Contact:
Katherine Zimoulis
katherine@taftandpartners.com
609-683-0700

PRINCETON, NJ – May 3, 2012 – Taft and Partners, an integrated advertising and marketing agency located in Princeton, New Jersey, has been honored with four awards in the 2012 Communicator Awards competition. The four awards, announced this week by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), include one Gold Award of Excellence, and three Silver Awards of Distinction.

Taft achieved a Gold Award of Excellence, the highest honor in the competition, for the “Rethink Everything” integrated advertising campaign developed to launch the new Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell. Taft developed a series of TV commercials, radio spots, newspaper ads, transit and other out-of-home ads, banner ads, and a campaign microsite as part of the campaign.

In addition to the Gold Award of Excellence, Taft received a Silver Award of Distinction for several other entries, including two additional integrated campaigns. “Head to Toe” is an advertising and marketing campaign developed and implemented by Taft to drive interest in Capital Health’s Center for Women’s Health. The campaign included print ads, out-of-home ads, banner ads, radio spots and a brochure focused on the comprehensive level of care offered by the Center.

Taft’s second Silver Award of Distinction was achieved for the work created for the Capital Health Center for Digestive Health.  This integrated campaign, “Advanced GI Care,” included a television spot produced with CGI special effects, print ads, radio spots, banner ads, and an out-of-home billboard.

Additionally, the IAVA honored Taft with a third Silver Award of Distinction for a newspaper advertisement for the community Open House hosted by Capital Health just prior to the Hopewell location’s opening.

“We continue to be humbled by the honors and achievements bestowed upon as an agency,” explained Christopher Cavanaugh, President of Taft and Partners. “We are particularly proud of the portfolio of work we’ve completed for Capital Health. As evidenced by our sweeping victories at the 2012 Communicator Awards, great things happen when unique creative and hard work happens in partnership with a client who challenged us to think differently.”

The 2012 Communicator Awards received over 6,000 entries from ad agencies, interactive agencies, production firms, in-house creative professionals, graphic designers, design firms, and public relations firms from across the US and around the world. The Communicator Awards are judged and overseen by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), a 550+ member organization of leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media.

For more information on Taft and Partners, contact Katherine Zimoulis at 609-683-0700 or katherine@taftandpartners.com.

About Taft and Partners

Taft and Partners (http://taftandpartners.com/) develops effective marketing strategies and breakthrough creative concepts that inspire audiences to action. Whether it’s advertising, marketing, public relations, digital media, corporate communications, leadership development, or public affairs, Taft creates and delivers integrated programs across traditional and emerging media. Founded in 1983, Taft offers strategic insight and creative excellence to regional, national, and international clients across industry segments including health, consumer, technology, finance, and defense.

About The Communicator Awards:
The Communicator Awards is the leading international awards program honoring creative excellence for communication professionals. Founded by communication professionals over a decade ago, The Communicator Awards is an annual competition honoring the best in advertising, corporate communications, public relations and identity work for print, video, interactive and audio. This year’s Communicator Awards received thousands of entries from companies and agencies of all sizes, making it one of the largest awards of its kind in the world. Please visit www.communicatorawards.com for more information.

The Communicator Awards is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms. Please visit www.iavisarts.org for a full member list and more information.

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Contact:
Katherine Zimoulis
katherine@taftandpartners.com
609-683-0700

PRINCETON, NJ – April 19, 2012 – Taft and Partners, an integrated advertising and marketing agency located in Princeton, New Jersey, has been honored with a Gold Award in the 29th Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards. The Healthcare Advertising Awards are sponsored by the Healthcare Marketing Report and are among the most respected in the industry.

Taft was bestowed with a Gold, the highest honor in the competition, for an integrated advertising campaign developed to launch the new Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell. The integrated campaign incorporated TV commercials, radio spots, newspaper ads, transit and other out-of-home ads, banner ads, and a campaign microsite. The campaign, titled “Rethink Everything,” received the Gold Award in the total advertising campaign category for hospitals with under 299 beds.

