New name, same mission: Greater Lakes Region Children’s Fund rebrands

LACONIA — The organization previously known as the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction isn’t under new management, but it does have a new look.

The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Fund is the nonprofit's new brand identity, but the mission remains the same: “to engage the community to financially support local children and families in need, with a vision to raise awareness among community members about the needs of local children and families, encouraging and empowering positive impact throughout the Lakes Region.”

The Children’s Fund will represent the organization’s “philanthropic umbrella,” which distributes hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to more than 60 nonprofit organizations — this year, it’s actually 82 applications requesting more than $1 million. Since its founding, the organization has raised and donated more than $9.2 million to support Lakes Region children and families.

“I am ecstatic about this rebrand, and I’m really thrilled that we had so much feedback from the community,” Children’s Fund Executive Director Jennifer Kelley said Tuesday. “And we took that feedback really seriously.”

The new web address is childrensfundnh.org.

There are four annual events which play key roles in driving fundraising: the Children’s Auction, held each year in December; Pub Mania, which capstones the weeklong auction event, held at Patrick’s Pub & Eatery in Gilford, though the fundraising actually runs all year long; Christmas in July, a summertime cruise aboard the M/S Mount Washington; and the Sweepstakes Social. Each event feeds money into the Children’s Fund.

“We are so excited to be launching this new branding,” Kelley wrote in a news release. “It’s familiar yet fresh, and it ties together all that we do.”

Leaders of the organization, founded by the late Warren Bailey some 44 years ago, shared the news of the name change Monday afternoon.

The first iteration was a one-day collection event to support local children, and raised $2,100 over their first year. Eventually, it became a weeklong event.

The news release included notice about a new logo, created by Kate Lilly of Lilly Designs, the organization’s longtime designer and supporter. Lilly donated her services pro bono.

“Huge thanks to Kate Lilly, we could not have done this without her,” Kelley said.

"I want to be able to give back to this community, I love this community," Lilly said Wednesday. "It donates to so many organizations.

"Branding is my jam, I love it, I think it's really important."

The rebranding effort began a year ago, as leaders of the nonprofit surveyed more than 5,000 area residents about whether existing branding continued to resonate in the face of significant organizational growth. Kelley said it was important to take into consideration the sentiments of those who live in the Lakes Region.

“We would be nowhere without this community,” she said.

“We were grateful to receive feedback from so many people,” Kelley wrote in the release. “It helped us to see that it was time to refresh our brand, ensuring it would stay true to Warren and the vision of the auction while also being mindful that we are more than the Children’s Auction. We do four events throughout the year, and our branding should reflect that.”

The new logo depicts two children playing, which Lilly said is meant to reinforce the mission, “with a youthful feel and familiar elements,” like font, colors and a gold oval, while secondary logos for each event offer simple options for marketing.

“During this rebrand, we were mindful of how important and beloved the organization is,” Lilly wrote in a release. “We didn’t want to introduce too many changes, but wanted updates that felt fresh, yet still honored the core identity."

“Turning the organization into a year-round source of support has really been a team effort. We’re so grateful to everyone who helped refresh our look and lift up our mission so we can do even more for local kids and families,” Doug Morrissette, chair of the board, wrote in a release.

The rebranding effort aims to bring the organization’s mission into alignment with its public perception.

“We’re one gigantic family all working toward the same goal,” Kelley said. “We don’t fund Christmas trees, we fund children.”