CreateAthon supports Plano Community Homes
Brit Mott

Plano Community Homes received free marketing services, including a new logo and full-color brochure, thanks to the creative staff at mundayMorning Creative Group. The award-winning marketing and public relations agency put on a 24-hour blitz to produce pro bono marketing solutions to 11 nonprofits. The agency received 40 applications for its CreateAthon, and Plano Community Homes was one of the recipients.

Plano Community Homes provides affordable housing to more than 400 low-income
senior citizens, as well as people with limited mobility. The average income of a resident is below $10,000 a year. The gross income limit for a single person is $23,300, and for a couple, $26,600.

“Plano is an affluent community, so low-income housing may not get as much attention as it should,” said Pat Murphy, Director of Development. “However, the need for that type of housing in Plano is growing. As of 2007, 3,000 households in Plano had residents age 65 and older with incomes of less than $30,000 a year, and that’s projected to double in the next 10 years.”

The West Campus community on American Drive, just north of the Medical Center of Plano, includes three apartment buildings with 167 one-bedroom apartments. The East Campus is located on Avenue L at 18th Street and has 129 one-bedroom and studio apartments. Pioneer Place on Avenue K has 60 one-bedroom apartments.

There are waiting lists at all three campuses. Murphy said the West Campus stopped taking applications because the waiting list is so long. Pioneer Place will receive an additional 75 apartments in the next two years because of a Housing and Urban Development grant, but “if past experience is a reflection of what’s going to happen, it will probably be fully leased before it’s finished.”

Because all three campuses have been fully occupied, there has been very little, if any, push for marketing. But, Murphy said funding is imperative in order to provide dependable services. “For example, we currently have a fleet of three vehicles that provide transportation to our residents, and they’re all over 10 years old and have, on average, 140,000–150,000 miles. They’re safe but not very dependable. We used to take the residents to Turner Falls, but now we’re concerned about taking them on long trips.”

Because of its tight budget, Plano Community Homes has had to rely on in-house marketing pieces and basic desktop publishing. Murphy hopes that the new professional pieces created by mundayMorning will garner awareness, financial support, and volunteerism from the general community to improve the standard of living for residents. He said, “When I approach bankers and donors, I want to leave something behind that helps them remember Plano Community Homes. The generosity of mundayMorning will help me do that.”

For more information, call Plano Community Homes at 972.423.6058 or visit planocommunityhome.org.