Marketing and Outreach Build Local Support for Cortez Residents with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Cortez residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities rely on Our Own Lives for day programs, employment training, host homes, and other services that support independence. But limited awareness of the organization and its Festival of Wreaths fundraiser restricts local support—and risks the sustainability of Our Own Lives’ programs. One employee of Our Own Lives saw an opportunity to shore up the group’s programs, so she reached out to LOR with a solution: launch an awareness campaign for the Festival of Wreaths. LOR’s funding will help Our Own Lives hire a marketing consultant and produce promotional materials—including banners, printed materials, and newspaper ads—to rebrand the festival, attract sponsors, and draw holiday visitors to downtown Cortez businesses. Together, these efforts will establish Our Own Lives as a recognized local cause, strengthening their annual fundraiser and ensuring that Cortez residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities continue to receive the services they depend on.