Hope, Compassion, Kindness; A language everyone can understand
Hope. Last summer, the Salvation Army of Fond du Lac County had hit a pothole. The vehicles they relied on to collect and deliver donations were aging. The trucks were in use almost daily, but they’d become a safety hazard for the staff and volunteers. For the Salvation Army’s mission to move forward, they needed to be replaced – and soon.
Kathy Leifer, Sr. Key Account Manager at Alliant Energy in Fond du Lac got the message that Salvation Army was in need. Kathy knew Alliant Energy’s company values of Safety and Making things better. “I think we can help,” she said.
Compassion. Kathy connected the Salvation Army with Adam Erdmann, Sr. Community Affairs Program Manager at Alliant Energy. They told him how the trucks were on the road six days a week, collecting donated food, clothes and furniture. “As I heard how critical this delivery vehicle was to the Salvation Army’s mission, I knew we needed to do something,” said Adam. “This truck collects donations. But it’s much more than a dresser, a suit or a bag of groceries. The Salvation Army takes it and makes a house a home. They give families new hope and stability for a better tomorrow.” The Salvation Army was a perfect partner in Alliant Energy’s mission to build stronger communities. We committed to giving them a gift to help buy that new truck.
Kindness. With the keys in hand, we began to think how we could share the message of our partnership and dedication with the Fond du Lac community. We brought in Mark Jacobson, Sr. Graphic Arts Designer, and McKenzie Raduns, Marketing Strategy Consultant, to create a design to print on the sides of the truck. More than branding or a logo, the design needed to capture the meaning of the Alliant Energy – Salvation Army partnership. It didn’t take long for the design concept to emerge – two hands, making the shape of the Salvation Army shield and a message of Hope, Compassion and Kindness.
But something was missing. We wanted the message to reflect the entire community – regardless of the color of their skin or the language they speak. The Salvation Army doesn’t turn anyone away. And as we strive to be a more welcoming and inclusive company at Alliant Energy, we wanted that message to be clear to the people of Fond du Lac County. We updated the design to include those same words – Hope, Compassion, Kindness, among other uplifting messages – in Spanish and Hmong.
Connie Millard from the Salvation Army said it best. “I hope when people see this truck on the road, it makes them smile.” Connie, we feel the same way.