The Work

International Greek Food Festival

Twenty-five years ago, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Little Rock hosted a pastry sale to raise money for a local charity. That unassuming church fundraiser has grown into a three-day festival that has raised half a million dollars for more than 20 central Arkansas charities over the years. Each year, the church identifies several local nonprofit organizations to receive a portion of the festival’s proceeds. Unfortunately, many festival goers are unaware of the festival’s strong support for and charitable contributions to central Arkansas charities. Mangan Holcomb Partners was charged with raising awareness that the International Greek Food Festival is “more than just a food event,” as well as highlighting the festival’s milestone 25th anniversary.

Mangan Holcomb Partners believed that the 25th anniversary offered a unique opportunity to celebrate the festival’s generosity to central Arkansas. For the previous 24 years, the festival’s food, though mouth-watering and delicious, had been the focal point of festival media relations. The agency advocated and church leadership embraced the idea that all festival communications, advertising, printed material, talking points, even the T-shirts should address the festival’s charitable giving to central Arkansas organizations. To help tell the story of the festival’s 25 years of giving to the community, the agency recommended that representatives from the benefiting organizations become spokespersons for the festival, alongside festival volunteers. Charity representatives discussed how funds from the festival would be used, further highlighting the International Greek Food Festival’s impact on the community.

• Total news coverage (both pre-event and weekend of) resulted in 2.2 million impressions, including four TV stations, eight print publications, four radio stations and 11 online news outlets
  
• Most importantly, donated monies to the seven benefiting charities exceeded the previous year by 20%
  

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