Reaching Hard-to-Reach Communities: 5 Working Practices
What inclusive communication looks like in practice
Across emergency management, housing, education, and nonprofits, we see the same pattern: organizations are working harder than ever to communicate, yet the most vulnerable people still miss critical information.
Here are a few practices consistently make the biggest difference in inclusive engagement:
1. Design for language and literacy first, not last
- Assume your community does not prefer English or may have lower literacy.
- Pair plain-language writing with translated, multilingual versions and audio or visual supports (icons, short videos, text-to-speech) so people can listen instead of read.
- Use the same core message across channels so families don’t get different versions in different places.
Reflective question:
Where in your current system is a non-English-speaking or low-literate resident most likely to fall through the cracks? Leverage translated text-to-speech.
2. Remove “sign-up” and data barriers where you can
- Many—especially undocumented, low-trust, or mobile families—avoid sharing personal data, accounts, or location.
- Offer at least one way to receive essential information that doesn’t require logins, forms, or verified contact data.
- Be transparent about what you do and don’t collect; naming your privacy stance explicitly can build trust over time.
Quick audit idea:
Look at your core alerts or updates. How many steps does a resident have to take before they can reliably receive them?
3. Meet people where they already are (not only in their inbox)
- Relying on a single channel (email or social media) almost always leaves out low-tech or low-trust groups.
- Use a multi-channel approach—web, social, app, text, voice, and community partners—to reinforce the same message in different ways.
- Partner with schools, housing authorities, libraries, clinics, and nonprofits so your messages can “ride along” to their networks instead of starting from zero each time.
Practice we recommend:
For any high-stakes campaign (alerts, benefits, housing deadlines), plan your channels and partners first, then write the message.
4. Treat community partners as co‑messengers, not just “forwarders”
- Give partners toolkits—drafts, flyers, social posts, and talking points—so they can share your information accurately in their own channels.
- Make it easy for them to highlight your content in their newsletters, websites, and outreach, not just on social feeds that disappear in a day.
- Share back what you’re learning (languages reached, common questions, gaps) so partners feel like part of a shared strategy, not just a distribution list.
Example question to ask partners:
“If we shared one communication kit with you next month, what formats would be most useful to your team?”
5. Build a feedback loop, not just a broadcast system
- One-way communication makes it hard to know who you’re missing and why.
- Create simple ways for families and residents to respond—surveys, quick polls, or two-way messaging—so you can hear where they’re confused or under‑reached.
- Use that feedback to adjust language, timing, and channels rather than just sending more of the same.
Simple starting point:
Add one short feedback question to your next major announcement:
“Was this information clear and easy to access? If not, what got in the way?”
What we’re building in response
Over the past few months we’ve been investing heavily in:
- Stronger support for emergency alerts that still reach people when language, literacy, and tech access are barriers
- New tools for housing residents and teams to reach highly mobile, low-tech residents
- Expanded support for early childhood and literacy partners who need to engage caregivers with literacy content at early ages
- A growing library of evidence-based, ready-to-use content for agencies and nonprofits focused on equity and inclusive communication
If you’d like a deeper dive into any of these areas, here are a couple of short reads and case examples you might find useful:
- Carbondale’s Rapid Subscriber Growth
- Families In Schools Releases the Read LA! App. Putting Early Literacy Tools in Every Family’s Hands!
We’re excited to announce that Families In Schools (FIS) has launched Read LA! on the ReachWell app ! Read LA! will bring early literacy information and activities to families across Los Angeles through the app to equip parents and caregivers with the tools they need to support their children’s literacy at home and advocate for them at school. Powered by ReachWell, the app makes content available in over 130 languages and requires no personal information, reducing any barriers to entry. All content has been carefully curated to bring only the highest quality tools and information to LAUSD families, including activities that align to their schools reading instruction curriculum called CKLA. Currently, only 43% of Los Angeles third graders are reading at grade level— FIS and the Read LA! Coalition are committed to reversing this trend, ensuring that Los Angeles children can read and thrive. Our goal is to have 70% of LAUSD third graders reading proficiently by 2030. The Read LA! app—which follows our efforts to ensure good instruction in the classroom—will help us achieve this goal. “While improving classroom instruction is at the crux of improving reading outcomes for children, we know that engaging and equipping families to be strong partners in their children’s education is a powerful driver for literacy success,” said Yolie Flores, President & CEO of Families In Schools . “We’re excited to partner with ReachWell because we know families want access to information and guidance to ensure their children can read; they want to do everything in their power to help their children be successful in school and in life.” “That’s why Read LA! on the ReachWell app was built with input from our parent and caregiver focus groups, coalition, and Literacy Ambassadors to put trusted, curated early literacy resources directly into families’ hands,” said Olga Corona De La Cruz, Sr. Campaign Director of Read LA! . Watch this video by Olga to learn a little more about the app and how it helps our campaign. Zuben Bastani, CEO & Founder of ReachWell , has worked closely with FIS to bring Read LA! to families across Los Angeles and beyond. “Our mission at ReachWell is equitable community engagement,” said Bastani. “We designed the most accessible tool out there because everyone has a right to access information and resources easily. I know how critical Read LA! is in Los Angeles’ early literacy community, and we are so excited they have chosen to join ReachWell.” “Our instructional video makes it easy to download the app,” said Corona De La Cruz. “We want families of young children to have the literacy tools and information they need at their fingertips. Your child’s future starts now—download the app today!”