“We worked in close collaboration with the Capital Health marketing team to develop a break-through campaign that won the hearts and minds of the community,” explained Christopher Cavanaugh, President of Taft and Partners. “With our client’s direction to think differently about hospital advertising, we were able to land on a concept which exceeded all expectations.”

In addition to the Gold, Taft received individual merit awards for several other advertisements, including a television spot produced with CGI special effects for the Capital Health Center for Digestive Health; radio spots developed, produced, and placed as part of the “Rethink Everything” campaign; and a print advertisement for Plastic Surgery Associates of New Jersey.

Nearly 4,000 entries were received, making the awards the largest ever healthcare advertising awards competition. A national panel of judges was engaged in reviewing all entries based on creativity, quality, message effectiveness, consumer appeal, graphic design, and overall impact. The judges named a single Gold, Silver, and Bronze winner across eight entry groups in each of the more than 30 categories. Additionally, judges selected up to three entries per category to receive merit honors.

For more information on Taft and Partners, contact Katherine Zimoulis at 609-683-0700 or katherine@taftandpartners.com.
 
About Taft and Partners
Taft and Partners (http://taftandpartners.com/) develops effective marketing strategies and breakthrough creative concepts that inspire audiences to action. Whether it’s advertising, marketing, public relations, digital media, corporate communications, leadership development, or public affairs, Taft creates and delivers integrated programs across traditional and emerging media. Founded in 1983, Taft offers strategic insight and creative excellence to regional, national, and international clients across industry segments including health, consumer, technology, finance, and defense.

About the 29^th Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards
The 29^th Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards is the oldest, largest, and most widely respected healthcare advertising awards competition. The awards are sponsored by Healthcare Marketing Report, the leading publication covering all aspects of healthcare marketing, advertising, and strategic business development. For the complete listing of the Healthcare Advertising Awards winners, visit www.hmrpublicationsgroup.com.

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Contact:
Katherine Zimoulis
katherine@taftandpartners.com
609-683-0700

PRINCETON, NJ – April 5, 2012 – Christopher Cavanaugh, President of Taft and Partners, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Dress for Success Mercer County.

Dress for Success Mercer County was established over five years ago. The organization has grown steadily since that time, helping local area women thrive in their careers and life by providing professional attire, a network of support, and career development tools.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the extraordinary Board of Dress for Success Mercer County,” says Chris. “I’ve always had a firm belief in this organization’s commitment to personal empowerment for self-reliant individuals in search of a better life for themselves and their families.”

As a longtime member of the Mercer County community and a growing regional agency, Taft and Partners is philanthropic by nature while also serving a multitude of clients both profit and non-profit.

“My association with Dress for Success is in keeping with our corporate culture at Taft as well,” states Chris. “I have a history with the national organization dating back ten years. I am excited to once again be connected to Dress for Success on a regional basis in the community in which I live and work.”

About Christopher Cavanaugh
Christopher Cavanaugh is the President of Taft and Partners, a full service advertising and marketing firm located in Princeton, New Jersey. Prior to Taft, Christopher was an Executive Vice President at Jack Morton Worldwide, where he ran the flagship New York office and was a member of the company’s global Executive Team. Chris was also accountable for the agency’s Digital Media, Business-to-Business Marketing, Consumer Marketing, and Global Growth efforts for clients such as Pfizer, IBM, Hearst, and Bank of America. Prior to this, Christopher worked in television and commercial production for Showtime and Henson Productions. Christopher began his career in corporate communications at the J.C. Penney Company. Follow Chris’s blog at http://taftandpartners.com/blogs/chris-cavanaugh/.

About Taft and Partners
Taft and Partners (http://taftandpartners.com/) develops effective marketing strategies and breakthrough creative concepts that inspire audiences to action. Whether it’s advertising, marketing, public relations, digital media, corporate communications, leadership development, or public affairs, Taft creates and delivers integrated programs across traditional and emerging media. Founded in 1983, Taft offers strategic insight and creative excellence to regional, national, and international clients across industry segments including health, consumer, technology, finance, and defense.

