Each agency manages their PPP program locally and independently, implementing their
program in a way that best fits their department. Each agency designs and obtains their
own patches and supports the program at the agency level. Because each agency designs
their PPP program to fit their particular needs, the agency can choose to employ all, or
only some, of the program’s main components. This includes:

• Allowing uniformed staff to wear pink patches on their uniform in the field each
  October during “Breast Cancer Awareness Month”.
• Raising funds to support a cancer-centric organization by promoting and selling
  their pink patches in a way that best fits their particular agency.

Selling pink patches is just one way to raise funds….many agencies have come up with
other fun, interesting, and inventive ways to spread the word and to raise funds for their
program. In addition to selling their pink patches, many agencies also sell everything from
PPP t-shirts, challenge coins, stickers, dog tags, etc.

One of the cornerstones of the PPP is fundraising and contributing to a breast cancer
research organization and/or support group dedicated to battling the disease. City of
Hope in Duarte, California is the founding beneficiary of the PPP and is our official
partner in this initiative. Agencies that select City of Hope as their beneficiary may sell
their PPP merchandise online through an online store managed by City of Hope and have
the advantage of other forms of support from City of Hope. While partnering with City
of Hope is a great way to go, each agency has the option of partnering with any cancerfocused organization and then working directly with that organization on engagement and
the donation terms.

The agency raises funds by selling their pink patches and related items directly to the
community. The proceeds from sale of these items go directly to benefit breast cancer
research at City of Hope (or the cancer research and treatment organization the agency
has chosen). There are many ways to sell pink patch items to the community, including
selling them at community events and open houses, at the agency’s front counter, via an
E-commerce site (such as eBay, Etsy, etc.) or through the good old fashion US Mail.

The public supports the PPP by purchasing the agency’s pink patches, t-shirts and other
items directly from the agency or via City of Hope’s centralized on-line store where the
community can purchase patches from multiple organizations. PPP also partners together
in joint sale events at venues such as the Los Angeles County Fair, Baker to Vegas, etc.

The sky is the limit and the agency can use any method they choose in order to raise
funds for their program. Many of our agencies have come up with creative and inventive
ways to sell patches and raise funds!

Best of all, all funds raised by the individual agency can go directly to their program and
the beneficiary they choose to support. No money goes back to the PPP and there is no
cost to be a part of the partnership.

We are here to help you through the process of developing and deploying your PPP
program. This includes suggestions on where to obtain pink patches, how to select a
beneficiary, how to manage your program locally, etc.

Once you have made the commitment to implementing the program at your agency, we ask
that your register your program with us so the we can post your agencies information on
our website, spotlight your efforts on our social media platforms and include your
department in our mailings, meetings and events.

To register your agency, simply fill out the form on the Apply page. This can be
done at any time during the development process at your agency!

The PPP maintains a robust and active social media program that includes a PPP website
and PPP X, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. These sites are updated regularly,
with volunteer PPP social media team members interacting with, and responding to, the
community on behalf of all of the PPP agencies. We also provide volunteers PIO’s and
media contact personnel to assist in furthering the overall PPP message and to help local
agencies share their message locally and beyond!

It is the goal of the PPP’s social media program to support each PPP agency by spotlighting
their programs and events on our sites, as well as furthering the overall message of the
PPP through aggressive on-line marketing and the social media postings. All posts made
on the PPP sites include links back to the respective agency(ies), as applicable.

• Our website is www.pinkpatchroject.com. A list of all of the participating agencies,
  along with links on who to contact to purchase their items, is included on the website.
• The PPP has accounts on X, Facebook and Instagram. Just search “Pink Patch
  Project” in each to see what we’re doing.
• Most of the participating agencies have PPP related information on their own web site
  and agency social media sites as well. The PPP regularly re-sends and tags these sites
  in their posts.

We suggest that each agency also aggressively market and promote their program on
their own agency website and social media outlets. We ask that they include the hash
tag #PinkPatchProject, the PPP website URL, and/or tag the appropriate PPP social media
account in their agency posts. This allows that post to be re-sent from the PPP account.
We also ask that each agency regularly share pictures, flyers and information about their
events and activities with the PPP to be shared from the various PPP sites.

Even if an agency does not have an active social media program, the PPP social media team
can easily post any information from that agency on the PPP accounts to support and bring
attention to that agency’s efforts.

The roots of the PPP can be traced to the Seal Beach Police Department (CA), who
wore pink patches on their uniform shirts during “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” in
2013. In 2015, the Irwindale Police Department (CA) took the idea a step further
and sold their patches to the community, raising over $20,000.00 for City of Hope. In
2016, then-IPD Chief Anthony Miranda took the idea to the Los Angeles County Police Chiefs’
Association and 25 local agencies came on board. Since then the program has expanded
to several hundred partner agencies throughout the world and includes partners from
police, sheriff, fire, EMS and Federal departments worldwide.

Since its inception, we collectively raised a combined total in excess of a million dollars
worldwide, all of which went to breast cancer research and education!

PPP Contact Information:
Email: info@pinkpatchproject.com

Public Information Officer, Press/Media contact:
Amy McDaniel, El Segundo, California, Police Department
Email: info@pinkpatchproject.com

City of Hope Contact:
Raquel Sanchez, (626) 218-5411
Email: raqsanchez@coh.org
City of Hope Website:
www.cityofhope.org/pink-patch-project