YWCA RICHMOND

Developing a communications strategy to increase awareness, community partnerships, and strengthen pathways to healing and equity.

Challenge

YWCA Richmond is a partner of EmpowerNet, a regional network of six domestic violence and sexual assault (DVSA) agencies in the Greater Richmond area. The YWCA collaborates to provide comprehensive crisis and recovery services across the region to help survivors find healing and stability, and provide programs that promote racial, social and economic equity for women, girls and their families.

Beginning in late Summer 2024, YWCA Richmond experienced a steep decline in calls to their DVSA support hotline. The organization approached Shannon Strategies to analyze the root causes of the decline in calls and to develop a communications strategy to increase awareness of the resources the YWCA provides.

Our Approach

We began with an immersion phase where we conducted an audit of the YWCA’s communications infrastructure and conducted an audience mapping review. We used those findings to guide our development of the “We’re Here” campaign, a multi-pronged communications tool for owned, earned, and paid media activations.   

  • Lowering barriers to information: language access, accessibility guidance overall 

  • Activating community stakeholders

  • Shifting public perception and media narratives around DVSA through storytelling

  • Supporting existing development goals 

Results

The campaign generated significant media coverage, helping to normalize conversations around domestic violence and raise awareness of available resources:

  • ABC8 News: “Water Crisis Latest: Businesses, nonprofits struggling, fund coming soon” — featured the YWCA as a key voice in community resilience.

  • NBC12: “Central Virginia hotlines seeing increase in domestic violence during holiday season” — highlighted hotline growth and included case worker perspectives.