#GivingTuesdayNow with the Circle

By Lauren Farber

In the Scott Circle Communications #WFH (“work from home”) Slack channel, our most persistent thread of conversation has been about how to feel connected to our DC community. These past weeks have upended our regular routines, but our team has been creative as always in finding ways to work together while apart and balance this with the need to unwind and disconnect. From safely supporting our local farmers’ markets to volunteering from home, we’ve been finding a lot of joy and inspiration in adapting to the times and feeling civically engaged. 

When we learned that #GivingTuesday was launching a global day of giving on May 5th in this spirit, our team overwhelmed the Slack channel with tips about ways to participate. As a company, we support N Street Village throughout the year and we hope you’ll consider contributing however you can to help their remarkable frontline staff continue to provide assistance to homeless and low-income women in DC. Check out the other local causes, businesses, and groups our team is supporting as they respond to the coronavirus crisis: 

Dani: One of my favorite organizations in DC is GirlTrek. GirlTrek supports a health movement for African American women and girls grounded in civil rights history through walking campaigns, community leadership and health advocacy. Most notably, GirlTrek organized the largest moving tribute to Harriett Tubman by gathering 15,000 supporters to walk around the National Mall. During this COVID-19 crisis, they’ve been forced to suspend their walks but they have not abandoned their health campaign. On their website, one can find Meditation Mondays and at home self-care tips that are perfect for social distancing.  

Daniella: I have definitely taken for granted what it means to gather in some of my favorite places in DC like restaurants, cafes, stores, parks, and in the wake of COVID-19, I quickly realized that support was desperately needed for the hospitality industry. This industry is made up of so much more than servers and chefs - it includes dishwashers, cooks, bartenders, housekeepers, etc. The good news is there are many organizations working to provide resources, support and food to the DC hospitality industry. The DC Hospitality Coalition is a forum for allied hospitality workers to share information, solve challenges, and provide support. They have organized a DC Virtual Tip Jar, where you can provide monetary support directly to food and beverage workers. Also, Friends and Family Meal is a nonprofit organization founded by two DC restaurant veterans for the purpose of taking care of the people who take care of people. They provide nutritious food to hospitality workers worried about food scarcity, while also keeping money flowing to struggling local farmers.

Dee: Just north of the DC line in Silver Spring, MD is Shepherd’s Table -- a local nonprofit with a mission to provide help to people who are homeless through a variety of services ranging from meals to medical support to clothing.  In addition to assembling and providing desperately needed meals right now, they are also helping support local businesses - using donations to purchase food from local restaurants to help meet the increased demand. They are a great example of “neighbors helping neighbors.”

Elizabeth: I Support the Girls (ISTG) collects gently worn bras, underwear and menstrual hygiene products so no woman has to choose between feeding herself and her personal health.  Dana Marlowe, DMV local and the founder/executive director of ISTG (Editor’s Note: Dana is also a friend of the Circle), aptly describes why this cause is important to me: “periods don’t stop for pandemics.” Period products are one of the many items clearing the shelves in grocery stores. During times of distress, women’s health is often forgotten and ISTG makes it their mission to ensure women in need have the ability to maintain their dignity. While the nonprofit has DC roots, beginning with a simple Facebook post, ISTG created a global movement. Now is the perfect time to sort through your bras for any unused, lightly worn items or through your bathroom cabinets for a spare box of tampons to consider donating.

Kellie: My husband was among the first responders at the Pentagon after 9/11. Seeing firsthand the lasting emotional and financial impacts crisis situations have on the families of America’s law enforcement and firefighters prompted mine to support First Responders Children's Foundation. Since its founding in 2002, the Guidestar Gold Seal of Transparency nonprofit has provided financial support to children who have lost a parent in the line of duty as well as families enduring significant financial hardships due to tragic circumstances. Donations made to the First Responders Children's Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund provide first responders and their families with emergency financial assistance. It also helps provide food, supplies, rent or mortgage, utility and child care assistance. Even during this public health crisis, we count on our brave and selfless law enforcement and firefighters to be there to protect us. Supporting First Responders Children's Foundation is my way to show them that they can count on us to help their families and honor their sacrifice.

Laura: My family knows someone who has been in the hospital because of COVID-19. We have sent food to the doctors and nurses at the hospital that have taken care of this person. Quick tip - healthcare workers are getting a lot of pizza so are looking for different, healthy food. There’s actually someone at the hospital coordinating all the meal drop offs for healthcare workers.  (Editor’s Note: Beyond dropping off food directly to your nearest hospital, you can also support local groups working to feed healthcare heroes such as Feed the Fight DC and TwentyTables - Feed the Front Lines.)

