Tracy Caruso Archives - Spradling Group

Posts Tagged ‘Tracy Caruso’

Whatever You Need

Working in Public and Media Relations means you help your client with whatever they need. Sometimes those needs include being in front of the camera. Not long ago, I participated in three projects slightly different than a typical work day.

For a number of years I have helped the NH Fire Standards and Training with their E-Learning videos and recently helped with an update video on new protocols.

Covide-19 has forced many to reinvent the way they conduct business, raise funds or gather socially. The amazing non-profit group Girls at Work is no different. Fundraising is a lifeline to any non-profit and this Manchester, NH based organization knew they couldn’t skip this year’s annual fundraiser. It was my fifth year emceeing the Diva Comedy Night, but this year it was done virtually.

Covid-19 has also affected our broadcasters. As Executive Director of the New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters I have watched our dedicated local radio and tv stations work day and night to continue sharing important and sometimes life saving information to our communities during this pandemic. They’ve worked tirelessly. Each year, we host the Granite Mike Awards to celebrate all of the broadcaster’s hard work but this year, we had to do it differently to keep everyone safe.

Here are a few clips of those recent productions:

SMALL DELIVERY/BIG IMPACT

Well Sense NH joined the growing list of generous donors with the delivery of 500 cloth masks, 500 individual hand sanitizers and hundreds of gloves for use by students and teachers and staff at any of Manchester Schools this fall.

The fabric adjustable masks are some of the most “in demand” PPEs because of their durability and safe reusability. The items Will be our to quick use as students prepare to return to schools at some point in the coming weeks and months.

Districts like Manchester are all hard at work finalizing and adjusting plans for a safe return to classrooms as the nation awaits a vaccine to curb the health threat of COVID-19.

“Companies like Well Sense giving us these donations make a big difference,” says John Goldhardt, Manchester School District Superintendent. “To have that additional protection makes everyone safer and we really appreciate it. Once our schools enter into hybrid class schedules, we will distribute masks to students and staff. In addition, all of our classes will need access to hand sanitizer. Along with our proper protocols, this donation is very helpful as we prepare to welcome students back in the coming months.”

This is the first of an ongoing series of donations of PPE supplies Well Sense NH is making around the state.

“We know families and educators are anxious so we hope to alleviate some of that concern,” explains Caitlin Howard, Well Sense NH. “We are just happy to help.”

PHOTO- L-R Jennifer Gillis, Asst. Superintendent of Operations, Dr. John Goldhardt, Superintendent of Schools, Caitlin Howard, Well Sense Health Plan, NH.

REFLECTIONS OF HELPING THOSE IN NEED

How we treat those in need among us is a reflection of our community values. In the last few months, the herculean efforts of Families In Transition – New Horizons has been nothing short of inspiring. As a client, I have witnessed first hand the work being done to serve the homeless community and various participants and clients under the care of FIT-NH.

Health protocols in place for every day operations weren’t even on the extreme edge of consideration just a few months ago. Everything this non-profit does is being developed from scratch, EXCEPT for the daily dose of compassionate care the women and men of this agency deliver to clients.

It takes a unique sort to work in the world of non-profits. Ingredients include but are not limited to an enormous heart, boundless energy, a desire to help others and give back, a sensitivity to the plight and struggle of fellow families, and often, a personal story of challenge or setback that fuels the motivations to help others.

In just a few short weeks, FIT-NH has opened multiple facilities to promote social distancing, created a food delivery program seven days a week, adjusted protocols for safe interaction for staff and still found time to raise resources through annual events such as the FIT-NH Walk Against Hunger.

At some point, the crisis management will settle into a new normal of operations. Things will be different. Rules and protocols will have to change, but the spirit of outreach of organizations like FIT-NH should give us all optimism about our future.

Proud New Partners

We are always happy to help. That’s why the Spradling Group was created in the first place.

We are very excited to announce we’ve signed on as partners with three new clients!

NH Institute of Art – Something exciting is always happening at the NHIA and we are very excited to lend a helping hand in reminding everyone about the great things this amazing institute is doing!

Families in Transition – A non-profit organization helping homeless families in the greater Manchester area and throughout the state. We will proudly assist them to spread the word about all the good this organization is doing.

Riverwood’s Retirement Community – We are honored the folks at Riverwood’s have asked us to join their team! We are happy to assist in their efforts to spread the word about this amazing community in Exeter.

The Spradling Group was recommended to these three clients by others in the community. We are incredibly proud to know people in the business world think enough of us and our work, to recommend the Spradling Group to others.

We guarantee you’ll be hearing, reading and learning a lot about the NHIA, FiT and Riverwoods in the near future!

In the meantime, think Spring!

Scott and Tracy

What do you do?

Ever wonder exactly what we do for our clients? We get that question frequently and understand that “public relations” can be a pretty vague concept.

Here is a recent example of a successful project:

A few weeks ago, we received a phone call from the superintendent of the Londonderry school district. He expressed frustration that the federal government was going to reclassify his high school cafeteria kitchen as a “food processing plant”, mainly because they had opted out of the national school lunch program.

This was, by all descriptions, a food fight. With their data, we built a message together that explained what was happening, why it was happening, and the consequences in terms of costs to the district if this change was allowed to be made by the federal government.

With a summary in hand, we reached out to local media and the story was picked up by reporters. Not only did the media cover the school board meetings which discussed the problem, but it triggered an editorial in support of the school district, arguing the federal government had no right to punish a school for opting out of the school lunch program.

We also helped craft a letter to the congressional delegation on behalf of Londonderry, to ask for their help for a waiver. Within two weeks the waiver was received and the school could go back to preparing lunches the way they were before without the threat of being classified as a food processing plant.

Using our contacts in politics and in the media, we were able to step in and play a small role in helping the school district rectify a potentially expensive problem.

That’s what we do.

Scott & Tracy

Click on the links below to see some of the press coverage:

NH1 story

WMUR story

Union Leader article