Turning stats into stories for United Way
United Way relies on workplace giving for 70% of its annual funding, but its donation model had major challenges.
Each of its 500+ partner companies has one volunteer tasked with convincing their coworkers to donate—with no budget and minimal support.
The traditional approach involved intellectual arguments and statistics, which weren’t compelling enough to drive engagement.
Volunteers struggled to make an emotional connection, leading to stagnant donation levels.
My solution
I designed a low-cost, high-impact campaign-in-a-box that workplace volunteers could easily implement, creating an emotional experience rather than a sales pitch. The “Shoes” campaign worked in four key stages.
1. Shoe Drive – Employees donate unused shoes to support Dress for Success (helping low-income women) and Share Your Soles (donating to developing countries).
2. Reinterpretation & Reveal – Shoes are tagged with first-person stories from those in need, placed throughout the office overnight with the slogan: “We’d help you, if you were in their shoes.” Employees arrive to a powerful visual impact, making the United Way donation request far more compelling.
3. Citywide PR Stunt – Thousands of donated shoes are displayed in public spaces, increasing awareness of United Way’s impact.
4. Shoe Donation – The campaign comes full circle, reinforcing the real-world impact of giving.
The result
21% increase in average workplace donations.
Volunteers found it easier to inspire co-workers, reducing the burden of their role.
The campaign scaled easily across multiple offices, creating a repeatable model.
The public PR stunt amplified United Way’s visibility in Chicago.
People don’t donate because of data—they donate because of emotion and experience. By transforming the workplace giving journey into a tangible, visual, and relatable story, I helped unlock more generosity with fewer obstacles.