About Dress for Success Mercer County
Dress for Success Mercer County is a non-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. The Lawrenceville office includes a boutique where clients receive custom suits and accessories, a Career Center offering guidance, technology, and job search skills, and a Professional Women’s Group for support and training. Since 2007, they have assisted 1600 women in central NJ. To learn more, visit www.dressforsuccess.org/mercercounty.

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Contact:
Katherine Zimoulis
katherine@taftandpartners.com
609-683-0700

PRINCETON, NJ – March 1, 2012 – Taft and Partners, an integrated advertising and marketing agency located in Princeton, New Jersey, recently earned a Silver Award – the highest honor – in the 33^rd annual Telly Awards, an international competition honoring the very best in TV commercials and video production.

Taft received a Silver mark for the “Rethink Your Hospital” TV commercials that were developed, executed, and placed by the agency on behalf of Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell. The commercials, a series of six 15-second spots, each featured a unique aspect of the new state-of-the-art hospital paired with an unexpected visual element, such as a larger-than-life teddy bear to advertise the pediatric emergency room. Of particular note, Taft utilized advanced CGI special effects to create an animated transformer character showcasing the highly technical hybrid neurosurgical operating suite.

The winning “Rethink Your Hospital” TV campaign was part of a larger integrated advertising and marketing campaign developed to “tease” the opening of the new facility. In addition to TV commercials, the campaign included radio spots, newspaper advertisements, transit and other out-of-home ads, banner ads, and a campaign microsite.

“It’s always an honor to receive high marks in an awards competition, and we are especially proud of our achievement in the Telly Awards,” explains Christopher Cavanaugh, President of Taft. “We earned the Silver Award due to our daring creative approach that was beautifully executed in partnership with the extraordinary team of marketers at Capital Health.”

The Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions. A prestigious judging panel of over 500 accomplished industry professionals, each a past winner of a Silver Telly and a member of The Silver Telly Council, judged the competition, upholding the historical standard of excellence that Telly represents. Less than 10% of entries are chosen as Winners of the Silver Telly, the competition’s highest honor.

For more information on Taft and Partners, contact Katherine Zimoulis at 609-683-0700 or katherine@taftandpartners.com.

About Taft and Partners
Taft and Partners (http://taftandpartners.com/) develops effective marketing strategies and breakthrough creative concepts that inspire audiences to action. Whether it’s advertising, marketing, public relations, digital media, corporate communications, leadership development, or public affairs, Taft creates and delivers integrated programs across traditional and emerging media. Founded in 1983, Taft offers strategic insight and creative excellence to regional, national, and international clients across industry segments including health, consumer, technology, finance, and defense.

About the Telly Awards
The Telly Awards (www.tellyawards.com) was founded in 1979 and is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world.

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Contact:
Katherine Zimoulis
katherine@taftandpartners.com
609-683-0700

PRINCETON, NJ – February 1, 2012 – Taft and Partners, an integrated advertising and marketing agency located in Princeton, New Jersey, was recently honored with both a Silver and Bronze Award in the 9^th Annual Service Industry Advertising Awards (SIAA) competition.

A standout among over 2,000 entries across the United States and hand-selected by a nationwide panel of judges, Taft received Silver and Bronze marks for their work in developing brochures for Capital Health Regional Medical Center – Hopewell and the Compliance & Ethics Forum for Life Insurers (CEFLI).

In support of a technologically advanced new hospital, Taft created “Wired and Inspired,” a six-panel, tri-fold brochure highlighting the various digital capabilities and amenities built into Capital Health Regional Medical Center – Hopewell. The “Wired and Inspired” brochure was honored by SIAA with a Silver Award.

