SNACpack Program Gets Creative Boost From Fingerpaint Interns

PRESS RELEASE 9/8/16

Left to Right: Paige McCarthy, SNACpack volunteer, Karey Trimmings, SNACpack Creator, Creative Intern Rachel Benoit, Intern Peter Gryga (Project Manager) and Intern Daria Orehkov (Account Service). Not pictured: Nick Mitzen.

Left to Right: Paige McCarthy, SNACpack volunteer, Karey Trimmings, SNACpack Creator, Creative Intern Rachel Benoit, Intern Peter Gryga (Project Manager) and Intern Daria Orehkov (Account Service). Not pictured: Nick Mitzen.

Contact: Karey Trimmings, SNACpack Creator Phone: 518.598.4945 karey_trimmings@yahoo.com

Fingerpaint
Bo Goliber, Community Relations 518.879.9241 bgoliber@fingerpaintmarketing.com

September 7, 2016 For Immediate Release

SNACpack Program Gets Creative Boost From Fingerpaint Interns

As the school year kicks back in to high gear, a local community program that has been empowering kids in the Saratoga Springs School District for nearly two years is coming back with a new look, a strong brand and an enhanced mission.

Thanks to a summer partnership with local marketing firm Fingerpaint and some talented interns, a program called SNACpack—Saratoga Nutrition Assistance for Children—is bringing a new awareness and approach to tackling the problem of childhood hunger in the Saratoga Springs City School District.

SNACpack was inspired in 2015 by a student named Richard, who was inaccurately deemed learning disabled because of his struggles in school. Upon further investigation by a caring parent, it was discovered that Richard was just malnourished—a problem that SNACpack creator Karey Trimmings realized wasn’t isolated to just Richard in the Saratoga Springs community. With the knowledge that hundreds of students don’t have enough food to sustain them over the weekend or during vacations from school, the SNACpack program was created.

Packed by volunteers and stocked solely by donations, over 100 backpacks of nutritious, non- perishable food for kids of all ages in the school district go home each weekend in order to sustain the children during a time when they might otherwise go hungry.

SNACpack coordinators reached out to Fingerpaint prior to the summer, hoping for some help creating a logo and consistent brand in an effort to raise awareness and funds to sustain the program. Because Fingerpaint has a strong philanthropic presence, especially surrounding issues of children and hunger, the company saw an opportunity to help its interns gain invaluable experience and help the community.

Bo Goliber, who oversees community relations and the intern program at Fingerpaint, said, “We usually don’t have creative capacity to take on pro bono projects like this one, but knowing that we had interns who could meet SNACpack’s need, I thought it could be a win- win. They learned a lot, both about their field and the needs in our area.”

What makes SNACpack different from a typical food pantry or some of the other successful programs that combat hunger in the area is the direct access to the kids in a discreet way that creates a feeling of empowerment and provides a consistent lifeline through caring connections.

SNACpack creator Karey Trimmings said, “We’re not trying to compete with any of the other programs in our community, but rather supplement them by giving the kids themselves direct access to the service every weekend, helping them to feel empowered and connected. Plus, because we do it so discreetly, they’ve learned to trust people and know we’re all here to help them.”

Fingerpaint’s four Saratoga interns said they found the community project rewarding and informative, allowing them a chance to meet directly with the client and follow the project through the Fingerpaint Process, all the way to delivering the new logo and brand canvas at the end. Goliber says the process worked so well, tackling a community project each summer will now be part of the intern experience at Fingerpaint.

“It ties in perfectly with our core values as a company and gives the interns a real-world client with tangible deliverables. We’re so happy to have helped,” said Goliber.

SNACpack will pack their first bags of the new school year on Thursday, September 15.

Trimmings said, “We’re really excited to roll out the new branding and logo so people know what an impact we’re making. The more the community knows about us, the more bags we can send home.”

For more information, visit https://snacpackprogram.org

MEDIA ADVISORY

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
LOCATION: St. Clement’s Church, Parish Center TIME: 4 p.m.

SNACpack volunteers will be packing backpacks. Richard (the boy behind the creation of the program) will be available for interviews, as well as program creators and volunteers.

At Fingerpaint (395 Broadway), Bo Goliber will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on September 15 if you should need a sound byte regarding the intern project. B-roll can be shot inside the company, as well as creative visuals of the work done by the interns.

Photo Attached
Left to Right: Paige McCarthy, SNACpack volunteer, Karey Trimmings, SNACpack Creator, Creative Intern Rachel Benoit, Intern Peter Gryga (Project Manager) and Intern Daria Orehkov (Account Service). Not pictured: Nick Mitzen.

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