OSH came to PRx looking for a creative outreach project that would add real value to the communities served by its 86 stores while strengthening the image of OSH as community resource and caring neighbor. In response to this request, PRx conceived, developed, implemented and managed the OSH School Garden Program. The project attracted hundreds of applicants from throughout California and resulted in a $1,000 OSH School Garden Grant being awarded to 86 elementary schools – one for each store.

Through PRx efforts and contacts, the project captured the attention of local and state officials – including the governor’s office. Representatives from the California Department of Education (CDE) attended the statewide kick-off events as did elected officials from throughout the state. The CDE has openly expressed its appreciation for the OSH effort and recently referenced OSH as “a corporate pioneer” in the arena of school garden (hands-on) education.

In support of this ambitious project PRx launched an aggressive publicity campaign that successfully engaged print and electronic media in the birth and development of all 86 OSH School Gardens. 62 of the 86 sites received media coverage of their program and 86% of the schools participating were able to leverage their OSH Garden awards to secure other funding as a direct result of the positive media attention brought to the project by PRx.

News stories, local appreciation events by schools and community organizations, and effusive comments by teachers and principals (taken from the project evaluation instrument) are all testimony to the enhanced image of Orchard Supply Hardware as a result of PRx’s efforts. Our daily management of the entire School Garden Project included weekly planning and debriefing sessions with (OSH) corporate headquarters as well as open and responsive communication with store and school personnel statewide.

The OSH School Garden Program, as conceived, developed and managed by PRx Inc., created a very powerful and productive enthusiasm among a wide variety of constituents in the store communities. The focus on corporate partnerships with public agencies; the effectiveness of the effort; and the motivational power of the project through broad media exposure all positioned OSH as an involved and caring community member.

This project won the International Public Relations Network “Project of the Year” award at IPRN’s annual meeting in Dubai in 2008.