Volume II, Issue 5: December 21, 2009

We are less than one month—only 28 days away—from MLK Day 2010! Have you been getting the message out to your community about your projects? Are you looking for tools to use to help spread the word and mobilize your volunteers?

Utilize the MLK Day Radio PSAs to Promote Your Projects

Late last month, the Corporation for National and Community Service released the MLK Day of Service Radio PSAs which feature recordings of Dr. King’s voice and narration by Isaac Newton Farris, Jr., President of the King Center in Atlanta. The PSAs promote the MLK Day of Service and recruit local volunteers to serve on MLK Day of Service and beyond. They were produced in both national and localizable versions.

The PSAs were sent to over 3,000 radio stations with a letter from Isaac Newton Farris encouraging them to play the PSAs from now until MLK Day of Service 2010. Local projects can utilize the MLK Day PSAs to promote your local MLK Day projects and events by reaching out to your local radio station and asking them to play the MLK Day of Service PSAs. An ask from you, a local organization doing work to the strengthen the community, can be very persuasive. You'll find the tools and tips you need to get the PSAs played at www.tvaccessreports.com/mlkday.

The website features:

• A letter to the PSA Director from Isaac Newton Farris asking stations to air the PSAs
  
  
• Tips on how to overcome objections and persuade stations to air the PSAs
  
  
• Tips on how to get the PSAs used in your community
  
  
• A receiving list of radio stations
  
  
• PSA scripts
  
  
• Sample Thank You letter

If your local radio station did not receive the PSAs, you may download them at www.tvaccessreports.com/mlkday/getpsas.asp. Radio stations can help you to localize the PSAs to include information about your local projects.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said "Life’s most urgent and persistent question is: what are you doing for others?" By encouraging radio stations to play the PSAs, you can make sure that more Americans volunteer on MLK Day of Service and beyond and get the word out about the great work you're doing to honor Dr. King's vision.

Radio Stations are also encouraged to participate in a radio road block on January 15th by playing the MLK Day PSA as often as possible on that day along with other radio stations across the country. This is a great opportunity for potential volunteers and partners to learn about your local MLK Day projects and the work that your organization does throughout the year.

Please contact Jackie Aker at jaker@cns.gov or 202-606-6722 with questions about using the MLK Day Radio PSAs.

Utilize Social Networking to Generate Volunteers

Here are 3 top social networking tools you can use to increase volunteer participation in your MLK Day projects, get more media attention for your events, and begin building relationships for your on-going work. 

Start Tweeting. Twitter is a micro blogging network that allows you to make a post of 140 characters of text or less. It can be used for a variety of mini-posts including links to websites, call out for volunteers, and updates about events. In addition, you can perform searches on Twitter and find other like-minded people and organizations such as those interested in volunteering or social change. It's a excellent tool to stay connected.

Twitter can also be used via mobile devices and can provide instantaneous connection to volunteers. http://twitter.com

Create a Nonprofit Facebook Page.  There are more than 350 million active users on Facebook. 50% of those active users log onto Facebook each day. By creating a Facebook Page for your organization, you are able to tap into this large network of passionate users. Each time a supporter "fans" your page, it will post on their "Wall" for all their friends to see.

A Facebook Page can help volunteers become more deeply connected to your mission. They can add themselves as fans, write on your wall, upload photos, and join other fans in discussion groups. You can send updates to your fans regularly, which allows you to stay connected with volunteers throughout the year and keep them informed about other opportunities to serve with your organization. Create a Facebook Page

Write a blog.  A blog, which is relatively easy to update, can be used to recruit new volunteers, update your members, and inspire and motivate others to take action. You can feature projects, share new ideas and write about volunteers that are making a difference. In addition, it’s an excellent tool to hear feedback from volunteers or potential volunteers. 

Learn more on Social Networking

Finally, don't forget to pull it all together! It’s important when building your outreach approach, that you tie everything together by linking your tools. For example, on your website, include a link to your blog, Facebook, or Twitter pages. Have each of your tools link to each other to maximize the communication effect. 

You will also want to cross-reference tools by mentioning Twitter in a blog post, or vise versa. Make sure your links are clickable.   

MLK e-Reporters Wanted

For MLK Day (January 18, 2010), we are looking for 25 e-Reporters and 25 e-Photo Journalists to submit up to the minute information on MLK Day projects around the country. 

Using your own mobile phone, you would send hourly text messages (Tweets) or photographs with captions about the accomplishments of your MLK Day project.  You must be willing to send a minimum of 5 Tweets or 5 Photos.  

To participate, you will need to have a mobile telephone with the ability to send text messages (e-Reporter) or take and email photographs (e-Photographer).

Click here for more information or contact Stephanie Grocott at Grocott@CampaignConsultation.com or by calling 410-243-7979, ext. 36. 

The deadline to apply is January 11th.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. "

— Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Join our online Ning network: www.MLKDayOnline.org
Connect with others working on similar projects and with potential partners in your city or state. Post your questions, and let your peers and experts answer them for you.

Follow MLK Day on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MLKDay
Tweet your goals, inspiration, ideas to @MLKDay. Include the hashtag #MLKDay in all your tweets associated with MLK Day projects and volunteers.

Become a fan of MLK Day's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MLKDay
Share your success stories, and inspire others. In addition, stay up-to-date with the latest MLK Day news and updates.

Connect to MLK Day's Flickr Page: www.flickr.com/photos/MLKDay
Capture volunteers in action. Share your photos and include the tag #MLKDay.

Webshop: Getting Media for Your MLK Day Event

Here is the schedule for last remaining MLK Day webshop -- an interactive web-based workshop that will help you organize, plan, and create great MLK Day projects.

You won't want to miss this!

Click link to register.