Taft also developed an integrated marketing campaign teasing the opening of Capital Health Regional Medical Center – Hopewell. The campaign included a series of television, radio, print, out-of-home, and banner ads, each featuring a unique aspect of the hospital in unexpected ways, and directing target audiences to a campaign-specific microsite.

Earning a Bronze Award by SIAA, Taft designed an eight-page brochure for CEFLI that captures the brand promise of connectedness while also promoting the membership benefits of this newly reorganized association. Taft was also charged with re-branding the organization, the efforts of which included logo design, a new cefli.org website, and other marketing collateral.

“We are honored to be recognized by the Service Industry Advertising Awards,” explains Christopher Cavanaugh, President of Taft. “It’s exciting to receive recognition for our hard work. We appreciate the opportunity to showcase our strengths as a firm and distinguish ourselves among the crowd.”

In its 9th year, the Service Industry Advertising Awards recognizes advertising excellence in the service industry and reviews entries based on execution, creativity, quality, consumer appeal, and overall break through of advertising content.

For more information on Taft and Partners, contact Katherine Zimoulis at 609-683-0700 or katherine@taftandpartners.com.

About Taft and Partners
Taft develops effective marketing strategies and breakthrough creative concepts that inspire audiences to action. Whether it’s advertising, marketing, public relations, digital media, corporate communications, leadership development or public affairs, Taft creates and delivers integrated programs across traditional and immerging media. Founded in 1983, Taft offers strategic insight and creative excellence to regional, national, and international clients across industry segments including health, consumer, technology, finance, and defense. Visit us online at http://taftandpartners.com/, facebook.com/taftandpartners, and twitter.com/taftandpartners.

About the Service Industry Annual Awards
The Service Industry Advertising Awards began in 2003 to recognize the advertising excellence of the service industry. A national panel of judges reviews every entry for execution, creativity, quality, consumer appeal, and overall break through advertising content. Entries were submitted into eight groups and 27 categories. Find out more at www.siaawards.com.

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Contact:
Katherine Zimoulis
katherine@taftandpartners.com
609-683-0700

PRINCETON, NJ – February 1, 2012 – Following another year of unprecedented growth, Taft and Partners and its pharmaceutical division, PharmApprove™, are proud to announce an expansion in both staff and workspace. Co-owners Pete Taft and Mara Connolly have managed to buck the trend in a declining economy by doing what many suggest during a downturn, but not all companies implement:  Investing in new leadership to grow and evolve the two divisions of their business. The risk has paid off for the owners, the staff, and their clients.

The investment has resulted in a more than 20% growth in revenues, a 25% expansion in staff, and an over 100% expansion of physical space in 2011. Now, both organizations have moved to a new 4500 sq. ft. facility featuring a state-of-the-art video conferencing system that allows them to work more efficiently with their clients around the country, and around the world.

Taft and Partners (“Taft”) is a boutique advertising and marketing agency offering integrated marketing solutions in print, digital, radio, TV, and social media for clients across a variety of industries, including healthcare, education, consumer products, pharmaceutical, and life insurance.

The firm took a major leap forward in 2009 when it hired Christopher Cavanaugh, a seasoned advertising and marketing leader from New York, to serve as its President. Working closely with the partners, Christopher drove the growth strategy that resulted in an immediate and unprecedented boom in the firm’s advertising, marketing, and PR accounts.

Taft is currently working with international clients in the healthcare space, such as Abbott Labs; and regional entities like Capital Health, which has designated Taft as their agency of record for a majority of service lines.

PharmApprove™ is a strategic regulatory communications group supporting drug, device, and biologic development teams deliver key messages to regulators and advisory panels in the U.S. and abroad. That division took a similar leap forward last year when the partners hired Laurie Smaldone, MD, as President.

Laurie, an oncologist and former head of global regulatory at Bristol-Myers Squibb, has since developed a strategy that is expanding not only the company’s services, but its international reach as well. PharmApprove™ is proud of its team of pharmaceutical industry experts who work across all disease areas. In the first two months of 2012 alone, PharmApprove™ is working on half of the upcoming product approval meetings listed on FDA Live.

