55 Years. Many Stories. One Continuing Legacy.
For 55 years, Centers for New Horizons has worked alongside children, families, and communities on Chicago’s South Side. In 2026, our anniversary created an opportunity to honor that history, celebrate the people who shaped it, and bring renewed attention to the work ahead.
The Campaign at a Glance
From digital storytelling to an unforgettable gathering at the Obama Presidential Center, the anniversary brought our community together to reflect on the past and invest in what comes next.
Figures reflect available reporting collected in October and early November 2026 and may be updated as data and financial reconciliation are finalized. Channel metrics use different definitions and reporting periods.
Honoring the Legacy. Building What’s Next.
The 55th anniversary presented an opportunity to do more than celebrate an important milestone. It was a chance to recognize the people, stories, and partnerships that have shaped Centers for New Horizons over five and a half decades while bringing renewed attention to our ongoing work and future direction.
The communications strategy was designed to build awareness, deepen community connection, elevate the voices and stories behind Centers’ impact, and create a lasting record of this moment in our history.
The Message Behind the Milestone
The anniversary campaign was anchored by two complementary messages:
Do It For The South Side: 55 Years of Building Self-Reliant Families and Thriving Communities.
This message connected the anniversary to the purpose behind Centers’ work: our longstanding commitment to strengthening families, supporting children and youth, and building thriving communities on Chicago’s South Side.
55 Years. Many Stories. One Continuing Legacy.
This message recognized that Centers’ legacy is made up of the collective experiences and contributions of the children, families, staff, supporters, and partners who have been part of our journey.
Together, these messages honored the purpose behind our work, celebrated the people and partnerships that have shaped our history, and connected our 55-year legacy to the impact we continue to create.
Strategic Priorities
Honor the Legacy
Recognize 55 years of service and the people and partnerships that have shaped Centers.
Elevate the Stories
Share the voices, experiences, and milestones that bring our impact to life.
Strengthen Visibility
Build awareness of our mission, programs, and continued work across digital channels.
Engage the Community
Create opportunities for supporters, partners, alumni, and the broader community to connect with the anniversary.
Build Momentum for the Future
Use the anniversary as a platform to reinforce our ongoing work and the importance of sustained investment and partnership.
Bringing the Campaign to Life
Across the anniversary campaign, storytelling and communications connected Centers’ history with the people, programs, and partnerships that continue to shape its future.
Campaign Strategy
Coordinated messages, timelines, and communications across the anniversary effort.
Stories & Video
Shared anniversary stories through long-form videos, short clips, and archival imagery.
Social & Digital
Connected with audiences through website content, organic social posts, and digital promotion.
Paid Advertising
Used dedicated Meta advertising creative to broaden visibility and encourage event-page visits.
Event Communications
Supported the celebration with attendee updates, recognition, and event-related materials.
Post-Event Storytelling
Extended the celebration through photo highlights, galleries, and continued anniversary content.
Equipping the Host Committee to Share the Story
A dedicated Host Committee Portal brought campaign resources together in one place, helping committee members advocate for the anniversary and share consistent information with their networks.
From Invitation to Lasting Engagement
Email communications supported every stage of the anniversary campaign, from introducing ticket availability and preparing guests to sharing celebration highlights and inviting continued support.
Three Moments in the Campaign
Explore how the messages evolved from promotion to attendee preparation to post-event storytelling. Select any preview to read the full email.
Building Excitement
The ticket launch introduced the celebration and invited the community to be part of the milestone.
158 clicks to the ticket link
View the full email ↗
Preparing Guests
A targeted reminder provided the schedule, museum access information, and answers to common questions.
47 clicks to event FAQs
View the full email ↗
Continuing the Connection
Photo highlights and a thank-you message extended the celebration and offered a way to keep supporting Centers.
41.9% open rate · 83 total clicks
View the full email ↗Campaign-by-Campaign Results
| Campaign | Recipients | Open rate | Click rate | Total clicks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket launch · Aug 25 | 1,769 | 16.7% | 3.9% | 244 |
| Dedicated anniversary email · Sep 21 | 2,402 | 14.4% | 2.4% | 145 |
| Attendee reminder · Oct 6 | 158 | 63.2% | 17.4% | 63 |
| Post-event thank-you · Oct 9 | 156 | 41.9% | 17.4% | 83 |
| October newsletter · Oct 20 | 2,535 | 13.9% | 1.9% | 194 |
Extending the story: The October newsletter generated 92 clicks to the final anniversary video and 81 clicks to the anniversary recap blog, helping bring longer-form storytelling to the email audience.
*Combined recipient sends are the sum across five campaigns, not unique people. Click totals can include multiple clicks by one recipient. Open rates are platform-reported estimates.
Connecting With Our Community
Anniversary storytelling reached audiences across our website, social media, paid advertising, and video channels. Each platform provided a different way to discover, engage with, and revisit the campaign.
Organic Social Engagement
Different platforms report different types of activity; these bars compare views/impressions for illustration, not unique audience reach.
A post-event highlight: The October 9 photo sneak peek on LinkedIn generated 886 impressions and 683 engagements, including 638 clicks, showing strong interest in revisiting the celebration.
Organic Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn results are reported separately from the paid Meta campaign (August 27–October 8, 2026). Views, impressions, engagements, and reach are different measures and are not combined into a single audience total.
Extending the Campaign’s Reach
A dedicated Meta advertising campaign complemented Centers’ organic communications with anniversary graphics and short-form storytelling videos. The creative combined event promotion with personal stories and the mission-centered message, “Do It For The South Side.”
Total ad spend: $249.89 · Average cost per outbound click: $0.26. These results are separate from organic social media performance.
Campaign Creative in Action
These examples show how three distinct creative approaches appeared in actual Facebook and Instagram ad placements.
Images show previews of actual advertising placements. The campaign totals above represent the paid Meta campaign overall, not the performance of each individual creative.
Stories That Continue Beyond the Celebration
Long-form anniversary videos and short clips helped capture the voices, history, and community connections behind Centers’ work. The videos also provide reusable storytelling resources for future outreach, program awareness, and fundraising.
More than 78% of channel views came through the Shorts feed during the reported 90-day period, suggesting short-form content helped introduce viewers to Centers’ stories. External and direct sources accounted for approximately 13% of views but nearly 65% of watch time; viewers arriving through the website and email watched for more than three minutes on average.
A Celebration 55 Years in the Making
Our sold-out anniversary celebration brought together an estimated 200 guests to recognize the people and partnerships that have sustained Centers’ mission. The evening included remarks from community leaders, recognition of Dr. Sokoni T. Karanja’s lifetime of service, and the unveiling of commissioned artwork by Paul Branton.
The celebration also helped generate support for the work ahead. Preliminary anniversary revenue totals $190,734.75 from tickets, sponsorships, donations, and other received or expected contributions. Final financial results will be updated following reconciliation.
Selected photographs from the October 8 celebration. Photography: TK Photography Chicago.
View the Full Anniversary Photo Gallery ↗The Legacy Continues
Our 55th anniversary was a celebration of the relationships, resilience, and shared commitment that have sustained Centers for generations. The stories gathered and connections strengthened throughout the campaign will continue to support our work beyond this anniversary year.
We are grateful to the families, staff, alumni, partners, sponsors, and supporters who have helped shape this legacy and who continue to make what comes next possible.
Support Centers’ Ongoing Work ↗