FINANCIAL RESOURCES $$
Operational Expenses on a Shoe-String Budget
NH Bureau of Homeless &
Housing Services
Local, State, & National Private
Foundation Partners
Grant Writing & Major Donor
Solicitations
Annual Fundraising Events &
Campaigns
D
O
N
A
T
I
O
N
S

6. Building Brand Awareness + Making Community Connections =
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Community Events:
• Manchester Monarchs Benefit Night: 3/1/2015
• Uno Pizzeria & Grille Dough Raiser: 3/2-8/2015
• Noodles & Company Benefit Night: 4/1/2015
• Margaritas Noché Mexicana Benefit Night: 4/28/2015
• Texas Roadhouse Steakhouse Benefit Night: 6/4/2015
Benefits for AMH:
• Introduce AMH to community &
engage in conversation
• Answer: Who? What? How? Why?
• Create Awareness: convert
consumers into supporters
• Entice followers to sign-up:
• Email list
• Volunteer
• Collect miscellaneous donations
• Distribute program literature and
future event information
Benefits Local Business Partners:
• Brings in direct business. Sometimes new
customers for them!
• Exposure of corporate citizenship
• Free advertising on behalf of AMH
promotional marketing efforts
• AMH thanks for previous and on-going
support
WIN-WIN!!

7. Relationship Building and Public Relations at its best
Business relationships and their ‘Corporate Citizenship’ (i.e. giving back to the
community) needs to be acknowledged!
Most businesses today want to be:
• Socially responsible
• Good corporate neighbors showing that they care
It is good business!
Relationship building enhances the communication process
between businesses and organizations such as AMH. Their
support of the AMH mission allows us to engage with current
and new supporters.
Recognizing the time and expense behind their support is
imperative. Support does not come cheap!
A must is saying ‘Thank You’ in a visible way for their
kindness and generosity!
Another Win-Win: The Family Promise brand receives
free advertising when these are displayed!

8. Social Media for Promotion, Marketing, and Public Relations. What is the big deal?!
Enables:
• Personal interactions
• Transparency
• Clear communications
Tell the AMH story:
• About the program
• News
• Critical needs
• How to get involved (time, talent, and treasure)
• Event happenings
• How to reach staff
Communications are vital = Healthy connections!
• Supporters (personal and corporate)
• Networks
• Host congregations
• Volunteers
• Local support agencies and financial funders
Conversation Enabler!
Create a Buzz!!
Go Viral!

9. www.facebook.com/AnneMarieHouse
Ask to be ‘Liked’ and ‘Followed’. It is FREE exposure and FREE for all to join!
It all comes down to…
getting exposure.
• Current news
• Consumer and corporate engagement
• Donor and supporter recognition
• Event advertisement
• Needs announcements
And…giving exposure.
• Showcase exciting news for business partners and
supporters
• Advertise partners and their events – good will
advertising
• Discuss joint ventures

10. Web Sites and Web Design: Another Vital Marketing Communication Tool
AMH website needed a serious refresh
• Content was severely outdated
• Updated every page to accurately reflect current AMH
story, facts, and figures
• News updates posted
• All current events advertised
• All upcoming major events have ‘Save The Date’ info
• Staff listing and contact information updated
• Links to Facebook and donation opportunities
Newly designed site currently underway!
Input and insight by all staff is considered
to accurately portray AMH vision and the
Family Promise mission.
STAY TUNED!!

11. Putting a ‘Face’ to Family Promise of Greater Nashua at Anne-Marie House
‘Community Outreach’ is multi-faceted!
Brand and program awareness
Mission & vision statements explained
Market differentiation discussion
Upcoming campaigns & events
Needs awareness and wish lists
Engagement opportunities
AMH accomplishments

12. Marketing Collateral: Important donor and supporter engagement pieces
Benefits are many…
• Showcases current news and events
• Can be printed or sent electronically
• Feature on social media platforms
• Sends a message about critical funding needs
• Encourages participation at all levels
• Reaches targeted audiences and beyond
• Fun approach to spread the word of AMH

13. Donations: Cash, In-Kind, Volunteer, Talent…the list goes on.
Needs to be one of the
most prevalent buttons on
the website!
Engaging your audience (in-person, by direct mail, or
on-line) through effective communication enables
you to create interest and a desire to help in some
way.
In-kind assistance of financial literacy, real estate
planning, and parenting classes are some examples.
Sometimes help comes in the form of miscellaneous
cash donations or by participating in one of the
many fundraising benefits we hold.
Cash donations including the corporate
support received from our business
partners that featured us during benefit
nights these past two months totaled:
$2,519.56!!

14. A BIG DEAL: Channel Communications!
Supporters of events get value for their money, Partners get consumer traffic,
AMH receives exposure and support!
Power of ‘Word of Mouth’ is strong!
Must monitor for damage control.
Recognizing our supporters and partners on social media, on our
website, and in local news and community bulletin boards is good
business practice and shows appreciation.
www.annemariehouse.org
Through advertising

15. Extra-Extra Read All About It! Anne-Marie House in the News!
Sharing news stories creates excitement!
Not all stories are good ones though and may be pleas for help.
Either way its important to share news for transparency and clear messaging.
These two Facebook posts received the most interactions over any other post!
Staff News: A new addition to the Anne-Marie House family
Please extend a warm welcome to Maggie Dechene our new Volunteer
Coordinator!
Nashua nonprofits make pitches for ‘Extreme Makeover’
Two local nonprofit agencies are finalists for a complete renovation to be funded
and carried out by Building on Hope, a New Hampshire-based volunteer
organization….

