Looking for PR

Posted by Gabe on September 9, 2009 under Kids are Heroes | 4 Comments to Read

Ever since I joined Twitter in late December of 2008 my primary goal has been to tell as many people about Kids Are Heroes as I can.  It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but at least we will discover the ones whose tea it is, I thought.  I never imagined what else would come of it when I started.  That is that I would meet real people and have real relationships via this silly “tweeting” platform.  I honestly feel we have a group of cheerleaders that are helping our cause along the way, sending us kids who have done wonderful things, freely giving advice, blogging, retweeting, etc.  The other night was fun when we took our family downtown with two Bernese Mountain dogs in tow when Catherine (@cdigennaro) recognized us, and stopped to say hello. 

In the beginning I also had no idea to what extent social networking would help our cause.  We have so far had many people that have written about us and even have taught about us because of our interactions.  We had a major coup by being featured first on Richard Branson’s premiere episode of PitchTV.   This was all directly due to our involvement with social media, especially Twitter.  Still I feel that we can do better.  There are many other people out there with more writing talent than I, with more critical connections than I when it comes to public relations.  Our goal since the onset has been to make Kids Are Heroes a globally recognized organization and also make it my life’s work.  I have never been one to sit by the phone and wait for things to happen.  So that is why we are looking for a special PR person or agency to help take us to the next level.  We would love to be featured on shows like the Today Show, GMA, (what was her name again? O yeah) Oprah and be written up in major print media across the country.  I also think we deserve it – not because of me or even my daughter MaryMargaret’s involvement alone - it is because of all the kids we feature on our web site.  They collectively bring the power to what we represent.  Each and every one of them are doing amazing things to help others.  They are going to replace us in society as they grow older and I am so hopeful that things can only improve when that happens.  If people take a moment to learn what I know about what these kids are doing, they will share the warmth and enthusiasm I hold with me every single day.

Kids Are Heroes is not a money-making venture – not even a money-breaking-even venture.  So far we have not taken a dime from anyone and I suspect it will remain that way for a while.  Neither MaryMargaret or I are independently wealthy either, so that is why we are primarily looking for talented people that will assist us pro bono.  If you have a blog site and you feel it appropriate, please write about us – we will add you to our press box. (Get KAH logo here.)  If you work for a newspaper or magazine consider a story.  There are plenty to choose from and we may even have a hero or two in your area. If you have the connections to major media outlets, please consider helping us.  Reading about or seeing kids who do amazing things for others sure beats looking at victims of whatever heinous transgression or accident that may be today’s feature on the front page.  Anytime. Period.

Now is a great time to talk about Kids Are Heroes because of Kids Are Heroes Day which is scheduled for Saturday, October 24th in Frederick, MD.  (See the press release for Kids Are Heroes Day.) All the kids from the web site are invited to participate so that they can raise awareness about what they are doing and be recognized as well.  So far three heroes from out of state are scheduled to come, one as far away as San Diego, CA!  Others are raising funds so that they can join their spiritual friends in Frederick.  If last year’s event is any indication, this promises to be an extremely heartwarming event.  My sister Maureen came from Canada last year to witness it and she used one word to describe her feelings when the kids were on stage: “verklempt“.

Some people have told me that we do not need a PR person, that we are doing fine on our own.  My thinking is that I will continue to spread the word as best as I can, but the more people that do it the merrier.  If you think you would like to help us, I thank you in advance.  Please contact me directly if interested, and I will supply whatever materials needed.  Thank you! :)