While both organizations’ recent growth has been rapid, the seeds of change were planted more than five years ago at the firm’s former, smaller offices on Palmer Square. “We recognized back then that we had to bring on top talent to fuel our growth,” says CEO and Managing Partner Pete Taft. “So we raised the bar, imagined our future, and invested in the best and the brightest. Christopher, Laurie, and the staff they have helped us assemble have done a fantastic job, and we’re looking forward to more years of growth together.”

“The expansion of both our physical space and our staff will allow both Taft and PharmApprove™ to deepen relationships with our clients and serve them better as they continue to expand globally,” adds EVP and General Partner Mara Connolly. “We foresee more revenue, higher profits, happier clients, and a pair of even more vibrant organizations in 2012 and beyond.”

For more information on Taft and Partners and PharmApprove™, contact Katherine Zimoulis at 609-683-0700 or katherine@taftandpartners.com.

About Taft and Partners
Taft and Partners (http://taftandpartners.com/) is a full service integrated marketing firm serving regional, national, and international clients in the areas of advertising, marketing, public relations, digital and social media, and corporate and public affairs. Co-founded in 1983 by an internationally recognized journalist and an award-winning advertising executive, the company serves an array of clients across a multitude of industry segments including health, consumer, and technology sectors.

About PharmApprove™  
PharmApprove™ (www.pharmapprove.com) is a strategic communications consulting firm that helps drug, biologic, and device development teams prepare and deliver their product’s key messages at critical stages of the development cycle including high-profile regulatory events in both the United States and Europe. Over the last decade, PharmApprove™ teams have helped to create and deliver over 60 drug, biologic, and device development communications programs across 18 therapeutic areas both in the US and overseas, including more than 45 Advisory Committee preparation projects.

PharmApprove™ is a division of Taft and Partners, an advertising, marketing, and digital media firm located in Princeton, NJ.

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Contact:
Katherine Zimoulis
katherine@taftandpartners.com
609-683-0700


Princeton, NJ – November 2, 2011 – Taft and Partners, a leading advertising and communications firm located in Princeton, New Jersey, has been honored with a 2011 International Davey Award.  Taft received a Silver Award based on its branding and marketing work in support of the Compliance & Ethics Forum for Life Insurers (CEFLI).

The winning piece, an organizational overview brochure, was designed by Taft to generate interest in and support the drive for membership to this newly formed association.  In addition to the brochure, Taft developed a new brandmark, tagline, website, electronic newsletter, and other integrated communications tools to support CEFLI in their ongoing mission to provide insight, knowledge, and meaningful change to C&E professionals in the life insurance industry.

“We were excited have Taft as a partner during our critical first phase of development.  Taft supported us by establishing a fresh new look and feel for all of our branded materials, ” explains Don Walters, CEFLI CEO. “We’re happy to receive this award on behalf of CEFLI,” states Chris Cavanaugh, President of Taft and Partners. “We’re equally thrilled to continue our relationship with CEFLI as their communications agency of record.”

With nearly 4,000 entries from across the United States and around the world, the Davey Awards honor the finest creative work from the best boutique firms, agencies, and companies worldwide.  Winning entries for the Davey Awards are selected by the International Academy of the Visual Arts based on a standard of excellence and distinction in creative work developed by the IAVA.

About Taft and Partners
Taft and Partners (http://taftandpartners.com/) is a full service integrated marketing firm serving regional, national, and international clients in the areas of advertising, marketing, public relations, digital and social media, and corporate and public affairs.  Co-founded in 1983 by an internationally recognized journalist and an award-winning advertising executive, the company serves an array of clients across a multitude of industry segments including the health, consumer, and technology sectors.

About Davey Awards
The Davey Awards (www.daveyawards.com) honors the achievements of the “Creative Davids” who derive their strength from big ideas, rather than big budgets. The Davey Awards is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms. Please visit www.iavisarts.org for a full member list and more information.

