Julie Hambuchen

The key component that catapults an issue to a level that justifies emergency fundraising efforts for international relief and development organization Mercy Corps is media attention, says Julie Hambuchen, marketing director for the organization. “In the real world out there, there are crises that are ongoing and really dire, but until they get that conjunction of media coverage and become a crisis in the public perception … we don’t really start an emergency campaign,” Hambuchen says. “There are not that many [crises] that really rise to this level of an issue that can really be successful as a true emergency fundraising campaign.” Mercy Corps

Feb. 21, 2006 By Abny Santicola Presenting for a session on "Disaster Fundraising" at last week's DMA Nonprofit Federation 2006 Annual Washington Nonprofit Conference, Julie Hambuchen, marketing director for Portland, Ore.-based international relief and development agency Mercy Corps, outlined the four key lessons her organization learned from the disasters of 2005. Disaster fundraising is part of Mercy Corps' mission, but it also stresses long-term solutions for affected areas. As long-term providers of relief, Mercy Corps knows it must capitalize on the intense initial media coverage given to disasters. In her session, Hambuchen said coverage typically peaks and fades and therefore it is