The Bowery Mission launched an SMS campaign designed to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless and hungry in New York City during its 100th anniversary celebration.

Investigation Discovery?s Paula Zahn, the special emcee of the anniversary celebration event on Nov. 6, announced the campaign and asked attendees to text the keyword BOWERY to short code DOTORG (368674). DI Digital created the campaign.

?The Bowery Mission wanted their message to have a broader reach and tap into the technology of today,? said Chi Modu, cofounder/president of DI Digital, New York. ?We felt that it would be smart to approach the age-old problem of hunger and homelessness with a 21st century solution.

?Through our creative use of SMS, we were able to include facts and trivia, words of inspiration, along with the Bowery?s services,? he said. ?We created a less-intrusive and more-effective way to help them achieve their goal of rebuilding lives, which they have been doing since 1879.?

The Bowery Mission provides care and ministry to impoverished men, women and children in New York City.

DI Digital is a text message marketing service provider.

Help one SMS at a time
The Bowery will also be advertising the new SMS campaign via a public service announcement from CBS News' Katie Couric, in all of its printed materials, on its Web site and via social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

DI Digital said that the campaign was designed to inspire people to get involved with The Bowery Mission.

The text messaging campaign gives consumers an interactive opportunity to learn more about the work of the Mission and how they can contribute to it.

Consumers can also test their knowledge about homelessness and hunger in New York, opt-in for weekly words of inspiration and learn about different donation opportunities.

Via the SMS campaign, consumers can also opt-in to learn about the specific clothing and food needs during the holiday season.

Mr. Modu said that the SMS campaign addresses the challenge of awareness for The Bowery Mission.

?Many want to help, but don?t know how,? Mr. Modu said. ?The campaign created another way for The Bowery Mission to let people know about their needs and the needs of those who benefit from the Mission?s work.

?They realized the flexibility of our SMS system allows for quick changes to the content,? he said. ?The Bowery?s short-term needs for food and clothing through the winter months and holiday season could be addressed, as well as their ongoing mission.

Mr. Modu said that DI Digital?s system is also helping the Mission to expand its database of potential volunteers and donors by gathering email addresses.

For the campaign, Mr. Modu said the demographic is broad, because The Bowery Mission is 100 percent privately supported by 47,000 New Yorkers.

The campaign is set to run through the holiday season and will be modified to suit The Bowery Mission?s needs as the warmer weather approaches in 2010.

Mr. Modu said that The Bowery Mission picked mobile because it allowed for flexibility and reach.
 
?They realize it is a screen they have to address,? Mr. Modu said. ?They went with SMS because it has the broadest reach of all mobile applications and is available on 99 percent of all mobile phones.

?They understand the flexibility of SMS and the ubiquity of the mobile platform,? he said.