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Contact: Katherine Zimoulis
katherine@taftandpartners.com
609-683-0700

Princeton, NJ – June 1, 2011 – Taft and Partners, the leading integrated communications firm special­izing in marketing, messaging and media, has been honored with an “Award of Excellence” in the 17^th Annual Communicator Awards. The winning ad, “Help a Child,” was developed as part of a brand awareness campaign for the Trenton-based nonprofit Children’s Futures (CF).

The ad featured the hand of a small child grasping an adult hand, with the words, “Help a child today, change our world forever.” The ads were developed to raise awareness and interest in CF’s work in the central New Jersey region and were placed on elevated billboards, roadside bulletins and train station posters.  Taft received an “Award of Excellence” for the train station posters and an award of distinction for both the elevated billboard and the roadside bulletin formats.

“At Taft, our greatest source of pride comes from the work we do with nonprofit organizations,” stated Chris Cavanaguh, President of Taft and Partners.  “To receive an award in recognition of our efforts reminds us of how important it is to communicate the core value proposition and contributions our non profit partners make.” Chris continued, “We were especially proud to be able to use participants in CF programs as the subjects for our campaign.”

The Communicator Awards are judged and overseen by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), a 550+ member organization of leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media. With thousands of entries received from across the US and around the world, the Communicator Awards is the largest and most competitive awards program honoring the creative excellence for communications professionals.

About Taft and Partners
Taft and Partners (http://taftandpartners.com/) is an integrated marketing communications firm offering consulting and creative services to domestic and international clients in the specialty practice areas of marketing, branding, public relations, corporate and public affairs, and digital media.  Co-founded in 1983 by an internationally-recognized journalist and an award-winning advertising agency executive, the company serves an array of Fortune 500 clients in the consumer product, pharmaceutical, defense and high technology sectors.

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For more information, contact:
Katherine Zimoulis
609 683 0700

PRINCETON, NJ – March 28, 2011 – Oliver Quinn, Esq., Principal and Senior Counselor of Taft and Partners, a Princeton-based communications firm, has been asked to speak at the 2011 CEFLI Ethics Summit Meeting on Wednesday, April 13 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The Compliance and Ethics Forum for Life Insurers (CEFLI) connects those accountable for the compliance & ethics functions in organizations that offer life insurance products and services with their peers. The upcoming CEFLI Ethics Summit Meeting will create a forum for a robust exchange of ideas, allowing life insurers to share their perspectives and receive insights from state and federal regulators as well as key industry experts like Mr. Quinn.

As a featured speaker, Mr. Quinn will share his expertise on compliance and ethics strategies in today’s aggressive business environment, discussing current trends and future directions for the industry. As a principal in Taft’s Corporate and Public Affairs Group, Mr. Quinn and his team create communications-based solutions that address the strategic, operational, cultural, and reputational issues that impact organizations, both internally and externally.

“The summit gives leaders in the field the opportunity to exchange ideas and strategies for managing effective compliance and ethics programs in an increasingly challenging marketplace,” explains Quinn, who previously served as Corporate Vice President and Chief Business Ethics Officer at Prudential Financial and Deputy Solicitor of Labor for the United States Department of Labor.

“Oliver’s deep insight and unparalleled experience will provide great value to the program and its participants,” says Don Walters, President & CEO of CEFLI.

Additional featured speakers include Ketani Brown Jackson, Vice Chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission; Greg Andres, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division; Jude A. Curtis, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at PricewaterhouseCoopers; Kathleen Edmond, Chief Ethics Officer at Best Buy; and Brian Loutrel, Chief Ethics Officer, New York Life Insurance Company.

Taft and Partners helps organizations effectively use communications strategies to implement and manage a multitude of efforts pertaining to ethics, compliance, corporate culture and corporate and public affairs.

