PBS national broadcast: January 9, 1998
Outreach campaign title: The Foster Care Project, which evolved into the National Foster Care Awareness Project
Distribution information: In the United States, University of California Extension Center for Media and Independent Learning, 510-642-0460.
International sales, Jane Balfour Films, 171-267-5392.
Production budget: $878,000
Production funders: The Casey Family Program and Annie E. Casey Foundation
Outreach campaign budget: $900,000
Outreach campaign funders: The Casey Family Program, Annie E. Casey Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Time frame for outreach campaign: Twelve months spanning May1997 through December 1998
Key partners in the campaign: The Casey Family Program, Annie E. Casey Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Child Welfare League of America, Outreach Extensions, Benton Foundation and KCTS
Public television station participation in campaign: Approximately 45 stations partnered with local organizations to organize tie-in activities. Activities included screenings of 19-minute call-to-action video, panel discussions, foster parent recruitment events and media campaigns.
Primary target audiences and goals for the campaign: to promote the film and raise awareness of local needs; to increase the number of foster parents, to highlight the needs of youth transitioning out of foster care.
Major successes of the campaign: the creation of local coalitions that in some cases still exist, extensive distribution of materials.
Evolution of Foster Care Project into the National Foster Care Awareness Project.
Major weaknesses: No investment in quantitative evaluations. Promotion of the film itself was lacking, in comparison to outreach.