Helping Those Who Help ... Others, with Every Door Direct Mail



Bethany Harrington and Postmaster Jane Draper

The Cambridge, VT, Food Shelf and Clothing Bank is run by volunteers who donate their time to help those who are struggling in their community. Volunteer Bethany Harrington said the Bank wanted to send out a letter of introduction, solicit donations and inform residents of the towns it serves that it is available for those who need assistance.

She learned that a traditional direct mailing would cost a total of $380 for the first year before the cost of postage, plus an additional $190 every year thereafter to keep it. "Once we created the mailpiece, I would need to travel over an hour away to get it approved," said Harrington. "Then I would have to deliver it back to the post office where we bought the permit."

  

Enter Johnson, VT, Postmaster Jane Draper, who told Harrington about USPS' Every Door Direct Mail. 

"She was so helpful!," said Harrington. "Jane explained how Every Door Direct Mail would be perfect for our small organization. She showed me how to prepare my mailpiece and answered all my questions." Harrington created two different designs and brought them to Draper, who approved the appropriate size to mail. "Jane took the time to really explain everything to me, check to make sure it was correct and that I had the right paperwork for each post office. "With Jane's help, I had my mailing correctly prepared within just 15 minutes. It was very quick and easy." 

The mailing was to be delivered to residents in Cambridge, Jeffersonville, and Waterville/Belvidere at a cost of pennies per piece:

Cambridge - 788 residents at a cost of $111.90
Jeffersonville - 1,371 residents at a  cost of $194.68
Waterville/Belvidere - 480 residents at a cost of $68.16
The total postage was $374.74. 

"With the reply envelopes that we included, the total cost of this mailing was $400, and to date we have raised $2,800," she said. "This will help us feed a lot of people. What a return on investment! I highly recommend Every Door Direct Mail for any non-profit or small business."