This post was updated on November 1, 2022.

Five years ago, Wray Ward created a service-grant program, called EmpoWWer, to support 501(c)(3) community initiatives in the greater Charlotte area. When we launched this next chapter in our agency’s commitment to giving back, we envisioned EmpoWWer as a new and effective way to build a stronger community. By focusing on organizations framed by one of three pillars — creativity, shelter and advancement — the EmpoWWer program formalized a commitment to social responsibility that our agency had embraced in a not-so-formal way since opening our doors in 1977.

Now, five years later, we’ve seen the dream of EmpoWWer realized through our work with 15 different Charlotte organizations. From our first four grant awardees — Digi-Bridge, The Relatives, SHARE Charlotte and Charlotte is Creative — to this year’s recipients, we’ve partnered with incredible organizations whose missions resonate with so many of our Charlotte neighbors.

Through their application, each of these grant recipients presented a tangible need for our agency’s creative and strategic resources, and in each case, our team delivered a solution that helped create substantive change for the organization. Whether that was helping We Rock Charlotte reinvent itself with a new name and brand identity, or designing a new, more engaging website for Hospitality House of Charlotte, the EmpoWWer program has proven rewarding and impactful for everyone involved, including the Wray Ward employees who helped bring these solutions to life.

Seeing the results of each of our marketing service grants reaffirms all of the reasoning behind creating EmpoWWer. We believe deeply in the missions and people of this city’s nonprofit community, and we’re grateful for the chance to help them make the world a better place.

So, what’s next?

Opening Our Doors to Even More Community Support

Charlotte is a rich landscape, made up of strong community partnerships and incredible talent. As marketers and creatives, the people at Wray Ward are storytellers by nature. We help our clients build awareness, drive interest and create engagement with their brands by speaking to the needs and goals of their target audience. For nonprofits and community organizations — which often must speak for the underserved members of our community that aren’t given a voice — our skills and expertise can prove invaluable in helping them promote their cause and grow their support network. It’s why we continue to push for the Charlotte creative community as a whole to do its part to help tell the important stories of these organizations. There is so much need, and it is our responsibility to lend a helping hand.

Over the course of our first 15 EmpoWWer projects, we’ve also come to appreciate the impact that community service work has on our team at Wray Ward. These projects expose our employees to the power of philanthropy, and it's a great way — especially for our younger folks — to learn about the importance of getting involved and giving back to the community. We see it in the creativity and passion they bring to each project. Many have also continued to volunteer with an organization long after the EmpoWWer project has ended.

That’s also why I’m excited to announce the next step in Wray Ward’s efforts to give back to local organizations — this time by sharing our home at 2317 Thrift Road.

A Home for Your Next Event

Organizations can now apply to use Wray Ward’s innovative meeting spaces at our new building in Charlotte’s FreeMoreWest area to host a gathering or event in 2023 — for free.