THE CLIENT:

As the nation’s largest shelter offering holistic services unhoused women and children, Lotus House is an indispensable resource in the Miami community. Since opening its doors in 2018, Lotus Village has set national standards among shelters offering wrap-around services, with continued public and private support helping to advance the nonprofit’s mission and setting the stage for a future expansion focused on the educational needs of children.

THE CHALLENGE:

1. Create a clear path to approval for the development of Lotus Village, which required favorable votes at the Miami City Commission.

2. Galvanize public and private sector support – including corporate and individual philanthropy – to advance the shelter’s mission.

3. Promote Lotus House as delivering a direct impact on Miami’s homeless community, setting the stage for other cities to embrace the shelter’s model.

THE SOLUTION:

SMS positioned Lotus House leadership as national experts on topics including the shelter system, curbing homelessness, and putting philanthropic dollars to good use through public-private partnerships.

THE RESULTS:

  • Guided Lotus House to secure the approvals necessary to construct Lotus Village, which opened in 2018, using strategic communications as a mechanism for highlighting the shelter’s impact and private sector-led model.
  • Leveraged communications to support the shelter’s campaign to raise nearly $50 million in private funds for the construction of Lotus Village, ongoing operations, and the launch of new programs in education and job training.
  • Assisted the shelter in effectively managing through the COVID-19 pandemic, framing Lotus House as a shelter that addressed residents’ needs while sustaining its mission.
  • Secured widespread media coverage that has created heightened visibility for the shelter and added credibility for its leadership, providing a wealth of content that has advanced ongoing fundraising efforts.