SAMPLE NAME CHANGE NEWS RELEASE (print on your CAA's letterhead) NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: [date release is issued] MEDIA CONTACT: [CAA media contact's name, phone number, and email]
NEW NAME, SAME GREAT SERVICE [CAA] undergoes name change; joins national campaign to raise visibility and awareness of America’s poverty fighting network [city, state] – [CAA] will change its name to [new CAA name] as a part of an ongoing national initiative to highlight anti-poverty efforts underway at Community Action Partnerships across the country. The initiative, spearheaded by the national office of the Community Action Partnership, is designed to increase awareness of Community Action—America's poverty fighting network. The Community Action Partnership, the national association representing the 1,000member Community Action Agency network that helps 13 million low-income Americans change their lives each year, kicked off the awareness campaign more than four years ago to engage the public in the nation's fight against poverty. The campaign included the introduction of a new Community Action logo featuring arms embracing a heart and the words, "Helping People. Changing Lives" and a new association name, ―Community Action Partnership‖ that categorizes Community Action Agencies as "partners" in this effort. Prior to the campaign, the national logo for Community Action was a pinwheel and the Community Action Partnership was known as the National Association of Community Action Agencies. "For far too long, Community Action has been America's best kept secret," said Tim Donnellan, Board Chair of the Community Action Partnership and Executive Director of the Community Action Partnership of the Greater Dayton Area in Dayton, Ohio. " But as [CAA] and other CAAs across the country introduce and continue using the new name and logo on their offices, websites, stationary, and brochures, the public will begin to recognize these local agencies as being part of one national network—America’s poverty fighting network." "This awareness campaign underscores our dedication to ending poverty and making [city] a better place to live," said [CAA executive director's full name and title]. "Many people familiar with [CAA] don't realize we are part of America’s poverty fighting network, so this effort allows us to express the common commitment we share with other Community Action Agencies to help people and change lives.‖ [He/she] added, ―It will also show [city] residents that poverty is bigger than our city, it’s an epidemic that is affecting America and we all need to support efforts to end it.‖ While [CAA] will have a new name, it will still offer the same high level of service, programs, and commitment it has been known for since [year]. ―We are changing our name to better describe what we do and to visually connect us to a national network,‖ said [CAA executive
director’s last name]. ―We will continue offering [city] residents a comprehensive array of programs to help them turn hope into reality.‖ [Two-three sentences about the CAA]. Based in Washington, DC, the Community Action Partnership is the national association representing the interests of the 1,000 Community Action Agencies (CAAs) across the country that are helping low-income people change their lives and embody the spirit of hope. CAAs care about the entire community and are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other. For more information about the Partnership and CAAs, visit the association's website at www.communityactionpartnership.com. ###