BVU students create video stories to bring awareness to local nonprofits

Screenshots from student videos promoting Goodwill and Witter Gallery

CauseBOOM!, a social-interest organization created by the Strategic Public Relations course at Buena Vista University, is conducting A Cause for [Thanks]giving viral event during Thanksgiving week. This online event highlights the release of eight informative videos created to informing the public of local nonprofit organizations serving Northwest Iowa communities. Jerry Johnson, Assistant Professor Digital Media teaches the course and feels this gives students the opportunity to design videos that focus on motivating/inspiring young people to go out in their communities and get involved with the different nonprofits and organizations available within them.

The informative videos were created by Buena Vista University students to motivate and inform young adults about different nonprofit organizations and ways for them to get involved based on their passions. The informational videos were created for each of the following nonprofits – Center Against Abuse and Sexual Assault (CAASA), Meals on Wheels America, Support Siouxland Soldiers (SSS), Upper Des Moines Opportunity Inc. (UDMO), Hope Haven, Goodwill of the Great Plains, Make-A-Wish Iowa and Witter Gallery. A Cause for [Thanks]giving can be found at facebook.com/causeboom.

There are many ways for students on campus to get involved within the Storm Lake community and the ones that sit outside of it. Since establishing in 2012, CauseBoom! has contributed to these opportunities by connecting students with not only nonprofits/organizations in the area, but also with each other. As time has move forward, both the nonprofits and connections within the network have advanced tremendously.