Find the Silver Lining: Connectivity During Coronavirus

If there’s a silver lining, we’re going to find it. At Mission Minded, Amplify the Good isn’t just our tagline, it’s how we cheer each other, and our clients, on to greatness.

So many of you have inspired us these past few weeks. Our nonprofit, foundation, and independent school clients —guided by your brand values—have doubled down on the importance of connectivity by providing on-point crisis communication to your constituents. You’re stopping at nothing to solidify the bonds that bind your communities together.

Our school clients have invented and seamlessly transitioned to distance learning, and brilliantly seized the moment to emotionally support their families and staff by maintaining the status quo amid such uncertain times. Our nonprofit clients, likewise, have transitioned staff to work remotely, sometimes even shifting short-term priorities to ensure the communities they serve are supported amid Coronavirus – all within the frame of their brand and mission.

Join us in celebrating some of these organizations we’ve been so proud to serve. We’re sharing their exemplary, brand-centered Coronavirus response strategies to inspire you in your own efforts.

San Francisco Day School
San Francisco Day School’s brand promise is to seamlessly intertwine intellect and imagination. This promise comes to life in everything SF Day does from scoping curriculum to planning communications. Here they lean into their brand as a social media theme sharing photos and utilizing hashtags featuring individual students engaged in distance learning.

HERE to HERE
HERE to HERE enhances paths to rewarding careers for youth in the Bronx. Leaning into their brand values, HERE to HERE has pivoted and created new short-term goals to serve their Bronx community amid Coronavirus, using its connections to secure support for Bronx-based schools and CUNY.

Curtis School
Before Coronavirus, Curtis School—a DK-6th grade independent school in Los Angeles—began each day with “flag”—a time when the entire student body, faculty, staff, and parents come together to start the day. Because Curtis prioritizes community time in its weekly schedule, flag is still happening online, with the Head of School (who lives on campus) maintaining the tradition on her “Curtis Head of School” Instagram.

Blue Shield of California Foundation
Blue Shield of California Foundation funds grants that combat social and health inequities, many of which have been exacerbated by the Coronavirus pandemic. The organization leaned into their brand promise to move the health of all Californians “Further Forward.” by connecting these causes in its March grantmaking announcement.

Marin Primary & Middle School
Marin Primary & Middle School’s brand values include “Be Connected.” The school has leaned into this heavily amid distance learning by creating a landing page on their website called “Staying Connected” and giving their school community resources for distance learning and public health information.

Walter & Elise Haas Fund
One of Walter & Elise Haas Fund’s brand values is “Equity requires access and opportunity.” The foundation is bringing these values to the forefront as it has expedited its annual Safety Net grants by a few weeks, doubling down on its commitment to opportunity and access for San Francisco and the Bay Area. Additionally, the fund mobilized to award a dozen rapid response grants to safety net and support organizations—already in their portfolio—that serve vulnerable populations that are at particularly high risk including seniors and school-age children.

San Francisco Village
San Francisco Village has continued to leverage brand-centered themes from a previous campaign Mission Minded created with them, which focused on the idea of “Aging Better Together.” By leveraging neighborhood-based social support and volunteers from all generations, San Francisco Village has created an ecosystem that helps individuals navigate aging and thrive. Their response to Coronavirus has included this, providing resources for staying connected during shelter in place orders, and how younger Millennial volunteers are stepping up and helping their neighbors during this time.

Related content:

–  Learn how your organization can lean into your brand values to navigate Coronavirus response and planning.

– Are you finding remote work to be challenging? Get tips to help set you up for work-from-home success.

– Your long-term strategic priorities will still be important, even after the pandemic passes, leaving you with less time to address them. Learn how you can get ahead of this now.