Lauren: DC has such an incredible community of chefs, and I deeply miss enjoying meals out with friends – even though my home cooking skills are now better than ever. Each week I’ve been choosing a few local spots for food (and wine!) takeout and Purple Patch is among my favorites. The woman-run business not only serves incredible Filipino food, but they’ve been offering free takeaway meals for kids everyday, in a time when school-lunch is no longer accessible. I’m proud to support them and to contribute to the Capital Area Food Bank to help people struggling with hunger and food insecurity amidst this crisis. 

Matheson: Although it is a global organization, World Central Kitchen was started in DC by Chef José Andres and Patricia Andres. After early success with promoting clean cookstoves, providing culinary training programs, and supporting social enterprise ventures, WCK began responding to natural and man-made disasters around the globe. You are probably familiar, but their work includes providing meals and supplies on the ground, and is coupled with a deep understanding of the logistics and systems that must be put in place to be effective. Unsurprisingly they have been very active in the COVID-19 response. WCK supports people because they need a helping hand, not because they have something to offer for political gain, and I couldn’t be happier to lend my support too. You can donate to World Central Kitchen here or buy a cool BEANS t-shirt (100% of proceeds go to WCK) here!

Another Round with The Hill’s Maggie Miller

By Elizabeth Harmon

There is no right answer on the best way to pitch a reporter.  Reporters and their outlets have different processes, deadlines and expectations. At Scott Circle Communications we value journalists, their work and time, and strive to make their jobs a little easier. In an effort to highlight the importance of the PR and journalism relationship and learn how PR pros can improve and build our relationships with reporters, we are introducing a new series: Another Round. Our first interview features star cybersecurity reporter at The Hill, and my friend, Maggie Miller. 


Describe your job in one sentence.

I report on cybersecurity policy, very specifically congressional issues -sometimes I am the unofficial election security reporter!

How many PR pitches do you get a day?

I get a lot, probably between 50-100 a day, on top of other emails. My email inbox can get overwhelming.

About 30% of these pitches are pushing experts. These pitches can be super helpful - for example I was working on a story recently, and got an email in my inbox for an expert that would be a perfect fit for the topic. Sometimes it is serendipity!

How do you balance such a busy inbox?

To the credit of PR professionals, around 90% of pitches are relevant to my beat. I’ve gotten better at looking at PR pitches and evaluating if the pitch could be a story that will work for The Hill. As my editor says, our audience is everybody, spanning from well-informed cybersecurity professionals to someone who doesn't have a computer. When I get pitches, I ask: “Would the average American be interested in this, and would this get clicks?”

I receive a lot of studies, for example, that I find interesting, but have to think about it as a larger story. Unless it is an explosive report, I know if I pitch the study to my editor as a standalone story it won’t work-- but the findings could be used in a larger story! 

What is a regular day on the job for you (pre-pandemic)?

At The Hill, we’re encouraged to be out in the field. Normally, I spend 3-4 days of the week working in the press rooms on Capitol Hill. The first thing I do in the morning is check my emails and Twitter to get a run down of the day’s news and make sure I haven’t missed any breaking news overnight. Editors send out requests for two types of stories- longer stories that publish around two times a week and shorter, more frequent blog posts. The longer stories I work on showcase larger trends we are seeing and I spend my day speaking with multiple experts. I also work with our social media team that monitors the news 24/7 and shares relevant news for potential stories. These stories are usually shorter breaking news posts that do not require a lot of outside reporting. 

On the Hill, I’m going to votes, talking to members of Congress, setting up coffee dates with press representatives, and trying to get some writing in there to meet my deadlines (usually around 4-5 pm). Overall my day is a lot of multitasking. One thing I can say about this job is I am never bored.

What makes a pitch stand out to you?

Big companies and major names related to my beat stand out. If Google or Amazon are named in the pitch, I will probably read it closer. But it’s also okay if they don’t! 

Most journalists really mean well and know work goes into the pitches. As much as I would like to, I don't have time to read pitches all the way through. I usually read the subject and the first line or paragraph. If you attract a journalist’s attention in the first few lines, they will 100% read your entire pitch. 

What is one thing you would change about the PR journalist relationship?

The sheer amount of pitches? While my PR relationships are essential to many of the stories I write, the amount of pitches I receive can be overwhelming. It is always apparent when you get added to a media list. Be more judicious on who you are reaching out to. Search the journalist's name and look at the last five stories they wrote. If your pitch is out of left field for them, don't send the pitch because they likely won’t respond.

Also, be aware of timing when you pitch.  Unless it’s breaking news, I do not recommend sending pitches between 5 and 6 pm. That’s when we are filing stories, newsletters - kind of a busy time!

Turning the table - What is one question you have for PR pros?

What is one thing you wish journalists knew about how PR pitches are put together and the process of reaching out to journalists?

Who is your dream reporter that you’d want to get “another round” with?

Katie Couric- I've always admired how she pursued different ways of looking at the news and informing people. She is an amazing role model - a woman who has been in the business for a long time. I would love to get her take on her career, how she has covered different areas and maybe cry a little.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.