From crisis to connection: Carbondale’s story of rapid growth.
Why Communication Without Gaps Is the Future of Public Engagement
Government distrust is at an all-time high. Many residents are wary of sharing their personal information with public agencies, often due to fears of surveillance, spam, or data misuse. This hesitation is especially acute among low-income and unhoused individuals who frequently change phone numbers due to service lapses, making traditional outreach efforts ineffective. Most public communication systems fall short. They rely on platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact, which get lost in crowded inboxes. Social media, while pervasive, is designed to harvest data and push ads—not to protect user privacy. Even emergency alert systems often require residents to sign up and share their location, further eroding trust. Text messaging, often called the holy grail of communication, is no longer a guaranteed solution. People guard their phone numbers carefully, especially when interacting with the government. They fear being spammed or having their data sold. So how can agencies inform and protect the public without breaching their trust? A New Approach to Community Communication Using ReachWell's extensive experience and broad customer base, here are some recommendations to consider when engaging your community in a less intrusive yet more effective manner: Offer Communication Choices : Let residents decide how they want to receive information—whether it's through text, email, voice calls, app notifications, or a combination. This respects personal preferences and helps reduce message fatigue. Respect Anonymity : Not everyone wants to share personal contact details. Provide anonymous access to messages via public channels or apps that don’t require identifying information. Support Multilingual Access : Language should never be a barrier to safety or services. Translate messages into the primary languages spoken in your community, and consider text-to-speech options for low-literacy audiences. Allow Topic Subscription : Let people select specific topics or groups they care about. Targeted messages reduce noise and increase engagement. Minimize Data Collection : Collect only the data you truly need. Avoid tracking location or behavior unless absolutely necessary—and be transparent about what is collected and why. Ensure Accessibility : Meet or exceed accessibility standards (such as WCAG 2.2 AA compliance) so all residents, including those with disabilities, can access and understand public messages. These practices foster trust, improve message delivery, and help ensure no one is left out of important conversations—especially in moments of crisis or community need. Expanded Real-World Examples: Trusted by Diverse Communities El Paso County, CO (Colorado Springs area) uses ReachWell to distribute emergency alerts—including shelter-in-place orders and missing persons reports—in over 130 languages. Residents can receive alerts even without providing contact information. The Town of Carbondale, CO keeps its multilingual and low-literate residents informed of community events, social services, and public works projects using WCAG 2.2 AA-compliant messaging and text-to-speech capabilities—ensuring no one is left behind. Tucson, AZ : Child-Parent Centers, a Head Start provider, uses ReachWell to keep 500+ staff updated on safety alerts, training sessions, and HR notices across 130 languages—building internal trust through inclusive communication. Boulder County Housing Authority ensures ongoing connection with residents—even after their contact information changes—by sending updates about emergencies, upcoming maintenance, and resident services using ReachWell’s multilingual and anonymous outreach tools. Conclusion Building trust with residents starts with giving them control. When governments let people choose how they connect, what they receive, and in what language—trust grows. ReachWell is proving that communities can be kept safe and informed without sacrificing privacy or accessibility. When people don’t trust the system, it’s time to change the system. ReachWell is doing just that. BOOK A DEMO TODAY
In order to maximize reach, we've applied the following approach to quickly connect all families.
How Technology Can Rebuild Community Trust
Evaluating your communications strategy to align with what is important to you.
Discover how simplifying language fosters accessibility, trust, and inclusive community engagement. Learn practical strategies and explore how ReachWell helps connect diverse audiences in over 130 languages.
Discover how Delta County is revolutionizing equitable communications with ReachWell, offering multilingual tools to strengthen families and support human services and emergency management.
Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering joins ReachWell to ensure people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities have the tools and knowledge they need to confidently prepare for emergencies.
