Apple Tree

THE SITUATION

Back-to-school shopping is an annual ritual for kids everywhere —unless you’re living at The Road Home, Salt Lake City’s homeless shelter. Each year, the shelter needs clothing, shoes and supplies for the growing number of children temporarily residing living there.

THE SOLUTION

We got out our markers, stepped up to the whiteboard and mapped out a community relations campaign called “Apple Tree.” This comprehensive campaign spread awareness of the need for new back-to-school items and a strategy for receiving donations from the Wasatch Front community.

THE WORK

• Created a dedicated Intrepid team to manage the campaign and budget

• Developed media relationships across print, television, radio and digital

• Partnered with retail stores across the greater Salt Lake area to increase donations

• Produced collateral for retail partners to distribute to increase campaign participation

• Developed a strategy for how to receive donations from the public

  — Set up Apple Tree displays at partner stores to grow awareness
  — Encouraged the public to select a printed apple and purchase the needed items
  — Created donation drop-off locations at partner stores
  — Collected and sorted items into individual packages for each child living at The Road Home

• Facilitated a special “back-to-school” delivery event to distribute new clothing and supplies to the children

• Developed online Apple Tree to make giving easyTHE RESULTS

THE RESULTS

• Donated more than 35,000 new back-to-school items since inception

• Provided more than 1,250 children with back-to-school clothing, shoes and underwear

• Garnered more than 125 media stories

• Facilitated Apple Tree campaign for 16 years and counting