LeAnn Locher & Associates is proud to announce our project with The National Crittenton Foundation, Rights & Responsibilities booklet, has been selected as a winner in the prestigious Design Competition for Communication Arts. The competition, now in its 51st year, selected 185 winning pieces from 4,564 entries submitted from around the world. Winners are featured in the 2010 Design Annual in the September/October 2010 issues of Communication Arts.

The project featured in the Public Service category is a booklet designed for expectant and parenting young single mothers in foster care to inform them of their custody and placement rights. The format for the book was based on information gathered through focus groups with young mothers. They wanted it to look important, serious, special but to also be practical and functional in their lives. Thus, notes pages to jot down information and the custom jacket cover produced with local wallet maker Tinymeat was created with pockets to hold bus passes and business cards. The National Crittenton Foundation president Jeannette Pai-Espinosa served as strategic director and writer on the project, along with writer Roberta Phillip. LeAnn Locher provided creative direction and graphic design.

The project isn’t just beautiful and winning design awards: it’s successful. Feedback from young mothers has been that they love and need it and do hold on to it. The West Virginia Crittenton agency created a curriculum focused on teaching young mothers not only about their rights but the conditions under which their parental rights can be terminated. The booklet is used as the “text” for the curriculum. It’s the only publication that we know which provides this information to young mothers in the foster care system.

At LeAnn Locher & Associates, we believe in design that looks good and does good things in the world, and it’s a bonus when it’s recognized by our peers in the design industry. We’re grateful to The National Crittenton Foundation to be able to work closely with them to support their mission of making a difference in the lives of girls, young women and their families.