About Taft and Partners
Taft and Partners (http://taftandpartners.com/) is the leading integrated marketing communications firm with specialty practice areas in marketing, branding, public relations, corporate and public affairs, and digital media. Co-founded in 1983 by an internationally recognized journalist and an award-winning advertising agency executive, the company boasts an array of Fortune 500 clients in the consumer product, pharmaceutical and high technology sectors, among others.

About CEFLI
Governed by a Board of Directors comprised of chief compliance & ethics officers, CEFLI (www.cefli.org) is an organization developed by chief compliance & ethics officers for chief compliance & ethics officers. CEFLI helps to create innovative strategies and identify best practices to address the most important compliance & ethics issues on the minds of today’s thought leaders within the life insurance industry.

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For more information, contact:
Katherine Zimoulis
609 683 0700

Trenton, NJ – March 17, 2011 – The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) has accumulated $1,071,000 towards its Keeping the Bowl Full Endowment Campaign goal.

TASK’s Keeping the Bowl Full Endowment Campaign strives to have a total of $2,000,000 in endowment gifts by December 2012, which will mark the 30th anniversary of TASK.

Currently, government funding accounts for less than 5% of the TASK operating budget. As a result, TASK relies on private donors to cover 95% of its operating costs to provide critical services. In just under a year, TASK has accumulated a total of $1,000,000 for the Keeping the Bowl Full Endowment Campaign through sound fiscal management, the success of the ‘TASK Force Against Hunger’ Campaign and the continued support of the community-at-large. Importantly, TASK received $71,000 in the initial silent phase through various leadership gifts and extensive board and staff participation. TASK is now beyond the critical halfway point for the campaign goal.

The Keeping the Bowl Full Endowment will serve as a permanent savings account for the organization. Earmarked for investment, the funds will provide critical income for TASK beyond regular fundraising efforts, while also providing security for the future of the organization, and, most importantly, the people it serves.

“Giving to TASK makes everyone feel better. Who doesn’t want to help feed the hungry? It’s a very popular charity,” says Mara Connolly Taft, who, with her husband, Pete Taft, co-chairs the Endowment Committee. The Tafts also worked on the capital campaign 25 years ago to build the Escher Street facility. “In addition to the thousands of small donations that keep TASK going and for which we are profoundly grateful, now the committee is looking for a few extraordinarily generous donors whose larger endowment gifts can help provide the financial foundation for TASK in the future.”

Each year, TASK serves over 170,000 meals to the needy in the greater Trenton area, while also providing a variety of services promoting self-sufficiency, such as tutoring, individualized Adult Education Programs, hygiene kits, social work, and visual and performing arts programming.

TASK was founded in 1982 by feeding 60 hungry people in the basement of a Trenton church. Since then, the organization has grown in size and services to reach more than 2,500 people each year. TASK is honored with six consecutive four-star ratings by Charity Navigator, the leading independent evaluator of charitable organizations in the United States.

For more information about the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and the Keeping the Bowl Full Endowment Campaign, contact Dennis Micai, Executive Director at TASK, at 609-5456 Ext. 101.

To make a donation online, please go to www.trentonsoupkitchen.org.

About Taft and Partners
Taft and Partners (http://taftandpartners.com/) is the leading integrated marketing communications firm with specialty practice areas in marketing, branding, public relations, corporate and public affairs, and digital media. Co-founded in 1983 by an internationally recognized journalist and an award-winning advertising agency executive, the company boasts an array of Fortune 500 clients in the consumer product, pharmaceutical and high technology sectors, among others.

About Trenton Area Soup Kitchen
The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) is a private, non-sectarian, charitable organization that depends almost entirely on the help of dedicated volunteers and generous financial support from individuals, churches, local businesses and community organizations.

TASK provides more than 3,200 free meals per week to people in need in the Trenton area. Activities are directed towards helping patrons achieve healthier lifestyles, increased self-esteem, and self-sufficiency. To this end, TASK and agencies using our facility provide a wide array of social, community, and health services.

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