16. Positive Experiences and Challenges in a Non-Profit World at Anne-Marie House
Negatives and Challenges
• Limited staffing due to budget constraints.
• Time and daily schedules are often disturbed with family issues.
‘Families First’ is the motto and is always the case! 
• Volunteers when called for are not always responsive or available.
• Learning that NH Food Bank charges non-profits like AMH for protein
and dairy food items. Are these not donated? Tuckaway thought so.
Positives and Encouraging news
• Shared resources between local agencies. Nothing is ever wasted!
• Surplus food items often times are prepared ahead into frozen
meals for consumption later.
• Holidays and birthdays: children and parents are both showered
with love and gifts. AMH staff make a big-deal about these
occasions.
• Seeing families succeed – having the time to catch their breath and
rebuild together.
• Many community and networking partners – that really care.
• New partnership with Tuckaway Tavern in Raymond, NH: donate
proteins from butcher shop. Prepared meals are also donated for
the families.

17. Educational Value and Analysis through Rivier Coursework
Technology skills enhanced:
• Microsoft Publisher
• Google+
• WordPress
• Basic HTML coding
• Constant Contact
Technology applications AMH are missing and would be nice to
have access to:
• Adobe Acrobat full version
• Photoshop
• Updated Microsoft Office Suite (to eliminate compatibility problems)
Most influential courses:
• BUS582: Advertising Management
• BUS590: Public Relations
• BUS675: Operations and Quality Management
• Media and audience
fragmentation/understanding
• Engaging audience and
supporters
• Brand messaging
• Digital publishing over print
• Evoke emotion to action
• Utilizing social media
platforms and various
marketing channels
• Layout and design
• Humanizing the message
• Use of non-offensive word
choice
• Having a face in the community
• Building relationships
• Market differentiation
• Getting feedback
• Improve on: marketing, public
relations, and events
management systems

18. Exposure: A need to
increase awareness &
community outreach
PEOPLE TECHNOLOGY
Communication is
not streamlined
Varying agendas
Are events partners
the right ones?
Explore other types
of partnerships May not be the
right people
No sense of direction
Lack of
policies/procedures
Set performance
targets
Audience
development lacking
Volunteers not
right audience
Research for potential donors
not extensive enough
Need to reach
philanthropic people
MARKETING
MATERIALS
FISCAL
ENVIRONMENT METHOD
Systems for proper tracking and
communication not in place
Lack of IT team in place to
initiate and train
Lack of funds historically for
such systems
Social media not kept current
No policies in place for updating
Lack of media team
Social media not up
to date
Assign duties to
one person
Communication line
needs to feed info for
all updates
IT to assist
Establish policies for
updates/frequency
Needs edits/updates
Errors don’t look good
& cost money
Confidence of
investors/partners decreases
Wide distribution
needed to gain
attendees &
investors
ALL are recruited to
advertise event
Word of
Mouth!
Voice of
Customer!
Email, Social Media
blasts, mail, public
posting etc.
Connect with prev
partners & attendees
Too many
‘decision makers’ Create Teams
Who’s in
charge?
Establish IT Team
Increased reliability of
marketing materials and
methods of distribution
Fosters idea sharing
Event Partnerships
Evaluate event type
Communication policies
needed
Assign teams
Need to maintain philanthropic givers
Give incentives for
inviting others like them
Invite their friends
Incentives to increase support
Implement IT systems
Establish a budget
Money needed for new
initiatives
Money makes money
Donors should receive
value for their donation
Lack of knowledge on donor
conversion
Unsure how to use incentives
Unsure what is improper
Know “competition” and
how they get it done
Research other
events
Gain ideas
Increased communication
and organization
Understand the
state of your
local/state/nat’l
economics
Watch trends of
others similar to
your organization
for ideas
Join forces
FISHBONE DIAGRAM:
OPERATIONS & QUALITY
MANAGEMENT

19. Where do I feel I can improve? How can this position be improved?
Improvements are like building blocks. In this case we are building a stronger community helping
families achieve sustainable living through a ‘hand up’.
The Marketing and Communications role was non-existent when I took it on as intern. It had always
been integrated into other positions that are no longer in place.
• Strong communications team to be built with ALL.
• Evaluation of community congregation engagement.
• Keeping a consistent presence in many community
organizations.
• Encourage feedback whenever possible.
• Funding for positions to lessen the burden on staff.
• Improved IT systems for better end results.
• Having a IT mentor would have been helpful.
• Strengthen my social media and marketing software applications skill sets.
• Engage with more community marketing venues to encourage support and commitment
to building a fiscally stronger Family Promise of Greater Nashua.

20. The Overall Experience at Family Promise of Greater Nashua at Anne-Marie House
“It’s all about the families. They come first and foremost. Everything else
is secondary in this operation.” - Pamela Small, Executive Director
Interning for an organization (and being a volunteer as I started out originally) has been a heartwarming and enriching
experience. I have accomplished so much in a short time. A term was not long enough for all that I envisioned.
Developing new social media and community outreach programs, organizing and running marketing events, designing
marketing and fundraising collateral has all brought out some of my best talents and skill sets. With more exposure in this
field I know I will excel!
I brought to the table:
• Enthusiasm and passion for the organization and
what it stands for
• Positive can-do attitude
• Creative and innovative marketing ideas
• Community outreach efforts that made a difference
• Donations totaling: $2,175.14!
• Plus: Margaritas benefit $145 raffle/cash &
Noche donation $199. Grand total: $2,519.56!
My future career focus:
• Marketing and Communications focus
• Non-profit or For-profit business with strong corporate
citizenship ties
• Events management
• Fundraising
• Promotion / Brand building