part 01: THE PROBLEM
Children in Crisis Need Families Close to home.
Summit County Children Services (SCCS) is facing a critical foster home shortage.
More than 750 children are currently in the agency’s custody, and there are only 118 licensed foster homes available to care for them. As a result, more than half of the children in SCCS custody are placed outside of Summit County. This means children who are already experiencing trauma from abuse, neglect, or family separation are often removed from their schools, friends, support systems, and communities. The shortage is especially severe for infants, teenagers, and sibling groups. This creates additional instability for children at a time when consistency, familiarity, and connection are most important.
part 02: The solution
Research
Before developing the campaign, we conducted research to better understand the foster parent recruitment challenge facing Summit County Children Services. We reviewed existing recruitment efforts, analyzed barriers to entry, and identified common misconceptions surrounding foster care. Our goal was to uncover why qualified, compassionate people were not taking the first step toward becoming foster parents.
Interview
Through interviews and focus groups with SCCS staff and current foster parents, one insight consistently emerged: people believe foster parents need perfect lives to qualify. Many prospective foster parents disqualify themselves before ever reaching out because they assume their homes, finances, schedules, or life circumstances are not good enough. In reality, the biggest barrier wasn't qualification—it was perception.
Strategy
The “Be Present, Not Perfect.” campaign was designed to challenge the myth of the perfect foster parent and make fostering feel approachable. Authentic photography, children's illustrations, a warm visual identity, and conversational messaging reinforced the idea that fostering is about showing up—not having everything figured out. Together, these elements created a relatable campaign that encouraged more people to see themselves as potential foster parents and take the first step.
part 03: Authenticity in Every Frame
Human-Centered storytelling
Custom photography and video were critical to the success of the campaign because they visually brought the "Be Present, Not Perfect." message to life.
Rather than portraying idealized families in spotless homes, we captured authentic moments between caregivers and children surrounded by the everyday signs of a lived-in, love-filled home. Toys on the floor, unfinished art projects, and the normal chaos of daily life helped create scenes that felt relatable rather than aspirational. To ensure authenticity, the production featured a mix of real foster children and volunteer talent, allowing us to capture genuine interactions. Faces were intentionally obscured, both to safeguard identities and to help prospective foster parents more easily see themselves in the story. Warm lighting, natural performances, and a documentary-style approach created photo and video assets that felt genuine, approachable, and emotionally resonant.
part 04: Perfectly Imperfect
Drawn from their perspective.
To bring an authentic child-centered perspective into the campaign, we created a custom coloring book and invited foster children and children adjacent to the foster care system to respond to prompts like "Draw the people you love" and "What does family mean to you?" Their artwork became a key visual element throughout the campaign. The imperfect lines, uneven coloring, and honest perspectives reflected the campaign's core message: families don't need to be perfect to be meaningful. By incorporating real children's artwork instead of polished illustrations or stock graphics, we added warmth, authenticity, and emotional depth to every touchpoint.
part 05: Media placement
Meeting them where they're at.
A successful campaign requires reaching people where they are. We developed a media strategy that embedded the message throughout the community, creating multiple opportunities for audiences to engage with the campaign. By surrounding people with consistent messaging across everyday touchpoints, we built awareness and kept the need for foster families top of mind. Because great campaigns don't rely on traditional or digital media alone, they use both.
part 06: on target
Because "everyone" isn't an audience.
Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we created audience-specific digital ads for key recruitment groups including the Black community, LGBTQ+ community, young adults, retirees, and current parents. Each audience received customized messaging, imagery, and calls-to-action that addressed their unique motivations and concerns. Dedicated landing pages continued the personalized experience with tailored FAQs that answered common questions and removed barriers to fostering. This targeted approach created a more relevant user experience and helped more prospective foster parents take the first step.
part 07: engaging
A tailored web experience
By tailoring each microsite landing page to address the specific questions, concerns, and misconceptions of its target audience, we removed barriers to action and created a more relevant user experience that drove higher inquiry rates.
The finale: We did it!
The proof is in the pudding.
The “Be Present, Not Perfect.” campaign was able to increase monthly inquiries by 60%.
Those aren’t just important metrics; those numbers translate to an increase in candidates willing to take the first step in helping the children of Summit County. That increase in inquiries is what Summit County needs to address its foster family crisis. Results like this could positively impact the community for generations to come.
