Talking Back

Does your organization have a successful relationship with a
corporate partner? How did it come about?
— FS Advisor, May 23, 2006

The ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter and Corporate Synergies began a relationship over a year ago that started as a sponsorship of several chapter events. Corporate Synergies decided we wanted to make a greater contribution and developed a partnership with the chapter by
creating the SaVes4ALS program.

Since ALS is better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, the program was designed using baseball’s “save of the game” statistic. Beginning with the 2006 regular baseball season, each save recorded by the Philadelphia Phillies pitching staff earns donations from sponsors according to various pledge levels: “The Closer” at $100 a save, “The Set Up” at $75 a save and “The Starter” at $50 a save.

The program’s goal is to raise $100,000 from local companies using our local baseball team to support the needs of local patients.

Even the program’s name — “SaVes4ALS” — incorporates the cause for marketing purposes, since saves in baseball are recorded as “SV” and No. 4 was Lou Gehrig’s retired jersey number.

When a company decides to partner with an organization, it’s not implying that it doesn’t see other causes as equally important. Rather, it’s saying that its leadership feels it can make the most meaningful impact through a partnership with a particular organization. To create a working partnership, the fit must be right. Points to consider:

1) Partner with a charity that your company’s service or product is of value to. As healthcare consultants, we assist patients and their families in navigating through the healthcare insurance system, and the ALS Association provides much-needed resources that otherwise would not be available. Together, our organizations have a tremendous impact on helping local patients and their families ease the financial burden in finding and
supporting services such as equipment costs, in-home caregiver visits and various programs not covered by insurance.