Children and Family Urban Ministries (CFUM), a Des Moines non-profit group, is looking to craft a new image with $5,000 of marketing services they are receiving as the result of a Simpson College victory.

Earlier in August, Simpson won Des Moines advertising agency Lessing-Flynn’s Battle of the Brands, a vote-based contest that pitted the college against brands including the Iowa State Fair and Anderson Erickson Dairy.

Lessing-Flynn pledged to donate marketing services to the non-profit of the winner’s choice, and Simpson chose CFUM. The college has had a 14-year relationship with the non-profit, said Linda Danielson, the group’s operation director, and the donated services are coming just at the right time.

“This year CFUM will be celebrating our 20th anniversary as a non-profit, and we are in the process of preparing for the next phase of CFUM,” Danielson said.

To mark this next phase, CFUM is considering a name change, new logos and other marketing strategies.

“This donation will assist us in rebranding and marketing that name to the community,” Danielson said.

CFUM’s mission statement expresses a belief in creating a community to support the potential of children, youth, and families through educational success, healthy living and community engagement.

To achieve such goals, CFUM has set up programs for children before and after school hours at the Moulton Extended Learning Center. These programs include such groups as the Breakfast Club, The Haven Club, The Backyard Boyz and The Whyld Girls.

Along with these programs, CFUM offers college scholarships and has recently started a teen pregnancy awareness group called “Future, the Alternative F Word”.

Simpson has sent students to volunteer with numerous CFUM projects. These volunteers have included students participating in service learning and internships, as well as students from the Religious Life Community.

“The connection was natural there because we have had a relationship with them for so long,” Jill Johnson, executive director of marketing and public relations for Simpson, said.

Johnson and other staff in the Marketing and Public Relations department were in charge of helping Simpson College win in the Battle of the Brands competition.

“I know that CFUM is looking to change their name to better reflect their mission,” Johnson said. “This will be a great opportunity for CFUM to get some professional help in this process. The timing of choosing them as our charity was perfect.”