New England Center for Children

The New England Center for Children (NECC) is a pivotal place in my family's life. My oldest brother, Dillon, has low-functioning autism, and faced significant challenges during his teenage years, including episodes of intense violence that my parents struggled to manage. This led to him moving to NECC, an institution dedicated to supporting individuals with autism. NECC has been an incredible place in Dillon's life, offering him continuous support and guidance. Wanting to give back to NECC and learn more about them, I did an internship with them last year.

Matching Gift Companies Research:

During my internship, it was brought to my attention that matching gift programs are underutilized among NECC donors. Many contributors, employed by companies that offer gift-matching opportunities, were not taking advantage of these programs. I was asked to research companies in the Boston, Massachusetts area that match donations and craft an email to inform donors of this opportunity to amplify their impact.

My Task

Check Out my First Draft

In my first draft, I was able to lay out basic information and get my thoughts on paper. This was a very simplistic draft, just greeting donors and introducing the idea of the matching gifts program.

Check Out my Final Draft

In my second draft, I was able to refine my approach to tug at the heartstrings of donors, elaborating on how their increased contributions could bring joy to the lives of disabled children. This strategic appeal to employ pathos, a rhetoric device I learned in AT Lang, significantly boosted the engagement of my audience and their willingness to participate in the matching gift program, demonstrating the power of well-crafted communication and the use of rhetorical devices to make a meaningful connection with an audience.

Strengths

The letter communicates the importance of matching gifts and motivates donors to recognize the substantial impact they can have. By strategically employing pathos, I was able to evoke emotions from donors and encourae them to take action, highlighting how their generosity can bring joy and smiles to the faces of the disabled students. This emotional appeal makes the letter impactful and encourages donors to participate in matching gift programs.

Weaknesses

If I had been aware at the time, I could have enhanced this letter by including specific examples of how matched funds have been used in the past at NECC. This would have given donors a clearer image of the direct impact their donations could have, ultimately encouraging them even more to recognize if their company matches gifts.