National Association of Counties
Untold Stories Spotlight: New Hanover County, N.C. |
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, counties have served on the front lines, working to protect the health and wellbeing of our residents, and driving economic recovery in our communities. Together, counties have highlighted our critical role and the key services counties provide, demonstrating to the public and to our federal partners that counties matter.
Now, we have an opportunity to tell the full story of our efforts and how we have made incredible differences in the lives of our residents through the American Rescue Plan Act, a historic direct investment in our nation's counties. Let’s demonstrate how counties are helping our residents stay in their homes and keep food on the table. How we are supporting small businesses.
Below, submit your story and access a letter to the editor template, a media relations guide, social media templates, as well as resources to engage your residents to help them share their own untold story.
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Share Your Untold Story With NACoShare how your county is investing ARPA funds to serve residents and support your community |
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Media Engagement ResourcesAccess media engagement tools and templates, and leverage the power of your local media. |
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Social Media TemplatesUse sample tweets and graphics to help tell your untold stories. |
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Resident Engagement ResourcesFind tools to engage residents and help them tell their stories. |
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Explore Recent StoriesSince the beginning of the pandemic, counties have invested in small businesses and nonprofits, vaccine distribution, public health and safety, human services, especially for those suffering from domestic violence, mental illnesses and substance use disorders, and much-needed infrastructure, including broadband. Counties have also provided safety net services for our most vulnerable residents – the sick, unemployed, elderly and youth. Counties are continuing those investments in their community through the Recovery Fund including:
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To help you think about the best way to tell your story, NACo has created a short worksheet to kickstart the storytelling process.
How is your county responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and providing critical support to your residents? Leverage the power of the media to demonstrate the human impact of county services. Below, find a template letter to the editor, press release and media advisory to get started. Access NACo's COVID-19 media relations guide for more.
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Letter to the Editor Template |
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Press Release & Media Advisory Templates |
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Media Relations Guide |
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Photos and videos are creative and engaging options to reach your audience. Share photos and videos on your county website and your social media channels. Keep the length of your videos short to maximize audience engagement.
Share with us! Tag @NACoTweets on Twitter, share posts with us on Facebook or upload the file here.
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Video Tips |
DON’T LOOK DOWNWe’ve all seen it: a video or a web chat where someone is looking down at their laptop with the camera aimed up toward their nose. It’s not a flattering look for anybody, so make sure your webcam or smartphone camera is eye-level, so you are looking directly into it. Make sure you are looking at the camera and not the screen. It’s also very important that the camera isn’t shaking or moving around too much. Things like selfie sticks and Pop Sockets are great, but you can also carefully place your phone on a bookshelf or table to get a great, stable shot. FRAME THE SHOTThink about how you want this to look on the audience’s screen. If you are recording on a phone or tablet device, please position your camera horizontally! Also:
LIGHTINGThe best lighting is natural light. For indoor shots, try to place yourself in front of a window, always have the window in front of you, never behind. If it's really bright, you can use curtains if they are white, or pull-down shades that are translucent to soften light. Avoid any direct overhead lighting (or doing outdoor shots between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.), because it can create unattractive shadows. BE YOURSELF AND KEEP IT SIMPLEPeople aren’t expecting perfection, they are expecting a human. Don’t be overly scripted or stiff. Talk or look at the camera as though you are talking to a person, try to picture their face and be yourself. |
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[Your County] has been on the front lines of the #COVID19. Our work has had a real impact on the lives and livelihoods or our residents, particularly our most vulnerable. #CountiesMatter |
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As [your county] continues to respond to the pandemic, we are focused on serving the needs of our residents. They come first. Together, will tell the county story. #CountiesMatter |
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[Your County] is ensuring all residents have access to the #COVID19 vaccine. [Insert county story / example]. #CountiesMatter |
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Throughout the pandemic, we have supported our most vulnerable residents. [Insert county story / example]. #CountiesMatter |
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#CountiesMatter in transportation & infrastructure. [County project] has connected our residents to critical services. |
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#Counties are driving the recovery across the country. [County program] is supporting jobs & small businesses in our commuty. #CountiesMatter |
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Help your residents tell their own story. Engage with your community and solicit on-the-ground examples of the impacts counties have in the lives of our residents.
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Calling all in our community: Share how local services helped you or a neighbor during these unprecedented times |
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We are all in this together. Share your story of how we came together and supported the most vulnerable in our communities |
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| Counties Matter: Help us share how [Your County] is working in our community. Post your own story using #CountiesMatter |
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NACo is pleased to announce the winners for the 2023 Achievement Awards.
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