In this short film, a businessman walks into a corporate boardroom to pitch an investment to a group of professionals. He promises great returns, and the potential for innovation that can change the world. He then brings into the room a disheveled homeless man–who is the investment opportunity that can yield amazing results.
The pitch man points out that taxpayers spend $35,000 a year to leave a homeless person on the streets. Investing in the job-training programs offered at the Weingart Center for the Homeless puts these people back to work and makes them productive members of society who pay taxes and can benefit society at large. Taking the homeless off the streets results in a reduction in costs for law enforcement, emergency room visits, welfare and food stamps.
Our pitch man then reveals that he was once a homeless drug addict and that The Weingart Center turned his life around. He is now married, has an adopted child, runs a business and has five people in his employ.
“Rather than appeal to one’s charitable side, we are appealing to their understanding of return on investment,” said Senator Kevin Murray (who retired due to term limits in 2006), president and CEO of the Weingart Center for the Homeless. “It is better for you and the homeless person to invest in the homeless. You will save money in the long run and get a nicer cleaner community.”
Ad agency Pitch created the campaign pro-bono. It includes a redesign of the Weingart website http://weingart.org and a Twitter blitz with the hashtag #investinLA, tweeting influential Angelenos and asking them to help make L.A. a better city by sharing the film which was directed by Ricardo Mehedff via Check Your Head Films.
“The men and women who work at the Weingart Center are miracle workers. They help people truly in need re-enter society with hope and a plan,” said Rachel Spiegelman, president of Pitch. “When you donate, you give your money away; when you invest, you get a return. That’s the core idea behind our campaign and behind the Weingart program. We’re honored to be working with them on this incredible cause.”
