March is National Professional Social Work Month where the theme for 2012 is “Social Work Matters.” In an effort to spread the message to the general public about the value of the profession, promotional announcements about social workers will air on National Public Radio starting in March.

“The NPR audience is comprised of more than 20 million daily listeners who are not only interested in social issues, but are also active in their communities,” said Gail Woods Waller, director of NASW Communications.

“Donations to the NASW Foundation from now until March will ensure that the ‘Social Work Matters’ message is heard nationally during and after Social Work Month.”

At the chapter level, the 2012 Social Work Month Outreach Toolkit will provide new multimedia tools to help make the case with a variety of stakeholders about the range and impact of services social workers provide to individuals, families and communities.

“The next phase of our public education campaign seeks to better explain why and how much society needs social workers,” said Woods Waller.