Clients

The C.A.L.I Project

The C.A.L.I Project is a purpose-driven nonprofit founded by Crystal Wharton, dedicated to supporting young women transitioning out of the foster care system. With a focus on stability, empowerment, and long-term independence, the organization works to address housing insecurity and provide essential resources for women navigating life after foster care.

Rooted in lived experience and advocacy, The C.A.L.I Project stands at the intersection of housing equity, women’s empowerment, and community support, which makes it both deeply personal and widely impactful.

  • Crystal came to Vérité House with a powerful mission, but limited media visibility. While her work was impactful, her story—and the layered experiences that led her to founding The C.A.L.I Project—had not yet been fully leveraged as a media asset.

    Our objective was clear: Position Crystal not just as a nonprofit founder, but as a compelling voice within the housing and women’s advocacy space, while securing meaningful media placements that would elevate both her credibility and her organization’s reach.

  • Vérité House developed a highly intentional media strategy rooted in storytelling and precision targeting. We positioned Crystal’s personal journey front and center. We recognized that her lived experience added depth, relatability, and urgency to every pitch. Her story became the anchor for all media outreach. Crystal is also 2026’s Miss Tampa Bay Petite, which gives us more to work with and incentive to the media. We curated a strategic mix of television, radio, and digital publications across the Tampa Bay, Florida market—ensuring alignment with her target audience and message. We identified and pitched directly to journalists covering: housing and housing insecurity, women-focused initiatives, human interest stories, community-driven reporting, and feature storytelling. Rather than relying on a single narrative, we continuously developed fresh, newsroom-ready angles tailored to each outlet and journalist to ensure relevance while maximizing coverage opportunities. 

  • Within one week of distributing the initial pitch, Crystal secured a sit-down television interview with WLFA Bloom TV, followed by a radio interview on Sunday Morning programming across Cox Media Group Tampa stations. These placements positioned Crystal as both a thought leader and advocate, introducing The C.A.L.I Project to a broader regional audience.

  • The C.A.L.I Project remains an active Vérité House client and continues to experience steady growth in media visibility. Through consistent storytelling, strategic pitching, and relationship-building with journalists, Crystal’s voice and her mission are gaining sustained traction across the Tampa Bay media landscape.

  • “Working with Aleah as she launches her PR consultancy has been an incredible experience. She has already delivered real, tangible results, securing me a spot on a news station and a radio interview that aired across five different stations.

    What truly stands out is her ability to leverage her background as an anchor into meaningful media connections. She understands exactly how to position a story, pitch it effectively, and follow through with professionalism and persistence. Despite being based in a different state, she made the entire process seamless and stress-free. Always providing me with a prep call before the interview, and very detailed information throughout the process regarding location, time and contact person.

    She is driven, well-connected, and genuinely invested in the success of the people she works with.

    I highly recommend her to anyone looking to gain media exposure and elevate their brand.”

    -Crystal Wharton, Founder & Executive Director of The C.A.L.I Project

Savannah State University National Alumni Association – Indiana Chapter

The Savannah State University National Alumni Association – Indiana Chapter is a nonprofit collective of proud Savannah State University alumni based in the Midwest. The chapter is dedicated to student recruitment, alumni engagement, and community outreach, creating pathways for prospective students to learn about the legacy and opportunities of Savannah State University.

Through events, mentorship, and regional visibility efforts, the chapter plays a critical role in extending the university’s reach beyond the Southeast and into key Midwestern markets.

  • The chapter partnered with Vérité House to elevate awareness and drive participation for the Second Annual HBCU at the Ballpark—an event hosted in collaboration with the Cincinnati Reds.

    This initiative served as both a cultural celebration and a fundraiser, where $7 from each ticket sold directly supported participating HBCU alumni chapters. The goal was to maximize visibility, increase ticket sales, and position the chapter as a leading voice for HBCU advocacy in the Midwest.

  • Vérité House executed a focused, results-driven media campaign over the course of two months, grounded in mission clarity and targeted outreach. We refined the chapter’s narrative to clearly highlight its core mission—promoting Savannah State University for recruitment—while tying it seamlessly to the energy and purpose of the HBCU at the Ballpark event. Media outreach was concentrated in Cincinnati, Ohio, the host city of the event, ensuring messaging reached the most relevant and immediate audience. We targeted a mix of television and radio outlets, prioritizing shows with strong engagement in: Black community storytelling, Feature and cultural programming, and community-focused initiatives. Instead of general newsroom blasts, we pitched directly to specific programs where the story would resonate most with listeners and viewers. To complement earned media, we launched a dedicated Instagram presence for real-time awareness and engagement, developed email campaigns to mobilize alumni networks and supporters, and ensured consistent messaging across platforms to drive ticket conversions.

  • The chapter secured multiple high-impact placements, including radio interviews on R&B Cincy 100.3, 1230 The Buzz (WDBZ) and a television interview on Cincinnati Issues with Lincoln Ware on Star64. These placements amplified awareness of both the chapter’s mission and the HBCU at the Ballpark event, reaching audiences deeply connected to culture, community, and HBCU pride.

    As a result, the alumni chapter ranked 3rd in ticket sales out of 13 participating schools, generated over $250 in proceeds returned directly to the chapter, established a stronger presence within the Cincinnati market and among Midwest audiences all while created a sustainable platform (Instagram + email outreach) for continued engagement beyond the event.

  • “I had the pleasure of working with Aleah during our participation in the Cincinnati Reds HBCU Celebration. Aleah delivered exceptional results, helping us elevate our brand visibility across Cincinnati, Indiana, and Michigan — far beyond what we imagined possible. She developed and executed a strategic three-pronged media campaign that included targeted email outreach, dynamic social media engagement, and impactful radio/television coverage. Thanks to her efforts, Savannah State placed third in ticket sales among all participating HBCUs — a remarkable achievement, especially considering it was our chapter’s first time participating and we’re based in Indianapolis. Aleah’s media and marketing savvy is matched by her resourcefulness and professionalism. She’s not afraid to leverage her network and her position as a respected TV news anchor to open doors and amplify messages. Her initiative and creativity far exceeded our expectations and made a lasting impact on our chapter’s visibility and engagement. I wholeheartedly recommend Aleah to any organization seeking a strategic, results-driven media partner. She brings vision, energy, and a deep understanding of how to connect with audiences and deliver measurable success.”

    - Ranson Ricks

    President, Savannah State University National Alumni Association — Indiana Chapter