New National Program Drives Awareness for Charities One Mile at a Time

How can nonprofit organizations drive donations and awareness for their cause? The answer from a revolutionary new national program is to literally drive. Wrap for a Cause encourages drivers to use their cars as well as college and universities to use their campus vehicles as mobile billboards to help charities spread their message and raise funds in the process.

The idea is being launched on the campus of Iona College this fall with a pilot program, sponsored by New York-based Country Bank.

“We’re launching the initial phase of this great charity by calling on universities and colleges to make a difference and get involved,” said Wrap for a Cause founder Laura Saggese. “Wrap for a Cause creates new opportunities for donor engagement while helping raise funds for school programs and charitable causes that your university supports.”

Each vehicle wrap is underwritten by a corporate sponsor for a flat fee and carries the wrapforacause.org URL as well as a tagline. Wrap for a Cause will donate 10 percent of net proceeds to the selected cause.

When announcing the sponsorship of the Iona College campaign, which will drive awareness and support for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF), Joseph M. Murphy, Jr, president and CEO of Country Bank, explained the cause is very personal to the Bank, “We have two siblings who developed Type 1 diabetes by the age of seven. Our parents, Chairman and Founder Joseph M. Murphy, Sr., and his wife and Bank Vice-Chair, JoAnn Murphy, started the Westchester Chapter of JDRF in the 1970’s in an effort to raise money to find a cure for this devastating disease.”

According to Vice President and Marketing Officer Carolyn Murphy, who worked with Wrap for a Cause on the project, “Sadly our brother Chris passed away from diabetes in 2001. He was very involved with the JDRF New York City chapter for years, forming the Country Bank team that still participates and sponsors the annual fundraiser walk in his honor.” This year’s walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn is on September 24, 2017. To walk, or to find a walk close to you, visit JDRF.org.

Founded in 1988, Country Bank offers products and services for commercial banking and lending customers, small business customers and individual consumers. The Bank is FDIC insured with offices in Manhattan, the Bronx and Scarsdale.

In addition to JDRF, Country Bank supports many local organizations including the Marine Law Enforcement Foundation, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, Columbus Citizens Foundation and Iona College just to name a few.

As an expert in the nonprofit arena, Saggese came up with the idea as a means to give a voice to not just one charity, but any organization that may strike a chord with any individual.

“Wrap for a Cause lets companies or individuals raise money and awareness for a favorite local or national cause or charity every time the wrapped car, van or bus drives down the street,” said Saggese. "Plans are already in the works to wrap cars to support various causes, including animal rights and mental health awareness.”

The mission of Wrap for a Cause is to help local and national nonprofit organizations create awareness with a memorable, viral campaign that raises funds and awareness using vehicle wraps. To learn more visit wrapforacause.org or call 1-888-392-9729.

About Iona College: Founded in 1940, Iona College is a four-year private coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers and American Catholic higher education, located just 20 miles from Midtown Manhattan in New Rochelle. With a global network of more than 45,000 alumni, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona offers undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, pre-professional and professional programs, Master of Arts, Master of Science and Business Administration degrees, and numerous advanced certificate programs. The College is the second-largest private sector employer in New Rochelle and provides more than 66,000 service hours in the community each year. See more at www.iona.edu.