Lessons in nonprofit communications from World Central Kitchen
If you want your supporters to know why your work matters, tell them. That’s what World Central Kitchen (WCK) does. WCK isn’t the only organization dedicated to feeding people in times of crisis. They stand out because they do an incredible job of telling their story.
Yes, WCK was founded by chef José Andrés and most organizations don’t have anyone like him on their team. What they do have is the quality of their work and their unique story. A lot of organizations are great at what they do. Where they struggle is communicating why their work matters. That’s one of the many reasons a clear mission is essential. WCK’s mission and vision can be summed up in this statement by chef Andrés: “I hope you’ll dream with us as we envision a world where there is always a hot meal, an encouraging word, and a helping hand in hard times. Thank you for taking this journey with us.” Good, effective storytelling and overall organizational communications flow from mission clarity.
WCK’s social media channels feature compelling stories about real people. The emphasis is on community, connection, and hope. Whether the focus is on someone receiving food or serving food, every story demonstrates the importance of WCK’s work. There is no question about why the organization does what it does. Every post also carries an implied central message and call to action- people are hungry and in need of a hot meal right now, we’re feeding them, and you can help. This simple and effective message follows a basic message development structure:
State the problem– People are hungry and in need of a hot meal right now.
Describe your solution– We’re feeding them.
Make a call to action– You can help by (fill in the blank).
Check out these examples of this powerful strategy in action.
If you want your supporters to know why your work matters, start by telling them. Use these lessons inspired by WCK to get started-
- Develop a clear central message that can be used implicitly or explicitly in all of your communications.
- Focus your storytelling on the people at the center of your mission.
- Tell people why you do what you do in the simplest terms.
- Lead with your values.
- Simplify your organization’s mission statement. If formally amending or updating the mission statement isn’t an option, use the distilled essence of the mission to guide your communications.
DP Cogan Consulting 