Rachel Braver
Here’s the latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators, where we ask you to describe your day in your own words.
Rachel Braver is the communications coordinator for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano in Northern California. With a background in graphic design, she is responsible for creating outreach materials, print and email newsletters, and updating the website and social media. She enjoys using her creativity to make a difference and the variety of projects that come up in the nonprofit world.
Rachel submitted this in early June, but we are just now catching up . . .
Here is her typical day, from earlier in the summer:
Before 8:00 am: I’m more creative in the morning, so I usually get to work around 7:30 after I pack a healthy lunch and snack (that sometimes loses to eating out).
I caffeinate at my desk with green tea while reading emails and reviewing social media.
8:00 am – 10:00 am: Email with a local artist who has designed a t-shirt for us to get design approval, then review pricing to see how many we can buy.
Answer quick questions, then flag emails that require changes to creative projects to work on in order of importance later.
Have a quick meeting with the Events Manager to propose names for our 40th anniversary gala next May and propose sponsor media opportunities.
10:00 am – 12:00 pm: A reorder of postcards about summer hunger arrive, so I make sure the correct people have some for outreach.
I begin writing the Father’s Day e-appeal focusing on a fund match.
I eat lunch at my desk while checking my personal accounts and look up recipes for dinner.
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm: Continue to refine the Father’s Day e-appeal, source photos and create bright donate/match buttons for the email before sending it to the boss for approval.
The committee emailed changes to an upcoming wine event invitation, so I make updates and send to the printer for a proof.
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Take a 15 minute walk with a coworker to fight the afternoon slump then write an article on summer hunger for local online newspapers.
Post one of our campaign photos about summer hunger on Facebook to let people know about the fund match.
After 4:00 pm: I head out around 4 and do some grocery shopping and relax a bit before cooking dinner.
I don’t check work email at home, but I do respond to Facebook comments if I see them in the evenings.
I see our summer hunger post has been shared by some important people, so I thank them.
Want to be featured in this series? Tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro.
