Salesian Missions Launches First-ever National Awareness Campaign

NEW ROCHELLE, NY, June 17, 2009 — This month marked the launch of Salesian Missions first-ever national awareness campaign. The campaign includes the nonprofit organization's first television commercial and a new campaign website at www.FindYourMission.org.

The "What's your mission?" campaign is the first-ever national awareness campaign for Salesian Missions. The purpose of the campaign is to shed light on the work of Salesian Missions all around the globe, and the 3 million children who have been helped to date in more than 130 countries. This new national campaign also celebrates the more than 5 million Americans who have financially contributed to this work while reaching out to new audiences that will help to further important programs helping children around the globe.

A key element of the campaign is highlighting those who make a difference through generous donations - and empowering the audience to join them. The campaign features "real people" - Salesian Missions staff and others connected to the charity - adding not only a personal touch to the campaign message, but highlighting in a real way those who have already given so much to the organization. The campaign also invites others to join in, asking them to upload "What's your mission?" videos on YouTube with a chance to be featured in the campaign.

"The great work that Salesian Missions does around the globe in more than 130 countries too often goes unnoticed by the public at large," says Father Mark Hyde, SDB, Director of Salesian Missions. "Raising more resources and attracting new donors will depend heavily on getting our message out for people to hear and see."

The campaign has many features, including:

• New logo and campaign slogan
• National television commercial
• New campaign website (FindYourMission.org)
• Internet ads
• "In the Know" news segments on Direct TV
• Online social networking tools such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook
• Public relations campaign
• Cause-marketing partnerships

Salesian Missions has been working with Shoestring Creative Group, its advertising and public relations agency, since August 2008 to get ready for the June 2009 launch of the campaign.

Campaign commercials were filmed on location at the Salesian Missions New Rochelle, NY, headquarters in April 2009, and will run for five weeks beginning June 15. The commercials, already available on the campaign website and YouTube, can be viewed on such stations as A&E, CNN, Discovery and the Travel Channel as well as other national cable stations. The campaign commercials invites viewers to go to the campaign website to answer the question, "What's your mission?"

By using real people to ask the audience "What's your mission?" the call to action is strong and sincere. To answer the call to action, the audience is given the campaign website address: FindYourMission.org. The new campaign website allows site visitors to find their missions through an interactive tool that highlights the work Salesian Missions does in more than 130 countries around the world.

The website reads: "No matter what issue or country around the world tugs at your heart, Salesian Missions supports what you care about most."

To answer the question "What's your mission?" go to FindYourMission.org today.

ABOUT SALESIAN MISSIONS: Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for its international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeople - all dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries, helping young people become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. To date, more than 5 million Americans have contributed financially to this work. For more information, go to www.findyourmission.org