This is a little out of our area, but pretty cool. Potter’s House, the cafe and bookstore at 1658 Columbia Rd NW, has a “pay it forward” option where you can pay for someone else’s coffee or meal, donating when you buy your items. The proceeds pay for a pay-what-you-can meal program.
Ad 2 DC, a local advertising group, put together a neat little ad about it as well as a documentary about the spot, which has been around since 1960. (They also have good coffee, it’s a nice place.)
Here’s the ad and their press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Adams Morgan Reminded to Pay It Forward in New Advertising Campaign for The Potter’s House
The Potter’s House, in collaboration with Ad 2 DC, is proud to announce its newest advertising campaign, “Pay It Forward.” Launched April 15, the campaign showcases how donating to The Potter’s House’s long-standing Pay It Forward program brings the Adams Morgan community together. Donations to the Pay It Forward program directly fund the corresponding Pay What You Can program, where Adams Morgan neighbors can visit The Potter’s House and receive a nutritious meal regardless of income, and be served with dignity.
One of the highlights of the “Pay It Forward” campaign is a cinema-quality commercial showing a glimpse into the radical hospitality that happens every day at The Potter’s House, a coffeehouse, bookstore, and community hub in Adams Morgan founded in 1960. The spot was filmed onsite at The Potter’s House, and it depicts patrons of all backgrounds coming together over food in the space’s welcoming atmosphere.
Ad 2 DC also produced two mini-documentaries celebrating The Potter’s House’s history and mission, as well as the Pay It Forward program, with exclusive interviews from The Potter’s House’s board members, employees, and patrons.
“One of the goals of the Pay It Forward program is to have a starting point for connection,” says Tim Kumfer, The Potter’s House’s general manager. “We’re really seeking to re-weave the fabric of the community and bring people together. Through donations to Pay It Forward, we’re able to serve 25 meals a day through the Pay What You Can program, and as that number grows, we’ll also need to grow the support accordingly.”
The Potter’s House’s video commercial is featured on NBC4, News Channel 8/ABC 7, and YouTube. Other components of the multimedia campaign, which runs through June, can be found on iHeartRadio’s DC partner stations (WASH-FM, WBIG-FM, WIHT-FM, WMQZ-FM, WWDC-FM), in print in El Tiempo Latino, online on dcist.com, on Digilant Media’s partner sites, including washingtonpost.com, and in-store at The Potter’s House at 1658 Columbia Rd. NW, Washington, DC, 20009.
Donate to the Pay it Forward Program through The Potter’s House’s Go Fund Me page and learn more at pottershousedc.org.
