By Abby Ruffkess, Sr. Marketing Lead, DIRECTV For BUSINESS
When we think about nonprofit partnerships, we often think in terms of donations—how much money a company can contribute, how many grants they’ve distributed, or how many sponsorships they’ve signed. But at DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS, we’ve learned that true impact doesn’t always start with a check. Sometimes, it starts with a question: What do you actually need?
That’s the question we asked when we began working with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) in 2022, and the answer wasn’t complicated—it was comfort.
Across more than 180 House programs in the U.S., RMHC provides families with a “home away from home” while their children receive medical treatment. Families may stay for days, weeks, or months, often far from their own homes and communities. And during that time, they’re not just looking for shelter—they’re looking for normalcy, distraction, togetherness.
In a place where every detail matters—from the kitchen to the playroom to the quiet corners for reflection—TV plays a surprisingly powerful role. Kids gather around cartoons after appointments. Parents watch the news while prepping breakfast. Families unwind together during movie nights or cheer on their favorite sports teams on the weekends. Television brings structure to an otherwise chaotic time—and helps transform a temporary space into something that feels like home.
But when DIRECTV and RMHC connected to explore a partnership, they both weren’t looking for a generic solution. They needed something built for them—affordable, reliable, and tailored to the real needs of the families RMHC serves.
So, we rolled up our sleeves and built one.
Working hand-in-hand with RMHC and across our own teams—operations, legal, marketing, sales, and customer care—we developed a nonprofit TV offering from scratch. It wasn’t fast or easy. There was no preloaded product or nonprofit discount sitting on a shelf. We had to rethink our packaging, rework our systems, and most importantly, listen.
It wasn’t about pushing the most channels or the flashiest product—it was about delivering comfort and connection when it mattered most. It’s a partnership rooted in the three Ps—Product, Place, and People—that helped us reimagine how corporate support can meet nonprofits where they are.
Since then, we’ve expanded this offering to other nonprofits—treatment centers like Caron Foundation, where patients in recovery use TV to relax and reconnect with familiar routines, and volunteer-run firehouses like Gleed Fire and Rescue, where first responders use television to stay informed, decompress, and bond with one another after long shifts.
In each of these places, TV serves a quiet but essential purpose. It’s not just background noise—it’s a bridge. A way to maintain a sense of self in an unfamiliar situation. A reason to laugh, to gather, to pause.
But our commitment goes beyond providing service. This partnership with RMHC challenged us to think bigger about how we support nonprofits across every touchpoint. We activated internal campaigns, launched employee volunteering efforts, and donated media inventory so RMHC could run PSAs during the busiest seasons of the year.
We’ve woven the nonprofit story into our biggest cultural moments—like Super Bowl activations, our “Goals for Good” sports sponsorships, and even surprise-and-delight events like the Nickelodeon Slime Bowl viewing party. And internally, we’ve made giving back part of our DNA—matching donations 200% on Giving Tuesday and enabling employees across the country to volunteer through DIRECTV Cares initiatives year-round.
And now, we’re thinking about what’s next, because here’s the truth: television has always been more than just entertainment. It’s a shared language. A cultural touchpoint. A daily routine that helps people feel grounded and safe.
For nonprofits doing the hard work of supporting people through life’s most challenging moments, it can be a vital tool—not only for distraction, but for healing.
At DIRECTV, we’re proud to play a small part in those moments of joy, relief, and connection. And as we look ahead, we’re excited to expand our partnerships, listen closely, and continue creating meaningful ways to support the people and communities who need it most.
We’re not just delivering a signal. We’re delivering support. And we’re just getting started.
The post More Than a Signal: How DIRECTV Is Powering Comfort and Connection for Nonprofits appeared first on DIRECTV Insider.
About The Author
Discover more from imd369
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
