American Career College - Marketing Campaign of the Year - COVID-19-related

Company: American Career College
Entry Submitted By: Westbound Communications
Company Description: American Career College (ACC) is a 43-year-old, Southern California-based school that specializes in healthcare education with 12 degree and diploma programs, and has more than 50,000 graduates. These alumni work as LVNs (licensed vocational nurses), medical assistants, respiratory therapists, and more at 87 hospitals in California and the surrounding states.
Nomination Category: COVID-19 Response Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Marketing Campaign of the Year - COVID-19-related Information

Nomination Title: American Career College ACC Cares Nurse Appreciation Event at Greater El Monte Community Hospital

American Career College (ACC) is a 43-year-old, Southern California-based school that specializes in healthcare education with 12 degree and diploma programs, and has more than 50,000 graduates. As the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 shutdown approached in mid-March 2021, ACC wanted to recognize all the frontline healthcare workers for their sacrifices during the pandemic at a hospital where it has graduates through an nurses and staff appreciation event.

After investigating several Los Angeles-based hospitals, Greater ElMonte Community Hospital (GEMCH) was selected for its freeway-close location for media and willingness to participate in a short timeframe (less than 4 weeks).

A key part of the event involved contacting nearby community-based organizations (CBOs) to solicit tokens of appreciation that could be placed onto a large recognition wall at the event. Dozens and dozens of calls were made to more than 100 CBOs within a one-mile radius of the hospital. We also secured the mayors of El Monte and South El Monte; Los Angeles County Supervisor HildaSolis; and executive director of the El Monte/South El Monte Chamber of Commerce to attend.

A major theme of the event was enabling the 450 nurses and staff there to take a break from their work to enjoy a hot meal and giftbox of nurse-themed goodies. We converted a decades-old Air Force tent that had been used for COVID-19 patient overflow into a lounge with carpet, leather armchairs, stand-up tables and high chairs, spot lighting, and mood music.

The event was well-received by the hospital, nurses and staff, community and media. Four TV crews from KABC, KCBS, KNBC and Fox11 ran repeated stand-ups throughout their morning broadcasts, resulting in more than 15placements. To view a highlight reel, click https://bit.ly/351xsOM.

From the community, we received hundreds of signs, posters, personal letters and postcards, and videos that more than filled the recognition wall, resulting in an overflow into the Air Force tent lounge area. The outpouring of community support was clearly evident to the nurses and staff, who expressed deep and humble gratitude to representatives from ACC for hosting the event.