Savage Good Awarded 2015 Sappi “Ideas that Matter” Grant to Support the EB Research Partnership
Author Savage BrandsCategories Design for Good
HOUSTON – (Sept. 28, 2015) When Savage Brands Design Director and Principal Doug Hebert attended a concert by Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder, he expected to enjoy his favorite singer and a fantastic show. He got much more when Vedder inspired him to help make a difference in the lives of people battling a devastating and rare skin disease—Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).
Hebert has been awarded a national $40,000 grant from Sappi Fine Paper through its “Ideas That Matter” program to develop communications materials for the EB Research Partnership (EBRP), the nation’s largest nonprofit group working to cure EB. The disease affects individuals at birth and causes the skin to tear apart, blister and shear off the body, leading to pain, disfigurement and wounds that never heal.
Vedder, an EBRP board member who supports individuals with the disease, provided the inspiration for Hebert to develop the winning grant proposal. Hebert is the driving force behind Savage Good, the firm’s initiative to provide strategic creative services to non-profit organizations on a pro bono basis.
“I’m most content in my life when I am doing work that has the potential to make a difference in the lives of others. I am always actively looking for a cause where Savage’s resources and talents have a strong impact,” said Hebert. “I have a real emotional connection to this cause. I watched video interviews conducted with children who suffer from EB, and I was moved to tears.”
Hebert is a five-time recipient of national grant awards from Sappi. Working with EBRP, he and the Savage team will be creating printed materials, a microsite, photography and a video to help the organization solicit funding and raise awareness that can change the lives of those who suffer from this deadly, painful disease.
“The pain caused by EB affects 30,000 people and their families in the U.S. alone. As with all rare diseases, finding a cure relies on the dedication, commitment and generosity of individuals and corporations like Savage,” said Jessica Scheer, executive director of the EB Research Partnership. “We truly appreciate Doug and the Savage Good team taking the initiative to share their creative talents to design materials that will help promote our message and engage the EB community and potential donors.”
Hebert said he had no idea that attending a concert would inspire something like this, where Savage can be a part of a solution. “If Eddie was looking to motivate at least one person in the audience to make a difference – I want him to know that he did,” said Hebert. “It’s amazing how one moment like that can lead to opportunities to create positive change.”
About Savage Brands
Houston-based Savage Brands is a branding communications firm that mobilizes minds, drives performance and creates results. The firm works with companies experiencing transition, growth and transformation by employing Savage Thinking to uncover and articulate their purpose. Through strategy, planning and design communications, Savage helps leaders build purposeful brands that increase employee engagement and customer loyalty, enabling them to achieve their most ambitious visions. For more information, visit www.savagebrands.com.
About Savage Good
Savage Good is an initiative formed by Savage Brands in 2010 to provide strategic creative services to non-profit organizations on a pro bono basis. Savage Good partners with non-profits at a strategic level to develop branding and marketing projects that provide hope, inspire change, and make a difference in our community. For more information, visit www.savagegood.org.
About EB Research Partnership
EB Research Partnership (EBRP) is the largest 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to funding research aimed at treating and ultimately curing Epidermolysis Bullosa, a group of devastating and life-threatening skin disorders that affect children from birth. Since its founding, the organization has raised more than $8 million for innovative medical research. To learn more about Epidermolysis Bullosa and to donate, please visit www.ebresearch.org.
