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Imagine moving throughout childhood, facing changing living conditions, different parental figures and enrolling in different schools. This unstable lifestyle is the norm for many foster children.
Two creative advertising classes at Missouri State University were so moved by stories of transient Laclede County foster children that they found a way to help.
They established Project Movement and raised more than $13,000 in a four-week span in November and December.
“Hearing the stories about the issues in Laclede County was an eye-opening experience,” said Alan Schieber, senior marketing major from Conception. “It’s not every day that a class project can make an impact, and we’re really grateful to have had this opportunity.”
The classes were split into nine teams, sharing a logo and social media channels for cohesiveness in the campaign, but the teams competed to design strategic marketing plans to raise awareness about foster care needs and funds.
The funds raised will help purchase duffel bags for foster children and to host a holiday party for all Laclede County foster families.
“People didn’t know about the foster care need in Laclede County,” said Shea Sullivan, senior marketing major from Nixa. “So everything we were doing was starting from scratch.”
Melissa Burnett, an MSU professor of marketing, brought the problem to the attention of students.
Burnett has partnered with Mercy-Lebanon the past few years for the creative advertising class that she teaches each fall.
For Project Movement, Mercy-Lebanon played a key role in expressing needs and passing along funds to the Children’s Division.
Trevor Collins, a senior marketing major from Clarence, said students held events in the Springfield and Lebanon communities during the four weeks of the project — including a 5K run, restaurant fundraisers and a Tweet-a-thon — and partnered with more than 100 local businesses.
“One of the groups partnered with was the Uncivil War Mixed Martial Arts at the Shrine Mosque, which may now become a long-term partnership,” said Schieber.
“It’s very cool that the students set that up and there will be money generated for the county annually. One of the fighters was a foster kid, and when he found out about the cause, he loved it.”
Story by Nicki Donnelson, an MSU public relations specialist in University Communications
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