United Way of Pierce County

Creating Possibilities Together

As workplace giving declined, United Way of Pierce County faced a dual challenge: reinvigorate donor support and deepen public understanding of its mission. With their centennial approaching — an opportunity for the first major fundraising campaign in a decade — United Way turned to JayRay to help reframe their role, clarify their impact and give the community new ways to engage.

The Ripple Effect

We developed a donor-focused communications campaign that articulated United Way’s ambition to address povertyat its core, one family at a time. Messaging balanced hopeful storytelling with clear data, reinforcing United Way’s role as astrategic force, not simply a pass-through for funds. The campaign included a flexible suite of materials — case brochure, folder, pledge forms, inserts and thank-you card designed to be customized based on donor interests while maintaining a consistent, compelling narrative.

Putting Down Roots

To extend fundraising efforts beyond print and into the community, we translated United Way’s core message into a physical, interactive installation: a transportable tree representing their mission to tackle poverty at its roots. Each leaf shared a local statistic and featured a trackable QR code, encouraging learning and action. Debuting at the Washington State Fair, the tree invited conversation and participation. One-third of the leaves included enamel pins reading “I believe in you, South Sound,” giving supporters a tangible symbol to wearand share.

Results: Expanding Impact

Together, the donor campaign and experiential display helped United Way communicate both urgency and impact. The campaign raised close to $4 million in 2021, while the tree provided a high-engagement tool that outperformed a traditional booth and was reusable across several years’ worth of events. United Way gained a stronger platform for awareness, conversation and donor connection — one built to grow with them.