Apparo’s Tech Therapy® assists Endless Opportunities in building social media skills and creating a strategy to increase their reach.
Endless Opportunities provides support and resources to families and children in Cabarrus and Rowan Counties. They are a Blue Ribbon Parents as Teachers (PAT) Affiliate, an evidence-based in-home program serving children prenatal to kindergarten entry. Parents as Teachers builds strong communities, thriving families and children who are healthy, safe, and learning.
Endless Opportunities came to Apparo for assistance with social media. Executive Director Lashonda Houston knew social media could help raise awareness for their work, but the process felt intimidating. Limited staff, limited time, and unfamiliar tools made it difficult for her to know where to start. Through Apparo’s Tech Therapy program, Endless Opportunities gained the guidance and skills needed to turn uncertainty into a clear social media strategy.
From Social Media Anxiety to Confidence
Before working with Apparo, Lashonda described social media as something she avoided. She states, “I think I was allergic to social media. Even looking at my personal accounts gave me anxiety. It felt like a necessary evil for business.” After a stressful experience outsourcing social media support, she decided it would be better to understand the tools herself.
Through Tech Therapy, Lashonda worked with Apparo facilitator Jerri Grant and skilled volunteer Jenny Yao over a series of guided sessions. She found the process was easy and tailored to her needs. “It started with a helpful discussion with Jerri that clarified what I needed. We then met with Jenny on a series of calls. Jerri was there throughout the process keeping us on schedule. We followed the agenda, and it was almost effortless. I just had to show up.”
Together they explored social media basics, including:
- Understanding different types of posts like reels, stories, and carousels
- Creating a clear content strategy
- Planning posts with intention instead of posting randomly
- Using tools like Canva to schedule posts
The structured process helped Lashonda quickly build confidence. “It was a non-judgmental atmosphere. I felt safe asking questions.” After a few sessions, Lashonda states, “My little light bulbs were going off. I realized, ‘Wait, you can do this.’ It was exciting to learn something new.”
Tech Therapy pairs nonprofits with skilled volunteers to solve real technology challenges.
Using Social Media to Tell Their Story
For a small nonprofit team, social media is one of the most effective ways to share their mission with the community. Endless Opportunities plans to use their new strategy to reach potential clients, donors, volunteers and partners. “We’re probably one of the best-kept secrets in Cabarrus County. Social media helps us share our story and show the community what we really do,” states Lashonda.
Lashonda is excited to continue her journey with Apparo, focusing next on website improvements. “Apparo has been a gift to us,” she states, “I want to spread the word so other nonprofits can benefit from it too.”
To learn more about Apparo’s Tech Therapy program, visit this link.
