Little City Honored Among ‘Best of the Best’ in Midwest for Community Relations and Improving Quality of Life in Society of children and adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.

With a modest budget, a noble mission and aggressive ambition, Little City last year rolled out a strategic integrated communications awareness campaign to educate and enlighten thousands of Chicagoans on the prevalence of autism and other disabilities. Early this month, the non-profit organization received two of the industry’s most prestigious accolades for the effectiveness of its efforts.

Little City’s awareness campaign developed in response to dwindling state budgets that placed individuals with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), their families, and their communities in Illinois at great risk. It also evolved to combat the stigma associated with autism and the need to enlighten members of the greater Chicago community on the prevalence of disabilities in Illinois and throughout the country.

“At Little City, we not only provide the very best of services to hundreds of children and adults with disabilities, but we serve as a resource for the state community; we advocate and we educate,” commented Executive Director Shawn E. Jeffers. “Our marketing and communications team believed that an autism awareness campaign was one of the best ways to help mark our Golden Anniversary year in a way that would benefit all individuals with disabilities, and we agreed.”

The PCC serves as the premier communications industry association in Chicago, and hosted its 52nd annual Golden Trumpet Awards where it presented Little City with its esteemed “Edwin J. Shaughnessy Quality of Life Award” recognizing the year’s foremost contribution to improving quality of life in society through public relations—one of the coveted top four honors selected from winners spanning 22 categories.

“The statistics regarding autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities both on a national level and state level are alarming,” stated Director of Communications & Marketing Lisa Hoffmann. “Though there is support to search for a cure for autism, we wanted people to realize that there are individuals with pervasive needs who need support today, and Little City stands devoted to them through everyday service and leading-edge advancement in the field of disability care.”

“We had three major objectives for the campaign,” added Director of Strategic Market Engagement Dana Rice. “Educate the greater Chicago community on the prevalence of autism and other IDD, enlighten thousands by portraying individuals with autism in a positive light, and serve individuals with autism and their families by providing resources as well as encouraging support and inclusion within their neighboring communities.”

The autism awareness integrated communications campaign included “Little City TV: The Only Live Autism Awareness Show in Chicago,” web and social media promotion, media relations, direct marketing, television placement, outdoor media placement and print placement over the course of three months.

“The creative we developed focused on bright, smiling faces of children with simple, easy-to-read fonts and minimal copy on a clean, white background. The visual communications of many non-profits today often ‘victimize’ those they serve in order to grab attention,” commented Graphic Designer Tina Maraccini. “It was paramount to us to position our children and adults as they should be: happy and empowered.”

The campaign resulted in millions of impressions, thousands of web site visits, and hundreds of inquiries to Little City.

Little City’s autism awareness integrated communications campaign also received the PCC’s 2011 Golden Trumpet Award for community relations, which gives tribute to “communications programs seeking to serve, educate, enlighten or influence a specific community or communities.”

“Chicago is an incredible, national hub for the field of PR and communications, and to be spotlighted among this company of fellow practitioners is so humbling,” concluded Hoffmann. “I have no doubt in my mind that the mission of Little City, and the smiles and eyes of the children and adults we serve, drove us to do our absolute best for them…there’s nothing else I’d rather support…there are fewer things more worthy of attention.”

To support the children and adults of Little City, visit www.littlecity.org/support.

To view the segments of Little City TV, visit Little City’s YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/user/lcfmedia2009 or www.lilttlecity.org/autism.

To learn more about Little City on Facebook, visit: www.facebook.com/LittleCityFoundation.

For complete information about Little City, visit www.littlecity.org or contact Lisa Hoffmann at lhoffmann@littlecity.org or 847-221-7825.

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About Little City Foundation
For more than 50 years, Little City Foundation has developed innovative and personalized programs to fully assist and empower children and adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. With a commitment to attaining a greater quality of life for Illinois’ most vulnerable citizens, Little City actively promotes choice, person-centered planning and a holistic approach to health and wellness. Little City’s ChildBridge services include in-home personal and family supports, clinical and behavior intervention, 24/7 residential services and special needs foster care and adoption. Little City’s LifePath Adult Services offers a variety of residential options, employment opportunities, home-based services, case management, day supports, Special Olympics, an award-winning Center for the Arts and more. The organization has a 56-acre campus in Palatine and offices in Chicago. Visit www.littlecity.org.