Carpenter’s Shelter, in collaboration with Yes&, produce campaign to support people experiencing homelessness
Most direct mail gets tossed without a second glance. Nonprofit Carpenter’s Shelter, in collaboration with Yes&, proves mailers can achieve distinction with its most-recent campaign, states CityBiz.
Throughout nearly two decades, Yes& provided pro-bono and in-kind services to Carpenter’s Shelter, covering the full spectrum from brand identity and event management to video production and digital marketing.
According to the CityBiz post, the most-recent campaign, themed “Give the Gift of Being Known,” transforms the mailer itself “into a visual metaphor. The outer envelope resembles a wrapped gift, but the “wrapping paper” is covered in handwritten affirmations— “we left the light on,” “you’re safe here,” “let’s figure it out together”—the kinds of words that make someone feel seen in a time of real need. Warm illustrations depict a parent and child walking through a snowy city night toward an open door glowing with golden light, capturing the emotional journey from isolation to welcome.
“Inside, the campaign centers on a powerful insight: for people experiencing homelessness, simply being recognized, whether that results in someone being called by name or simply treated as someone whose story matters, can be transformative. The mailer includes a real client story and multiple pathways to give, whether it be through donations, volunteering, or in-kind contributions like coats and Metro cards.”
“Working with Carpenter’s Shelter keeps us grounded in what creativity is really for: helping people feel safe, valued, and remembered,” said Josh Golden, Yes& President and Chief Creative Officer. “Most mail feels transactional. This one shouldn’t. So we pushed ourselves to turn the mission into a tactile experience. The envelope opens like a gift, because it’s a true gift to know you’re not invisible.”
The partnership extends beyond agency work: Yes& staff members donate personal hours to help advance the shelter’s mission, embodying the agency’s philosophy of giving back to Alexandria, VA’s most vulnerable residents.
