St. Joseph’s Health Foundation is looking to connect the present and the future to attract more donors.

The campaign centres on improvements that have already been been made at the hospital, located on Toronto’s west end, but also ones that are still to come.

Knowing the empowering effects of togetherness, agency partner The Local Collective created a photographic narrative to inspire a deep, meaningful connection between community residents and St. Joseph’s staff, showcasing both alongside text describing how the hospital’s care has benefited them.

Kaitlin Doherty, president of The Local Collective, tells strategy that while trust in many institutions has suffered, faith in healthcare has remained strong, particularly in a pandemic and despite being in the midst of what some are describing as a health care crisis in Ontario.

With that it mind, it was important to not just show the kinds of improvements residents can expect to see at the hospital – a staple of healthcare fundraising efforts – but the immediate changes being made right now.

For example, phase one of the hospital’s emergency department redevelopment has been constructed and is equipped with the latest technology. Also, the institution just opened a first-of-its-kind short-stay mental health unit for young adults. There are myriad other ventures the Foundation is funding, such as a palliative care centre.

“We have a lot of hospitals that specialize, and most of the care we receive in our lifetime is through a community hospital, more of a general pillar of health,” Doherty says. And she says that as an organization that does a lot of things, St. Joe’s has a lot to talk about. Its messaging, around hope and trust and betterment, is about how things are improving, and how they will improve more, whether it’s in regards to women’s health, mental health or ER care.

The approach is about a connection with a targeted, local audience. Broad awareness is great in some instances, Doherty explains, but all the dollars really need to work.

The campaign runs across OOH and social. It’s an evenly weighted split between the two media, Doherty says, as the agency wanted to be inside the community, as that’s a major focus of the institution.

“Media dollars matter so much, and we work closely with the media team, M&K Media, to strengthen the comms plan,” she says. The target is really leaning into the community that it serves. “The gratitude and partnership the hospital as formed with the West End community is truly incredible.”