SAMPLE PARTNER OUTREACH LETTER

Dear (insert Organization contact name),

Only 57 percent of women know that heart disease is their leading cause of death and most fail to make the connection between risk factors—such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol—and their personal risk of developing heart disease.  (Insert your Organization name) wants to be a part of changing this disturbing reality by bringing The Heart Truth—a new campaign that is raising public awareness about women and heart disease—to our community.  I am writing to invite you to become a local partner to join us in this effort.

The Heart Truth features a Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness. This symbol links a woman's focus on her "outer self" to the need to also focus on her "inner self" and her heart.  What's a Red Dress got to do with it? A simple Red Dress works as a visual red alert to get the message heard loud and clear:  "Heart Disease Doesn't Care What You Wear—It's the #1 Killer of Women."

The Heart Truth campaign is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in partnership with: The American Heart Association; Office on Women's Health, DHHS; WomenHeart: the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease; and other groups committed to the health and well-being of women.

This national campaign is building awareness of women's heart disease and empowering women to reduce and prevent their risk.  It is reaching women with important heart health messages in community settings through a diverse network of national and grassroots partner organizations.

(Insert your Organization's name) is asking (insert partner's Organization name) to partner with us to support and organize a local event and presentation to promote the important message of The Heart Truth campaign.

(Insert a paragraph describing your local event.)

(You may insert one of the following paragraphs suggesting appropriate partnership ideas):

As a local business, there are many ways you can participate.  You may declare a "Red Dress Day" in which employees wear red, get screened for heart disease risk factors, and attend a presentation to build awareness.  Or you may (insert ideas you have for your local event).

As a clothing retailer, the Red Dress symbol presents many attractive and educational opportunities, such as combining a Red Dress fashion show with a Heart Truth presentation—or creating special Red Dress promotions that benefit a local non-profit women's heart organization.

As a community group, you may consider a "Dress for Success" breakfast or luncheon for your members, featuring a fashion show and The Heart Truth presentation.  The campaign's Red Dress Project may be incorporated into your planned events and community fairs as well.

As a hospital, The Heart Truth campaign and its Red Dress symbol can help you bring the issue of women's heart health to center stage.  The messages and educational materials are ideal to incorporate into your ongoing community health classes or special activities.

Please consider joining as a local partner and help us expand The Heart Truth campaign's reach to women in our community.  Please visit The Heart Truth Web page for more information at www.hearttruth.gov.

I will be contacting you soon to discuss your interest in participating and partnering with our organization to implement campaign outreach activities.  In the meantime, please feel free to contact me at your convenience.  Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely,