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PCI Earns Top National PR Awards for Helping Save Community Health Care Center

CHICAGO – June 10, 2011

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A crisis management program that rallied a community to help save a Chicago healthcare institution won two Silver Anvil awards – the highest award given in the PR industry – from the Public Relations Society of America last evening during an awards ceremony in New York City.

The program, called the Lifeline Appeal, was created by Public Communications Inc. (PCI) for Howard Brown Health Center (HBHC), one of the nation’s largest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered and Questioning health services agency. A financial crisis required HBHC to raise $500,000 in 50 days or close. Complicating the challenge was damaged community confidence and support after an investigation into fund mismanagement by previous leadership.

In just six days, PCI developed an integrated communications strategy and launched the campaign during a news conference on Nov. 4, 2010. By the Dec. 23 deadline, more than 1,600 donors had contributed an astounding $658,000, creating a real “lifeline” for Howard Brown Health Center that serves more than 36,000 people annually. Today, the campaign has raised more than $750,000 to support HBHC services and programs.

The campaign previously won the top prize of a Gold SABRE in the issues management category in a competition sponsored by The Holmes Report; the Publicity Club of Chicago’s Platinum Award for the year’s best overall public relations program in addition to a Golden Trumpet from the PCC; two Skyline Awards from the Chicago chapter of PRSA; and two national PR News Nonprofit Awards.

“This communications program demonstrates that even against challenging odds, much can be accomplished when we help clients tell their stories using strategic communications. PCI is very proud of our work with Howard Brown Health Center, which is an important community resource to thousands of people,” said PCI President Jill Allread, APR.

Howard Brown President and CEO Jamal M. Edwards credits the Lifeline Appeal campaign with reaching individuals, businesses and funders with the Lifeline Appeal messages and compelling them to give their support.

“We are so pleased to see national recognition for the Lifeline campaign that enabled us to survive a difficult period in our organization’s history in order to rebuild as we are today. Clearly, the community approved of the transparency and candor of our communications, and thankfully, it answered the need so that we can continue our services,” Edwards said. “We are pleased we to have worked with such a talented group of PR professionals, who not only ‘get it’ regarding how to communicate transparently, but also are committed to our community and mission.”

About Public Communications Inc.
A national firm with nearly 50 professionals, PCI has as many clients out-of-state as in, and has a concentration of business in health care, conservation/environment, education, culture/entertainment/sports and “everything Chicago.” PCI is a founding partner of the Worldcom Public Relations Group, the world's leading network of independently owned public relations counseling firms. PCI also is a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Counsel. The firm’s offices are at One E. Wacker Dr. in downtown Chicago. For more information, visit www.pcipr.com.