Kicking Off the Season of Giving with Fall Appeal Letters

The Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Office of Development fosters philanthropic support and community engagement for AHN. By cultivating relationships with donors, stakeholders, and partners, the Office of Development facilitates crucial funding to advance medical research, patient care, and health initiatives in the communities AHN serves.

Graphcom plays a key role in the success of AHN’s annual fund mailings, particularly their fall appeals. We determine a new theme each year with AHN’s development officers, then write, design, print, mail, and create custom appeal letters, email series, and donation form pages.

In 2021, we segmented audiences based on their affinity for specific AHN community hospitals. We tailored each letter with personalized copy, images, and inspiring patient stories based on hospital location. In 2022, we showcased several funds, programs, and services through the recently released Funding Remarkable Moments book, which we also wrote, designed, and created the digital edition. Rather than a general ask to give or appeal to one specific fund, the 2022 fall appeal encouraged donors to support any of these critical initiatives.

The 2023 fall appeal focused on September’s Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. The copy highlighted AHN’s critical ovarian cancer research and included impactful stories like the McMullens’, whose lives were positively transformed and family is now complete thanks to AHN’s remarkable gynecologic oncology care. Each appeal includes a tear-off reply device plus callouts to give online. The email series was timed to coincide with the letters, directing donors to a custom donation form specific to that campaign.