COTS
Coalition on Temporary Shelter
Once a homeless shelter simply supplying beds for people in need, when the CEO started to see the children of those they helped coming in she realized that something needed to change. We were dealing with a systemic issue and until those things were addressed they were just a weigh station for lost soul. So they made a change. They took a risk and started to address the needs of families exclusively, implementing new techniques for counseling, outreach, engagement, mentoring, and support.
Challenge
An organization like COTS simply does the work. They don’t brag about their stories or celebrate every little victory. They simply do. Also, the topic of homelessness is difficult. It often requires education for the community and those who have been affected. Over the span of time working with COTS, we wanted to create a story that wasn’t rooted in sadness, but instead gave a face to homeless that we could empathize with instead of pity.
What We Did
Branding
Copy
Interview Series
Fundraising Video
Community Engagement
Original Portrait
Poetry
Podcast
Graphic Design
Web Design
Solution
We created a campaign called “The Art of Family.” COTS had created a methodology focused on housing, emotional support, and family strategies that really any of us could use in our daily lives. From that understanding, we interviewed families, built a brand and engaged local artists to tell stories across mediums. We have also created a podcast so that the charismatic leader of COTS can interview prominent people with COTS families and share the wisdom gained from loss and victory. Our work with COTS is ongoing and our focus will continue to be to remove the stigma and show families in the most positive light.