Riley Children’s Foundation + Pence Media Group

Riley Children’s Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Riley Children’s Health, engaged Pence Media Group (PMG) to publicly launch its $300 million Every Child Deserves Riley comprehensive campaign in conjunction with the organization’s annual Red For Our Kids Gala in Indianapolis this March. The event celebrates Riley Children’s patients and their families, while shining a light on the renowned care team and innovative treatments being used to save kids’ lives every day. Every Child Deserves Riley, the Foundation’s most ambitious initiative in Riley Children’s history, is a bold commitment to transform lives and create a healthier future for children and families across Indiana and beyond.

Working alongside the Riley Children’s team, PMG developed a multi-pronged approach to support the gala and the public launch of the $300 million campaign through public relations and event support, including social media management and execution as well as emcee services.

Public Relations

Through thoughtful planning, strategic timing, and impactful story angles, the Every Child Deserves Riley campaign launch achieved remarkable public relations success in tandem with the Red For Our Kids Gala. An embargoed press release resulted in an in-depth, multi-interview feature in the Indianapolis Business Journal, highlighting both the goals of the fundraising campaign and telling patient and physician stories to bring the campaign to life. The PMG team also welcomed several members of the media to the gala, where TV stations captured the event and produced impactful broadcast segments for audiences across the greater Indianapolis area. PMG’s outreach specific to this announcement resulted in three unique articles and 11 broadcast segments, potentially reaching more than 1.5 million people.

PMG’s media outreach before and after the event captured the essence of the campaign, focusing on the five priority areas identified by Riley Children’s: Respond to the Youth Mental Health Crisis; Recruit and Retain the Best and Brightest; Pioneer Research Advancements; Expand Access to Riley Expertise; and Support the Entire Family. Since the campaign launch, PMG has continued to support Riley Children’s Foundation’s public relations efforts, weaving in storylines through media outreach to support these focus areas and elevating impactful stories showcasing why every child deserves Riley.

Social Media Management + Execution

PMG served as an extension of Riley Children’s Foundation’s social media team by providing on-site content capturing and sharing throughout the event on Riley Children’s Foundation’s social media channels. Advance preparation and a deep understanding of the look and feel of this account led to massive success across the platform, garnering widespread attention during this pivotal event and announcement. Starting the day of the event and concluding the day following the event, PMG posted 37 stories, two reels and two static posts sharing engaging and exciting content from the gala, capturing the event’s essence and energy, and tagging relevant accounts to amplify the reach of the content. Posts also encouraged viewers to learn more about the campaign and donate. The two reels and two static posts combined garnered more than 79,000 views, while the 37 stories captured more than 60,000 views. The Red For Our Kids Gala recap reel alone was viewed nearly 8,000 times. This major responsibility was only possible through an established partnership and trust between PMG and Riley Children’s Foundation, and PMG was honored to tell these stories.

On-Site Event Support: Emcee Services

PMG owner + CEO and proud Riley mom Nicole Pence Becker served as the Red For Our Kids Gala emcee. Alongside her family, Nicole not only told her heartfelt Riley story about her son, Matthew, and his Type 1 Diabetes journey, but thoughtfully and enthusiastically guided attendees through the program, welcoming keynote speakers, Riley kids and families and more, and helping maintain a lively atmosphere for guests.

Nicole Pence Becker brought warmth, energy, and authenticity to our Riley Red for Our Kids event as our emcee. Her poise and professionalism kept the evening running smoothly, and sharing her family story about her son made a powerful connection with our mission. We are so grateful for the heart, passion, and care she brought to the stage and to Riley. – Meghan Freeman

#Consideritdone with PMG in 2025!

We’re honored to accompany our amazing clients in their successes. With expertise in branding, web, digital, content creation, and public relations, Pence Media Group would be honored to partner with your business to elevate your brand! Consider it done.