Florida Homes Mag Blog

SARASOTA, Florida – September 13, 2010 – Grapevine Communications, Sarasota’s award-winning full-service advertising agency, is celebrating a milestone – reaching the $1 million dollar mark in donated services to fifty-six area non-profit organizations. Since 2002, Grapevine has given over $1 million in advertising, public relations and marketing services.

Angela Massaro-Fain, Grapevine President, says “We consider ourselves fortunate to get to work with so many non-profit groups who have made such a considerable impact on our community. In these tough times, Grapevine feels it is more important than ever to continue supporting these vital organizations. One million dollars is a big number, but the need is big as well. Whether through traditional advertising channels or new technology and social media, our expertise is in creating cost-effective solutions that allow non-profit organizations to spread their message and increase their success.”

Grapevine tailors their services to match each non-profit organization’s unique need; services donated include marketing brochure designs, capital campaign appeals, websites, advertising campaigns, fund-raising event invitations, social media campaigns, as well as press releases and announcements to help area non-profits reach their audience.

Jill Gass is Executive Director of We Care Manatee, a local organization that assists low-income, uninsured residents by finding access to specialty medical services. Gass has worked with Grapevine for several years, and says, “The partnership with Grapevine Communications has been truly invaluable to us. Their generosity has provided our organization with a very professional, polished and modernized look that we ordinarily would never be able to afford.  Without question, the design elements have escalated our image in the community and transformed our events to ‘must attend’ status each year.”

Each year, the non-profit need has become greater and Grapevine’s contribution of services, both donated and discounted, has steadily increased. In what could be called the worst business environment in decades, Grapevine held to their philosophy of giving back; this year, their efforts were recognized when the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce awarded “Small Business of the Year” honor in the same year they reached the $1 million dollar mark in donated services.

Cindy Kaiser, Executive Director of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, states, “We are very excited about our partnership with Grapevine Communications. Not only is Grapevine bringing a higher level of expertise to our marketing efforts, but they are doing so at a greatly reduced cost to us; we are thankful for their generous in-kind support (or pro bono work) and creativity.”

Likewise, Glenda Leonard, Development Director at The Salvation Army in Sarasota, enthuses, “Thanks to Grapevine Communications, The Glitz at the Ritz-Carlton Schoenbaum Humanitarian Award Luncheon, a special event benefiting The Salvation Army – FAITH (Families In Transitional Housing) program, was able to reach one of this event’s highest attendance and revenue levels in 2010. Grapevine’s comprehensive design for everything from a new logo, invitations, business cards and event programs, combined with cost-efficient printing and high-quality production, ultimately translated to more funds being made available to help needy families in Sarasota County.”

John Fain, Co-Owner of Grapevine Communications, adds, “When we initially decided to help non-profit organizations, we started small. Then we realized that more help was needed, and we began reaching out to our own vendors – printers, photographers, TV and radio stations, magazines and newspapers – to see if they, too, were willing to offer their services at free or highly discounted rates.  Fortunately for all of us, most were willing. We could not have achieved this milestone without the generosity of our vendors.”

Fain continues, “We are personally committed to this community. When most other groups had to pull back their support of non-profits, we gave more. Through our pro-bono work and our service on non-profit Board and Committees, Angela and I feel strongly that we helped these organizations survive during lean times. And what we are able to give comes back to us ten-fold in the form of added recognition and business,” says John Fain.  

Photo: Angela Massaro-Fain, President of Grapevine Communications; Dane Gass, Production Supervisor at ABC-7; Jill Gass, Executive Director of We Care Manatee.

Grapevine Communications, a full-service, award-winning Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations firm based in Sarasota and serving clients nationwide, was awarded the 2010 Frank G. Berlin, Sr., “Small Business of The Year” Award by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. For more information on Grapevine Communications, contact Tricia Lewis at 941-351-0024 or email tlewis@grapeinc.com.