As economy sours, nonprofits hit the airwaves

By Bryan McKenzie

Published: August 10, 2008

When the milk of human kindness is curdled by a sour economy, nonprofits must scramble to get their message out and keep donations coming in.

Now local cable television talk show maven Andrea Copeland is offering them a little help. The 36-year-old Charlottesville woman has started her fourth program on Comcast public-access television, called “Inside Nonprofits.”

‘So many agencies’

“There are so many agencies in our area that it’s very difficult to get the public’s attention,” Ms. Copeland said. “They’re in serious competition for volunteers and donations.”

Ms. Copeland, the community resource coordinator at National College by day, recently put to tape the first of the nonprofit shows, set to air sometime this fall. Her schedule already includes “Talking with Andrea,” which focuses on community issues and concerns; the inspirational-themed “Voices with Ryal Thomas” that she hosts with Mr. Thomas and “Breaking the Chains,” which focuses on the black community.

“I had so many nonprofit agencies that wanted to get on to my show that I could have done one every week,” she said. “‘Talking with Andrea’ is about things that happen in the community and I didn’t want to change that. That’s when I thought of adding another show.”

The first episode of the newest show, the date of which has yet to be announced, features the Skyline Council of the Girl Scouts of America.

For the Girl Scouts, the show is a boost to their effort to recruit members and volunteers: Comcast’s cable access programming has the potential of reaching more than 60,000.

“We vie with other agencies for volunteers and we use a variety of media in the area to get our message out, but we don’t use television very often,” said Leontyne Peck, the Girl Scouts’ membership services manager for Charlottesville and Albemarle. “People think of the Scouts as cookies, campfires and crafts and we do those, but this gives us a chance to show how the Girl Scouts have changed.”

Plenty to cover

Ms. Copeland admits it could be awhile before the new show runs out of fodder.

“There are about 777 nonprofits in the area and they all have needs,” she said. “When you look at these organizations, you don’t see them doing a lot of marketing. They can’t afford it.”

The show became a greater priority as the economy started going belly up and the finances of regular donors went with it.

“People are very generous in this community but they are feeling the pinch of the economy and they are having to cut back. Unfortunately, that has an impact on those people who need it,” she said. “That’s where the new show comes in.”